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Inspire Brands has unveiled a new Buffalo Wild Wings fast-casual prototype designed specifically for international growth, backed by a deal with UAE-based Galadari Brothers Group to open hundreds of locations across the Middle East over the next decade starting with Dubai.
Inspire Brands has announced a new Buffalo Wild Wings fast-casual prototype designed specifically to accelerate the brand's international expansion. The format is distinct from the full-service sports bar model that has defined Buffalo Wild Wings in the United States built instead for faster service, streamlined kitchen operations, and a wider range of trade areas where a sit-down sports bar wouldn't be viable or practical.
The announcement came alongside a significant franchise deal that gives the concept immediate momentum. UAE-based Galadari Brothers Group has signed an agreement to open hundreds of locations across the Middle East over the next decade, with the first restaurant set to open in Dubai within weeks.
The fast-casual prototype carries the core of what Buffalo Wild Wings is known for traditional and boneless wings, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, and the brand's 16 signature sauces and seasonings. A new menu addition exclusive to this format is hand-breaded bone-in chicken, available in multiple counts. Side options include fries, savory rice, and fresh slaw.
New kitchen equipment and operational simplifications are built into the design to achieve faster service speeds than the full-service model allows. Unlike Buffalo Wild Wings GO the off-premises-only domestic prototype that inspired this concept the international fast-casual format is designed for both dine-in and takeaway, giving it broader occasion appeal across different markets and consumer habits.
The new international prototype didn't emerge from scratch. It was modeled after Buffalo Wild Wings GO, the off-premises-focused domestic concept that debuted in May 2020 and has since grown to more than 200 U.S. locations. That format generated $154 million in systemwide sales last year with an average unit volume of $887,000 performance that validated the operational model and demonstrated that a leaner, faster version of Buffalo Wild Wings could work commercially.
The full-service Buffalo Wild Wings finished 2025 with 1,178 U.S. locations, having shed a net of 11 stores over the past three years. The fast-casual prototype represents a different growth vector one that doesn't depend on finding full-service sports bar real estate and can reach consumers in markets and trade areas the traditional format can't serve.
The choice of Galadari Brothers Group as the launch franchisee for the new format is a deliberate one. The UAE-based operator already runs more than 1,200 Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin', and Jimmy John's locations across the Middle East all Inspire Brands concepts giving it deep familiarity with Inspire's operational standards, supply chain expectations, and brand requirements.
That existing relationship removes much of the uncertainty that comes with breaking into a new international market through an unfamiliar partner. Galadari Brothers understands how Inspire operates, and Inspire understands what Galadari Brothers can deliver. Mohammed Galadari, co-chairman and group CEO, described the new Buffalo Wild Wings concept as a strong fit for the region given its focus on premium chicken, sauce variety, and convenience characteristics that translate well across different cultural dining contexts.
The Middle East is a logical first international market for the fast-casual prototype for several reasons. Galadari Brothers' existing infrastructure across the region provides a ready-made operational foundation. Chicken is broadly popular across Middle Eastern markets in a way that makes Buffalo Wild Wings' core menu offering immediately accessible. And the region's appetite for Western QSR and fast-casual brands has been well demonstrated by the success of the Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, and Jimmy John's operations Galadari already runs.
Buffalo Wild Wings had just 65 franchised international locations at the end of 2025 a number that reflects how underdeveloped the brand's global footprint has been relative to its domestic presence. A deal to open hundreds of locations with a single experienced operator over the next decade has the potential to fundamentally change that picture.
The fast-casual international prototype is as much a strategic statement as it is a product announcement. It signals that Inspire Brands sees meaningful international growth potential in Buffalo Wild Wings and is willing to invest in building a purpose-designed format to unlock it rather than simply trying to transplant the full-service U.S. model into markets where it may not fit.
For Buffalo Wild Wings specifically, the format addresses a gap that has limited its international reach - the full-service sports bar concept requires significant real estate, substantial capital investment, and a consumer market familiar enough with the sports bar occasion to support it. The fast-casual prototype removes those barriers, making the brand accessible in far more markets and locations than the traditional format ever could.
