Atomic Wings, New York City’s original chicken wing restaurant, has signed a franchising deal to develop multiple units in Las Vegas. The news comes as part of a major expansion for the brand, which is preparing to grow from 17 to 100 locations in the next few years.
“My father opened the first fried chicken truck on Wall Street,” Atomic Wings CEO Zak Omar told What Now in a phone conversation on Friday. “Food trucks weren’t a thing back then. You had to either eat cafeteria food or go to my dad’s chicken truck. He had lines around the block.”
Omar worked at the chicken spot during his teenage years, until he went off to college. After a period working in IT, he found himself drawn back into the family business.
“We really take pride in our food,” Omar said. “We still hand-bread and hand-batter our wings in-house to this day. Most places will sell you frozen nuggets, pre-breaded chicken. This is a home-cooked meal inside a QSR restaurant.”
Atomic wings offers a menu of chicken wings and boneless wings, chicken sandwiches, salads, and more. The brand packs in flavor with fifteen signature sauces. Buffalo-style sauces range from Mild all the way to Atomic and Nuclear, and other signature flavors include Mango Habanero, Garlic Parmesan, Lemon Pepper, and Jerk BBQ.
What Now also spoke with Rick Gordon, the franchisee bringing this classic brand to Las Vegas.
“It’s not a typical wings place where you go and get wings and fries,” Gordon said. “It’s a great, extensive menu. There’s something for everyone. It caters to the lunch crowd, the dinner crowd, and the sports crowd.”
A ten-year veteran of franchise development, Gordon will use his experience to bring Atomic Wings to Las Vegas. The first location is currently negotiating for a lease, and more are expected to follow—perhaps as many as twenty in the Las Vegas area and throughout Nevada. Although no address has been revealed yet, the brand’s first stop appears to be North Las Vegas.
“I’d been looking around for opportunities to take off,” said Gordon. “Being from New York, knowing the brand, knowing the food, and seeing the work Zak has done with the company, I knew it was going to be a great opportunity.”
“There’s a lot of foodies in Las Vegas,” Omar added. “It just made sense. That’s where we’re going to shine brightest, on that big stage.”
Stay tuned for updates from What Now as Atomic Wings prepares to make its Las Vegas debut.
