Wingstop Launches Voice-Activated Ordering for Ama

DALLAS, Jan. 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wingstop, Inc . (NASDAQ: WING ), the award-winning wing concept with more than 900 locations worldwide, today became the first restaurant brand to offer voice-activated ordering with menu item customization through Amazon Alexa.  Starting today, wing fans can now feed their craving for flavor by speaking simple command prompts that will activate Amazon’s cloud-based voice service, Alexa, to place a new order, re-order from favorite and recent orders, process payment and provide estimated pick-up times. 

“Wingstop is digitally driven and the launch of voice-activated ordering is the next step in our commitment to providing the most convenient, engaging, and cutting edge brand experience for our fans,” said Stacy Peterson, CIO of Wingstop. “We are proud to be working with Amazon to enable Alexa ordering of Wingstop Combos, as well as re-orders and favorite orders, plus the ability to customize flavors, dips and sides – making ordering your favorite wings easier and more fun than ever before.”

Amazon Alexa users can activate a Wingstop order by using simple vocal prompts such as “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order wings”; “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order favorite”; or “Alexa, ask Wingstop to order an 8 piece classic wing combo with lemon pepper, fries and ranch.” To get started, Alexa users must enable the skill in the Alexa app and then link their Wingstop account. The entire ordering process can take place within the Wingstop skill for Alexa. Customers can also manage favorites, set order locations and save payment information for even easier ordering on their next go-round.

“Wingstop and Amazon are two brands that believe in leveraging technology to create powerful connections with their customers,” said Rob Pulciani, Director, Amazon Alexa. “We’re thrilled to be working with Wingstop to launch the first full-menu voice-activated ordering functionality, allowing customers to avoid the line by ordering through Alexa.”

Voice ordering with Amazon Alexa is the latest extension of Wingstop’s preexisting digital ordering platforms. A digitally-driven, innovative restaurant brand, the Company debuted the industry’s first-ever multi-channel social ordering capabilities on Facebook Messenger and Twitter in June 2016 and was ranked the number one “Most Beloved” fast casual dining brand on social media (and second overall restaurant brand) in the United States by Netbase. The omni-channel text and voice conversational technology, powered by Conversable, Inc., allows customers to start an order, customize it, and enjoy easy check-out without ever leaving their preferred social media channel or Amazon Alexa device. Digital orders accounted for 19 percent of total orders for Wingstop, as of the end of the Company’s fiscal third quarter.

In addition to voice ordering via Amazon Alexa, and social ordering on Facebook Messenger and Twitter, Wingstop fans can also place orders online or via mobile device by visiting order.wingstop.com , www.wingstop.com/espanol , or by downloading the Wingstop app, available from Apple’s App Store and Google Play .  To set up a Wingstop account, guests can simply visit Wingstop.com/account. 

About Wingstop: Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: WING ) operates and franchises 949 restaurants across the United States, Mexico, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Wing Experts’ menu features classic and boneless wings with 11 bold, distinctive flavors including Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory Smoked BBQ, Louisiana Rub and Mango Habanero. Wingstop’s wings are always cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed and served with a variety of house-made sides including hand-cut, seasoned fries. Having grown its domestic same store sales for 12 consecutive years, the Company has been ranked #3 on the “Top 100 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains” by Nation’s Restaurant News (2016), #7 on the “Top 40 Fast Casual Chains” by Restaurant Business (2016), and was named “Best Franchise Deal in North America” by QSR magazine (2014).  Wingstop has been designated a certified Great Place to Work® (2016), and was ranked #88 on Fortune ’s 100 Best Medium Workplaces list in October 2016. For more information visit www.wingstop.com or www.wingstopfranchise.com .  Follow us on facebook.com/Wingstop and Twitter @Wingstop.

MEDIA CONTACT: Seth Grugle ICR wingstop@icrinc.com 646.277.1200