American chicken wing franchise Atomic Wings has announced an ambitious expansion strategy with a target of opening 20 new locations by the end of 2024.

The move will almost double the size of its current restaurant footprint.

Atomic Wings CEO Zak Omar said: “We aim to be the next big thing, and we've achieved this through organic natural growth, primarily driven by word of mouth.

“This distinguishes us from competitors who rely heavily on venture capitalist funding. Our growth is a testament to the excitement and loyalty of our consumers and those who want to be a part of our journey.

“We believe these are fantastic opportunities to expand our brand visibility and offer consumers a chance to savour our delicious offerings.”

In 2023, Atomic Wings opened five new restaurants and awarded another 45 under area representative contracts.

The company established relationships with area representatives who are set to develop 275 locations across US states including New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Texas.

The expansion plan also includes multiple new deals in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Florida.

Atomic Wings is expected to launch its first drive-through wing spot in Houston, Texas in spring 2024.

Atomic Wings operations vice-president Mike Harmon said: “We'd really like to strengthen our foothold in the Midwest and on the East Coast. We have a lot of activity in those areas already, so we've honed in those markets for even more strategic development.

“We're working on some different flavours and menu items. We plan to launch a robust catering menu later this year. We have Korean barbecue bites in the works right now and we're also pretty excited about our Nashville Hot sandwich and tenders.

“Nashville Hot chicken is something that you have to do just right, and we're still putting the finishing touches on the recipe, but that is going to be a superstar product for us.”