Founded in 1985 in Roswell, Georgia by David Hyde and Ralph Perella, Buffalo’s Cafe began as a single family-themed restaurant built around authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings. Its founders chose a rustic Southwest décor and introduced tender, never-frozen medium-sized wings served with 13 to 18 house-made sauces.

Buffalo’s Cafe launched franchising in 1991 under Buffalo’s Franchise Concepts, Inc., growing to around 12–15 full-service units in the U.S. in recent years, along with over 75 fast-casual “Buffalo’s Express” and co-branded units in partnership with Fatburger. The brand has been part of FAT Brands since its acquisition in 2011 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

The franchise offers a full menu that includes buffalo-style wings, burgers, steaks, salads, tacos, ribs, wraps, desserts, and a full bar, all served in a family-friendly, southwestern-inspired environment. The fast-casual Buffalo’s Express delivers the same classics in smaller footprints, often co-branded with Fatburger for a combined experience.

Training

Buffalo’s Cafe offers a structured training program to support franchisees in successfully operating their restaurants. Here are the training programs provided by the franchisor:

1. Initial Training for Core Team: Buffalo’s Cafe provides training at no charge for the owner, the initial General Manager, and the initial Assistant Manager. This training ensures that the key team members are equipped with operational knowledge and the standards required by the brand.
2. Optional and Additional Training: If the franchisee sends additional personnel for initial training or requires training for newly hired or replacement staff, a fee may apply. The franchisor may also charge for extra or special training sessions requested by the franchisee, as well as for any training programs provided periodically.

Territory Protection

Buffalo’s Cafe does not explicitly guarantee exclusive territory protection to its franchisees. The franchise documentation focuses on operational and financial aspects but does not reference any clearly defined or contractually granted exclusive geographic area where no other Buffalo’s Cafe franchises can operate.

This suggests that while a franchisee may have an implied area of operation, it is not legally protected from encroachment by other franchisees or company-owned locations.

Furthermore, Buffalo’s Cafe retains the right to establish additional locations in proximity to existing franchises. This could potentially lead to market saturation or competition among franchisees in the same region.