1245 ET - Wingstop CEO Michael Skipworth says the restaurant chain is making measurable progress against its key initiatives, even though macroeconomic challenges have hurt near-term results. The company is investing in new back-of-house equipment, dubbed the Wingstop Smart Kitchen, which has contributed to meaningful improvements in speed, accuracy and consistency across the company's network of stores, Skipworth says on a call with analysts. Wingstop has additionally launched a loyalty program that is driving deeper engagement, with members ordering greater volumes of food and more frequently than non-members. "We believe loyalty will be a meaningful driver over time, particularly as we scale nationally and integrate more deeply into our digital ecosystem," Skipworth says. The chain is also stepping up its marketing efforts to attract more customers, he adds. (connor.hart@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 29, 2026 12:46 ET (16:46 GMT)

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