Wingstop Competitors

McAlister’s Deli is a fast casual restaurant serving up sandwiches, salads, spuds and delicious sweet tea since 1989, when they opened their doors in Oxford, MS. Since then, McAlister’s has become a community gathering place in over 400 neighborhoods and 28 states. They are committed to serving the freshest and finest ingredients and handcrafted food, always made-to-order. McAlister’s is owned by Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands Inc., the franchisor and operator of over 5.5K Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Auntie Anne’s and McAlister’s Deli locations, as well as Seattle’s Best Coffee on certain military bases and in certain international markets. Interested in franchising? Learn more: https://www.mcalistersdelifranchising.com/

Our roots run deep in the Delta where the food is honest, meals are social, and the door is always open. We started with a mission to bring a dose of that southern hospitality to a fast, casual setting—serving Fresh Delicious Chicken® to the communities we serve. Our startup story is pretty simple. It all started with a craving for a quick, quality meal— fresh chicken cooked to order. The founders, Greg Smart and Tom Gordon, discovered there was a niche to fill and rallied where lots of great startups begin, from their garage! Tireless testing and a laser-focused vision launched the first Slim Chickens restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2003. Now over 15 years and tens of thousands of happy customers later, we know that there’s something special about our hand-breaded chicken tenders, fresh hot chicken sandwiches, made-to-order wings and our house-made dipping sauces that keep our loyal fans coming back…over and over again. Our service model sets us apart from quick service restaurants. Whether you’re dining in, driving through, or carrying out, our people will greet you with a warm smile and a desire to please. When dining in, we bring your food to your table and provide you with that extra touch of hospitality. We strive to return that enthusiasm by giving back to the communities we serve—helping local non-profits with fundraisers, donating food to community events, and doing everything we can to improve the lives of people in the communities where we live and work.

Great wings and incredible flavor are what we’ve been doing since 1991. Our lineup of distinctive, crowd-pleasing flavors is the result of 30 years of research and development. We are the future of wing restaurants, serving wings, tenders, and "hot" chicken sandwiches.