The Huck family, owners of Wings Etc. Grill & Pub locations in Marietta, Belpre, and Caldwell, Ohio, have found a secret to success: generosity. Since 2015, they have funneled more than $140,000 back into their communities by never saying no to a giving opportunity. The key is community engagement, explained Kyle Huck, who operates the restaurants with Chad, Missy, and Kristen Huck. “When the community feels like they are a part of the organization they have more investment. It becomes routine to visit your establishment after every Little League baseball and softball game. That is the chemistry we are after.” These type of initiatives can be win-win by bringing in regular customers more often and cultivate new patrons. Research shows community support through charity events and local collaboration to be a main driver of restaurant choice. The Hucks try not to simply hand out cash, and instead offer programs such as $5 Wings Nut Buck coupons and Dine-To-Donate events to drive store traffic, while building community engagement. Another effort is Feed the Teams, where they provide a meal for one sports team each year from each area high school and other teams receive 15 percent off their bills. The program is built into existing operations and boosts incremental traffic on slower days. For example, on an average Thursday night, a Dine-To-Donate can provide a lift of more than $2,000 in revenue, with almost no expense because promotion is the responsibility of the recipient, he said. The restaurants host approximately…
