Sandy Springs-based Arby’s gets Buffalo Wild Wings, vows more additions

Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings Combine In $2.9 Billion Deal

Fast food giant Arby’s Restaurant Group is completing its nearly $3 billion acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings, creating a new company — and vowing to pursue other “strategic additions” — in the process.

Sandy Springs-based Arby's said on Monday it completed the deal that was first announced in November. Backed by the Roark Capital Group private equity firm, the roast beef purveyor paid about $2.9 billion to acquire the casual sports bar and wing chain that was headquartered in Minneapolis.

The newly minted Inspire Brands, Inc. will include both well-established chains, as well as "emerging brand" R Taco, a Texas-founded chain with 22 restaurants in five states. Overall, Inspire Brands will include more than 4,600 restaurants in 15 countries.

Those restaurants’ total sales in 2017 exceeded $7.6 billion, according to a news release. Inspire will remain headquartered in Atlanta and have a “support center” in Minneapolis, officials said.

“We believe the time is right to create a different kind of restaurant company — one with a broad portfolio of distinct brands across a full spectrum of restaurant occasions,” Paul Brown, CEO of Arby’s Restaurant Group and now Inspire Brands, said in the release.

MYAJC.COM: REAL JOURNALISM. REAL LOCAL IMPACT.

The AJC's Tyler Estep keeps you updated on the latest happenings in Gwinnett County government and politics. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

Never miss a minute of what's happening in Gwinnett politics. Subscribe to myAJC.com.

In other Arby’s news: