Wingstop was founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, by Antonio Swad and Bernadette Fiaschetti. They developed the concept as a focused chicken wing restaurant, starting with a single location and later expanding through franchising from 1997 onward. Antonio Swad, who had previous experience with a pizza business called Pizza Patrón, used the earnings from that venture to launch Wingstop. The brand quickly grew and became known for its fresh-to-order wings tossed in various sauces. Swad and Fiaschetti eventually sold Wingstop in 2003 after building it to 90 units. The chain has since expanded globally and went public in 2015.