Applebee 's (NASDAQ:APPB) has more than 1,700 restaurants to its name. Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI) owns in excess of 600 Red Lobsters and 500 Olive Gardens. Given numbers like that, shareholders of Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ:BWLD), with more than 300 units under its belt, have to like their company's prospects for continued growth.
Those looking for this enterprise to get to the level of McDonald's (NYSE:MCD), with its 30,000 units, should look elsewhere. But there are enough buckaroos out there -- those crazy enough to throw down a dozen Blazin' wings -- to fuel plenty of growth as Buffalo Wild Wings expands across the continental United States.
In a recent announcement, Buffalo Wild Wings reported that as part of a partnership with Four M Capital, it will open 36 units in the New York metro area.
The press release also relayed plans to open an additional 11 restaurants in Florida, more than doubling its position there. Buffalo Wild Wings will open additional units in Alabama, Mississippi, and California, as well.
Investors looking to add to their positions in Buffalo Wild Wings may still be feeling the sting from the company's first-quarter disappointment. But as Fool analyst Bill Mann advised, bumps on the investment road are a normal part of the growth process.
There's a reason Tom Gardner recommended Buffalo Wild Wings not once, not twice, but three times in the Motley Fool Hidden Gems newsletter. For those who can stomach the ups and downs of small-cap ownership, buying when the market drops your investment like a hot potato can often be one of the best ways to prepare your portfolio for future appreciation.
As Buffalo Wild Wings migrates north in pursuit of the 1,000-unit mark, investors who have taken advantage of the recent sell-off by initiating or increasing positions will look back at what was just a bump in the road to success.
For more on Buffalo Wild Wings, check out the following Foolish takes:
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Fool contributor Jeremy MacNealy does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.
