We recently compiled a list of the 12 Best Restaurant Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) stands against the other best restaurant stocks.

Restaurant stocks are businesses that own, run, and franchise full-service restaurants that sell prepared food and drinks at retail.

According to estimates from the National Restaurant Association, restaurant sales in the United States reached an all-time high of $1.1 trillion in 2024. The industry’s sales exceeded $1 trillion for the first time ever. According to the group, the industry’s workforce was projected to go up by 200,000 jobs in 2024, bringing its total employment to just under 16 million by the end of the year. Restaurants are facing increased competition as well as greater operating expenses, especially labor costs.

Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association, stated:

“With more than $1 trillion in sales expected this year, the state of the restaurant industry is strong thanks to the agility of its operators and employees,” “As our report shows, restaurants are finding ways to adapt to the challenges of increased food costs and supply chain disruption. Restaurants have responded well to customers’ desire to have more opportunities to enjoy restaurant meals, which continues to grow sales, create employment opportunities, and foster a strong sense of community.”

Nonetheless, as the macro economy continues to exhibit signs of inflation, many diners are having a tough time and are spending carefully. Furthermore, labor shortages, cost inflation, and an unstable economy that may reduce demand are issues that all restaurants are dealing with. Not every restaurant will do well in this volatile setting. However, the most remarkable financial resilience should be shown by companies that offer a strong value proposition to customers and keep a stable moat over the coming years.

As per the National Restaurant Association’s research report, the restaurant business in the United States is expected to increase further in 2025, with sales expected to exceed $1.5 trillion. Employment is predicted to jump by 200,000, bringing the total workforce to 15.9 million. Demand from customers is still strong; 90% of adults claim they like eating out because of the different tastes and experiences that restaurants provide. Value is a top priority, as 47% of operators want to launch new sales or promotions to draw clients.

However, many customers value experience more than price: 47% of limited-service diners and 64% of full-service diners place a higher value on dining experiences than on prices. On-premises traffic is a primary strategic priority, with 90% of fine dining and 87% of casual dining operators prioritizing it over off-premises sales. Despite their willingness to pay, many consumers say they would eat out more often if they had more money to spend. As operators strike a balance between innovation, price, and experience to foster loyalty and growth, these dynamics show cautious optimism.

KPMG revealed not only the challenges but also major trends that will impact the restaurant business this year, based on views from senior executives. The restaurant business expects to grow in 2025 due to the introduction of new products and the opening of more outlets. However, rising labor and food costs, as well as inflationary fears, pose serious problems, especially for franchisees. Operators are putting a high priority on digital enablement to improve customer conversion, maximize operations, and modify menus to accommodate changing customer preferences to remain competitive. Industry dynamics are still being shaped by the growing dependence on third-party ordering and delivery platforms. Lastly, it is essential to keep up a positive workplace culture to attract and keep talent.

Our Methodology

For this article, we sifted through the online rankings to form an initial list of the 20 Restaurant Stocks. From the resultant dataset, we chose 12 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, using Insider Monkey’s database of 1009 hedge funds in Q4 2024 to gauge hedge fund sentiment for stocks.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 36

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) is a restaurant operator that was established in 1994 in Garland, Texas, and specializes in bone-in and boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, fries, and, more recently, chicken sandwiches. Since its founding, the company’s global footprint has expanded rapidly, with more than 2,560 outlets expected by the end of 2024. The firm has a 98% franchised business model, meaning that the majority of its revenue comes from advertising fees and franchise royalties. The remaining portion comes from a limited number of company-owned locations.

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) had a successful first quarter of 2025, with both operational and record development. The company established a record 126 new units, showing its aggressive expansion strategy and rising brand visibility. As a result of its successful digital transformation efforts, digital revenues jumped to 72% of overall sales. In terms of finances, its adjusted EBITDA grew by 18.4% year over year to $59.5 million. With the opening of a new market in Kuwait, the company’s international expansion gained momentum and set weekly sales records worldwide. Furthermore, brand health measurements and guest ratings have hit all-time highs, showing excellent client satisfaction and loyalty.

Guggenheim maintained its Buy rating on Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) shares and increased the price objective from $280 to $325. The analyst says that although the firm’s management has guided to a significant improvement in same-store sales in the second half from what is expected to be a soft Q2, “the bulk of our upward revisions” are driven by increased unit growth assumptions. The analyst is raising the firm’s 2025 and 2026E EPS forecasts to $3.88 and $5.00 from $3.85 and $4.80, respectively.

Overall, WING ranks 11th on our list of the Best Restaurant Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. While we acknowledge the potential of WING as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than WING but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.