Welcome back. Big news today. Apple and Formula 1 reaching a five-year US media rights deal that will bring all the races to Apple TV in the US.Apple will be paying about $140 million per year for the rights. According to our reporting, joining us now is the CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 team and TWWG Motorsports is Dan Towers. Dan, it's it's great to talk to you.I know you're in Austin for the big race this weekend. What what is this what does this deal represent to you. It's a big change from Disney's ESPN ha ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide sales increased by 13.9% to $1.3 billion, while same-store sales declined by 1.9% for the quarter [7][25] - Total revenue increased by 12% to $174.3 million compared to the prior year [25] - Adjusted EBITDA rose by 14.3% to $59.2 million, and adjusted EPS was $1 per diluted share, a 1.6% increase year-over-year [27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Company-owned restaurant sales increased by $2.6 million due to same-store sales growth of 3.6% [25] - Cost of sales as a percentage of company-owned sales was 75.2%, a decline of 70 basis points [26] - The implementation of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen has led to a consistent average ticket time of ten minutes [26][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened 129 net new restaurants globally in the second quarter, marking a nearly 20% growth rate [9][20] - The international business is showing strong demand, with new restaurants in Sydney and Paris exceeding expectations [21][22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to scale brand awareness, drive menu innovation, expand delivery channels, and invest in digital transformation [9][19] - The long-term target is to achieve average unit volumes (AUVs) of $3 million, supported by the success of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen [17][19] - The company has updated its guidance for unit growth to 17% to 18% for 2025, reflecting strong demand from brand partners [20][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged uncertainty in consumer behavior and spending habits but remains focused on executing strategies [10][22] - The company expects to return to positive same-store sales growth as the year progresses, particularly in the latter half of the third quarter [38][86] - Management expressed confidence in the long-term strategies and the potential of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen to enhance operational efficiency [41][43] Other Important Information - The company has increased its quarterly dividend from $0.27 to $0.30 per share, reflecting the strength of its business model [28] - The digital database has grown by 30%, now approaching 60 million, which will support the upcoming loyalty program [18][56] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on third quarter guidance - Management noted some softness in consumer demand but expects to return to growth as comparisons ease in the latter half of the third quarter [36][38] Question: Impact of Smart Kitchen on sales - Early results from the Smart Kitchen indicate improvements in speed and guest satisfaction, with sales outperformance noted in the Dallas Fort Worth market [41][43] Question: Unit growth and franchisee demand - The company is encouraged by the pace of development and the record level of sold commitments, indicating strong franchisee demand [46][50] Question: Details on the loyalty program - The loyalty program is designed to create an emotional connection with guests, leveraging insights from the growing digital database [56][57] Question: Impact of value deals on customer behavior - The 20 for 20 bundle performed well, leading to higher average checks and demonstrating the company's ability to offer value without sacrificing margins [62][63] Question: Changes in delivery mix with Smart Kitchen - Restaurants with Smart Kitchen are seeing mid-single-digit growth in delivery sales, indicating improved performance [69] Question: Future unit growth normalization - Management is focused on disciplined and sustainable growth, with a strong pipeline of sold commitments supporting future expansion [98][100]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 reached $176.4 million, reflecting an increase of $10.6 million or 6.4% compared to the previous year [18][19] - Same restaurant sales increased by 1.8%, contributing approximately $2.6 million to revenue growth [20] - Restaurant level adjusted EBITDA was $36.7 million with a margin of 20.8%, a decrease of 110 basis points from the previous year [27] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was $21.2 million, down 2.6% from the previous year [29] - General and administrative expenses increased to $18.9 million, representing 10.7% of revenue [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New restaurants not in the comparable base contributed $7.9 million in revenue growth [19] - The average check increased by 4.9%, partially offset by a 3.1% decrease in transactions [20] - The company plans to open 12 new restaurants this year, with 10 in the new Restaurant of the Future format [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The advertising campaign in Dallas Fort Worth increased brand awareness by about 10% and drove high single-digit sales increases [10] - The company is running a similar campaign in Phoenix to boost brand awareness [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on four key tactics: advertising beyond Chicagoland, launching the Portillo's Perks loyalty program, continuous operational improvements, and optimizing kiosks [9] - The loyalty program aims for a personalized, data-driven approach based on guest behavior, with a goal of 1.6 million sign-ups by mid-year [56] - The company is testing breakfast offerings in five Chicagoland restaurants, with positive early feedback [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged macro pressures but expressed confidence in the brand's resilience and strategies to drive traffic [17] - The company expects comp sales growth in the range of 1% to 3% and total revenue growth of 10% to 12% for the year [22][23] - Management noted that newer restaurants are experiencing slower starts but are optimistic about their long-term performance [23][54] Other Important Information - Food, beverage, and packaging costs as a percentage of revenues increased to 34.6% due to commodity price increases [24] - Labor costs as a percentage of revenues increased to 26.6%, driven by lower transactions and increased wage rates [25] - The company ended the quarter with $12.9 million in cash and plans to use cash generated from operations to fund new restaurant growth [32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about new restaurant performance in Houston - Management indicated that the slower performance is due to brand awareness and not operational issues, emphasizing a focus on field marketing to build awareness [38][39] Question: Impact of recent openings on revenue guidance - The widening of the revenue range is primarily related to the class of '24 openings rather than expectations for '25 [40][41] Question: Testing breakfast offerings - The breakfast test is being conducted quietly to ensure operational execution, with plans for broader marketing if successful [90] Question: Performance of new units and marketing strategies - Management noted that marketing efforts in Houston were less aggressive compared to Dallas, which contributed to slower starts [54][98] Question: Insights on the Portillo's Perks program - Initial metrics indicate strong guest responsiveness to offers, exceeding internal expectations [56][108]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 2025 reached $176.4 million, reflecting an increase of $10.6 million or 6.4% compared to the previous year [16] - Same restaurant sales increased by 1.8%, contributing approximately $2.6 million to revenue growth [17] - Restaurant level adjusted EBITDA was $36.7 million with a margin of 20.8%, a decrease of 110 basis points from the previous year [24] - Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 2.6% to $21.2 million compared to Q1 2024 [25] - General and administrative expenses increased to $18.9 million, representing 10.7% of revenue [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New restaurants not in the comparable base contributed $7.9 million to revenue growth [16] - The average check increased by 4.9%, driven by a 4.4% increase in menu prices [17] - Labor costs as a percentage of revenues increased to 26.6% due to lower transactions and increased wage rates [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Dallas Fort Worth advertising campaign increased brand awareness by about 10% and drove high single-digit sales increases in that region [8] - Newer markets remain vulnerable until brand awareness is established, as seen in Houston [36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open 12 new restaurants in 2025, with 10 in the new Restaurant of the Future format [14] - The Portillo's Perks loyalty program aims to enhance customer engagement through personalized offers [9] - The company is focusing on operational excellence, including hospitality, speed, and accuracy [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged macroeconomic pressures but expressed confidence in the brand's resilience and strategies [15] - The company expects comp sales growth to be in the range of 1% to 3% for the remainder of the year [19] - Commodity inflation is forecasted at 3% to 5% for 2025, with significant pressures from beef prices [21] Other Important Information - Cash from operations increased by 4.1% year over year to $9.5 million [28] - The effective interest rate decreased to 7% from 8.4% in 2024 [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about new restaurant performance in Houston - Management indicated that the slower performance is due to brand awareness issues rather than operational problems, and they are increasing marketing efforts to build awareness [36] Question: Impact of recent openings on revenue guidance - The widening of the revenue range is primarily related to the class of '24 openings rather than expectations for '25 [38] Question: Update on breakfast test in Chicago - The breakfast test is being conducted quietly to ensure operational execution, with plans for broader marketing if successful [42][86] Question: Performance of new units and marketing strategies - Management noted that marketing efforts were less aggressive in Houston compared to Dallas, which contributed to slower initial performance [94] Question: Insights on the Portillo's Perks program - Initial metrics indicate strong guest responsiveness to offers, exceeding internal expectations [104]