In a move that’s got New York foodies buzzing and industry watchers paying attention, Wonder has acquired Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, the beloved fast-casual concept that’s been a Manhattan staple since 2013. This isn’t just another acquisition headline: it’s a strategic play that signals where the restaurant industry is heading: toward platforms that can scale beloved brands without losing what makes them special in the first place.
Marc Lore, founder and CEO of Wonder, is betting big that great food shouldn’t be limited by geography or kitchen capacity. And Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, with its cult following and fine-dining pedigree, is the perfect test case.
The Deal: What Actually Happened
Wonder acquired the Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken brand, its physical East Village restaurant in Manhattan, and all current employees. Unlike typical acquisition stories where everything changes overnight, the iconic East Village location will keep operating exactly as it has been: same team, same quality, same vibe. It’ll even stay available on third-party delivery platforms.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Wonder plans to introduce Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken as a concept at a Wonder location in New York City in 2026, followed by expansion to additional locations nationwide. Translation? That award-winning chicken is about to reach a lot more people.
“Bringing Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken into Wonder is an exciting step forward,” said Marc Lore. “With an incredibly loyal following already in place, we can now scale this iconic brand across the Wonder platform to reach far more people.”
Why Blue Ribbon? It’s All About the DNA
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken isn’t your average fast-casual joint. It was launched by chefs Eric and Bruce Bromberg: the same duo behind Blue Ribbon Restaurants, which has been serving sophisticated comfort food since 1992. The fried chicken concept started as a signature menu item at Blue Ribbon Brasserie before getting its own dedicated space.
What makes it special? It’s fast-casual with fine-dining roots: a sweet spot that aligns perfectly with Wonder’s existing portfolio of chef-driven concepts. The Bromberg brothers built their reputation on quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and genuine hospitality. That DNA doesn’t just disappear in an acquisition.
“We started Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken with the aim to share one of our childhood favorites with the world, and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built,” said Chef Bruce Bromberg. “We’re excited about this next chapter in Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken’s journey and are confident in Wonder’s ability to bring what makes this brand so special to more customers than ever before.”
The Wonder Platform Advantage: More Than Just Delivery
Here’s where Wonder’s approach gets really interesting for restaurant operators and hospitality professionals. Wonder isn’t just a delivery app: it’s a full mealtime platform that combines delivery, pickup, dine-in, meal kits, and now, full ownership of restaurant brands.
The killer feature? Multi-Restaurant Ordering. Customers can mix and match dishes from multiple chefs and restaurants in a single order. Want Blue Ribbon’s fried chicken with a side from Bobby Flay’s Streetbird? Or maybe some Di Fara Pizza to round out the meal? Done. No other platform offers this capability, and it’s a genuine innovation in how people think about ordering food.
This acquisition gives Wonder its third chicken concept, alongside Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson and Mr. D’s Fried Chicken. According to Wonder President Jay Naik, this positions them to compete with fast-casual chicken giants like Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A in what he describes as “one of the largest” food markets.
What This Means for the Industry
For food and beverage professionals watching this space, Wonder’s acquisition strategy reveals several important trends:
Platform Consolidation Is Real: Wonder isn’t just aggregating restaurants: it’s buying them outright and integrating them into a cohesive experience. This is fundamentally different from the DoorDash or Uber Eats model.
Quality Can Scale: The big question has always been whether you can scale a beloved restaurant brand without killing what made it special. Wonder is betting that with the right infrastructure, technology, and respect for the original concept, you can.
Multi-Brand Ecosystems Work: Customers increasingly want variety and choice without friction. Wonder’s multi-restaurant ordering proves there’s real demand for this flexibility. For restaurant operators, this suggests that collaboration and flexibility might be more valuable than exclusivity.
Ghost Kitchen Evolution: Wonder operates what could be described as “elevated ghost kitchens”: but with dine-in options and significantly more investment in ambiance and experience. It’s a hybrid model that’s worth studying, particularly as restaurant technology continues to evolve.
The Bigger Picture: Access and Innovation
Marc Lore has built a career on making premium products more accessible: from founding Jet.com (sold to Walmart) to creating Wonder. The Blue Ribbon acquisition fits that pattern perfectly. This isn’t about making fried chicken cheaper; it’s about making great fried chicken available to more people without compromising on quality.
Fast Company recognized Wonder as one of the “Most Innovative Companies,” and it’s easy to see why. The company’s portfolio now includes Blue Apron, Grubhub, Relay, Tastemade, Spyce, and Claim: each playing a role in making food more accessible across different channels and occasions.
For hospitality leaders, the lesson here isn’t necessarily to sell to a platform like Wonder. It’s to think strategically about how technology, scale, and brand identity can work together. The companies that figure out this balance: maintaining soul while scaling smart: will be the ones that thrive.
What Happens Next
In the near term, not much changes for Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken fans. The East Village location stays open, the team stays intact, and the chicken stays delicious.
Starting in 2026, however, Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken will begin appearing at Wonder locations, first in New York City and then expanding from there. Wonder President Jay Naik has indicated plans to have one or two standalone Blue Ribbon locations in every major city where Wonder operates, positioning them as “marketing billboards” for the brand.
For industry professionals, this is worth watching closely. If Wonder can successfully scale Blue Ribbon while maintaining quality and authenticity, it could reshape how we think about restaurant growth entirely. The traditional franchise model may not be the only path forward for beloved regional concepts looking to expand.
The Bottom Line
Wonder’s acquisition of Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken is a bet on quality, accessibility, and the power of platforms to do more than just deliver food: they can actually steward and grow iconic brands. For restaurant operators, hospitality leaders, and food and beverage professionals, this acquisition offers a fascinating case study in how beloved concepts can scale without selling out.
The fried chicken might be what draws customers in, but the real story here is about building infrastructure that lets great food travel without losing what makes it great. That’s a challenge the entire industry is wrestling with: and Wonder is putting serious money behind one possible answer.
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Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
