Since opening last May, East Coast Wings + Grill has been spicing up Lynchburg’s lunch scene with 60 flavors of wings offered in seven heat indexes. CEO Sam Ballas opened the first ECW+G in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1995, and the restaurant moved to a franchise model in the early 2000s. Today, the franchise boasts over 35 locations throughout the Southeast.

Mike and Leah Morrell decided to open the Lynchburg location of the franchise after eating at an ECW+G in Tennessee. “About six years ago, we dined at the East Coast Wings in Johnson City while visiting Bristol, Tennessee, where we lived prior to moving to Lynchburg almost 30 years ago,” says Mike Morrell.
“The food was awesome and we knew this type of restaurant would be a hit here in Lynchburg.”

Although it hasn’t been open for long, ECW+G has already amassed a large group of lunchtime regulars. “A lot of our regulars have developed great relationships with our staff and know our servers and bartenders by name,” Morrell says. “This is rewarding to see and is a testimony to our level of service and the great overall guest experience you can expect.”

According to Morrell, exemplary customer service—from the store level to the corporate level—is the cornerstone of the restaurant’s success. “First and foremost, our fantastic team makes sure our guests have a great experience every time they dine with us,” he notes. “Additionally, guest input plays a huge role in the menu. Our corporate team is constantly trying new menu items in focus groups and test markets to gather feedback and perfect recipes before anything goes on the full menu.”

In fact, the Lynchburg ECW+G was recently selected as a test market, and a new wing flavor was among the items tested. The restaurant’s menu is updated twice a year, and Morrell says customers should be on the lookout for new menu items in April.

In the meantime, there is no shortage of delicious lunch options. “We have a great lunch menu with specials that include a soft drink available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.,” Morrell says. “Our most popular special is the five bone-in or boneless wings with soft drink and a side for $7.99. Our cheeseburger and buffalo wrap lunch specials are also popular.”

There are also a myriad of options for those who prefer lighter lunch fare.

“If you are looking for something lighter, our lunch specials include some great options like half a sandwich and soup or salad combo, buffalo chicken salad,
or a soup, salad, and Texas toast combo,” Morrell notes.

In the future, Morrell hopes that more ECW+G locations will open in Virginia and beyond. “As the first East Coast Wings in Virginia, our goal is to continue to grow the business and potentially even expand to more locations,” he says.

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