Lord of the Wings opens in Madrid and considers franchise expansion

Lord of the Wings has opened its first European restaurant in Madrid, just metres from Gran Vía, with an initial investment of €850,000. The Lebanese chain is considering a mix of company-owned and franchised outlets to grow in Spain, but its founder, Marc Moudabber, says any further openings will depend on proving the Madrid model.

Madrid: the brand’s first test in Europe

Founded in Lebanon in 2007 by brothers Marc and Joseph Moudabber, Lord of the Wings has built its business in the Middle East through a combination of company-owned and franchised restaurants. Its arrival in Madrid marks a move into a new market: the outlet is the brand’s first on the European continent.

The company describes it as its flagship restaurant for Europe. According to its own figures, the restaurant sells more than 1,000 kilograms of chicken a week. This is a figure reported by the brand, not a measure of profitability or a forecast for future outlets.

The menu centres on chicken, using the brand’s own recipes, different cooking methods and a wide range of sauces. This core product underpins its entry into Spain, which currently rests on a single restaurant rather than a schedule of further openings.

An €850,000 investment before expanding the network

The €850,000 investment covers the launch of the first European restaurant. It should not be taken as the amount required to open a future franchise: the published information links that sum to the Madrid project, not to an offer for prospective franchisees.

The first year in Spain is intended as an initial market-entry phase. According to information published on 2 November by L’Express Franchise, citing Food Retail Service, Moudabber does not envisage a second outlet until the model has been fully proven.

The founder’s stated priority is to build a small, robust network rather than achieve a broad presence with inconsistent standards. The Madrid opening therefore comes with no immediate commitment to expansion into other areas.

The company’s ambition is to become an established name among chicken restaurants in Spain within three to five years, with several profitable outlets. This is a development goal, not a fixed number of planned openings or a result already achieved.

Franchising: an option dependent on the right partner

For those considering Spain’s franchise market, the interest in this arrival lies in the mixed ownership model described by the founder. Company-owned restaurants would serve strategic markets, support product development and provide training for teams. Franchised outlets would help accelerate growth when the right conditions were in place.

Those conditions include partners having sufficient capital, local market knowledge and the ability to meet operational standards. The company says it already uses this division of roles between company-owned and franchised outlets in the Middle East.

The distinction matters: considering franchising as a means of growth is not the same as announcing that a Spanish franchise network is under way. Decisions on new locations remain tied to the performance of the Madrid restaurant and whether it proves the model.

What will shape the next stage?

Further ahead, Lord of the Wings is considering entering other European countries. Such expansion would depend on demand, supply chain capacity and the quality of a local operator. Madrid therefore serves as an initial test before the brand extends its presence.

In Spain, the next milestones will be proving the restaurant model, a potential second opening and the possible publication of a franchise offer. These steps will distinguish an intention to grow from a concrete opportunity that new partners can join.

In practice: anyone considering this brand should wait for the specific terms of any future franchise offer, rather than treating the investment in the Madrid restaurant as the budget required to become a franchisee.