Wingstop’s U.K. millennial chief walks to work from his Hampstead Heath apartment and has $25 lunches from London’s hottest luxury gym
What would you do if you had a six-figure salary? Perhaps you’d never cook another meal again or indulge in a monthly Thai massage and a Soho House membership to unwind from the stress that comes with being at your A game.
Here at The Good Life you don’t have to imagine what life at the top looks like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for how the most successful live life.
Today Fortune meets Wingstop’s U.K. chief, 34-year-old London-based Tom Grogan.
If you live in the U.S. (or on TikTok) you’ll have undoubtedly heard of the popular American fast-food franchise.
The company was founded in Texas in 1994 and by 2002 the brand claimed to have served two million wings.
2,000,000
The number of wings Wingstop has served in just eight years.
Now—thanks to a cold email to the company’s information inbox five years ago—Grogan (along with his three co-founders) has brought the chain to Britain and the brand’s various flavored chicken wings have translated well across the pond.
On TikTok, Wingstop U.K.’s following has grown bigger than the legendary cult chicken company KFC; Demand is so high, that Wingstop now has 47 sites and employs over 2,000 people—with plans to open up to 100 stores over the next five years just to keep up; It’s in the top 10 most popular restaurants in the entire Kingdom on Deliveroo and is currently one of the fastest-growing restaurants in the nation.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
The finances
Fortune: What has been the best investment you’ve ever bought?
Tom Grogan: My apartment in Hampstead Heath is my best investment. It has increased c.30% in value over the past five years, predominantly through buying very well and a tasteful refurbishment.
The worst?
Nothing too catastrophic to date to be honest!
Hoberman Collection/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
How do you commute to work?
It’s a 45-minute walk from my apartment or on a busy day, I’ll take an Uber.
Do you carry a wallet?
Cardholder, or Apple Pay.
Jo Hale—Redferns/Getty
What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
If I were advising my 20-year-old self on personal finance, I’d stress that merely saving money isn’t enough to build substantial wealth because it often doesn’t keep pace with inflation. Instead, the real key to wealth is creating and building something valuable, like a business or product. Think about solving a problem or fulfilling a need within a market you are passionate about. The potential financial rewards from ownership and capital gains can far surpass what you could save from a salary.
What’s the one subscription you can’t live without?
Spotify—my favorite artists at the moment are Mind Against, Dave, and Benny Banks.
Mike Kemp—In Pictures/Getty Images
Where’s your go-to watch from?
Audemars Piguet.
The real key to wealth is creating and building something valuable, like a business or product.
What’s your go-to work wardrobe?
For my work wardrobe, Suitsupply and Boggi are great. M&S men’s knitwear is also bulletproof. My favourite brands include Goyard, Berluti and Loro Piana as they all have a strong heritage and make great quality pieces.
The necessities
How do you get your daily coffee fix?
I’m a big fan of coffee and have two to three black coffees throughout the day (or double espressos). Usually I don’t eat breakfast, but when I do it’s always something light. Grind makes great tasting coffee, and thankfully there is one just by our offices in Mayfair. Our old office had a Sage coffee machine which looks great but is a faff. We now use a Nespresso machine which is much easier!
Frederic J. Brown—AFP/Getty Images
What about eating on the go?
I tend to meal prep or buy food for the day from my local gym, Third Space, which usually ends up costing around £20 ($25.3) a day. For food on the go, my favourites include Leon, Salad Project and of course Wingstop! My go-to order is eight boneless pieces in spicy Korean—you need to try the new Voodoo fries! For more sit-down lunches, Cecconis or Delfino in Mayfair are always a good choice.
Courtesy of Wingstop
Courtesy of Wingstop
Where do you buy groceries?
M&S Food and Waitrose. I rarely dine out unless it’s business or work-related.
What’s the price of unwinding from a top job?
I’ve found that cutting out alcohol and training regularly in the gym six times a week has really helped me unwind and handle the challenges that running a high-growth business can put your way—I would recommend it to anyone. Weekend walks on Hampstead Heath with my headphones in are a weekly occurrence.
The treats
Are you the proud owner of Meta’s smart glasses or anything other futuristic gadgets?
Nothing too futuristic, however I can’t live without my Airpods!
Valentin Flauraud—Bloomberg/Getty Images
What’s the best bonus treat you’ve bought yourself?
I would say an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver watch was probably the best treat. I thought about buying a nice car this year; however, I chose to be sensible and paid down some of my mortgage which I’m pretty thankful for now given where interest rates have landed!
The Amalfi Coast in Italy
Marco Bottigelli—Getty Images
Take us on holiday with you, what’s next on your vacation list?
The past few years I haven’t really been able to detach from work or take a proper holiday—personally, I find it hard to relax whilst being away from work or the office for too long. That said, I love the South of France, my business partner recently hosted us in Antibes, and I’ll most definitely be looking to return this year for a long weekend. The Amalfi Coast is on my bucket list, so I’ll be making some time to visit there in the next few years.
Here at The Good Life you don’t have to imagine what life at the top looks like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for how the most successful live life.
Fortune wants to hear from European leaders on what their “Good Life” looks like. Get in touch: orianna.royle@fortune.com
