I love small local pizza chains. Unfortunately, the pizza industry is a primary target of multi-national organizations and the business is dominated by a small number of competing chains.
So, I decided to write articles about the merger chains that built today's monstrous pizza chains. This directory lists the articles I've been writing. The articles are in no particular order.
Figaro's Pizza (Profile) Figaro's is an Oregon chain that tried to grow through acquisition. They acquired Pizza Schmizza and Nick-N-Willys. The company is smaller than when the mergers started. Schmizza is an independent chain again.
Mellow Mushroom (Profile) Mellow Mushroom is an Atlanta based chain that is primarily in the South. It is trying to become national.
Jet's Pizza (Profile) Jet's is a chain from Detroit which franchises in 20 states.
Mountain Mike's Pizza (Profile) Mountain Mikes Pizza is a California based chain owned by Britt Private Equity.
Shakey's Pizza (Profile) Shakey's Pizza was a chain that became huge when it was owned by the overly ambitious Hunt family of Texas ... before they got in trouble with the IRS. Shakey's is now owned by a food distribution company called Jacmar ... which was one of its largest franchise holders.
Cicis (Profile) Cicis is a chain with pizza-centric buffets. They have been traded about by private equity firms for the last decade.
MOD Pizza (Profile) MOD Pizza is a rapidly expanding chain that has super hot ovens and a design your own pizza bar. The company was built by the couple that made millions when they sold Seattle Best Coffee to Starbucks.
Domino's Pizza (Profile) Domino's Pizza is a chain with over 16,000 locations. They were owned by Bain Capital. They now trade on the NYSE with the symbol DPZ.
California Pizza Kitchen (Profile) CPK started in Beverly Hills with a menu of new pizza flavors. PepsiCo acquired the brand and rolled it out across the nation. It is now owned by Golden Gate Capital.
Sbarro (Profile) Sbarro is a mall based pizza chain. It went bankrupt but came back.
Papa Murphy's (Profile) Papa Murphy's innovated the Take N Bake pizza. In some states, the pizza's are considered grocery items. In these states, Papa Murphy's does not need to charge sales tax and can take EBT cards.
Big Daddy's Pizza (Profile) Big Daddy's is a regional chain with 17 locations in Utah, Colorado and Nebraska.
Papa John's (Profile) Papa John's is a chain that had over 5000 eateries in 2019.
Little Caesars (Profile) Little Caesar's is a pizza chain noted for its "hot and ready" pizza.
Chuck E Cheese (Profile) Chuck E Cheese serves pizza in a fun environment with animatronics.
Godfathers Pizza (Profile) Godfather's Pizza is a chain that had over 500 locations in 37 states in 2019.
Pizza Pie Cafe (Profile) Pizza Pie Cafe is a Utah based pizza chain that had 15 locations in 2019.
5 Buck Pizza (Profile) 5 Bucks Pizza is a Utah based chain that had a dozen stores but shrank to 5 in the recession.
Blackjack Pizza (Profile) Blackjack Pizza is a Colorado based pizza chain.
National Pizza Company (Profile) NPCI is an owner of Pizza Hut franchises. They tried to create their own franchise system called Skipper's which served fish and chips. That chain crashed against the rocks of ever changing fish prices.