US-based fast-casual pizza chain &pizza has launched its first franchising programme, with a plan to expand from 45 to 300 locations by 2030.
Focusing on the northeastern US, the pizza brand targets growth outside New York City in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
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Since &pizza founder Michael Lastoria handed over leadership to CEO Mike Burns, the company has been reinvigorating its brand, known for its “rebel streak,” which includes pizza tattoos, loud music and a distinctive social media presence.
In 2024, the company closed 13 units and revamped operations to cater to the modern consumer’s preference for ordering from home via mobile.
Burns told Nation’s Restaurant News: “A year ago, we were in the process of resetting the tech stack and relaunching the loyalty programme, and now I think we’ve gotten to the finish line on all of that.
“We brought in a whole new operations team, and they’ve hit the ground running now and full stride and full steam ahead. We feel like the bones are good, and now it’s time for us to see what’s worked in the last year.”
A significant shift for &pizza has been the move from a proprietary operating system to forming external partnerships with platforms such as Toast, Olo and Thanx.
Burns said: “We just want to sell pizza and let the experts do what they do when it comes to tech.
“Now, if we had 1,000 restaurants, it might be a different story, but we’ve got 45 so it just didn’t make sense. It’s cost-effective, and if you’re a franchisee, you know you can just call Olo to troubleshoot instead of calling us.”
The company has also modernised its loyalty programme to offer more than just pizza in exchange for points, and has refocused on delivering everyday value.
Despite the challenges faced by the fast-casual pizza sector post-pandemic, CEO Mike Burns is steering &pizza through a period of adaptation.
“Pre-Covid, fast-casual pizza was a 70 to 80% dine-in experience with 20 to 30% carryout,” he said. “Now that’s shifted, so we have to shift our model.”
The changes include pickup windows, a faster-cooking dough that retains heat longer, improved boxes for better heat retention, and kiosks for convenience and efficiency.
