Fast casual restaurant chain Donatos Pizza has unveiled plans to further expand its footprint in the US.
The Ohio-based pizza concept has partnered with full-service restaurant chain Red Robin Gourmet Burgers to further bolster its presence.
The partnership includes 274 Red Robin locations, with plans to expand the network to additional markets across the country.
Donatos Pizza president Kevin King stated: “Working with Red Robin has been a real game-changer for the company, and we are excited to see our continued partnership develop and grow.
“Our Red Robin locations have laid a strong foundation for our ambitious expansion of traditional store growth across the US.”
The brand has seen consistent growth in 2023, opening more than 30 locations including five traditional stores along with 26 strategic partnership locations, and it looks to continue the momentum.
Using its existing pipeline of franchise partners and the expanding growth from non-traditional partner locations, Donatos plans to open more than 150 new restaurants in 2024.
The company's vice-president of development and franchising Jeff Baldwin stated: “Our brand's aggressive growth strategy and commitment to partnering with franchise partners that align with Donatos' core values have positioned us perfectly to continue building a pipeline of new franchise candidates and new store commitments for the next several years."
In August 2023, Donatos announced its plan to expand its presence in the Northwest Arkansas region.
The restaurant brand signed a ten-unit deal in Oklahoma, which will be serviced out of the greater Oklahoma City area for distribution.