Operations
From Florida favorite to franchise frontier: The rise of Cannoli Kitchen Pizza
Cannoli Kitchen Pizza, a quick-service Italian restaurant that began as a beloved mom-and-pop pizzeria in Boca Raton, is now expanding nationwide through franchising. Vice President of Operations Rick Case highlights their commitment to authentic New York-style pizza and other Italian favorites, while maintaining a consistent, premium quality.
May 29, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
What began in 1996 as a beloved mom-and-pop pizzeria in Boca Raton, Florida, has since blossomed into Cannoli Kitchen Pizza, an authentic New York-style quick-service Italian restaurant now poised for nationwide expansion through franchising.
Rick Case, vice president of operations, highlights the brand's unique position, offering premium, consistent quality and classic Italian favorites — from over 20 specialty pizzas to signature pasta dishes and, of course, their namesake cannoli — all while maintaining the personal touch of a neighborhood eatery.
Cannoli Kitchen Pizza grew to a few restaurants over the last 10 years, and the owners realized that franchising would be the best route to expansion. The brand partnered with United Franchise Group, and now it is franchising all over the country, focusing mainly on the Southeast.
"What makes Cannoli Kitchen different is (that) we're an authentic New York-style pizzeria still very much in the quick-service category," Case said.
Today, there are seven locations, all in Florida, with several units in development. Numbers eight and nine are expected shortly.
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Photo: Cannoli Kitchen Pizza |
On the menu
The brand offers more than 20 specialty pizzas, signature Italian dishes like pastas and chicken recipes, authentic Italian desserts — especially cannoli — like tiramisu and cheesecake.
"We're more of that mom-and-pop pizzeria, but with consistency, great operations, great systems and processes in a franchise-type business," Case said.
Pizza is the brand's top seller and accounts for 60-65% of sales. Guests tend to lead toward the basics – the cheese and pepperoni pies – but the cannoli are big movers in both mini and large sizes.
The Chicken Parm is popular, as is the Chicken Ala Vodka with ala vodka marinated chicken topped with mozzarella. The penne ala vodka and chicken Parmesan dishes are also favorites.
The thin, New York-style dough is made at a commissary, balled and frozen and then sent to Cannoli Kitchen Pizza's franchise partners. "That way we can get the best of both worlds because making dough is not an easy thing to do," Case said, "and as you're scaling operations, it's important to make sure that the product is consistent across all of your locations."
With plenty of snowbirds and transplants from the Northeast, the thin-crust dough is well loved by locals.
Sauces are made in house, including pizza, vodka and alfredo sauces and marinara, and the cannoli cream is made by hand. "That is really the focus of the authenticity of our brand," Case said.
Operations are kept tight to ensure consistency, such as making the dough in one central place and using dough presses at all the locations. The brand uses Dragon ovens from Pizza Group USA, stone conveyor ovens.
"It still produces an authentic, New York-style pizza with a crispy undercarriage but with the convenience of a conveyor oven," Case said. "It can cook your pizza in less than four minutes. The stores that do extreme volume can actually add another oven, so they can have two."
Case said the attention to consistency sets Cannoli Kitchen Pizza apart from the competition. "We provide that mom and pop-type pizzeria flavor and experience in a more consistent franchise model," he said.
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Photo: Cannoli Kitchen Pizza |
Operations
The brand is quick service, with guests ordering at the counter. The restaurants have little to no seating, keeping the footprint small. Takeout accounts for 70% to 80% of orders. Many of the restaurants are in high-traffic areas, making lunch business popular.
The pizza industry itself has been challenging for Cannoli Kitchen Pizza as QSR pizza chains compete with discounting. "We do consider ourselves more of a premium product in the fast industry, so we're not the cheaper option," Case said. "We're always facing the temptation to coupon and to push better deals, but we know that that's not the brand, and all of our competitors are doing it."
Hiring and retaining strong employees have also been challenges for the brand. As a franchise model, every location is individually owned and operated, so Case said the executive team works with the franchise owners to be more personable with their employees.
"The employees actually get to know the owner of the business," Case said. "That is an advantage when it comes to hiring. The employees are not just dealing with a manager who deals with corporate that is 10 states away. It's more of a personable experience. They get to know them, they get to know their family and I do think we have an advantage when it comes to that, and it does help us a little bit, but it's still an obstacle."
Cannoli Kitchen Pizza encourages employees benefits and perks. A positive working environment starts from the top down, Case said, beginning with training, including building relationships with employees and designing systems to encourage growth from within.
Cannoli Kitchen Pizza uses Toast modules for its POS system and online ordering, "but we try to keep it simple with tech," Case said. "We always are dipping our toes into the latest and greatest things, but I'm not diving headfirst into the latest and greatest things because I feel too many people get overconsumed with that stuff. You can't ignore (technology), obviously, or else you fall behind. But diving into it headfirst is either an absolute homerun or it's a complete crash and burn."
Case recommends fledging operators focus on consistency first and foremost. "Consistency wins in everything," he said. "Consistency with opening, consistency with your employees, consistency with your food product, your customers, everything. Come up with a plan and be consistent."
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.
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