Operations
Pizza Inn proves some traditions (and value) never go out of style
After surviving significant decline, Pizza Inn has engineered a remarkable comeback by leveraging its nostalgic buffet concept, achieving impressive financial growth and strategically reintroducing value to its loyal customer base.
July 17, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
For generations, the glowing red sign of Pizza Inn has been a beacon for families and friends seeking comfort in classic American pizza. More than just a restaurant, it's a slice of nostalgia, a place where childhood memories are baked into every crust and the simple joy of an all-you-can-eat buffet reigns supreme, proving that some traditions, like a perfect pepperoni pie, never go out of style.
The brand started in 1958 in Dallas, Texas. It grew from there, eventually hitting a 800-location mark.
But the brand somehow lost its way with several operational missteps, including a too-small marketing budget, according to Brandon Solano, CEO of Rave Restaurant Group, Pizza Inn's parent company. The brand eventually and shuttered many units.
Today Pizza Inn has 79 buffet restaurants. Solano said there are a few express locations, "but I've been closing them down like crazy just because they don't meet our standards," he said in a phone interview.
"Our buffet stores have very, very high volumes for pizza stores — well above what the national chains have," Solano said. "We're in a good position, our franchisees are making money, we're growing for the first time in forever. It's hard to go from 800 stores to 80, and we had 24 years of declining store counts."
The fiscal year ended last month and the brand has had another year of positive buffet growth, which would mark four consecutive years of growth.
"From a financial standpoint, from a store count standpoint, same-store sales — we've absolutely crushed it," Solano said. "Pizza Inn has done a fantastic job from driving same-store sales, driving profitability for franchisees, growing the business, growing the unit count and we're really very, very excited about the things that are happening."
Pizza Inn also has a reimaging program underway with store remodels.
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Photo: Pizza Inn |
Value proposition
The one tool Solano said the brand didn't have was a value proposition. The buffets, he said, are already great values with their pizzas, pastas, salad bars and desserts.
"I really wanted a price promotion, and we have some really high-volume stores," Solano said. "We have some $4 and $5 million stores, and those folks are busy. They don't want to do a price promotion. I was trying to find something all of our franchisees would want to do."
The result? Pizza Inn's "I $8 at Pizza Inn" promotion. The buffet is priced at $8 on weekdays through July 27. Just 13 or 14 stores are participating in the promotion but are seeing great financial gains on days when the brand usually isn't as busy as it is on the weekends.
Most of the buffets are priced at $12 with a drink. The $8 price point does not include a drink and that allows for more flexibility for value-conscious customers. Without a drink, the buffet sits at $10, so $8 was a good discount to arrive at, Solano explained.
Franchisees did not have to participate in the promo, but "we're tearing it up right now with I $8, and it's a lot of fun," Solano said.
Solano has a formula for a value proposition; one he launched while an executive at The Wendy's Company. First, a brand needs a compelling price point. Second, there's the need for a compelling handle, a catchy nickname like Wendy's 4 for $4 promotion or Subway's $5 footlong. Finally, use strong media pressure.
"If you have those three things, you're going to have a hit value promotion," Solano said. "We had it with the 4 for $4 at Wendy's. I was also at Domino's when we did the two medium two tops for $5.99 back in 2010 when (the pizza) was new and improved. I was the VP of innovation at Domino's when we did the 'New and Improved' there. We killed it."
Solano said he and his team have the experience to create and execute a strong value proposition.
For those franchisees who are participating in the "I $8 at Pizza Inn" promo, Solano said the company has dropped a good amount of marketing dollars to advertise it, including commercials for the first time in decades on streaming services like Tubi and Hulu.
About half of the markets got billboards, and Pizza Inn reached out locally with PR and social media.
"We put our franchisees in the (television) spots, so there's a customized spot in every market where the franchisee could make the shoot," Solano added. The franchisees flew into one of Pizza Inn's stores to shoot the promos.
"If it's working, you keep running the play until it stops working," Solano said.
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Photo: Pizza Inn |
In the near future
Solano said the next challenge for Pizza Inn is growing its footprint.
"We're positive. We've been positive the last few years," Solano said, with "just kind of modest store count. Plus three, plus one, plus five. How do we get to really meaningful store count and growth? I believe we're poised to do that. We've been working hard on recruiting new franchisees, signing deals and we have been releasing those numbers to the public."
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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