2006: A Year in Review

Following is a look at the serious and funny events transpiring last year in the pizza industry.

Pizza Hut operator enters India's Limca Book of Records

December 21, 2006

New Delhi Sify: Pizza Hut will be included in India's prestigious Limca Book of Records, a book on the world-record breaking achievements of more than a…

Papa John's execs meet with UK operators

December 21, 2006

Franchise Magazine: Papa John's chief executive Nigel Travis and founder John Schnatter visited the United Kingdom to pump up franchisees. "In Ian Saunders…

Pieces falling in place in Pizza Inn restructuring

December 20, 2006

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pizza Inn announced it is debt free for the first time in several years and that the company's restructuring plan has positioned it for a…

Gift cards boost profits

Huge sales prove customers love gift cards.

Pizza driver robbed and murdered in Cincinnati

December 19, 2006

The Cincinnati Enquirer: A Donatos Pizza delivery driver was robbed and murdered during a late-night shift on Dec. 19. Authorities identified the man as Jeff…

Fingerprint I.D. safe foils pizzeria robbery

December 18, 2006

NBC2.com: An attempted robbery at Perky's Pizza in Leigh Acres, Fla., was foiled when thieves couldn't access the contents of a safe designed to be opened via…

Domino's Pizza Australia changes name to reflect global reach

December 17, 2006

BRISBANE, Australia — Domino's Pizza Australia & New Zealand has changed its name to Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (DEP) to reflect its broadening…

Pizza Inn settles PepsiCo lawsuit

December 17, 2006

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pizza Inn announced Dec. 14 it entered into a multifaceted settlement and agreement with PepsiCo, which sued the 380-unit chain for breach…

Trans-fat bans based on junk science

Columnist: Anti-trans-fat research doesn't warrant bans.

General Motors exec to join Pizza Hut

December 14, 2006

Advertising Age: Bob Kraut, director-brand marketing and advertising operations in North America at General Motors Corp., is leaving the automaker after 1…

Eagle Boys Pizza donates 6,000 pizzas to Salvation Army

December 14, 2006

BRISBANE, Australia — Eagle Boys Pizza, a 170-unit chain based here, said it is donating 6,000 free pizza vouchers to the Salvation Army this Christmas.  …

Domino's Pizza appoints regional ops director

December 14, 2006

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Domino's Pizza announced the promotion of Buddy Carpenter to director of corporate operations for the Virginia and North Carolina…

Figaro's Pizza plans major expansion in West, Midwest

December 13, 2006

SALEM, Ore. — Ron Berger, chief executive and chairman of Figaro's Pizza, said the company is planning a major expansion of the 114-unit chain in California…

Marco's Pizza hires former Domino's president as EVP

December 13, 2006

TOLEDO, Ohio — Marco's Pizza announced the appointment of P. David Black, former president and chief operating officer at Domino's Pizza in the 1990s, as its…

Burke gives Mediterranean twist to NaturaSelect pizza toppings line

December 13, 2006

NEVADA, Iowa — Burke Corp., an industry-leading provider of fully cooked meat toppings and fillings, is introducing its Mediterranean Pizza Naturale recipe…

FDA says Taco Bell's lettuce carried E. coli bacteria

December 13, 2006

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) concluded that Taco Bell's lettuce appears to be the most probable source of…

Consumers in favor of NYC trans-fat ban, study says

December 12, 2006

CHICAGO — Foodservice industry research firm, Technomic Inc., has found that 63 percent of restaurant goers nationally support New York City's ban on…

Vocelli Pizza celebrates openings with 200 pizza giveaway

December 12, 2006

PITTSBURGH— Vocelli Pizza is kicking off the opening of two new stores by giving the first 100 customers at each a free "grande" pepperoni pizza.   According…

NRA study predicts industry sales of $537 B in '07

December 12, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C. — The restaurant industry will enter its 16th consecutive year of real growth in 2007, according to the National Restaurant Association's…