Riko's Pizza celebrates 15 years with restaurant opening

August 4, 2026

Riko's Pizza has opened a corporate-owned restaurant in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The restaurant brings Riko's signature super-thin-crust bar pies, full-service…

Giordano's of Kissimmee launches summer savings app program

August 4, 2026

Giordano's of Kissimmee has launched a summer savings program through its Club Gio rewards app, offering weekly gas card giveaways and pizza discounts tied to…

The new state of pizza Part 4: Winning the next chapter

by Valerie Gritton

In the final installment our new state of pizza series, we explore how the pizza brands that succeed in the next decade won't simply be the most automated…

How Urban Bird Hot Chicken turned a bad lease into a fast-growing brand

Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp built 32 Wingstop franchises across three states over 20 years, then let it all go to bet on themselves. They opened the first…

Timber Pizza Co. accelerates 2026 franchise growth with new locations

August 3, 2026

Timber Pizza Co. is expanding its franchise footprint in the second half of 2026, preparing to enter the Georgia market for the first time with planned…

3 leaders every Founder must hire to scale

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To successfully scale a company and transition from an overwhelmed operator to a confident CEO, founders must stop trying to manage everything themselves and…

Domino's paying customers to test app, website

August 3, 2026

Domino's Pizza is paying customers to try its new digital ordering experience by giving them $5 off their next order, the company said in a press release.

Waikiki pizza vending machine awaits health approval

August 3, 2026

A pizza vending machine has attracted attention in Waikiki, but it is still awaiting approval from the Hawaii State Department of Health, according to a KHON…

Mountain Mike's Pizza continues Texas expansion with Murphy opening

July 31, 2026

Mountain Mike's Pizza has opened its 16th Texas location in Murphy, continuing its expansion in the state, according to a press release..

From Instagram to storefront: Nicky Slices Pizza Club

July 31, 2026

Nicky Slices founder Nick Williams never intended to build one of St. Louis' most talked-about pizza brands. What began as an Instagram-based take-and-bake…

Lou Malnati's Italian Combo Beef-Za now ships nationwide

July 31, 2026

Lou Malnati's Italian Combo Beef-Za is now available for nationwide shipping through Tastes of Chicago for a limited time through Aug. 26, according to a press…

Star Micronics, Operandio partner for digital food safety labeling

July 30, 2026

Star Micronics, a global provider of point-of-sale hardware and printing solutions, integrated with Operandio, an AI-powered operations platform for franchise…

Yum Brands posts strong Q2, Pizza Hut sale set for August completion

July 30, 2026

Yum! Brands posted strong Q2 2026 results as the company continues with the sale of its Pizza Hut chain.

Wisconsin pizza trademark dispute ends with name change

July 30, 2026

Two Wisconsin pizzerias have reached a "collaborative resolution" in their a recent trademark dispute over the brands' names, according to a WBAY report.

How Latitude Food Group CEO James O’Reilly is scaling &pizza, Tijuana Flats

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

As CEO of Latitude Food Group, industry veteran James O'Reilly is leveraging a centralized backend support model and rigorous operational discipline to…

Restaurant catering doesn't need more tech. It needs better tech

Catering companies have plenty of tech options. The key is selecting the right ones for maximum efficiency.

New class-action lawsuit targets Papa John's franchisee

July 29, 2026

A new proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed in federal court against PJIOWA, a large Papa Johns franchise operator in Iowa, alleging it underpaid…

Cicis Pizza reports 50.6% systemwide sales growth, plans expansion

July 29, 2026

Cicis Pizza has achieved 50.6% systemwide sales growth over the past five years as President Jeff Hetsel celebrates 34 years with the nearly 300-unit buffet…

Mountain Mike's Pizza expands Washington footprint

July 28, 2026

Mountain Mike's Pizza opened its newest location in Wenatchee, Washington, marking its fourth location in the state and first in Chelan County, according to a…

Why Taco Cabana is expanding its franchise beyond the Lone Star State

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler chats with Taco Cabana's director of franchise sales and development, John Ramsay…