California Pizza Kitchen to deploy hundreds of pizza kiosks at U.S. military bases

California Pizza Kitchen is expanding its reach beyond traditional restaurants with plans to deploy hundreds of automated pizza kiosks across U.S. military installations, in partnership with Ranger Group.

The initiative will extend to installations serving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard, with a phased rollout beginning at domestic military bases and the potential to expand to overseas facilities, according to a news release.

Powered by TurboChef cooking technology and touchscreen ordering, the automated machines are designed to deliver CPK pizzas in as little as 90 seconds. Ranger Group, led by CEO and former U.S. Army Ranger Mark "Ranger" Jones, will coordinate the deployment, including installation logistics and ongoing operational support.

"This initiative is both an expression of our gratitude and a meaningful step forward in our mission to make the California Pizza Kitchen experience more accessible wherever people are," Michael Beacham, president of California Pizza Kitchen Global, who is also a veteran, said in the release.

Meanwhile, Jones said the partnership holds personal significance, noting that a quality meal can make a difference for military personnel and their families after demanding days of service.

"As a former U.S. Army Ranger, I know how much a great meal made with quality ingredients can mean to service members and their families after a long day of training or duty," Jones said in the release. "We are bringing an iconic American brand to the places where military personnel and their families work, live and serve, giving them convenient access to quality food and showing our appreciation for their sacrifice."

The military expansion is part of CPK's broader automated retail strategy, which aims to deploy and operate as many as 1,000 automated retail machines nationwide over the next three years. Beyond military installations, the company is targeting airports, universities, hospitals and other high-traffic locations where traditional restaurant development may not be practical.

The strategy represents another step in CPK's effort to diversify its distribution and foodservice channels, making its restaurant offerings available in more nontraditional settings.