News

Pizza Inn launches express concept early next year

December 12, 2017

The nearly 60-year-old Pizza Inn brand is launching a new Pizza Inn Express prototype —  PIE —  offering faster-than-ever service in a convenience- store format, a news release said.

"Convenience stores are a $575 billion industry with 70 percent of sales attributed to in-store purchases," Pizza Inn parent, Rave Restaurant Group CEO Scott Crane, said in a news release about the spin-off. "This could be a game-changer for Pizza Inn as we tap into new markets and expansion opportunities for our flagship brand. We're already seeing great interest from existing and potential franchisees who see this model as a new way to serve customers the same iconic, quality pizza they have come to expect, but in a faster setting."

Geared toward convenience stores, but also an airport or entertainment venue option, the licensing deal for Pizza Inn Express allows customers to order and pay grab-and-go pizza at a kiosk or other pre-designated food pick-up location. 

The brand's strong current presence in the southeastern U.S. also is an area where the convenience store segment has the nation's highest grouping of independent operators. The brand expects to have its first prototypes up and running by late February or early March. 

"The PIE kiosk is attractive to non-traditional operators because it allows them to move quickly, be more nimble, and react to changes in customer traffic and facilities, all at a minimal investment," Pizza Inn President Bob Bafundo, said in the release. "It's a branded concept that's attractive enough to be the permanent centerpiece in a travel center or airport, yet nimble enough to provide the same benefits traditional operators get from a food truck."

Pizza Inn had a domestic comparable store retail sales increase of 1.4 percent from the same period last year and continues on a positive growth trajectory, the release said. The PIE concept is intended to complement the expansion and refresh initiatives at Pizza Inn.