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ing and e-mail marketing. Additionally, it just added a SmartBox, which keeps the pizza warm and breaks down into individual plates, reducing waste. 61 LaRosa’s Cincinnati For more than 50 years, LaRosa’s Pizzeria, established in Cincinnati, has been in business and has spread quickly. There are now 65 locations found throughout Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. In the early 1980s, LaRosa’s started making delivery orders. In 1991 it created the “One Number” concept, which directs calls into a guest service center. Instead of hearing a noisy, busy environment, customers speak with a representative who can quickly and accurately place their orders. In 2003, LaRosa’s made online ordering possible for customers. In 2005, it partnered with Cincinnati’s Bell wireless division and tried mobile couponing, sending special offers via text message to Bell customers. LaRosa’s supports its local community by sponsoring school activities, amateur sports teams and more. 62 Genghis Grill leapfrogpos.com Hungry Howie’s Taylor, Mich. Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs was founded in 1973 in Taylor, Mich., in a converted hamburger shop. Today, the company operates more than 560 locations in 22 states. What makes the company’s pizza unique is its flavored crust, offered in styles ranging from onion to sesame to garlic herb. Hungry Howie’s was an early entrant into the social media and mobile technology arena, releasing an iPhone online ordering app in 2010. The company’s Facebook page has been “liked” by more than 144,000 fans and offers a variety of store discounts. 63 Top That! Tulsa, Okla. Launched in 2010 by restaurant marketing veterans Jeff and Lori Walderich of IdeaStudio, this fast casual concept is quickly gaining traction and earning kudos for its create-your-own personal pizzas. Customers can select from a wide array of crusts, sauces and locally-sourced specialty toppings and cheeses, which are assembled right in front of them and are ready in less than five minutes. No matter which ingredients are selected, customers pay a flat price of about $7.50 for a 10-inch pie. (Prices vary slightly by location.) Current locations are in Oklahoma, Texas and the Middle East, but expansion plans are underway. One big plus is that the concept’s simple kitchen setup makes it easy and inexpensive to convert an existing sandwich shop into a Top That! 64 Flippers Pizzeria Orlando, Fla. Flippers Pizzeria was created by two likeminded friends in 1987 in Central Florida. By forming a commissary, they were able to open multiple stores and still maintain consistency and quality. In 1995, with four successful locations opened, they hired a new chef to expand the menu. Today, with even more store locations, the company has made franchising open to others. Last year Flippers underwent an expansion of catering services and interior renovations, which included free wireless Internet access in store locations, as well as flatscreen TVs. It has also introduced new specialty items to the menu, such as the Vesuvius Pizza, which features a fresh oregano topping, and the Margherita Pizza with fresh Mozzarella cheese, extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped basil and San Marzano tomatoes. 65 Mazzio’s Italian Eatery Tulsa, Okla. Mazzio's Italian Eatery got its start in 1961 in Tulsa, Okla. Founder Ken Selby launched the company based on a pizza made with a crispy crust and spicy sauce. Today, there are more than 165 locations, primarily in the Midwest. Mazzio's features pizzas, made-to-order pastas, sandwiches and fresh specialty salads and appetizers. As part of its 50th anniversary celebration last year, the company kicked off an expansion program to open locations in all 50 states. In December 2011, the company added a gluten-free pizza to its menu. 66 East of Chicago Lima, Ohio This brand’s all-you-care-to-eat pizza, pasta and salad buffet menu including dessert pizzas has been featured on Food Network. Recently the menu has been expanded to include oven baked subs, wings and custom salads. In addition to the buffet, the menu is available for dine-in, carry-out and local delivery. Some locations such as the East of Chicago in Myrtle Beach, S.C., feature large arcades dubbed the “Fun Fac- 22
tory,” which makes this concept ideal for families. 67 Genghis Grill leapfrogpos.com Snappy Tomato Pizza Burlington, Ky. Snappy Tomato Pizza prides itself on its fresh dough, which is made daily at each location, and its fresh tomato sauce. It has embraced bold toppings, such as The Loaded Potato, which is topped with diced potato wedges, bacon and cheddar jack cheese, and the Ranch pizza, which begins with a base of Ranch dressing, topped with bacon, cheese, fresh tomatoes, onion and green peppers. Snappy Tomato also offers takeand-bake pizzas for customers who want to bake their dinner in their own oven. 68 Noble Roman’s Indianapolis Noble Roman’s Pizza franchises more than 1,000 restaurants around the country, many dual-branded with the company’s Tuscano’s Italian Style Subs concept. Founder Paul Mobley started the company in 1972 on the campus of Indiana University. In recent years, the company has been exploring expansion via non-traditional locations, such as hospitals, sports arenas and convenience stores. At the beginning of 2012, the company signed a deal with The Pantry, a 1,650-unit convenience store chain, to open locations in those stores. In addition, the company has begun offering take-and-bake pizzas in its restaurants and is selling them in more than 800 grocery stores. 69 SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza Kansas City, Mo. Capitalizing on the popularity of authentic Neapolitan pizza, Spin! is expanding outside of its home territory for the first time with its recently inked deal to develop 35 units in Southern California. The menu, created in collaboration with James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Smith, features a variety of hand-spun traditional thin-and-bubbly crusts, rustic whole wheat, and gluten-free stone-fired pizzas, with dough made fresh daily and toppings roasted each morning in a stone hearth oven. The company has forged strong connections with non-profit organizations as part of local marketing efforts. 70 Mod Seattle Mod first opened 2008 and was established in Seattle by a group of entrepreneurs, including Scott and Ally Svenson, who founded the Seattle Coffee Company in London in 1995. That company grew from three to 65 stores in less than 24 months. The Mod pizza locations are currently in downtown, urban, suburban and university settings. The Mod pizza concept involves a thin crust, made in a fast, fresh and stylish environment. Each pizza is priced at $6.88. It also offers salads and garlic or cinnamon knots. 23
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