Leading Family-Style Pizza Chain Also Signs 13 Multi-Unit Commitments to Enter Three New States
Newport Beach, CA (RestaurantNews.com) Mountain Mike’s Pizza, LLC, a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperoni, Mountain-sized pizzas, toppings to the edge, and dough made fresh daily for over 40 years, has started 2021 incredibly strong with first quarter same-store-sales (SSS) up 23.4% over 2020. This news closely follows Mountain Mike’s reporting that 2020 was the brand’s best year ever in terms of sales and growth. Along with steady sales increases in Q1, Mountain Mike’s opened 6 new restaurants in the quarter and secured 13 new franchise commitments consisting of three multi-unit out-of-state agreements to open restaurants in Utah, Idaho and Colorado. Additional franchise deals are in development in Arizona, Oregon and Nevada.
“We continue to be amazed by the strength and resilience of our franchisees and leadership team. After performing so well throughout 2020, which has accelerated now in early 2021, our brand is firmly established as one of the fastest growing and most exciting pizza concepts in the country,” said Chris Britt, co-CEO/owner of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “We’re no longer the best kept secret in pizza, and we’re continuing to strengthen our position as a top dining destination for families, groups and sports fans. We are elated to see such strong interest in the brand in a growing number of states in the West and across the U.S.”
A variety of factors contributed to the brand’s Q1 success including continued growth in digital transactions, steady increases in average order size, franchisee execution on delivery and carry out promise times, and value-added promotions and limited time offers. The return of the brand’s “Share the Love” campaign in February featuring the availability of heart-shaped pizzas all month long resulted in the brand’s most successful LTO in its 43-year history. Year-over-year increases for this LTO were dramatic with the sales of heart-shaped pizzas up 60% on Valentine’s Day 2021 and 89% over the entire month of February over the prior year. Recognizing the positive impact of menu innovation on franchisee profitability and guest experience, Mountain Mike’s plans to launch additional LTOs throughout the balance of the year to keep things fresh and exciting for their fans. The brand’s new mobile loyalty app will also be introduced in Q2 to reward loyal guests, build more meaningful connections with fans, and create personalized offers suited to their individual needs.
“Mountain Mike’s had an outstanding Q1 on every front and I can’t thank our team enough for their unwavering commitment to the brand that clearly brings in consistent, phenomenal results,” said Jim Metevier, president & COO of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “These record-breaking sales are a direct result of our franchisee’s dedication to the brand and their communities.”
During this first quarter, Mountain Mike’s was recognized with leading industry awards and rankings for its excellent franchisee support and the strength of the overall franchise opportunity. Mountain Mike’s ranked #6 in the highly competitive pizza category by Entrepreneur Magazine in their highly coveted 2021 Franchise 500® List along with being named one of the “Hottest Franchise Opportunities” of 2021. Additionally, the brand was ranked #21 on the list of “Top 50 pizza chains” in PMQ’s Pizza Power Report 2021, and #4 on the list of fastest growing sales per unit.
Ed St. Geme, co-CEO/owner of Mountain Mike’s added, “We’re very pleased to see the momentum has carried over into 2021 and are eager to introduce the brand to guests in our newly signed franchise territories including Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho. There is a ton of white space for a proven family-friendly concept like ours and we are looking forward to welcoming passionate, like-minded entrepreneurs to the Mountain Mike’s family during such an exciting time of growth.”
With 75 store agreements signed over the past six months and at least 25 new Mountain Mike’s Pizza restaurants planned to open in 2021, the over 230-unit franchised pizza brand is primed to continue expansion throughout the western U.S. in not only California, Oregon, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, but also in Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas by extending opportunities to new franchise partners looking to diversify their franchise portfolios with a popular family pizza concept.
To learn more about new franchise opportunities in your market of interest, visit www.mountainmikespizza.com/franchising.
About Mountain Mike’s Pizza
Since 1978, Mountain Mike’s Pizza has been serving “Pizza the Way it Oughta Be!®” up and down the West Coast. A leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperoni, 20-inch Mountain-sized pizzas, fresh cut toppings covered to the edge, and dough made fresh daily, has been a popular choice for families for over 40 years. Each of the brand’s more than 230 locations across California, Oregon and Utah feature a welcoming yet modern family-friendly atmosphere complete with big screen TVs throughout and a kids’ activity area with arcade games, making it the ideal location for sports teams, family gatherings, group fundraisers and private parties. With a menu of signature pizzas, oven-roasted wings, garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, and a selection of beer and wine, there’s something for everyone. Whether dine-in, carry-out or contactless delivery, guests can always count on Mountain Mike’s to deliver on safety, freshness, quality, and value. For a complete list of locations and the full menu, visit www.mountainmikespizza.com or follow Mountain Mike’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Media Contact:
Sophia Ayala
Powerhouse Communications
949-261-2216
sophia@powerhousecomm.com
