Nation’s leading fast-casual pizza chain to celebrate grand opening Monday
Last year, John Gilleland and his partners were the first franchisees to sign on with the up-and-coming Pie Five Pizza chain. Since then, the Dallas-based company has contracted to open more than 100 additional franchise units in 10 states, with more on the way.
Gilleland opened his first restaurant in Holladay’s Canyon Slope Square in April. Since then, he has witnessed how the revolutionary concept is transforming the way people experience pizza. He couldn’t wait to expand.
On Monday, October 21st, Gilleland will open his second Pie Five in the greater Salt Lake City area, in the Quarry Bend Shopping Center in Sandy, UT.
“When I first heard about Pie Five, I was convinced that it would be a huge success nationwide, as well as here in Utah,” said franchise operator Gilleland. “Little did I know how quickly the concept would catch fire. I never get tired of watching customers come in for the first time and see how easy it is to create their own perfect pizza. Then, when they get to the register, they’re blown away by how quickly their pie is ready and how affordable it is. I know it won’t be long before I see them in here again!”
At Pie Five, guests can choose from more than a million combinations of handcrafted pizzas and a variety of specialty pie choices prepared in less than five minutes on one of four crusts. The rapidly expanding chain is capitalizing on growing consumer demand for fresh dining options and artisan pizzas in stylish environments without the wait.
A subsidiary of Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZI), Pie Five has been named a 2013 Top 50 Restaurant Brand of the Year, a 2012 Hot Concepts winner by Nation’s Restaurant News and one of “10 Hot New Restaurant Chains from Established Brands” by Forbes.com.
Prior to Monday’s official opening, the new Sandy restaurant will host four private events to raise funds for the Utah Food Bank. Gilleland will present a check to representatives of the food bank during the grand opening ceremony at 10:30 AM on Monday. The Sandy Chamber of Commerce will also be on-hand for the official ribbon cutting.
“Utah Food Bank is incredibly grateful to Pie Five Pizza for supporting our mission of Fighting Hunger Statewide,” said Chief Development Officer Ginette Bott. “With one in five Utah kids unsure where their next meal will come from, Pie Five’s contributions will impact those kids just as already-strained family budgets are getting strained further with the holidays. Their support comes at a crucial time as we kick-start our Holiday Food Drive.”
With the Sandy opening, Pie Five Pizza will have two locations in Utah, 12 in Texas and one each in Kansas and North Carolina. Total announced franchise restaurants under contract currently number 105 in Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
Sandy’s first Pie Five restaurant, located at 9252 S. Village Shop Drive in the Quarry Bend Shopping Center, will be open daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. A complete menu and more information are available at www.piefivepizza.com.
Pie Five is a subsidiary of Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc., headquartered in the Dallas suburb of The Colony,Texas. Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. is an owner, franchisor and supplier of a system of restaurants operating domestically and internationally. Pie Five Pizza Co. is a fast-casual concept offering individual pizzas made to order and cooked in less than five minutes. Founded in 1958, publicly traded Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZI) franchises approximately 300 restaurants and directly owns and operates 16 restaurants. For more information, please visit www.piefivepizza.com.
