Donatos Pizza says Texas push is a priority

Donatos Pizza recently outlined details on its growth strategy for one of the nation’s largest and hottest markets: Texas.

The premium pizza franchise said it will continue to expand its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Houston markets. This includes upcoming openings in the Houston suburbs of Atascocita and Missouri City, both slated for later this year.

In total, Donatos said its goal for the state is to open more than 100 locations in the DFW and Houston markets. Currently, Donatos operates three Texas locations in the DFW suburbs of Allen, Frisco, and Flower Mound. The pizza brand opened its first Texas location in Frisco in November 2024.

“Texas continues to be an incredibly important market for Donatos, and we’re seeing strong interest from franchise partners who are passionate about the opportunity to bring our brand to more communities,” said Jeff Baldwin, vice president of development and franchising at Donatos Pizza. “We’ve already made significant progress in Dallas-Fort Worth, and with Houston now moving toward its opening, there are more opportunities for the right franchise partners to grow with us.”

Donatos recently connected with prospective franchise partners at the Franchise Expo Dallas, held at the Irving Convention Center.

“We are excited to connect directly with prospective franchise partners who are interested in bringing Donatos to local Texas communities,” said Kevin King, CEO and president of Donatos Pizza. “With the momentum we’re seeing in Dallas and Houston, this is an amazing time to join Donatos as we grow throughout this state.”

Multiple Formats The brand also notes that its pizza is also served at over 250 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants.

Later this month, Donatos Pizza plans to make its first appearance at NACAS C3X: The College & University Foodservice Expo.

Scheduled to run Sept. 27 through Sept. 30 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Donatos said it is looking to connect with universities interested in smaller format locations and the PeppTron, Donatos’ fully autonomous fresh pizza-making robot. For information about franchise opportunities with Donatos Pizza, visit