Pizza Today: Toppers Pizza Finds Success As A Multi-Unit Franchise

So, you've opened your first pizza restaurant and things are going well. When do you know it's time to make the leap to open a second location, and put an expansion plan in place that will lead to continued success?

In their March issue, Pizza Today examined the question with insight from experts in the pizza industry, including Wisconsin-based Toppers Pizza which has grown to nearly 75 units across a dozen states, with plans to continue expanding. When you open and establish a second location, the net impact means greater name recognition in the area, which can increase the success of both.

“If you have a $1 million restaurant, and you open another one across town, you should expect to have two restaurants earning $1.1 million due to greater awareness,” Scott Gittrich, founder and president of Toppers Pizza, told Pizza Today.

Gittrich added that marketing to the customers who are already fans will help boost the success of a second location.

“You’ve got a certain number of critical customers who already love what you do,” Gittrich said.