Donatos, the fast-casual pizza franchise famous for its Edge to Edge® toppings, is expanding into Oklahoma with a franchise partner group led by restaurant industry veteran Pattye Moore, former Board Chairman and interim CEO at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and former Sonic Drive-In President, and operating partners Matt and Will McLain, the sons of former Sonic President Scott McLain. The group has plans to open dozens of locations in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas, the first of which is set to open this summer in Edmond near the intersection of S. Bryant and E. 15th Street.
“I first got acquainted with Donatos while I was at Red Robin and we were developing the partnership,” said Moore. “I was so impressed with Donatos that I knew I wanted to bring this high-quality pizza to Oklahoma. I’m delighted to partner with Matt and Will McLain, two smart young entrepreneurs who I have known for a long time.
These exciting expansion plans in Oklahoma City and Tulsa come at a time when Donatos is continuing to grow its national footprint. Today, Donatos is served in 444 locations across more than half of the US, including 173 traditional Donatos restaurants, and its products are also proudly served in nine sports and entertainment venues and one REEF Kitchen. Additionally, Donatos continues to expand through its strategic partnership with Red Robin adding Donatos pizza to its menu. Today, that partnership includes 261 Red Robin locations with plans to scale to additional markets across the US in 2023 and beyond.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with strong restaurant industry leaders to expand the Donatos brand across the great state of Oklahoma. Everyone within the Donatos family is looking forward to sharing our premium pizza with members of the community,” said Jeff Baldwin, Vice President of Development & Franchising for Donatos. “There is a tremendous opportunity for success and growth here as we know that our Edge to Edge® abundantly topped pizzas will be well received by the residents. We are so excited for the continued expansion of the brand into this new market and establishing strong connections in the local communities we will serve.”
For those with experience looking to bring a proven concept to their community, Donatos combines a simple and effective operating platform with a premium product and a culture of leading with love and giving back. Including a franchise fee of $30,000, the initial investment to own and operate a Donatos restaurant ranges from $391,500 to $750,747. The average store is 2,000 square feet and employs roughly 30 primarily part-time associates. The average unit volume nationwide exceeds $1.29 million.
“Our brand is excited about this opportunity to make an impact across Oklahoma, starting with one location and then continuing to grow,” said Kevin King, President of Donatos. “We can’t wait to put our promise to ‘serve the best pizza and make your day better’ into action.”
For more information about Donatos’ franchise opportunity, visit www.donatospizzafranchise.com.
About Donatos
Donatos features the Edge to Edge® pizza, created by Jim Grote who founded Donatos in 1963. With 444 locations in 27 states, Donatos, and its franchise partners operate 173 traditional restaurants in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Donatos’ products are also proudly served in 271 non-traditional locations (261 locations with Red Robin, nine sports and entertainment venues, and one REEF Kitchen). For more information, visit donatospizzafranchise.com.