Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain-sized pizzas, and dough made fresh daily, is continuing to expand its footprint in Utah. The acclaimed pizza brand has proudly announced a multi-store deal with RVTC Enterprises LLC – owned by Utah residents and prominent area dairy farmers, Robert Viveiros and Tony Cabral. The agreement paves the way for Mountain Mike’s Pizza to add five stores throughout Utah County. RVTC is slated to open its first Mountain Mike’s restaurant in Orem before Christmas, which will be followed by a second location in Spanish Fork – scheduled to open next spring.
“Although Robert and Tony have been proud Utah residents for two decades, they hail from California where Mountain Mike’s Pizza began, and they have a long history of respect for the brand and appreciation for the sensational pizza, especially as longtime dairy farmers who know everything there is to know about quality, freshness and taste,” said Jamie Cabral, Operations Director for RVTC Enterprises LLC. “As we looked at expanding our family portfolio with businesses to complement dairy farming, we explored many franchise restaurant opportunities, but Mountain Mike’s Pizza stood out from the rest, especially given our desire to take a proven recipe for success and replicate it throughout bustling Utah communities.”
As Q3 ended, Mountain Mike’s continued posting strong 2021 sales gains, reporting third quarter increases in same store sales (SSS) of 10.2% and total system sales (TSS) of 19.7% over Q3 2020. AUVs for the brand are approaching $1.1 million systemwide with the top 25% of locations averaging more than $1.6 million and the top 50% averaging nearly $1.4 million. The brand also reported positive year-to-date sales gains with SSS increasing 14.4% and TSS jumping 23.3%.
“We are climbing the mountain alongside experienced and family-minded business leaders like Robert and Tony, whose considerable commitment and vision allow us to deliver our brand and our signature experience of enjoying ‘Pizza The Way it Oughta Be’ to great states like Utah,” said Jim Metevier, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “As we track toward $250 million in total system sales and 250 locations, our valued franchise partners continue to fuel our expansion efforts, and we are excited to be an attractive business opportunity for potential new restaurateurs who see extraordinary value in our family- and community-focused brand.”
The past two years have shown that the time for qualified franchisees to pursue a successful, resilient and sought-after pizza concept like Mountain Mike’s Pizza has never been better. The pizza segment is booming, and the demand for Mountain Mike’s mouthwatering pizzas and family-friendly atmosphere is growing, especially in Utah where there is a need for more modern community-centric restaurants like Mountain Mike’s Pizza. With several multi-unit development deals already in motion in eight states throughout the Western U.S., a uniquely attractive opportunity awaits new franchisees interested in joining the Mountain Mike’s Pizza franchise family. Beyond Utah, the brand recently announced plans to develop in Colorado, Idaho and Texas as it continues to experience record sales and new unit growth.
Mountain Mike’s has earned impressive recognition and high rankings across a variety of industry-leading reports, including Franchise Times, Nation’s Restaurant News, Entrepreneur, Fast Casual, QSR Magazine, and Restaurant Business, among many others. The brand has been named an emerging leader in the pizza space and one of the hottest franchise categories of 2021. In fact, one leading industry publication has referred to the pizza segment as recession and pandemic-proof – a statement in many ways validated by Mountain Mike’s incredibly strong performance in 2020 and 2021.
To build upon the brand's success while satisfying consumer demand for higher-quality pizza and family-friendly dining options, Mountain Mike’s is extending opportunities to new franchise partners looking to diversify their franchise brand portfolios with a popular family pizza concept. Mountain Mike’s has opened 15 new restaurants in 2021 with another seven expected to open between now and the end of the year. The soon-to-be-over 250-unit franchised pizza brand is primed to continue expansion west of the Mississippi in states that have been identified as prime markets for the established, fast-growing brand. 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, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain-sized pizzas, and dough made fresh daily has been a popular choice for families, serving “Pizza the Way it Oughta Be!®” up and down the West Coast. In addition to offering carryout, its own in-house delivery, and four third-party delivery options, Mountain Mike’s provides a family-friendly dine-in environment making it easy for guests to enjoy the brand’s signature experience wherever they are. Most of its more than 240 locations feature a kids’ activity area with arcade games, dedicated party rooms and big screen TVs throughout, making Mountain Mike’s an ideal place for sports teams, family gatherings, group fundraising events and private parties alike. With a menu of signature pizzas, bone-in wings, garlic bread, salads, mozzarella sticks, and a selection of beer and wine, there’s something for everyone at Mountain Mike’s. For a complete list of locations and the full menu, visit www.mountainmikespizza.com or follow Mountain Mike’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about investing with the brand, visit www.mountainmikesfranchise.com.