Leading Family-Style Pizza Chain Claims #4 Spot Among Pizza Brands; Lands at #107 in Overall Ranking
Newport Beach, CA (-) Mountain Mike’s Pizza, LLC, a leading family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperoni, Mountain-sized pizzas, toppings to the edge, and dough made fresh daily, has ranked #4 among the nation’s top pizza brands by Entrepreneur in its highly coveted 2022 Franchise 500 List. This year, a record 1,177 companies applied, and Mountain Mike’s climbed to #107 on the overall list, jumping an impressive 85 spots from its 2021 position. The magazine’s Franchise 500 List is the world’s most comprehensive franchise ranking, honoring companies for their exceptional performance in areas such as unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.
“After achieving record sales in 2020, Mountain Mike’s Pizza climbed to even greater heights in 2021 as we recorded another sales milestone – this time surpassing $250 million in total system sales, reflecting an incredible 23.7% increase in total system sales for the year,” said Chris Britt, Co-CEO/Owner of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “Our success is a testament to our dedicated and thriving network of Mountain Mike’s franchise partners who are seeing tremendous returns, with our top 25% surpassing $1.6M AUV for the first time. We’re inspired by what we can see ahead as we accelerate the introduction of Mountain Mike’s Pizza to more territories and new guests throughout the Western U.S.,” added Co-CEO/Owner, Ed St. Geme.
Over the previous 24 months, Mountain Mike’s has reported impressive same store sales growth and total system sales. In 2021, a variety of factors contributed to Mountain Mike’s considerable momentum, although franchise growth continues to be the major force in driving brand success. The pizza chain opened 18 restaurants last year and signed agreements in 2021 for 60+ new restaurants all in various stages of development. This year, Mountain Mike’s projects 30 new locations across eight states to open in California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado and Texas.
“The past year has been one of the most challenging for businesses in recent memory, which made putting together our 43rd annual Franchise 500 list more enlightening than ever,” says Entrepreneur Editor in Chief Jason Feifer. “The companies named to this year’s list showed us how being resilient, supportive, and nimble can help navigate extraordinary challenges and also underscore the grit and innovation that define entrepreneurship.”
In Entrepreneur’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company’s 43-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors that go into the evaluation, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.
“Since Chris and Ed acquired Mountain Mike’s nearly five years ago, we’ve endeavored to be a top-rated premium pizza franchise, and this goal is being realized as we experience big leaps in prestigious industry rankings such as Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500,” said Jim Metevier, President & COO of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “We are excited for what’s ahead as we continue to grow our slice of the $50 billion U.S. pizza marketplace.”
With nearly 250 units in operation, Mountain Mike’s is primed to continue expansion throughout the Western U.S. by extending opportunities to new franchise partners looking to diversify their portfolios with a popular family pizza concept. To learn more about new franchise opportunities in your market of interest, please, visit www.mountainmikesfranchise.com.
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 nearly 250 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.
Media Contact:
Kristyna Otto
Powerhouse Communications
kristyna@powerhousecomm.com
949-261-2216