Ohio chain Donatos Pizza plans to include Dallas in its expansion efforts next year.
“Since the beginning of this year, Donatos Pizza has opened over 30 locations, including five traditional stores, along with 26 strategic partnership locations. Expansion and logistical efficiencies have allowed Donatos Pizza to open their newest store in Edmond, Oklahoma, and enter the key market of Dallas,” the company wrote in a recent news release.
Texas is not among the states where Donatos currently operates, according to its website. A company spokesperson did not return a message from The Dallas Express seeking comment on Donatos’ specific growth plans for Dallas and the surrounding North Texas region.
The current iteration of Donatos was founded in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, when Jim Grote purchased a pizza joint he began working at when he was 13 years old for $1,300 after attending Ohio State University. The concept now has more than 463 stores in 29 states.
Donatos opened its first pizza franchise in 1991, according to the company’s website. The pizza franchise, known for its “edge to edge” pies, plans to open 150 restaurants next year.
“Our brand’s aggressive growth strategy and commitment to partnering with franchise partners that align with Donatos’ core values have positioned us perfectly to continue building a pipeline of new franchise candidates and new store commitments for the next several years,” said Jeff Baldwin, vice president of development and franchising, in a prepared statement.
Donatos has found success in launching joint restaurants with Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, the family-friendly restaurant chain known for its assortment of hamburgers, in addition to operating in nine sports and entertainment venues and two REEF kitchens.
The company said its partnered locations have been proven to drive growth for the Red Robin brand, with the partnership including 274 Red Robin locations and plans to scale to additional markets across the United States.
