THE COLONY, Texas -- The Pizza Inn quick-service-restaurant brand is launching a new scaled-down format the company intends to license to convenience stores and other nontraditional host locations, according to a Restaurant Business report.
“This could be a game changer for Pizza Inn as we tap into new markets and expansion opportunities for our flagship brand,” said Scott Crane, CEO of parent company Rave Restaurant Group, in a statement.
The new kiosk concept is branded as Pizza Inn Express, or PIE. The company said its biggest opportunities for the new format are in the c-store business. The kiosks could be tucked inside a store to provide customers with a place to pick up a pie to go.
Secondary expansion targets include airports and entertainment venues, Rave said.
“It’s a branded concept that’s attractive enough to be the permanent centerpiece in a travel center or airport, yet nimble enough to provide the same benefits traditional operators get from a food truck,” said Bob Bafundo, Pizza Inn’s president.
At 60 years old, Pizza Inn, based in The Colony, Texas, is one of the retaurant industry’s oldest chains.
Rave operates or holds the franchise rights to about 300 pizzerias, most operating as Pizza Inns.
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