Despite the economic climate, some businesses are continuing to grow due to the personal connections made with customers around the nation. The Pita Pit has continued to expand due to their dedicated customers and irreverent fan base. As a way to support their customers the same way they feel supported, Pita Pit created a Costa Rica Sweepstakes, where they decided to send one of their loyal fans to Costa Rica for an unforgettable, fully planned vacation.
Montana State University graduate student Jenna Haake was presented a winning package for a six-day, five-night vacation to Costa Rica. Jenna recently returned from her trip, and decided to share her experience:
"I can't believe I had the opportunity from Pita Pit to travel to Costa Rica and take part in such a wonderful and beautiful country! We had the chance to explore the beautiful beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park, take a guided tour through the rainforest and see monkeys, frogs, sloths, giant spiders and almost forgot to mention being in the epicenter of a 6.2 magnitude earthquake! The scenery was beautiful as well as the 5-star hotel they put us up in! We had a blast enjoying the local culture and learning some spanish along the way. We had the opportunity to go on a catamaran boat tour and go snorkling and see the pristine beauty from the ocean view! I cant thank Pita Pit enough for such an amazing opportunity! I am so grateful and blessed to have won this trip and travel with one of my best friends! It is a wonderful feeling and I am honored to have been able to travel under such an amazing restaurant franchise! Thank You Pita Pit and everyone who helped make this possible! I am forever thankful!"
--Jenna Haacke
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Pita Pit Featured in The Denton Record
Pita Pit was recently featured in a great article that published in The Denton Record Chronicle, entitled, “Persevering with pitas.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with franchisee, Tim Raietparvar, about his Pita Pit location in Denton, TX and entrepreneur story. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.
Persevering with pitas
Restaurateur left ‘easier’ world of gas station ownership
Sunday, May 23, 2010
It’s a small restaurant off Fry Street combining a bit of American cuisine with some Greek.
It’s called the Pita Pit, and with the motto “Fresh thinking, healthy eating” comes a menu offering grilled meats, zesty sauces, fresh vegetables and a pita rolled into a unique package.
“We don’t cook anything [when customers order]; everything is ready to go,” said Tim Raietparvar, owner of the 900-square-foot restaurant space. “Everything is in front of you, so you can pick and choose. … We add our own seasoning, and then you have the vegetables right in front of you to choose from.”
Raietparvar, 44, said he wanted to be in a business that would provide people with a more healthy option — something other than the typical fast-food restaurant that carries hamburgers or pizzas.
The Pita Pit offers pita sandwiches, gyros and a famous ham-turkey-bacon club.
“My brother owned a Pita Pit in California, and he told me about it,” Raietparvar said. The company is based in Ontario, and its U.S. headquarters are in Idaho.
Raietparvar bought the Denton Pita Pit in 2007 after another owner ran it for about a year. Raietparvar spent many hours learning — not enjoying any honeymoon period.
“This was a new business to me. The guy who used to own it before was not here, and the employees were running the business at the beginning, so a lot of them quit,” he said. “Not only did I have to learn a new business, but make sure I learned it myself and start with new people.”
(READ MORE)
Persevering with pitas
Restaurateur left ‘easier’ world of gas station ownership
Sunday, May 23, 2010
It’s a small restaurant off Fry Street combining a bit of American cuisine with some Greek.It’s called the Pita Pit, and with the motto “Fresh thinking, healthy eating” comes a menu offering grilled meats, zesty sauces, fresh vegetables and a pita rolled into a unique package.
“We don’t cook anything [when customers order]; everything is ready to go,” said Tim Raietparvar, owner of the 900-square-foot restaurant space. “Everything is in front of you, so you can pick and choose. … We add our own seasoning, and then you have the vegetables right in front of you to choose from.”
Raietparvar, 44, said he wanted to be in a business that would provide people with a more healthy option — something other than the typical fast-food restaurant that carries hamburgers or pizzas.
The Pita Pit offers pita sandwiches, gyros and a famous ham-turkey-bacon club.
“My brother owned a Pita Pit in California, and he told me about it,” Raietparvar said. The company is based in Ontario, and its U.S. headquarters are in Idaho.
Raietparvar bought the Denton Pita Pit in 2007 after another owner ran it for about a year. Raietparvar spent many hours learning — not enjoying any honeymoon period.
“This was a new business to me. The guy who used to own it before was not here, and the employees were running the business at the beginning, so a lot of them quit,” he said. “Not only did I have to learn a new business, but make sure I learned it myself and start with new people.”
(READ MORE)
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Pita Pit Featured in Nation's Restaurant News
Pita Pit was recently featured in an article in Nation’s Restaurant News, entitled, “Nearing Showtime in the Windy City.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with Peter Riggs, discussing expectations and issues at top priority when attending the convention in Chicago. The article discusses the fact that Riggs and the Pita Pit team will be looking into menu labeling and the technology that goes along with that at the Chicago convention. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to it in its entirety.
Nearing showtime in the Windy City
Operators search for equipment, suppliers and franchisees at annual event
Peter Riggs of Pita Pit will have menu labeling—and calorie posting in particular—in mind as he explores the show.
Riggs, vice president of corporate business for the Cour d’Alene, Idaho-based quick-service sandwich chain, said he’s specifically looking for digital menu boards that can accommodate changes required by the new federal labeling law.
“We’ve got about 175 stores across the U.S., and every time we introduce a new menu item there’s a lot of logistical planning that goes into how best to display that,” he said. “We’ve been doing a lot of research on the new menu-labeling laws, and we want to see what other concepts are doing and figure out what the best execution is.”
As far as the digital menu boards go, “my IT guys have been bugging me to take more meetings about it,” he said. “The technology has been out there for a while, but hasn’t gained much traction yet. But given the legislation, we’ll look at it and see if there’s practical application for our brand.”
He added that the menu boards also would appeal to the chain’s main demographic: 18- to 24-year-old males. Roughly half of Pita Pit’s stores are located around college campuses, and the flash animation on the computer screens would make for “a more immersive experience for them,” he said.
(READ MORE)
Nearing showtime in the Windy City
Operators search for equipment, suppliers and franchisees at annual event
Peter Riggs of Pita Pit will have menu labeling—and calorie posting in particular—in mind as he explores the show.Riggs, vice president of corporate business for the Cour d’Alene, Idaho-based quick-service sandwich chain, said he’s specifically looking for digital menu boards that can accommodate changes required by the new federal labeling law.
“We’ve got about 175 stores across the U.S., and every time we introduce a new menu item there’s a lot of logistical planning that goes into how best to display that,” he said. “We’ve been doing a lot of research on the new menu-labeling laws, and we want to see what other concepts are doing and figure out what the best execution is.”
As far as the digital menu boards go, “my IT guys have been bugging me to take more meetings about it,” he said. “The technology has been out there for a while, but hasn’t gained much traction yet. But given the legislation, we’ll look at it and see if there’s practical application for our brand.”
He added that the menu boards also would appeal to the chain’s main demographic: 18- to 24-year-old males. Roughly half of Pita Pit’s stores are located around college campuses, and the flash animation on the computer screens would make for “a more immersive experience for them,” he said.
(READ MORE)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Pita Pit Featured in Dayton Business Journal
Pita Pit was recently featured in an article in the Dayton Business Journal entitled, “Pita Pit Cooks Up Plan for Dayton-Area Push.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with Corey Bowman and delves into Pita Pit’s expansion plans throughout Ohio and specifically Dayton. The article also discusses the success Pita Pit has seen in the Ohio market and plans to develop further. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.
Pita Pit cooks up plan for Dayton-area push
by Tom Demeropolis
A fast-casual dining franchise is looking to capitalize on the colleges in the Dayton region.
The Pita Pit, an Idaho-based franchise, is looking to open five locations in the Dayton area in the next 12 to 18 months.
The development team has started looking for retail locations and meeting with existing Ohio franchisees and potential franchisees to operate the new locations.
(READ MORE)
Pita Pit cooks up plan for Dayton-area push
by Tom Demeropolis
A fast-casual dining franchise is looking to capitalize on the colleges in the Dayton region.The Pita Pit, an Idaho-based franchise, is looking to open five locations in the Dayton area in the next 12 to 18 months.
The development team has started looking for retail locations and meeting with existing Ohio franchisees and potential franchisees to operate the new locations.
(READ MORE)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Pita Pit Featured in Austin American-Statesman
Pita Pit was recently featured in a feature article in the Austin American-Statesman entitled, “Certification Helps Diners Hunt Down Eco-Friendly Fare.” The article was built from an interview with Asa Christensen and Michelle Flores. The article delves into the recent certification that the Austin Pita Pit received from the Green Restaurant Association, making them one of four green certified restaurants in all of Austin. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.
Certification helps diners hunt down eco-friendly fare
Austin restaurants vie for green label.
By Asher Price
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A few Austin restaurants are hoping that diners will like their food green.
At the Pita Pit on Congress Avenue, owners Asa Christensen and Michelle Flores have tossed out their plastic utensils and replaced them with biodegradable ones. They added low-pressure aerators on the faucets to cut down water use. They have paid for private recycling. They use local suppliers for their pitas and some salad stuffs, all in a bid to get approval from a nonprofit that certifies restaurants as environmentally friendly.
Many of their customers already "gravitate to earth-friendly choices," Christensen, 31, said. "By choosing where you eat, you can have a huge impact on the environment."
"It's our way of supporting our customers," Flores, 33, said. "They do so much for us."
The nonprofit Green Restaurant Association has certified nine restaurants in the state, including four in Austin: La Condesa, Snap Kitchen, Barr Mansion and the Pita Pit.
(READ MORE)
Certification helps diners hunt down eco-friendly fare
Austin restaurants vie for green label.
By Asher Price
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A few Austin restaurants are hoping that diners will like their food green.At the Pita Pit on Congress Avenue, owners Asa Christensen and Michelle Flores have tossed out their plastic utensils and replaced them with biodegradable ones. They added low-pressure aerators on the faucets to cut down water use. They have paid for private recycling. They use local suppliers for their pitas and some salad stuffs, all in a bid to get approval from a nonprofit that certifies restaurants as environmentally friendly.
Many of their customers already "gravitate to earth-friendly choices," Christensen, 31, said. "By choosing where you eat, you can have a huge impact on the environment."
"It's our way of supporting our customers," Flores, 33, said. "They do so much for us."
The nonprofit Green Restaurant Association has certified nine restaurants in the state, including four in Austin: La Condesa, Snap Kitchen, Barr Mansion and the Pita Pit.
(READ MORE)
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