Pita Pit Franchise

Pita Pit was featured in the Daily Press

2012-01-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the Daily Press in an article titled, "Economy not always to blame for recent Hampton Roads restaurant closings." The article is about how restaurantsin the Hamptons Road area have suffered financially in the wake of thedifficult economic times. Peter Riggs, VP of Brand Development for Pita Pit, discussed the fact that becauseconsumers now have less disposable income, they are being more careful withtheir restaurant choices and may pass on higher-priced restaurants altogether.The article also mentions that Pita Pit had an opening in Williamsburg last month. Click here to view the entire article.

Economy not always to blame for recent Hampton Roads restaurant closings
By: David Nicholson

Several recent restaurant closings suggest that the Hampton Roads economy is still shaky. But analysts and restaurant owners say that other factors also play into the often unpredictable restaurant scene.

In the past week, Frank Beamer's American Grill and JoJack's Espresso Bar & Café closed at Peninsula Town Center, while Jefferson Commons in Newport News lost the Silver Diner. Locations of the Silver Diner in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach also have closed.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured on WEAR TV3

2012-01-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured on WEAR TV3 in Pensacola. The segment features Pita Pit Pensacola owner, Jeff Bell, making pitas using fresh ingredients and explainsthat the location is close to the University of West Florida. The segment alsomentioned that in addition to being open for lunch and dinner every day, Pita Pit is open late night for the students to enjoy healthier alternatives to fastfood. This segment is a great way for viewers tofollow their New Year’s resolutions and realize that they can go out to eat,find lots of variety and experience a healthy and delicious meal. Click here to see the entire segment.

Pita Pit on WEAR TV3 in Pensacola

On the west end of the Target Shopping Center the Pita Pit lets you design your own sandwich or salad using a variety of toppings.

They serve lunch and dinner every day.

And for the late night munchies they're open past midnight, Monday through Saturday.

(Watch Segment)

Pita Pit featured on CBS Indianapolis Indy Style

2012-01-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in a segment on CBS Indianapolis Indy Style called "Resolution Solution." The segment features Pita Pit owner in Indianapolis,Travis Sealls, showing viewers how to make a low calorie pita meal as well as apita snack, such as the Light Buffalo Chicken pita and the Light Steak Fajita.Travis offers great ways for viewers to eat a meal that is very filling andhealthy, all for under 500 calories. Travis also talks about the lean meats,healthy cheeses, vegetables and all 27 sauces that they use at Pita Pit as wellas the Build A Pita Calculator to learn more about the nutrition facts. Thissegment is a great way for viewers to follow their New Year’s resolutions andrealize that they can go out to eat, find lots of variety and experience ahealthy and delicious meal. Click here to see the entire segment or watch it below.

Resolution Solution: wishtv.com

Pita Pit featured in the Daily Press

2012-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the Daily Press in an article titled, "Pita Pit now open in Williamsburg." Daily Press reporter David Nicholson talks about how Brandon Twine, his mom Sue, and his fiancée Kimberly Felt decided toopen a Pita Pit location next to the College of William and Mary after Sueretired. The article also details the menu that Pita Pit offers. Click here to view the entire article.

Pita Pit now open in Williamsburg
By: Brandon Twine

Brandon Twine has teamed up with his fiancée, Kimberly Felt, and his mom, Sue Twine, to open up Pita Pit, a fast-food style eatery in Tribe Square on the College of William and Mary campus.

The family business came about after Sue Twine retired from her job as an IT specialist in the Norfleet Naval Shipyard for over 40 years and Brandon left his job working as an electrician in the shipyard. They researched various franchises before deciding on Pita Pit.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in Oklahoman and NewsOK.com

2012-01-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the Oklahoman and NewsOk.com in an article titled, "Health conscious businesses expect an after New Year's rush." In thearticle, Pita Pit franchisee Ray Reyes talks about how customers appreciate the “Resolution Solution” andthe healthy menu options. He also says that Pita Pit is always a healthyoption, not just during the “Resolution Solution” campaign. This is a great wayfor the community to see that going out to eat can be a healthyexperience and also a way to stick with their New Year’s resolutionsyear-round. Click here to read the full article.

Health conscious businesses expect an after New Year's rush
By: Jennifer Palmer

As many retailers see sales slow in the post-Christmas season, business at Coolgreens restaurants is expected to rise 35 percent in the new year. It's a phenomenon many health-conscious businesses such as restaurants and gyms see in the weeks and months after New Year's, when many people are enthusiastic about their resolutions to eat healthy or lose weight.

Coolgreens, which has been steadily growing its metro-area presence and is on track to open its fifth location this month, has a menu full of healthy options like salads, soups, flatbread pizzas and frozen yogurt. Managing partner Allan McMurrain said the concept was founded on the premise that people would eat healthy if given the option.

(Read More)

We Want Your Feedback!

2011-12-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

In order to satisfy yourunique taste buds, Pita Pit is always trying to develop new, tantalizingflavors to keep you coming back for more of that good stuff. Some itemswill stay on our menu and some will only make a short appearance. Whatever the case, we want to know how you liked it. Did we get an A+, ordo we need to go back to school and work harder? Pleaseclick here for a short questionnaire. We promise to read over ALL of yourcomments!

Keep Rollin'!

Pita Pit featured on WFTS ABC Action News in Tampa, Florida

2011-12-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in a segment on WFTS ABC Action News in Tampa called, "Eating healthy during the holidays is tough, but there are meals you can make under 500 calories." The segment features Tampa Pita Pit owner Andrew Turek showing viewers how to make a low calorie pita, suggesting veggies to fill the pita and showing them how to make the "Light Aloha" pita. Andrew offers advice on how to make healthy pitas at home or in the store. View the segment here or below.

Eating healthy during the holidays is tough, but there are meals you can make under 500 calories
By: Ellen McNamara

The holidays can be overwhelming if you are trying to count calories, especially if you eat out a lot.

However, there are meals you can create at home, or get on the go that will keep you slim and trim.

Andrew Turek, owner of The Pita Pit, has some healthy suggestions.

(Read More)

Pita Pit's on Foursquare!

2011-11-22T13:59:00.001-08:00

Have you seen us on Foursquare?

Pita Pit is in the process of hosting Foursquare specials in all of their corporate locations! The special currently running at 5 of their locations is a Mayor Special that awards the mayor with a free pita with every check-in!

The Corporate locations that currently have this special are:

Pita Pit EIndiana Ave.
Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Pita Pit
WPrairie Ave.
Hayden, ID 83835
Pita Pit
ESherman Ave.
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
Pita Pit
NHwy. 41
Post Falls, ID 83854
Pita Pit
WMain Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201

In addition, there are three non-corporate locations that are running a similar special, along with a check-in special of a free 22oz drink with a purchase of a regular pita.

Pita Pit
2228 Grand AveBillings, MT 59102
Pita Pit
311 Alexander St
Rochester, NY 14604
Pita Pit
1100 Jefferson Rd
Rochester, NY 14623

Have you checked into any of these locations recently?

Pita Pit's National Conference 2011

2011-11-11T15:00:00.001-08:00

This week was Pita Pit USA's 5th National Franchise Conference. The conference was held in Atlanta, GA from Tuesday, November 8th - Thursday, November 10th and was a lot of fun for everyone in attendance.

During the conference, Pita Pit had 2 guest speakers, keynote speaker Mark Scharenbroich and Nick Powills, CEO of No Limit Media Consulting. Pita Pit's corporate staff also recapped everything that occurred in 2011, including our participation in Dine Out for No Kid Hungry program and the Pulled Pork Pita and Black Bean Pita, and highlighted the exciting things to come in 2012.

There were a 120 people who attended this years conference, and this included our fellow franchisees in Canada, Korea and New Zealand! This provided us with a great opportunity to learn about each other and the difference's there are in running Pita Pit's in different countries.

During our Award Ceremony on Thursday night, we gave out two major awards:

Rookie of the Year
Franchisee of the Year

The winner of "Rookie of the Year" was a father and daughter team, Christy and Bob Whitkop of Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

The winners of "Franchisee of the Year" was a husband and wife team, Dennis and Laura Sallee of Vancouver, Washington for their outstanding embodiment of Pita Pit's ideals and hard work.

Pita Pit's Franchisee Referral Program

2011-11-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Did you hear?! Pita Pit is looking for new franchisee's..... and are offering cash reward of $5,000 to find them! Do YOU know anyone?

What do you have to do?
It's easy! Provide a referral to Pita Pit and if the individual opens a new location with us, you will receive Pita Pit's cash reward of $5,000. To be eligible, you must first register using a form you can fine here, on Pita Pit's Fan Page, or by submitting a hard copy to this addess.

Pita Pit Inc.
105 N. 4th St.
Suite 208
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814

A Broker or any party receiving a commission and anyone but the first referring party are excluded from the reward. And do make sure the individual you're referring indicates you on the initial Franchise Application, or you won't get PAID!

Do you know someone that you think would be a great Pita Pit Franchisee? Make sure you fill out the form!

Pita Pit Dine Out, Not Kid Hungry Participation Recap

2011-10-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

First, we would like to thank all of our fans for making our first year a part ofShare Our Strength's, Dine Out for No Kid Hungry campaign so successful!

We want to highlight some of our great moments from this year.

We had 62 Pita Pit locations participate. They each donated $0.50 for every fork style sold to Dine Out for No Kid Hungry, while also taking customer donations. To make this fun for everyone, we had a company-wide competition to see who could raise the most money for Dine Out for No Kid Hungry!

Our winner was Kristi Grob, owner of the Billings, MT Pita Pit! Kristi, her staff, and her amazing customers raised an impressive $1,505 in customer donation and $99 in salad sales, making her grand total $1,604 in donation to Share Our Strength!

The race between our stores was tight though! Second place went to Tom & Annette Cruse who raised a total of $1,473 from their Sioux Falls, SD store and third place went to Jim Talley who raised $1,088 from his Great Falls, MT store!

The amazing efforts between our participating stores and fantastic customers was recognized by Share Our Strength, who nominated Pita Pit for the prestigious "Rookie Of the Year" Award. The award is given out with many others at the Share Our Strength Conference of Leaders every year.

We had the fantastic opportunity to attend the Conference of Leaders held October 15-17th.

Though we unfortunately did not win the "Rookie of the Year" award, we are very proud of our company as we share the nomination with some very large brands including Chicago Metallic, Jimmy Dean and Williams-Sonoma.

Please enjoy these photos that were taken at the Conference of Leaders.

Conference of Leaders Award Dinner

Conference of Leaders Flash Mob

Chairman and CEO Billy Shore with Pita Pit employee Lisa Aitken & Billings store owner Kristi Grob

We had such a great time participating in Share Our Strength's Dine Outfor No Kid Hungry and can hardly wait to start again next year!

Help us end Childhood Hunger in America by 2015 and take the pledge: http://nokidhungry.org/

Pita Pit featured on QSR

2011-10-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit secured a release in the QSR entitled "BBQ Pulled Pork Pita Rolls into Pita Pit." The release discusses our Limited time Pulled Pork Pita available at all locations.

BBQ Pulled Pork Pita Rolls into Pita Pit

On Oct. 3, Pita Pit launched its new Pulled Pork Pita. The pita is available at all locations, but for a limited time only. While the official end date of the BBQ Pulled Pork Pita limited-time offer is Nov. 13, stores may continue selling while supplies last. Pricing will vary by location.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in The Bryan Eagle

2011-10-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in The Bryan Eagle entitled "Pita Pit execs hungry for another shot." The story features Pita Pit corporate store manager Marc Foglesong taking over two College Station locations and lends insight to his climb through the ranks of Pita Pit to enjoy success in the company. It also provides perspective from Pita Pit vice president of brand development on why College Station was worthy of a corporate takeover, as well as the company’s plans to add 10 new locations within the next two years.

Pita Pit execs hungry for another shot

By: Shauna Lewis

Pita Pit's corporate executives hope their recent takeover of the chain's two locations in College Station will be followed by 10 new eateries in the area in the next two years.

The Pita Pit in Northgate at 403 University Drive reopened Oct. 4, and company representatives expect the store on South Texas Avenue at Holleman Drive to reopen in early November. The eateries were shuttered in the summer after the former owner looked into selling them or closing and moving them.

But College Station is too good of an area to allow the eateries to stay closed, said Peter Riggs, vice president of brand development for Pita Pit USA.

"If it's a great location like in College Station, we take it over and keep it running," Riggs said.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Introduces It's New Pulled Pork Pita

2011-10-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

On Monday, October 3rd, Pita Pit launched it's new Pulled Pork Pita! The pita is available at all locations but for a limited time only. The official end date is November 13th, but stores may continue selling while supplies last. Pricing will vary by location.

The Pulled Pork Pita is built off a generous portion of roasted pulled pork grilled in abundance of BBQ sauce. It will come topped with lettuce, onions, pickles and cheddar cheese, but, of course, our fans are able to choose the toppings that they want on their pita.

We are very excited about this addition and hope our fans are too! Let us know what you think and don't forget to make it a combo and SAVE!

Pita Pit featured on Tri-City Herald

2011-09-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was featured in an online article on Tri-City Herald on two separate days. The article is entitled , "Pita Pit in Pasco helping to battle child hunger." Pita Pit owner John Clapper discusses his locations participation's involvement with the Dine Out No Kid Hungry Campaign throughout the month of September. Throughout the entire month, the Pita Pit will donate $.50 of every fork style salad sold and for everyone who donates $1 to dine out, Pita Pit will match with another $1 off coupon for the next visit. Click here & here to view both articles.

Pita Pit in Pasco Helping to battle child hunger

By: Kristi Pihl

The Pasco Pita Pit is participating this month in a campaign to end child hunger in the U.S. by 2015.

Owner John Clapper decided to have his business help with the Dine Out No Kid Hungry campaign in September.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured on blog VRG.org

2011-09-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured on The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog in an article entitled, "Pita Pit Restaurant Chain Offers All-Vegetable Menu Items." The article discusses our Garden Pita that can include a large variety of veggies and that you have the choice between a pita or a Fork-style. The article continues to describe the available vegetarian toppings options, the falafel & hummus, and the spicy black bean burger pita. Currently, Pita Pit's veggie pitas make up 10% of all pitas sold. Click here to read the full article.

Pita Pit Restaurant Chain Offers All-Vegetable Menu Items

By: Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, VRG Research Director

Vegetarians and vegans looking for, according to Pita Pit, “healthy food, not health food” may find it at Pita Pit. This quick service chain serving unconventional fare began in Canada in 1995. Pita Pit began United States franchising in 1999. Located throughout the US at over one hundred locations, Pita Pit offers white or wheat pita bread filled with several different all-vegetable items including hummus, falafel or a black bean patty. Pita Pit offers a Garden Pita made with your choice of a large variety of vegetables. Fork-style pita salads are also available. All pita dishes include choice of toppings, sauces, and a cheese for those who’d like one or more of them.

In June 2011, the VRG spoke with a senior staff member at the US Pita Pit corporate headquarters in Coeur d’Alene, ID who told us that currently their veggie pitas comprise approximately 10% of all pitas sold. The falafel and hummus are all-vegetable. Since May 2011, they have offered a spicy black bean burger pita without eggs in the patty. We were informed by Pita Pit that “It is a vegan product according to the box it comes in.” As of this writing, we have not yet heard from Pita Pit regarding the natural flavors in this product and in others thought suitable to vegans including the babaganoush (offered at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htmparticipating locations only) and the Teriyaki Sauce. There is no Ingredient Statement available on Pita Pit’s website.

(Read More)

twEAT OUT with Dine Out & Pita Pit!

2011-09-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 19th is going to be a BIG day for Share Our Strength, Dine Out No Kid Hungry! The day is not only the second day of the Dine Out Week, it is also the day where Dine Out has their largest Tweet-A-Thon! According to blog "Be The Change", at last years twEAT OUT (as it is so creatively named), "over 1,000 people helped spread the word by posting 10,000 tweets about the campaign in just one week!" The efforts of these 1,000 individuals helped the "restaurant industry increase funds raised over prior year by 108%, raising $1.5 million dollars to help end childhood hunger in the United States."

This year, we want to have over 2,000 Bloggers, Tweeters and Facebookers to help promote Dine Out For No Kid Hungry! @PitaPitUSA will be tweeting all day Monday in hopes to get our fans involved in the twEAT OUT!

Here is how our followers can help:

To ensure that Dine Out For No Kid Hungry starts the week with a bang, Dine Out is holding a twEAT OUT all day on Monday, September 19. Join in the fun and help spread the word about Dine Out For No Kid Hungry on Twitter and Facebook!

When: Monday, September 19, 2011 | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST

How to Participate:

On Twitter:

Follow @Dine_Out and @ShareStrength.
Retweet messages about the Dine Out For No Kid Hungry from these two accounts.
Use the hashtag #NoKidHungry in all your tweets
Share this tweet:
I’m dining out for #NoKidHungry this week. Join me by finding a participating restaurant in your area: http://ow.ly/2fhoI

On Facebook:
“Like” Share Our Strength

RSVP “YES!” to Dine Out For No Kid Hungry event on Facebook

Share news about Dine Out For No Kid Hungry with your Facebook friends:
I’m dining out this week for Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry. Join me by finding a participating restaurant near you! http://ow.ly/2fhoI

Other Sample Messages:

Feel free to share more messages on Facebook and Twitter. Use these verbatim or customize them yourself:

@Dine_Out TODAY and help make #NoKidHungry in America! Here’s how: http://j.mp/aXxpIk
There are over 5,000 restaurants participating in @Dine_Out for #NoKidHungry! Find one close 2 U! http://j.mp/aXxpIk
Where will you be dining this week for @Dine_Out for #NoKidHungry? Pick a restaurant near you and let us know! http://j.mp/aXxpIk
Now’s the time! @Dine_Out to ensure there is #NoKidHungry in America! Make your plans here: http://j.mp/aXxpIk

We are very excited to participate in this creative event and hope that all of our fans on Twitter will follow us and participate in the twEAT OUT!

Pita Pit Dine Out, Not Kid Hungry YouTube Video

2011-09-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

As we have stated before, we are extremely excited to be participating in Share Our Strength's, Dine Out for No Kid Hungry!

We are so excited in fact, that we have created a YouTube video discussing our participation!

Reminder, we are donating $0.50 for every Fork Style pita sold at participating stores. Also, for every dollar a customer donates, we will give them a dollar back!

Check it out here to watch our video or watch below!

Pita Pit featured on AnnArbor.com

2011-09-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was featured on AnnArbor.com, the daily newspaper for Ann Arbor, Michigan titled, “The Pita Pit offers quick, tasty meals in campus area.” The article gives a great restaurant review of Pita Pit which was recently opened in Ann Arbor by Kay Miller, local operator and franchisee, discussing the various options ranging from vegan and vegetarian options to breakfast and grilled meats. Pita Pit in Ann Arbor gives students a great alternative to fast food options and is open late every night and focuses on delivery to the surrounding area and to campus. In addition, there is a great slide show and a description of the different types of pitas that the reporter tried at the Pita Pit. Click here to view the entire article.

The Pita Pit offers quick, tasty meals in campus area

By: Julie Halpert

When Kay Miller was a child, she enjoyed visiting The Pita Pit in Canada, where the franchise originated. Now, she's an owner of the new Ann Arbor outlet, which opened on July 20 on East University. The 26-year-old with a self-described "entrepreneurial spirit" thinks The Pita Pit, with its late-night hours, delivery and vegetarian options, is a great fit for University of Michigan students.

The Pita Pit is the latest new restaurant to offer a limited menu of fresh, healthful food, prepared quickly. The ambience is basic, yet cheery, with bright green tables and tile flooring.

There are three categories of pita sandwiches: breakfast, meat and veggie, along with packaged chips and soft drinks. Salad isn't on the menu, though servers will offer to mix some veggies together from the assorted toppings that are offered. There are also no soups or desserts.

(Read More)

New Pita Pit Openings This Month

2011-08-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a great month so far for Pita Pit! This month 3 locations have been added to the over 200 other US locations, and another is set to open by the end of the month. The new locations are located in:

Ann Arbor, MI
Lehigh Valley, PA
Melbourne, FL
St. Louis, MO - coming soon!

Look out for these new Pita Pit locations as well as many more that will be opening soon!

Pita Pit Participates in Dine Out, No Kid Hungry

2011-08-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

We are excited to share the news that we are participating in Share Our Strength's Dine Out for No Kid Hungry!

Share Our Strength is a national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. They weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch every at-risk child.

Share Our Strength has many ways to help raise funds and donate, but Pita Pit is participating specifically in Dine Out for No Kid Hungry. Dine Out is a national event that brings together thousands of restaurants and millions of consumers to help make sure no child in America grows up hungry with the hopes of ending childhood hunger by 2015.

Dine Out for No Kid Hungry occurs one week every year. This year it is being held September 18-24, 2011. However, Pita Pit is hosting a month long fundraiser from Sept. 5 - Oct. 2, 2011.

During Sept. 5 - Oct. 2, participating Pita Pit locations will donate .50 cents for every fork-style (salad) sold! All of our pitas can be prepared in this fork-style option for and even healthier eating experience.

We of course will accept additional donations also! Give a buck, we'll give a buck back! Any additional donations $1.00 or more will receive a "Thank You" certificate with a $1.00 OFF your next pita coupon.

We have taken the pledge to end childhood hunger in America by 2015 and ask that all of our fans take it with us! We have made the pledge available on our Facebook fan page here. You can also view all of our 63 participating locations here.

Unwrap your usual and help end childhood hunger in America. The salad bar has been raised!

Pita Pit featured in Vancouver Business Journal

2011-08-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was featured in an article today in the Vancouver Business Journal for Dennis and Laura Sallee as they just opened their fourth Pita Pit titled, “Fresh success in a down economy.” Dennis Sallee discusses the success that he and Laura have found in the Vancouver market since opening their first Pita Pit in 2008 as well as the healthy, customizable food options that Pita Pit makes that are perfect for everyone. In addition, Dennis and Laura are only the second Pita Pit in the 300-plus unit franchise that has the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine that provides over 100 different drink choices. Click here to view the full article.

Fresh success in a down economy

By: Jodie Gilmore

Give the customer what they want and watch every penny – this is the bread and butter of Dennis Sallee’s success with the Vancouver-area Pita Pit restaurants he co-owns with his wife, Laura.

The Sallees have opened three additional Pita Pits since their first in Fisher’s Landing in 2008: one in Hazel Dell, one in Orchards and one in Ashland, Oregon. Sallee hopes to open “at least two more” Pita Pits in the Vancouver area – possibly at the Westfield Shopping Mall as well as a mobile unit.

Sallee said he would choose his locations carefully, because “it takes three daily rushes to make one of these work” (lunch, dinner and catered platters of sliced pita sandwiches).

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Richard Gross, Franchisee of Saucon Valley & Lehigh Valley, PA

2011-08-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

Opening Date: August 4, 2011

Location: Saucon Valley & Lehigh Valley, PA

Q: Where are you from?

A: Although I transferred to the Bethlehem PA area in 1992, I’m originally from Chicago and have been in Boca Raton Florida sing 2007. My son, Matt, actually runs the Pennsylvania stores. My other son works for Intel.

Q: What was your career before franchising?

A: In addition to assisting my son with the Pita Pit locations, I’m also the Chief Financial Officer for Mori Lee, a bridal company.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?

A: I decided to help my son open his own business because he was passionate about being an entrepreneur after graduating from Penn State. When I asked him what he wanted to do with his education, he informed me that he wanted to open a Pita Pit restaurant. He chose a great location, so we decided to go for it.

Q: When choosing a franchise, what were the criteria you used to make your decision?

A: Because my son loved the food so much, he knew he wanted to be a part of the Pita Pit team.

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

A: Joining a franchise system was appealing to Matt and me because systems are already in place and it allows for better profits due to buying power. There’s absolutely no way you can get such attractive prices on your own, simply because you don’t have the purchasing power. However, the franchise system allowed us to utilize the franchise’s buying power to its fullest.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?

A: With extensive experience as a Chief Financial Officer, my ability to watch and know numbers has helped tremendously. I’m able to reconcile monetary transactions and monitor food and labor costs immeditaltey and can identify wehn soemthing is not going correctly.

Q: What makes your business different?

A: Our business is different because of the quality and quantity of food Pita Pit provides. It makes people happy.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?

A: Approximately six months after the upcoming opening in the Lehigh Valley Mall, I hope to begin working with the Simon in the King of Prussia Mall. Our goal is to open a location in the mall’s food court in order to gain high foot traffic. If we do well, the sky’s the limit with Simon mall openings! When it’s all said and done, we’re hoping to have four or five Pita Pit locations.

ABOUT PITA PIT

Founded in 1995 in Ontario, Canada, The Pita Pit was a fast food restaurant with a new and unique approach. The goal was to offer quality, healthy, fresh food fast. Realizing great success, franchising began across Canada in 1997. Franchising in the United States began in 1999, and Pita Pit Inc. was formed. The first US store opened at Syracuse University and the second near the University of Idaho. In April 2005, Pita Pit Inc. was acquired by Idaho-based Pita Pit USA, Inc.. The Pita Pit concept now boasts 300 stores in North America, and is recognized as No. 1 in its category in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500. The Pita Pit connects healthy food with people seeking alternatives to the typical fast food choices. Pita Pit’s motto is “fresh thinking – healthy eating”, and features a menu based on the customer’s choice of grilled meats, fresh vegetables, zesty sauces, and a pita rolled into a unique and convenient package. Pita Pit Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based Pita Pit USA, Inc. For more information about The Pita Pit, visit www.pitapitusa.com.

Pita Pit featured on AnnArbor.com

2011-08-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured on AnnArbor.com welcoming Pita Pit to the Ann Arbor market under the direction of franchisee, Kay Miller. The article was titled, “Pita Pit to open new downtown Ann Arbor restaurant today,” and discusses all of the great things that Pita Pit brings to the market including fresh, healthy and quick food options for local businesses as well as students. Also, the new Pita Pit will offer delivery and have plans to stay open until 4 a.m. every night. In an environment like Ann Arbor, Kay believe that Pita Pit will fit in well because of the progressive nature of the city looking for both environmentally and health conscious food choices. The restaurant opened just in time for the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair. Click here to view the full article!

Pita Pit to open new downtown Ann Arbor restaurant today

By Lizzy Alfs

A Mediterranean-style restaurant chain called Pita Pit is opening a restaurant near the University of Michigan campus today, just in time for the Ann Arbor Art Fair.The restaurant is located at 615 East University Avenue between Mia Za’s Cafe and Lucky Kitchen Chinese restaurant.

The Pita Pit, located at 615 East University Avenue, is set to open today in downtown Ann Arbor.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in The Hartford Business Journal

2011-07-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in The Hartford Business Journal, in an article titled “Bloc of franchises eagerly target Hartford.” In the article, Peter Riggs, vice president of franchise development for Pita Pit, explained that the brand is looking to expand to Connecticut. The brand has also recently taken part in several franchising roundtables to spur franchise growth throughout the country, and to provide educational opportunities to potential franchisees to learn about various businesses and see what is involved in starting a business. Click here to view the full article!

Bloc of franchises eagerly target Hartford
By Brad Kane

Twelve franchises which share the burden of not being familiar names have banded together to push into the Greater Hartford market.

Either the franchises already have a presence in Connecticut, have excellent sales from limited locations and want to expand; or the franchises exist in far off places and are lured by the promise of higher incomes and positioning between Boston and New York.

“Connecticut is a great area with a lot of stability,” said Peter Riggs, vice president of franchise development for the Idaho restaurant chain Pita Pit, which has 300 locations in North America but none in Connecticut. “There is great stability in the economy of that area compared to the rest of the country,”

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Pita Pit featured in South Florida Business Journal

2011-07-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

South Florida Business Journal reporter Susan Miller spoke with VP of Brand Development, Pete Riggs, on some innovative ideas on how they are finding franchisees. The virtual roundtables, he says, is an educational tool for franchisees. “If we work together, then we can rest assured that we are helping franchisees find a career that truly fits them, instead of being sold into one.” Click here to view the full article! Also, you can learn more about franchising opportunities at the Pita Pit Franchising page!

Franchisors join forces to pitch business concepts
by Susan R. Miller

Some South Florida franchisors have found a new way to reach more potential franchisees: virtual roundtables.

Those who consider becoming a franchisee can find navigating the vast number of potential opportunities overwhelming, as there are literally thousands of options from which to choose.

(Read More)

Food for Flood Relief

2011-07-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in a segment with CBS KMEG 14 entitled “Food for Flood Relief”. Pita Pit owner Mark Lennon hosted a fundraising event throughout the month of June at his store where they donated $1 from every combo meal sold to the Siouxland Red Cross. Mark discusses Pita Pit’s community involvement after the flood, and how they are aiding recently displaced flood victims through a 100% contribution to the Siouxland Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The company’s contribution enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to flood victims. Watch the video and read the article here.

Food for Flood Relief

(SIOUX CITY, IA) More local businesses are joining the flood relief effort.

The Hamilton Boulevard Pit Pita is hoping dinner tonight will help feed the need for help across Siouxland. The restaurant is donating one dollar of every combo meal sold until the end of the month to the Siouxland Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

"We thought as small business owners here in the community this would be a great way for us to give back to the community quick and easy. Chance to help those in a time of tragedy," says Mark Lennon, owner of the Pita Pit.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in Jacksonville Business Journal

2011-06-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in an article in the Jacksonville Business Journal, entitled “Hungry times: 16 new restaurants at the Beaches” The article was composed from an interview with Christy Whitkop, who at just the age of 28 is opening the Pita Pit in Jacksonville Beach. The article discusses how Jacksonville Beach is seeing a lot of restaurants pop-up in the area, including the Pita Pit. A portion of the article is below and it can be read in its entirety by clicking here and becoming a subscriber.

Hungry times: 16 new restaurants at the Beaches

Christy Whitkop decided to open her first Pita Pit franchise in Jacksonville Beach after eating at one while visiting a friend in another state. She was impressed in part because it provided a healthier option than was otherwise available late at night.

Whitkop now owns one of 16 restaurants that have opened or will open so far this year in the Beaches area, which includes Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach. Retail real estate agents say the number of new restaurants in the area is a sharp contrast to both the number of restaurants ...

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Pita Pit featured in Florida Times Union

2011-06-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was featured in an article in the Florida Times Union, entitled “Pita Pit Opens Thursday in Jacksonville Beach.” The article was composed from an in-person interview with Christy Whitkop, who at just the age of 28 is opening the restaurant in Jacksonville Beach. The article discusses Christy’s entrepreneur story, her expansion plans, the Pita Pit’s menu options and how she will connect with the local community, including delivery and social media. Click here to view the full article!

Pita Pit opens Thursday in Jacksonville Beach
by Gary Mills

It didn't take long for Christy Whitkop to realize one restaurant's closure was her opening to get into the restaurant business.

Days after Lubi's Hot Subs closed at 500 Third St. N. in Jacksonville Beach in March, construction crews were busy demolishing the interior of the restaurant, making way for Thursday's opening of The Pita Pit.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Launches New Spicy Black Bean Pita

2011-05-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho – In its continuing effort to offer products that are fresh in their approach, healthy and above all delicious, Pita Pit has launched the new Spicy Black Bean Pita. The Spicy Black Bean Pita will be the seventh vegetarian option and the fourth vegan option on the Pita Pit menu.

Made with a zesty black bean patty, grilled onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and pepperoncinis with Ancho Chipotle sauce, the Spicy Black Bean Pita is a healthy and flavorful alternative to traditional meat proteins. The Spicy Black Bean Pita is certified vegan and meets all FDA regulations for vegan products.

The product was developed based on customer feedback asking for spicier menu options as well healthy, nutrition-focused products. Meat lovers needn’t worry—the Spicy Black Bean pita packs a flavor punch that will make you forget there isn’t any meat.

“The Spicy Black Bean Pita did very well in tests with vegetarian as well as meat-loving customers,” said Peter Riggs, Pita Pit’s vice president of corporate business unit. “We’ve used the slogan ‘Don’t substitute meat, surpass it,’ and with this product we believe we have a menu option that provides the health benefits of a vegetable base without losing the texture of a meat product.”

The introduction of the Spicy Black Bean pita fits well with the company’s youthful vibe and collegiate presence. Located in over 100 Division 1 college towns across the U.S., Pita Pit has created incredibly strong ties with the college demographic.

“The Spicy Black Bean pita played so well in the college market that we’re placing special emphasis on these areas in our roll-out,” said Tracy Carbonneau, Pita Pit’s marketing director. “The idea of a vegetarian pita that still tastes great is a concept that aligns with that segment of our fan base.”

Pita Pit featured on FastCasual.com

2011-05-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in FastCasual.com in an article entitled, “Pita Pit to Give Customers Ultimate Choice.” The article delves into the creative way that Pita Pit turned to its loyal customers to help decide what flavors they want to see spicing up menus across the nation with its newest program, Ultimate Choice, which rolled out on May 2nd. Pita Pit surveyed its 72,000 eClub members and thousands of guests visiting individual restaurants to collect consumer preferences and tastes. After tallying up the results, the program will introduce nine new sauces, four new spreads, five new cheeses and 11 new toppings. Which new ingredients will appear at each location was determined by customer surveys. This program is just one more way for Pita Pit to engage customers in the product development process and continually satisfy their taste buds. Click here to view the full article!

Pita Pit to give customers Ultimate Choice

Pita Pit turned has turned to its loyal customers to help decide what flavors they want to see spicing up menus across the nation with its newest program, Ultimate Choice, which rolled out May 2.

Pita Pit surveyed its 72,000 eClub members and thousands of guests visiting individual restaurants to collect consumer preferences and tastes. After tallying up the results, the program will introduce nine new sauces, four new spreads, five new cheeses and 11 new toppings. Which new ingredients will appear at each location was determined by customer surveys.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Mixes It Up with Customer-Chosen Menu Options

2011-05-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

New Ultimate Choice Program Gives Customers More Control over the Menu at Healthy Alternative QSR Chain

They say variety is the spice of life. Maybe that’s why Pita Pit turned to its loyal customers to decide what flavors they want to see spicing up menus across the nation with its newest program, Ultimate Choice, rolling out May 2.

In a recent nationwide survey, 65 percent of adults said their favorite restaurant foods provide flavor and taste sensations they can’t easily duplicate in their own kitchens. To help meet demand for new and exciting flavor combinations, the 300-plus-unit healthy pita concept introduced the Ultimate Choice Program to allow its customers to have a voice in selecting the brand’s newest menu items and facilitate pita customization.

Pita Pit surveyed its 72,000 eClub members and thousands of guests visiting individual restaurants across the U.S. to collect consumer preferences and tastes. After tallying up the results, the program will introduce nine new sauces, four new spreads, five new cheeses and 11 new toppings. Which new ingredients will appear at each location was determined by customer surveys.

“We have a tremendous base of supporters whose opinions we hold in high regard,” said Peter Riggs, Pita Pit’s vice president of corporate business unit. “When they said they wanted variety, we gave them a voice so we’d know exactly what to provide.”

New toppings include Artichoke Hearts and Shredded Carrots, while spread updates include Pesto and Pico de Gallo. Provolone, introduced during the Prime Rib and Provolone limited time offer promotion, will return to the menu as a core item and will be joined by Blue Cheese Crumbles and Gorgonzola, among others. Of the nine sauce updates, Chipotle BBQ and Jalapeño Ranch were in the highest demand. The new menu options also allow individual restaurants across the country to take advantage of seasonal products and events, adding to the already extensive menu.

“Our devoted customers expect new and innovative flavors. It’s one of the reasons they choose us over our competitors,” Riggs said. “This initiative is designed to bring exotic tastes to our customers to keep the pita experience fresh. It also allows our franchisees to customize menu items to their individual markets and provide their customers with the ultimate selection of options.”

The introduction of Ultimate Choice comes on the heels of Pita Pit’s “Name That Pita” Facebook contest, in which Pita Pit’s Facebook fans were given the chance to name the Prime Rib and Provolone pita, should it return to the menu in the future. Fifteen finalists were selected from nearly 400 entries, with fans voting to select the best moniker.

“When you have customers as passionate and dedicated as ours, you can’t help but want to get them involved in decisions,” said Tracy Carbonneau, Pita Pit’s marketing director. “Why should we hog all the fun when they love the brand as much as we do?”

Pita Pit featured in Greenville News

2011-04-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the Greenville News in an article entitled, “Pita Restaurant Concept in Works for Greenville.” After opening a Pita Pit restaurant last year after graduating from Clemson University in 2009, Justin Kopelman is now planning to open his second location in Greenville. The article also discusses the success of Pita Pit’s most recent social media contest, ‘Name That Pita,’ where fans were allowed to be a part of the naming process of the newly introduced, Prime Rib and Provolone Pita. Kopelman discusses the ability to connect personally with fans through social media and get them involved in the creative process. Additionally, Peter Riggs, VP of Corporate Business Unit, discussed the importance of taking customers’ opinions into account and giving them the ultimate say in naming a new menu item. Click here for the full article!

Pita restaurant concept in works for Greenville
BY ANGELIA DAVIS

The owner of the Upstate's first Pita Pit restaurant franchise is working on a plan to open a second one in Greenville. Justin Kopelman, a 2009 Clemson University graduate who opened his first Pita Pit last year on College Avenue in Clemson.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in QSRWeb

2011-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Recently, Pita Pit was featured in QSRWeb in an article entitled, “Pita Pit Mines Social Media for New Item Name.” The article delves into the details about the brand’s newest social media contest called, “Name That Pita.” Pita Pit has introduced its newest pita, the provolone and prime rib pita, and is asking its social media fans to join in the creative process and help with the naming of the newest menu item. This entire week, Pita Pit’s Facebook Fans are submitting their most creative names for the new pita and once the names are submitted, the network will then be asked to vote for their favorite name. The contest winner will be announced on the page and will receive one free pita every week for a year. The grand prize winner also will see their suggested name featured on selected marketing materials when the pita makes its return as either a full-time menu item or again as a future LTO. Click here to view the full article!

Pita Pit mines social media for new item name

Pita Pit’s new limited-time offering features prime rib and provolone, but it hasn’t officially been named yet. The 300-unit, Idaho-based chain is depending on fans to help with that part.

Pita Pit’s “Name That Pita” contest is asking fans to come up with their most creative names for the pita after trying it. Once the names are submitted on Pita Pit’s Facebook page, fans will be able to vote on the best name.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in Jacksonville Business Journal

2011-03-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Recently, Pita Pit was featured in the Jacksonville Business Journal discussing the brand’s social media contest, “Name That Pita,” in an article entitled, “Name This Pita, Get 52 Free.” The article discusses the details of the contest and the ability for Pita Pit’s fans to win a free pita a week for a year if their name is selected as the winner. The name he or she created will be used in all the marketing materials for the prime rib and provolone pita. The sandwich is a limited-time-only item for now, but may return on a limited or full menu item basis. To further engage with fans, Pita Pit is hosting a Facebook contest to name its latest menu item. The “Name that Pita” contest, which runs from March 21 to 27, will ask fans to name the chain’s newest pita creation, which contains prime rib meat and provolone cheese. Click here to view the entire article!

Name this pita, get 52 free
Christian Conte

If you’ve ever had a hankering to name a menu item, or win free pitas for a year, this may be your chance.

Pita Pit is hosting a Facebook contest to name its latest menu item. The “Name that Pita” contest, which runs from March 21 to 27, will ask fans to name the chain’s newest pita creation, which contains prime rib meat and provolone cheese. The contest will be at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pitapitrocks.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in QSR Magazine

2011-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in QSR Magazine in an article entitled “Want to Name a Fast Food Menu Item? You’re In Luck,” which delves into the brand’s newest social media contest called, “Name That Pita.” The contest, which will be held from March 21 to March 27, will ask fans to come up with a name for the new, limited-time Prime Rib and Provolone Pita and then vote on their favorite submission. Peter Riggs, Pita Pit’s Vice President of Corporate Business Unit, discussed some of the reasons behind the contest and how important it is to have your fans involved in the creative process. Riggs discussed the fact that Pita Pit is very much customer-oriented and always looking for feedback from customers on how they feel about product offerings, operations, etc. and if there are things that they can see that the brand can be doing better, it is taken under serious consideration. Click here to view the article in its entirety!

Want to Name a Fast Food Menu Item? You're In Luck
By Sam Oches

In an effort to engage its fans on Facebook, Pita Pit will hold a contest on the popular social network that will let the public name the concept’s newest pita.

The “Name That Pita” contest, which will be held from March 21 to March 27, will ask fans to come up with a name for the new, limited-time Prime Rib and Provolone Pita and then vote on their favorite submission.

(Read More)

Pit Pit featured in The Orlando Business Journal

2011-02-14T16:11:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the Orlando Business Journal in an article entitled, “Pita Pit Franchisee to Debut in Lake Mary Eatery.” The article featured Pita Pit’s Orlando Franchisee, Patrick O’Dell, who is opening his fifth Pita Pit location throughout the Orlando metro region. With additional locations in the Winter Park and University of Central Florida, Patrick is continuing to expand offering a healthy alternative to fast food to the Orlando community. Pita Pit has had tremendous success in the Orlando market and is continuing to expand despite the economic climate. Click here to view the article in its entirety!

Pita Pit franchisee to debut Lake Mary eatery
By Anjali Fluker

The Pita Pit Orlando will unveil its fifth local restaurant next month.

The new 1,800-square-foot, 35-seat eatery is slated to open March 1 at 4235 W. Lake Mary Blvd., in the Shoppes at Lake Mary center. Geneva-based Michael Chesanek Construction Inc. is the contractor on the buildout, which is valued at $130,000.

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Patrick O'Dell, Franchisee of Lake Mary, FL

2011-02-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

Opened: February 21, 2011

Location: Lake Mary, FL

Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I’m from southern Idaho.

Q: What did you do before becoming a Pita Pit franchisee?
A: Before joining Pita Pit I worked as a bar tender and later as a health inspector.

Q: Are you a first time business owner?
A: I own four Pita Pit franchises in the greater Orlando area. The first opened in July of 2003 and the most recent was in August 2009.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: While I was bartending, the owner of the Washington State University and University of Idaho Pita Pit locations was a customer of mine and often told me about the company. I also inspected two Pita Pits.

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: In 2003 I was looking for a change of pace and Pita Pit seemed like a great opportunity. They offered flat rate royalties and seemed to be targeting a much younger demographic for franchisees. They wanted people who could operate a Pita Pit 16-17 hours a day and still run around promoting it.

Q: What are your future goals or development plans?
A: After the Lake Mary store I’m planning on opening one more Pita Pit. We’re still looking for the right location, which can be a challenge in Orlando.

Pita Pit featured in the Argus Leader

2011-01-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was featured in the Argus Leader with an article entitled "Pita Pit to provide new fast-food option." The article was built from an in-depth interview with Peter Riggs discussing Pita Pit's development plans for the Sioux Falls region. In addition, Tom Cruse, Pita Pit's new franchisee in Sioux Falls, was interviewed to discuss his new opening and why Pita Pit will be a great addition into the community. Click here to view the full article.

"Pita Pit to provide new fast-food option"

Sioux Falls is getting a new fast-food franchise this year.

The Pita Pit is set to open its first franchise store mid-2011. The franchise owners have signed a deal to open a total of three restaurants in the city, said Peter Riggs, vice president of Pita Pit.

Tom Cruse, who will manage the restaurants and will be part owner, said the location for the first Pita Pit hasn't been finalized.

(Read More)

Pita Pit featured in the Coeur d'Alene Press

2011-01-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, The Pita Pit was featured in an article in the Coeur d’Alene Press about the brands success over the course of 2010. While many brands struggled to expand, The Pita Pit opened nearly 20 locations in 2010 and is on pace to open 25 in 2011. In addition, the brand moved up 36 places on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 listing as #124 on all franchise opportunities throughout the nation. Peter Riggs, VP of Corporate Business Unit, discussed the increasing access to SBA loans, which will assist entrepreneurs looking to open a Pita Pit in 2011. Riggs also discussed how the brand is finding new ways to cut costs and save money for the franchisees in the current economic climate. Click here to view the entire article.

Pita Power
By DAVID COLE

COEUR d'ALENE - For the fifth straight year, Pita Pit Inc., with 187 U.S. franchises, has made Entrepreneur Magazine's "franchise 500 list."

The chain was No. 1 within its category (pita sandwiches). Pita Pit Inc. is the franchising arm of Pita Pit USA Inc., headquartered in Coeur d'Alene.

Pita Pit was No. 124 in overall top U.S. franchise opportunities, moving up 36 positions from 2010.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Launches “Resolution Solution” Campaign to Promote a Healthy Start to the New Year

2011-01-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

The Pita Pit, a 180-unit franchise popular for serving quick and healthy alternatives to fast food, is launching its “Resolution Solution” campaign to help American’s keep their New Year resolutions. The campaign promotes six delicious and healthful pitas, ranging from 280 to 450 calories and packed with flavor.

“As one of the few QSR concepts founded and wholly centered on healthy dining options, we are continuously trying to provide a product that satisfies our customers’ taste buds without stretching their waist lines,” said Peter Riggs, Vice President of Corporate Business of The Pita Pit. “The ‘Resolution Solution’ campaign offers even lower calorie options in addition to our existing healthy choices in an effort to assist consumers in making smart eating decisions in the new year.”

The “Resolution Solution” campaign, which kicks off January 1 and lasts to mid February, will start the New Year off right with six customized pitas each weighing in under than 500 calories. Four of these featured pitas are 400 calories or less, providing meals packed with flavor but without the high fat content. These new offerings focus on healthy ingredients such as grilled chicken breast, grilled steak and fresh vegetables and as well as light sauces including the Mediterranean tzatziki sauce. Two “Resolution Solution” options are the Light Chicken Caesar, with grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cucumbers, and the Light Mediterranean, with babaganoush, fresh spinach, tomatoes, onions, black olives and tzatziki sauce. Other choices include the Light Aloha, Light Garden, Light Buffalo Chicken, and Light Steak Fajita.

“Our overall mission is to provide our fans with a menu consistent with a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Jack Riggs, CEO of The Pita Pit. “’Resolution Solution is designed to help our patrons keep their resolutions in 2011 with health conscious offerings.”

Continuously offering innovative food options and tools, Pita Pit continues to excel, grow and reach new customers in the QSR industry. Ranked number one in its category in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500, The Pita Pit also ranked #105 in global franchise opportunities in Entrepreneurs Magazine’s 2011 listing. Over the course of 2010, Pita Pit opened 25 more locations through the support of both new and existing franchisees.

TheThe Pita Pit Recognized as Top Franchise Opportunity by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500

2011-01-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – For the fifth straight year The Pita Pit, a 187-unit pita franchise offering a healthy alternative to fast food, has owned Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500. This year’s rankings were no different, as the chain was not only No. 1 in its category, but No. 124 in overall top U.S. franchise opportunities, moving up 36 positions from 2010.

“We’ve been incredibly successful through the combined factors of our amazing franchisees and the loyalty and dedication of our fans,” said Dr. Jack Riggs, CEO of Pita Pit. “We are thrilled to be recognized yet again by such a prestigious institution and look forward to climbing even higher next year.”

While Pita Pit opened nearly 20 locations in 2010, it also reached uncharted territory for many franchises over the last five years, in that it opened more than 140 U.S. locations despite rocky economic conditions and other growth difficulties experienced by many franchises. Additionally, over the last five years, Pita Pit has improved the model with additional systems, infrastructure, and a fresh leadership team all designed to help propel its growth towards the 200-unit mark during 2011.

“We made great strides towards taking Pita Pit past 180 units this year in the U.S. and are prepping for an even bigger 2011,” Riggs said. “Positioned for steady growth, we are consistently introducing new products to continually satisfy our fans’ taste buds.”

Entrepreneur Magazine has conducted the Franchise 500 survey for 32 years. To determine rankings, each company is evaluated on its financial strength and stability, growth rate, size of system, years in business and franchising and percentage of unit closings. In 2011, Pita Pit plans to continue their national expansion with plans to add 25 units and rise even higher in the rankings on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, all through the support of new and existing franchisees.

With nearly 300 total locations in North America, Pita Pit has initially found success serving up a healthful variety of pita sandwiches on more than 100 Division-1 college campuses across the U.S, but has since expanded to many cities and communities without a collegiate presence. Unlike its quick service competitors, Pita Pit offers a large number of low-calorie, healthful options, making it the breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-hours snack choice for people aiming to keep their diets wholesome and their bodies fit without sacrificing great taste.

“We’ve stayed at the top of our industry by offering a healthy, personalized product and a genuine experience,” said Pita Pit’s VP of Corporate Business Unit, Peter Riggs. “In 2011, we hope to introduce our concept to more and more untapped markets and rise even higher on the Franchise 500 list.”

Pita Pit on FOX 12 Portland's Good Morning Oregon

2011-01-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

This morning, Keith Kunis, manager of the Pita Pit on Hawthorne, demonstrated some great ways for viewers to make healthy pita’s for all of their Oregon Duck fan's BCS Bowl Championship parties. Keith had a few pita’s that were prepared for the segment and also gave some recipes for the football tailgating and parties. Online, FOX 12 posted the recipes given live on the show, and also posted a coupon for a buy one get one free at the Pita Pit on Hawthorne.

Preparing For Game Day: Pita Snacks

Looking for a tasty treat for your BCS national championship game party? Pita Pit shares some ideas.

(View Here)

Pita Pit featured in Jacksonville Business Journal

2011-01-03T15:00:00.001-08:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in an article in the Jacksonville Business Journal entitled, “Communication Key to Good Time-Off Policy.” The article was built from an in-depth interview and photo-shoot with Daniel DeLeon, Pita Pit’s Fleming Island Franchisee, where he is interviewed as an expert source on giving time off during the holidays. DeLeon provides his advice on the topic and shares his experiences as a local business owner. In addition the article delves into his background and history with the Pita Pit brand. To view the article in its entirety be sure to click here.

Communication key to good time-off policy
by DOLLY PENLAND

Scheduling time off around the holidays can be a challenge, but business owners who have vacation and leave policies in place and have clearly communicated those policies to their employees can avoid conflicts and potential ill will.

“We are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day,” said Daniel De Leon, owner of The Pita Pit restaurant in Fleming Island. “We [schedule] in rotation. And we don’t just include holidays. We include sporting events, Florida-Georgia, Florida-Florida State. So, if you are off on Florida-Georgia, you are at the bottom of the list for Christmas or New Year’s or Halloween. Our ...

(Read More)

Pita Pit Featured in Creative Loafing

2010-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit is now open for business in Decatur, GA. The Pita Pit has laid down aggressive expansion plans into the Atlanta market with over 100 locations planned throughout the metro area and provides a healthier option than fast food dining across the city. Pita Pit opened yesterday in downtown Decatur and are one step ahead of competition by offering nutrition facts of all of the products they serve. A portion of the article is included below and it can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Gravy Train: Restaurant Eugene Amps Up Talent, Pita Pit Invades Atlanta

By Laura Horton

Craft beer shop Ale Yeah! is on the verge of opening the doors in Decatur. Along with creative brews, the shop will sell brewing equipment and gourmet snacks like chesse and chocolate. Thrillist reports that Ale Yeah! will also offer homebrew classes in the near future. The shop is aiming open this coming week.

Pita Pit is now open for business in Decatur. This is the first Atlanta area location of the international chain and they are reportedly looking to bring over 100 locations to the Atlanta market as a part of their massive nationwide growth plan. That’s a whole lotta pita! Pita Pit’s spin is healthier alternative to fast food dining and they offer nutrition information on all products.

News of several other noted restaurants closing surfaced over the last week or so, including Nickiemotos and Vickerys in Midtown, Il Mulino downtown and Dynamic Dish on Edgewood.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Opens in Decatur, GA; Featured in Decatur Metro

2010-12-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

The Pita Pit in Decatur opened today, December 2, 2010 and was featured on the Decatur Metro, local site for community news. Long time Pita fan, Derek Kellermann and Hose Divani, after two years of looking for the perfect location opened the Pita Pit in Decatur to bring healthy options to an area that is physically active and health conscious. In addition, Decatur provided the perfect location close to Emory University and Agnes Scott College to offer affordable food choices all day long. The Pita Pit will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. is delivering throughout the area to reach both campuses and residential neighborhoods. Below is a portion of the article and it can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

More Sandwich/Pita News

So I know people have been worrying/asking about Jimmy John’s and the announced plan to open in the old Tastings space at 330 West Ponce. I’m still waiting on further details, but sources say that the plan is still “a go” and the sandwich shop will most likely open early next year. More details once we have them!

Also, as we announced earlier this week, Pita Pit opens today. This morning I received some additional background info on Decatur’s newest pita place…

The development is led by local entrepreneurs Hose Divani and Derek Kellermann, who noticed the healthy aspects of the Decatur markets were largely missing a healthy late night food options and ultimately led to the decision to open the Pita Pit in Downtown Decatur.

Finding two schools in relatively close proximity to one of the most physically active towns in the Atlanta metropolis, Derek Kellermann and Hose Divani finally settled on a location after nearly two years of searching for the perfect spot. Derek, a long time fan of the Pita Pit first creating the relationship in college in Manhattan, Kansas was always looking for fresh, healthy, quick and most of all affordable food choices that were appealing to those who were both physically active and those looking for a healthy fast food option. As they were both looking for a new business venture, Derek instantly began persuading Hose to pursue the Pita Pit concept, bringing a healthy, fast and fresh eating concept to Atlanta and searching for a college campus that would love the pita concept.

(Read More)

Pita Pit franchisee featured in Union-Bulletin

2010-11-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit’s Walla Walla franchisee, Chad Walder, was recently featured in the Union-Bulletin discussing his new business venture in addition to opening the Pita Pit. Walder, who grew up in Walla Walla, is a multi-faceted entrepreneur and introduced the Pita Pit to his local community. Walder felt that a healthy, fresh concept like Pita Pit would be a great addition to Walla Walla. Now Walder has partnered to open a Marcy’s directly next to the Pita Pit. Pita Pit, with over 180 locations throughout the U.S. is continuing to strengthen its presence in college towns and cities throughout the country. Below you can find a portion of the story and can find the full story here.

Chad Walder Credits Pita Pit as Stepping Stone to Entrepreneurial Glory

A long-ago gas station has become a new spot for spirits in a blend of old and new on downtown's Colville Street.

In the reframed walls of what was formerly Luscious by Nature, black-and-white framed photos pay tribute to the old Union 76 service station started at that corner by J. Milo Marcy. Now instead of air compressors, the sound coming from the building is more likely to be clinking ice cubes rumbling in a shaker.

The station pumps from the 1930s-era building were removed years ago, and the building over the years had been home to numerous other businesses, the tribute to the old "Marcy's" is an homage to the corner's roots. And the theme couldn't be more appropriate considering the homecoming of sorts of Marcy's co-owner Chad Waldher.

An entrepreneur who opened the neighboring Pita Pit about a year ago, Waldher grew up in Walla Walla until he was 15.

His family moved away. He spent the next 15 years on the west side of the state. When the opportunity arose to open his own Pita Pit franchise, Waldher had two choices: open in the Seattle area or start a new one in Walla Walla.

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Brad Alexander of the Lancaster, PA Pita Pit

2010-10-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

Open Date: September 22, 2010

Location: 398 Harrisburg Ave Suite #500
Lancaster, PA 17603

Phone: 717-517-7111

Hours of Operation: Sunday – Wednesday 9am – 10pm; Thursday – Saturday 9am – 3am

View Larger Map

How Brad Got Started with Pita Pit…
While entertaining several franchising opportunities, including an approval with Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs, entrepreneur Brad Alexander stumbled upon Pita Pit while dining with his brother at an established Pita Pit location. There he instantly fell in love with Pita Pit’s fresh taste and overall brand concept and delved into researching franchising opportunities. Once he realized that his “good to be true” idealization of Pita Pit was not a myth, Brad partnered with friend of ten years and likeminded entrepreneur Nathan Groff to bring the first Pita Pit to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Brad’s Entrepreneurial Background…
Brad is no stranger to entrepreneurship, having started his first business at the age of 18 to finance his college education. After college, Brad continued down the entrepreneurial path and has owned and operated a handful of successful businesses in the hospitality and real estate industries, laying the foundation for his in-house leadership role at his Pita Pit location. He will be joined by partner Nathan, who has owned several martial arts studios in the past, in the day-to-day operations and the success of Pita Pit.

Note: Brad and Nathan want the focus of pitching efforts to be less about them personally and more about the business of Pita Pit.

Brad’s Plans with Pita Pit…
With Lancaster positioned between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Brad is optimistic for the city’s growth and thus, success of Pita Pit. Finding a home for his Pita Pit location in an old foundry building near the Frankin and Marshall College campus, Brad hopes to become a favorite among college students and people who love fresh and healthy foods. As he grows the brand within Lancaster he and Nathan will explore additional restaurant locations as opportunities arise.

Pita Pit Featured in The Suburbanite

2010-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Pita Pit was featured in The Suburbanite in Akron, Ohio in an article that was entitled, “Pita Pit , fresh and healthy food that is still served fast.” The article covered the recent opening of the Pita Pit right in the heart of Akron. Franchisees of the new location, John Cavileer and Matt Mayo, have had a long relationship with the Pita Pit brand, eating there during their college years at Ohio University. After the now business partners moved to Akron, they decided to team up to open a ‘healthy concept’ that would provide fresh and healthy food options as alternatives to the normal fast-food choices. Their goal is to appeal to all demographics in Akron; from the business community during to the day and to the college students at night. The restaurant opened at 325 S. Main Street and will be open business hours until 10 p.m. through Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, they are open until 3 a.m. A portion of the article is included below and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Pita Pit, fresh and healthy food that's still served fast

Fast food is the quick answer for many of today's busy families, college students and business professionals. John Sotiriadis and Nelson Lang, founders of the Canadian based, Pita Pit, wanted to create a healthy alternative to the greasy, artery clogging mess that today's Americans choose to eat.

Fresh thinking, healthy eating is the new trend, according to the Pita Pit. They rid of the heavy breads and use a lighter Lebanese-style pita. Chicken breasts and lamb are grilled upon order. The leaner meats are popular with today's college students.

The Pita Pit has been booming on college campuses across the country.

New local Pita Pit franchise co-owners John Cavileer and Matt Mayo ate at the Ohio University Pita Pit often.

“I ate there like three times a week,” Cavileer said. “On the way home from classes there is a street at OU with about 50 restaurants on it. I could have picked any of them. I just went there because I liked the food and it was reasonably priced.”

Cavileer graduated in 2004 and came to Akron to get his business masters. He wanted to bring the Pita Pit to Akron. The building next to the student housing, across from Akron Aero's Stadium was vacant.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Opens on UNH Campus and is Featured in Campus Journal

2010-10-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in the University of New Hampshire student paper, the Campus Journal, in an article entitled “Pita Pit Opens at the University of New Hampshire.” The article discusses the recent opening of Pita Pit on their very fist college campus in the United States on the UNH and not only is it the first on a college campus but it is also the first Pita Pit in the state of New Hampshire. What the Director of Dining services liked so much about the brand is it offered students the opportunity to eat healthy and affordable food options as an alternative to fast food restaurants. Since the Pita Pit opened on campus this fall, the sales at the Philbrook Café location have increased by 35.6% and the popularity of the new food options is growing rapidly across campus. A portion of the article is included below and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Pita Pit Opens at the University of New Hampshire

Pita Pit, the newest dining option at UNH, has opened in the Philbrook Café. Pita Pit will be open during the academic year Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m.-1 a.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.

"Pita Pit is an international franchise that offers customers a healthy and affordable alternative to fast food restaurants," says Jon Plodzik, director of Dining Services. "Pita Pit serves made-to-order, proprietary lunch and dinner pitas and salads throughout the day. This is the first Pita Pit franchise in the New Hampshire."

Official grand opening activities for the Pita Pit included several free sample days with discount coupons distributed throughout campus. Pita Pit will also feature daily promotions including specially priced combos, discounted pitas and free beverages with the purchase of any pita.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Opens in Charleston, WV and is Featured in Charleston Daily Mail

2010-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in an article about the newest Pita Pit opening in Charleston, WV in the Charleston Daily Mail. The story, “Pita Pit franchise opens in Kanawha City” profiles first-time franchise owner Pat Parker and chronicles his journey from discovering Pita Pit to opening the first Pita Pit in Charleston. It also discusses Pita Pit’s “fresh food, healthy eating” concept and attractive franchising opportunities. A portion of the article is included below and the article can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Pita Pit franchise opens in Kanawha City
by Monica Orosz

When Pat Parker and his wife lived in Huntington, they loved stopping at the Pita Pit for lunch.

When their jobs - his as a financial planner for Merrill Lynch, hers as a physician for Charleston Area Medical Center - brought them to Charleston, they lamented the loss of their favorite sandwiches, tucked into bread that is baked like a pocket to hold the ingredients.

And then they did something about it.

Wednesday, Parker opened the state's third Pita Pit franchise in Kanawha City, at 4222 MacCorkle Ave. The concept is "fresh thinking, healthy eating," and the menu includes everything from breakfast pitas with eggs and sausage to cold cuts, steak, Mediterranean beef and falafel, made with chickpeas and spice.

Toppings include standards such as lettuce and tomato and the more unusual such as hummus and babaganoush, which is made with eggplant. There are 16 sauces, including tzatziki with yogurt and cucumber; mustard; and ancho chipotle. Sandwiches range from $4 to $6.

Already by lunchtime at Wednesday's soft opening, the restaurant was hopping.

"For me, it wasn't a money-driven thing," said Parker. Not that he wants to throw money down the tubes - he says the investment was a carefully thought-out one.

And the Pita Pit, which began in 1995 in Canada and now has 300 stores in North America, is pretty picky about its franchisees, too.

"Before they'd even accept us, we had to go to their headquarters in Coer d'Alene, Idaho, for a 'discovery day.'"

During that day, Pita Pit officials lay out the requirements for a franchise and interview the potential franchisee.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Opens in Lancaster, PA and is Featured in the Intelligencer Journal

2010-09-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

The Intelligencer Journal recently published an article about the new Pita Pit opening today in Lancaster, PA. The article, entitled, “The Pita Pit arrives here,” also has photos of the new store built from a photo shoot set up with Pita Pit owner Nathan Groff. The piece announces Pita Pit’s arrival to the city and can be found below, and the original article can be found by clicking here.

The Pita Pit arrives here
By Chad Umble

The Pita Pit, which features Lebanese-style pitas, is opening Wednesday in Champion Forge Center, 398 Harrisburg Ave. It is next to Sukhothai Restaurant in Suite 500.

The Pita Pit's menu has sandwiches with a number of meat and vegetable fillings and a variety of toppings, including souvlaki, gyros and falafel sandwiches. It also offers salads and smoothies. It features takeout food, but also will have seating for 12.

The Pita Pit is a franchise that began in Canada in 1995 and now has more than 100 locations there and almost 200 in the United States. This is the first one in Lancaster County. Owners are Brad Alexander and Nathan Groff.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Phone: 517-7111.

(Read More)

Franchisee Profile: Bret Gibson of Pita Pit Lewiston, ID

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today we are highlighting Bret Gibson in our franchisee profile. Bret is the franchisee of the Lewiston, ID Pita Pit and is approaching his 1 year anniversary with Pita Pita as he has been a Pita Pit Franchisee since December of 2010

Location: 908 16th Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501

View Larger Map

How Bret Got Started with Pita Pit…
Bret Gibson learned about Pita Pit through his previous job, where he owned a flooring company. He was installing floor into a fraternity house and looking for a place to grab lunch. He stumbled across Pita Pit and gave it a try, where he said he knew instantaneously that this was a great concept that he had to be a part of. With a down economy, and the construction industry drying-up, Gibson decided he wanted a career change, “The first thing that entered my mind was Pita Pit, and the rest is history.”

Something Interesting About Bret’s Story…
Gibson is a self described entrepreneur at heart. As a child, he never was quite sure what he wanted to do, but saw and has now followed in his grandfather’s footsteps as a passionate entrepreneur, continuing in his family history. Other members of his family, brother, Derek MacArthur and friend, Geoffrey Eldridge are both involved with the Lewiston Pita Pit as its General Managers. The trio plan to continue in the development of the brand to bring this fresh concept to other areas throughout Idaho.

Community Involvement...
Gibson is definitely excited to really ingrain The Pita Pit into the Lewiston community. Besides being a part of the Chamber of Commerce, he wants to sponsor local sports teams and other community organizations.

Family Life…
Gibson and his wife, Sarah, have two children; son, Braxton,12 and daughter, Savannah,3.

Franchisee Profile: Tiffani Morrel of Pita Pit Glen Allen, VA

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today we are highlighting Tiffani Morrel in our franchisee profile. Tiffani is the franchisee of the Glen Allen, VA Pita Pit and has been a Pita Pit franchisee since April of 2009.

Location: 4040 Cox Rd., Glen Allen, VA 23060

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Tiffani’s Story…
Tiffani Morrel has been in the restaurant business since she was a teenager. Throughout her career she has moved up in the ranks from a waitress to a manager and now she is a restaurant owner of the Pita Pit. When looking for a new venture in the restaurant industry, Morrel and her husband, Norman, came across an opportunity to own an established franchise location in Glen Allen. The Morrel’s quickly jumped at the chance and now are part of a growing national healthy fast food franchise, with plans to expand the brand throughout Virginia.

Community Involvement…
Although the restaurant has only been under the Morrel’s ownership for less than a year, the Glen Allen location partakes in sponsorships and donations to local community groups, especially the local schools.

Family Involvement...
Tiffani and her husband, Norman, have a 4-year old girl named Gabriella. Norman Morrel is still involved in a career in computers, but helps out in the Pita Pit location as much as possible.

Franchisee Profile: Tim Goff of Pita Pit Sarasota, FL

2010-09-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

Today we are highlighting Tim Goff in our franchisee profile. Tim is the franchisee of the Sarasota, FL Pita Pit and is approaching his 1 year anniversary with Pita Pit as he has been a Pita Pit franchisee since December of 2009.

Location: 6500 Superior Ave, Sarasota, FL 34231

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How Tim Got Started with Pita Pit…
After graduating college, Jim Goff went into the real estate industry. As an investment, he decided to open a restaurant and some friends of his from University of Florida couldn’t stop talking about Pita Pit. After researching the concept, Goff drove to Orlando to see what all the hype was about and was immediately sold. He opened his first location in Ft. Myers. When the real estate market got bad, he decided to take his franchising endeavors to a new level. He bought up two additional locations, Tampa and Tallahassee, and has re-opened them under his ownership. Now, he is adding a fourth to his profile with the opening of his newest location in Sarasota.

Something Interesting About Tim’s Story…
Goff, just 25-years old, owns three other Pita Pit locations; Ft. Myers, Tampa and Tallahassee. Goff is a self proclaimed entrepreneur since the age of 12-years old, where he has always tried to start-up his own businesses for profit. He has always been very business savvy in his thinking. He has big goals to continue the development of the Pita Pit brand throughout Florida with a goal to develop six locations per year.

Community Involvement...
Goff always tries to ingrain himself in the communities that he serves. He works with local school in providing free food for special events and sponsorships. He also is passionate about raising money for causes such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Breast Cancer Association and The American Heart Association. Last year, his Ft. Myers store raised $2,000 for MDA. He plans to continue in servicing the community and raising money for these causes in all his locations.

Family Life…
Gibson and his wife, Trisha, have a son Austin, 2.

Pita Pit Featured in The Advocate

2010-09-03T07:59:00.001-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in The Advocate in Baton Rouge, LA where local entrepreneur Jack Brighenti is having a new opening on September 3, 2010. The newest Pita Pit location will be next to the LSU Campus in a new shopping complex, across the street from the campus. Jack Brighenti, 24-year old franchisee has two locations now, in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Baton rouge will be featuring beer sales for the first time in the system and will stay open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as serve delivery to the whole city. Jack has plans to further expand the brand in Louisiana adding additional units in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette and Hammond. Below is a portion of the article and you can view the article in its entirety here.

Chain restaurant Pita Pit branch to open near LSU
By CHAD CALDER

Pita Pit, a chain restaurant promoting itself as the healthy alternative in the fast-casual segment, is opening today in the Northgate area near LSU and plans another four in Baton Rouge over the next few years.

The local franchisee is Jack Brighenti, a 24-year-old who opened the 180-unit chain’s other Louisiana location, on Magazine Street in New Orleans.
Brighenti said Thursday that he is scouting locations and plans another four units in Baton Rouge and four in New Orleans, “but we’re also looking at Lafayette and Hammond. Those are pretty interesting markets.”

The timetable for this expansion, he said, is about three or four years.
Brighenti said the key is locating restaurants near colleges and universities, where Pita Pit’s healthier fare and late hours can find a market.

He said the Pita Pit opening today in the shopping center anchored by the new CVS pharmacy will serve Abita beers and Michelob Ultra and will offer daily dollar-beer specials.

(Read More)

Pita Pit Featured on New Day Northwest

2010-08-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured on a great segment in which Seattle franchisee Andrea Palmer recreated the Pita Pit experience live in-studio today on KING 5 TV’s live morning program, “New Day Northwest.” In the 7-minute segment, Andrea Palmer came into the studio and demonstrated for host Margaret Larson and the live studio audience how to make a variety of different pitas as healthy alternatives to popular calorie-heavy options like burritos and crispy chicken sandwiches. The video can be seen below and you can get more information on KING 5 TV's website here.

Pita Pit Featued in Nation's Restaurant News

2010-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in Nation’s Restaurant News about its recent appearances on the morning show FOX & Friends every Friday this summer. The article discusses the way Pita Pit is using this PR tactic as a way to build the awareness for the brand in New York City and connect personally with customers and potential franchisees along the east coast. Pita Pit has also been able to feed the people of New York for free every Friday for the past 7 weeks, generating product trial throughout the region. The article discusses these segments and also includes a link to each of the segments on YouTube. Here is a portion of the article and below you will find a link to read the entire article:

Pita Pit pop-up building franchise buzz
By Mark Brandau

Pita Pit has no locations in New York City, but that hasn’t stopped the 180-unit chain from generating some Big-Apple-style media buzz through a pop-up restaurant it temporarily operates outside the building where Fox News Corp. broadcasts its “Fox and Friends” morning show.

For the past five Friday mornings, the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho-based chain has been serving breakfast pitas to passersby from the makeshift restaurant and plans to continue service each Friday through the end of August. Vice president of corporate business unit Peter Riggs also will be interviewed on each broadcast.

Riggs said the intent of being featured so prominently on television for eight straight weeks was to spread awareness not only to potential Pita Pit customers, but also to franchisee candidates.

“Ultimately, we’re hoping to get to potential franchisees, but the more blunt-object attitude we have is just trying to get the Pita Pit name out more,” Riggs said. “Any time you can increase brand recognition, that’s what we’re after.”

(Read More)

Pita Pit Featured on FOX Business Network

2010-08-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Pita Pit was recently featured on FOX Business Network where Peter Riggs, VP of Corporate Business Unit, was interviewed by host Chris Cotter live. The segment is entitled, “Put it on a Pita,” where the host discusses his experience with the Pita Pit after trying it in the FOX plaza where Pita Pit has been serving breakfast pitas on FOX & Friends morning show every Friday this summer. The segment discusses Pita Pit’s national growth strategy and the current franchising industry as a whole. Peter Riggs discusses what it means to be a franchisee in the Pita Pit system and why not it is such a prime time to get involved with Pita Pit. Here is a link to the segment live on FOXBusiness.com:

"Put it on a Pita" (FOX Business)

Pita Pit featured in the Denver Post

2010-07-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Recently Margaret Jackson, a reporter at the Denver Post, wrote a story about franchisors’ increased interest in the Denver market for expanding their brands. Due to certain characteristics, Denver and Colorado as a whole has been one of the markets that has seen an upswing in development and is an attractive market for franchises to grow. Pita Pit was one of the brand’s featured in the article and Corey Bowman, Pita Pit’s Vice President of Franchise Development, was interviewed discussing Pita Pit’s growth plans in the market and some trends seen in the real estate opportunities. Bowman also discussed some of the incentives that Pita Pit is offering to new franchisees entering the system to help entrepreneurs go into business ownership despite the economic climate. Below you will find a portion of the article and a link to read the full article as well.

Metro franchises rise as proven models hit the ground running
By Margaret Jackson | The Denver Post

Widespread job losses combined with strong regional demographics have turned metro Denver into a popular spot for franchises.

But even though many people who've lost their jobs want to go into business for themselves, getting financing remains a challenge.

As a result, some franchise companies are making special offers to lure franchisees, and many landlords are negotiating more favorable lease rates to attract tenants.

"When the economy lags, franchising sees an increase in the number of people becoming franchisees," said Corey Bowman, vice president of franchise development for The Pita Pit, a Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based quick-service restaurant chain that is expanding in the Denver area. "People who were working and got laid off have a sour taste in their mouths and don't want to work for somebody else." (Read More)

Pit Pit Rolls Into Week 3 in New York City with FOX and Friends

2010-07-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

FOX and Friends interviews Pita Pit VP of Corporate Development Peter Riggs, discussing the original concept, franchising, and breakfast food! This segment comes for Pita Pit's second week of their FOX and Friends summer residency.

Franchisee Opens Pita Pit at Young Age

2010-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

The job market is tough these days for many college graduates. This has lead to a growing trend of college grads starting their own businesses and opening up franchises. Generation Y is full of entrepreneurs and Justin Kopelman of the Pita Pit at Clemson University is just one. He was recently featured in an article on AllBusiness.com where he shares his entrepreneurial story of opening his own franchise straight out of college. He also gives advice to other young people about following their dreams and how they can also be successful in becoming young business owners. The full article can be read here, while a portion is shared below.

The Truth About Buying a Franchise in Your 20s
By Sara Wilson

When Justin Kopelman was fresh out of college, he didn’t interview for jobs or choose a set career path. Instead, he tried his hand at entrepreneurship and purchased a Pita Pit franchise. At 29, Shawn Ligon struck out for business ownership and invested in a DoodyCalls franchise. Though only in their 20s, both Kopelman and Ligon are already their own bosses. And they’re not the only ones.

Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of young adults opening franchises, according to David Cahn, founder of Franchise & Business Law Group, a boutique law firm in the Baltimore area that primarily represents early-stage franchisors and startup franchisees. It sounds glamorous to be twentysomething and already own a franchise, but what’s it really like? We asked Kopelman and Ligon to give us the scoop. (Read More)

Pita Pita Returns to FOX and Friends for Week 2

2010-07-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

FOX and Friends interviews Pita Pit VP of Corporate Development Peter Riggs, discussing the history of the company, exponential growth, and delicious food! This segment comes for Pita Pit's second week of their FOX and Friends summer residency.

Pita Pit Kicks Off 8-Week Segment on Fox and Friends

2010-07-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

FOX and Friends interviews Pita Pit VP of Corporate Development Peter Riggs, discussing the original concept, franchising, and breakfast food! This segment comes for Pita Pit's first week of their FOX and Friends summer residency.

Pita Pit highlighted in The Intelligencer

2010-07-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently interviewed in an article in The Intelligencer in Doylestown, PA about the measures they had adapted to attract potential entrepreneurs into the franchise system. The article states that Pita Pit has reduced their initial franchise fee by 40% of the $25k it once cost, and limits royalties for the first two years of operation. These measures allow potential entrepreneurs to enter into the system at lower costs and help give them stronger incentives to join into a franchising system. A portion of the story is shared below, and you can view the full article here.

Programs lure franchisees
By: CRISSA SHOEMAKER DEBREE

Owning a franchise has gotten a little bit easier, thanks to the still-slumping economy and tightened credit markets.

Franchise companies across the country are reducing their fees, crafting financing plans and, in some cases, temporarily eliminating royalty payments, all to help prospective owners open their own locations or expand with more franchise units.

Alisa Harrison, a spokeswoman for the International Franchise Association, said the industry typically sees rapid growth during economic downturns, as laid-off employees decide to go into business for themselves. But the difficulty of obtaining credit is holding some people back and spurring franchise companies to be more creative. (Read More).

Pita Pit Costa Rica Adventure Sweepstakes

2010-06-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

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

Pita Pit Featured in The Denton Record

2010-06-14T14:25:00.001-07:00

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)

Pita Pit Featured in Nation's Restaurant News

2010-06-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

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)

Pita Pit Featured in Dayton Business Journal

2010-06-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

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.

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Pita Pit Featured in Austin American-Statesman

2010-06-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

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.

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Pita Pit Featured in QSR

2010-05-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in an article in QSR Magazine entitled, “Power of Prevention.” The article was built from an in-depth interview with Peter Riggs discussing preventative maintenance as a franchisor and a franchisee. Peter Riggs discusses his personal experiences in maintenance and how important it is as a franchisee and franchisor to take action. Below is a sample of the article along with a link to the article in its entirety.

Power of Prevention
Lack of good preventative maintenance in a down economy will ultimately cost operators more.
By Nick DiUlio

Before Peter Riggs became a vice president with the 173-unit franchise Pita Pit, he was a franchise owner. Starting out in the business, Riggs thought he knew what to look for when it came to preventative maintenance and workplace safety. He watched for spills on the floor. He made regular equipment service appointments. He did all the things an owner-operator should do to ensure his location is in top working order. But one day a chair broke, and he realized he still had a lot to learn.

“The chair got old and one of its parts just came loose and broke,” Riggs says. “There was no particular reason beyond wear and tear. You know stuff like that happens, but you really don’t think about it in relation to your own business unless someone tells you to watch out for it.”

Fortunately, no one was injured, but Riggs still likes to tell the anecdote because he says it illustrates an important point when talking about site maintenance: Attention to detail is everything. And as owners and operators look to save money during the troubled economy, it’s the small, preventative particulars that often get lost in the mix. And it isn’t just a matter of safety; it’s also a matter of profitability.

“If a table or chair breaks,” Riggs says, “you have to replace it, which is more costly than taking five minutes to regularly inspect these things.”

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Pita Pit Featured in San Antonio Business Journal

2010-04-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Pita Pit was recently featured in a great article in the San Antonio Business Journal, entitled, “Franchise Incentives.” The article discusses franchising trends in the current economic climate and ways that different franchisors have adapted to help new franchisees enter into their systems. The article was built from an in-depth interview with Corey Bowman and Brandon Burgoon, Pita Pit’s franchisee opening a new location in Huntsville. The article was also picked up by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and the Pittsburgh BusinessTimes. Below is a sample of the article with a link to the article in its entirety.

Franchise Incentives
By Randy Lankford

...At the other end of his career is Brandon Burgoon, 24, a recent graduate of Texas A&M who will soon open his Pita Pit franchise near the Sam Houston State University campus in Huntsville. The cost of entry into the business was a deciding factor for the young entrepreneur.

“I looked at every (quick-service restaurant) franchise opportunity that exists, Subway, McDonald’s, Burger King. Those require an initial investment of something like $3 million. Pita Pit is more like a quarter million. That’s much more feasible in my situation.”

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based Pita Pit, which has 170 locations, has reduced its franchise fee from $25,000 to $20,000 for new franchisees like Burgoon and is encouraging its existing franchise owners to open additional locations by lowering their franchise fee to $15,000. The corporation has also reduced its monthly royalties from the industry-standard 6 percent of sales to 4 percent for existing franchisees for the first year and 5 percent for the remainder of the standard 10-year contract...

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Pita Pit Featured in Wall Street Journal

2010-04-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Recently Pita Pit was featured in The Wall Street Journal on April 8th in an article entitled, “Creativity on the Menu for Restaurant Financing.” The article was built from an interview with Corey Browman, Mike Brink, and Justin Kopleman. The article discusses different creative ways that franchisees are finding loans/financing options in the current economic climate. Below is a thumbnail of the article along with a link to the entire scanned article.

“Creativity on the Menu for Restaurant Financing.”
By Julie Bennett

'Busy' Pita Pit Featured in Sioux City Journal

2010-03-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

Tom Cruse and his Sioux City Pita Pit location were recently featured in the Sioux City Journal. The article talks about Cruse’s entrepreneur story and also about the Pita Pit concept. Below is a sample of the article including a link to the original article.

'Busy' Pita Pit comes to Marketplace
By Joanne Fox

As fast as you can babaganoush, you can be served at the Pita Pit. OK, maybe not that fast, but close.

The newest addition to the Marketplace Shopping Centre is this international chain which touts quality, healthy, fresh food -- fast.

With an informal atmosphere and a varied and tasty menu selection, Pita Pit owners -- former Sioux Cityans Tom and Annette Cruse of Mason City, Iowa and Mark and Michele Lennon of Sioux City -- have been buoyed by the response of customers since opening the doors Nov. 12. 2009.

"We knew we'd be busy," Michele said. "We never dreamed we'd be this busy."

The Cruses opened a Pita Pit, 2927 Hamilton Blvd., 14 months ago in Mason City, but Tom Cruse (yes, he gets lots of comments on the name) was no stranger to the restaurant industry. His parents, Les and Peggy Cruse, closed out a 25-year career in 1996 after owning and operating Cruse's Restaurants on Stone Ave. and Hamilton Blvd.

"I did a lot of investigating before I decided on the Pita Pit," Tom said. "I liked the idea that it was easy to run, easy for the customer to make choices and easy for employees to prepare the orders."

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Pita Pit Q&A in Nation's Restaurant News

2010-03-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

P ita Pit was recently featured in Nation's Restaurant News in an article entitled, "Pita Pit Seeks its Fans Again, Then Builds Out". Mark Brandau composed the article and did a great job discussing Pita Pit's growth strategy and how offering a healthy and quick option is something that sets Pita Pit apart from the competition. He also discussed Pita Pit's strong connection to the college demographic and how this influences Pita Pit's national expansion plans. Below is a link to the digital version of the article.

Pita Pit Seeks its Fans Again, Then Builds Out
By: Mark Brandau
(Digital Version of Nation's Restaurant News)

Coeur d'Alene Press covers Pita Pit

2010-02-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

COEUR d'ALENE - Pita Pit USA Inc., based in Coeur d'Alene, continues to see franchise growth while many other food franchises have been slowed by the continued weak economy.

Company representatives also said that the company has seen an increase in the number of applications for franchises, but the franchisor has been selective about new owners and franchise locations.

Many new Pita Pit franchise owners are recent college graduates, some of whom have had difficulty finding employment because of the economy, a trend which is expected to continue. Other new franchise owners are people who have lost their jobs in the economy and have become frustrated working for others, said Kevin Quinn, director of franchise development.

The recent college grads often partner with parents or others who can provide the financial backing, he said. "The young franchisees fit well in the college environment," said Quinn.

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Greenville News Features Clemson Grad Franchisee

2010-02-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

Justin Kopelman, a recent Clemson Unversity graduate, was recently featured in the Greenville News. The article discusses Kopelman’s entrepreneur story where he opened a Pita Pit directly from graduating college and the brand’s continued development of the South Carolina region. The article also discusses that this is a growing trend and urges college grad’s to look toward business ownership.

Clemson grad makes his own job at Pita Pit
By Angela Davis

Kopelman began making a market for Pita Pit in Clemson after his first visit to the restaurant in Athens, near the University of Georgia.

He liked the healthier menu items and that “it was open late and it was packed.”

Kopelman had worked at Beezer’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop in Clemson. It was the late night hangout for students and others there until it closed two years ago, he said.

“I started talking to people about Pita Pit. A lot of people from Clemson knew Pita Pit from other schools. I also looked into the fact that late night, there wasn’t another option in Clemson,” he said. “Ever since then, Pita Pit as intrigued me.”

Kopelman opened the Clemson restaurant in October 2009. He hopes to open a Greenville store by July, though he has not chosen a site.

There are 180 Pita Pit restaurants in 38 states, Quinn said. The South Carolina restaurants are in Clemson, Columbia and Charleston.

The Pita Pit concept was situated on or near college campuses. The company has expanded its target locations to include small and mid-sized market areas as well.

Both Kopelman and Quinn said downtown Greenville is a good fit for Pita Pit because it a young town, with lots of young professionals

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Pita Pit Franchisee Featured in Charlotte Business Journal

2010-02-12T13:30:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Pita Pit Franchisee, Peter Keretsis, was featured in a Charlotte Business Journal article today. The article was built from an in-depth interview with Peter Keretsis about his experience as a small business owner. The article is a Q&A discussing Peter’s entrepreneur story as a business owner and how his journey landed him back in Charlotte. The article also discusses his success in the Charlotte market and new areas that would be a great fit for the Pita Pit brand.

Charlotte Pita Pit Franchisee, Peter Keretsis with his business partner and wife, Angela.

Cutback becomes recipe for success
by Adam O’Daniel

Peter Keretsis believes his quick-service restaurant franchise, The Pita Pit, has the potential to grow across the region.

But he also says it’s important to balance his hours at the uptown restaurant with time with his family at home. So for now, he’s focused on maintaining that equilibrium, instead of expanding the business.

You once owned Pita Pit stores in Athens, Ga., and Columbia, S.C., in addition to the uptown store. Why did you sell them?
I love my wife and my kids too much. I sold the other two so I could be at home more to spend more time with them.

It wasn’t a financial reason, both stores were doing great. But I was working too much. So I made the personal decision to cut back and spend more time here.
Things are going so well here at this store now that I’m afraid to try and branch out again and ruin a good thing that I’ve got going. But I guess you never say never.

Are there other areas of Charlotte where a Pita Pit would succeed?
I feel like a location at University City would be great. They’d get the best of both worlds because they could draw the business customer during the day and then also be attractive to students at UNCC. I think one would do good in Stonecrest or in Ballantyne. Maybe even SouthPark, if you could find the right place with the right rent.

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Pita Pit featured in QSR Magazine

2010-02-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Pita Pit was recently highlighted in QSR Magzine. The article discusses various brands that have built a strong presence in college towns across the U.S. and Pita Pit was one of the main concepts featured. The college demographic is continuing to grow, and Pita Pit is definitely taking advantage of it. Below is a portion of the article with a link directing you to the full article.

Fans for Life
Quick serves find loyalty in the growing college crowd by opening on or near campuses.
By Jill Watral

Other brands not interested in locating directly on campus make sure to position their restaurants in entertainment districts just beyond campus borders. Though it has locations at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and at the University of Wyoming, Pita Pit likes to grab the patronage of nonstudents, too.

“We want to kind of be close enough to campus that we get that daytime traffic from the students, but usually we try to locate in the entertainment district or a downtown area so we’re not completely tied to the student population,” says Kevin Quinn, director of franchise development for Pita Pit USA. Out of the 180 Pita Pit locations in the U.S., 100 are located near college campuses.

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Pita Pit Featured in Business Week

2010-02-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, Pita Pit was highlighted in a Business Week article showcasing Pita Pit's unique and interactive training methods. Peter Riggs, VP for Pita Pit, brought in Jane Hammons, a local math teacher, to improve his franchisee training and make it fun and interactive. Below is a portion of the article including a link directing you to the article in its entirety.

Improve Your Employee Training Sessions
Make training engaging and interactive, not a lecture
By Carmine Gallo

If you dread leading employee training sessions, chances are your trainees share that lack of enthusiasm, making it much harder to transfer knowledge than it needs to be. One way to remedy this common problem is to make sure that the trainer—whether it's you or someone you select—is enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

Peter Riggs is vice-president for The Pita Pit, a quick-service sandwich chain with 180 stores across the country. Every month, new or existing franchisees assemble in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, for several days of training. Riggs wanted to make sure they not only look forward to the training but share their experiences after it's completed. When he decided to hire a full-time trainer, he looked outside the industry and found Jane Hammons, a local math teacher with 19 years of experience and a reputation for keeping her classes engaged. Hammons had no experience in the restaurant business but had everything Riggs was looking for. "Anyone can learn systems, but if you don't have someone who is truly passionate about transferring that knowledge to eager minds, your training is going to be subpar," Riggs told me.

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Healthy Options at Pita Pit- News Segment on CBS 47

2010-01-27T15:07:00.000-08:00

Below is a great segment about Pita Pit that ran on CBS 47 in Villaggio, CA. The segment discuss the discount deals at the Villaggio location and also about some of their healthiest options, including vegetarian options and smoothies. Check it out at the link below and eat at Pita Pit!

Pita Pit Franchising Featured In the Miami Herald

2010-01-27T14:55:00.000-08:00

Recently, The Pita Pit was featured in an article about franchising and appealing to potential investors during a tough economy in the Miami Herald. Below is the first part of the article and a link to view the whole story, including the portion on Pita Pit and their efforts to appeal to potential franchisees.

Franchise Appeal Grows in Down Economy
By Bridget Carey

After being unemployed for a year, Pauline Hamian ditched the résumé and bought herself a job.

The former Burger King employee had no luck finding a job after being part of a corporate restructuring in 2008. While at an outplacement center, she stumbled on a webinar about franchising.

"I felt I had to do something,'' Hamian said. "It provided an opportunity for me to do something I've never done before and never really envisioned myself doing.''

With the help of a franchise broker, she decided to invest in ShelfGenie -- a company that installs sliding shelves for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. She didn't need to buy a storefront -- it all can be done from home. There were no fixed costs and her two part-time employees work on commission.

Jobs are still scarce, so the unemployed are reinventing themselves and becoming the majority of new franchise owners, industry sources say. The troubles in commercial real estate are making it easier by driving some landlords to negotiate -- sometimes offering several months' free rent or paying for remodeling.

While banks continue their tight grip on lending, some franchisors are seeing a dip in investors and are responding by lowering fees and offering internal financing deals. But without a loan, a home-based franchise like ShelfGenie becomes an affordable option for those wanting a fresh start on their careers. Areas that are expected to increase in popularity: quick-service restaurants, real estate, senior care, eco-friendly businesses and health.

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