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.
