Donatos Pizza
| File:Donatos Pizza Logo.png | |
| Company type | Private (Family Owned) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Jim Grote |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
Key people | Jane Abell (Chairperson) Tom Krouse (CEO) |
| Products | Pizza, Subs, Salads |
| Website | www.donatos.com |
Donatos Pizza is a pizza delivery restaurant chain headquartered in Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. It has nearly 200 locations in eight states, with the majority of locations in Ohio.[1] Donatos is also served at several venue outlets including Ohio Stadium[2] and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.[3]
History
In 1963, Ohio State sophomore Jim Grote purchased the original Donatos located on the south side of Columbus, Ohio for $1,300. Grote's business principles included: creating a superior product, hiring great people, and to "treat others the way I would like to be treated". These principles led to the creation of the official brand promise To serve the best pizza and make your day a little better.”[4]
In 1999, Donatos was purchased by McDonald's in an attempt to enter the pizza industry. A majority interest in Donatos was repurchased by Jim Grote and daughter Jane Abell in 2003 as McDonald's sought to refocus on its core business.[5] During this period Donatos also had operations in Munich, Germany.[6]
Today, Donatos operates in eight states: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Products
Donatos is known for its thin crust pizza "loaded edge to edge" with toppings, particularly its large pepperoni pizza that includes 100+ pepperoni slices. In 2009, Donatos launched a hand-tossed pie-cut crust option.[7] In addition to pizza, Donatos serves subs, salads, and wings.
Take and bake
In 2004, the company introduced Donatos take and bake pizza in Kroger supermarkets.[8] The take and bake concept offers a limited menu of their Signature Pizzas, including two certified gluten-free options. They are sold in several varieties including pepperoni, pepperoni & sausage, and cheese.
See also
References
- ^ "Donatos Pizza Franchising". www. donatospizzafranchise.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Lucky Horseshoe". Stadium Journey. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Food Available at the National Air and Space Museum". www.nasm.si.edu. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ^ "About Donatos". www.donatos.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Jane Grote Abell". Franklin University Leadership Center. 2003-12-15. Retrieved 2007-04-01.
- ^ "Donatos Pizzeria Corporation". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ^ "Hand Tossed or Edge to Edge?". Greatest City of All. 2003-12-15. Retrieved 2007-04-01.
- ^ "Donatos Pizzeria joins take-and-bake fray with Kroger kiosk". Pizza Marketplace. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
