Leading Family-Style Pizza Chain Enters New Markets, Surpasses 300 Units and Earns Prestigious Accolades
Irvine, CA (RestaurantNews.com) Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain for over 45 years, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, massive 20-inch Mountain-sized pizzas and dough made fresh daily, is celebrating a robust first half of 2025 marked by expansion into new territories, impressive milestones and standout industry recognition.
Through midyear, Mountain Mike’s opened 11 new restaurants, several of which debuted in new territories for the brand across Washington, Wisconsin and Nevada. Notably, the brand’s first location in Las Vegas marked a major milestone for the legacy chain: Mountain Mike’s 300th restaurant. On the development front, Mountain Mike’s signed agreements to open 11 additional restaurants, including its first-ever locations in Virginia and Tennessee. Other deals signed during the first half of 2025 will expand the brand’s footprint in established, high-performing states like California, Colorado, and Oregon. The acclaimed pizza powerhouse now operates in more than 30 markets systemwide and has 120+ locations under development across 15 states. Mountain Mike’s is on track to open 30 restaurants in 2025 and grow its thriving system by 10%.
“Surpassing 300 restaurants and planting our flag in dynamic new markets, we’re demonstrating the strength of our system and the growing demand for what Mountain Mike’s uniquely delivers: quality pizza, tremendous value and a family-friendly environment,” said Jim Metevier, CEO of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “Our first half affirms that the brand is well-positioned for sustained national growth and that we’re not only growing fast, but growing smart – expanding into high-opportunity markets with a proven model that resonates deeply with today’s consumers and future operators.”
Complementing an array of impressive development activities, Mountain Mike’s continues to innovate its menu and captivate guests with crave-worthy campaigns. In Q1, the brand introduced a limited-time $9.99 lunch buffet and launched two new salads: Chef’s and Antipasto. The return of the brand’s beloved Heart-Shaped Pizza for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day fueled impressive sales gains, including a 35% YOY sales jump on Valentine’s Day alone, which became the third-highest sales day in brand history and the highest day ever for total orders. In March, National Pi Day promotions delivered a 43% YOY sales boost, and the brand’s bold “Pizza de Mayo” campaign in May celebrated flavor while also fueling loyalty growth. In Q2 alone, the Mountain Mike’s Pizza loyalty program reported a 52% increase in loyalty sales, 50% more loyalty transactions, a 42% boost in engagement and a 65% growth in total membership, reinforcing the brand’s ability to connect with guests in meaningful, results-driven ways.
“Mountain Mike’s Pizza has proudly earned a reputation for delighting guests, whether through creative promotions, bold flavors or the signature experiences that make this brand the centerpiece of so many cherished family moments,” said Chris Britt, co-Owner and co-Chairman of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “Beyond great pizza, what’s also driving our momentum is a disciplined approach to brand building, where innovation, value and storytelling work in concert to grow customer affinity, fuel performance and position Mountain Mike’s as one of the most compelling franchise opportunities in the category.”
Mountain Mike’s growing national presence and standout performance earned the brand a wave of high-profile industry recognition in the first half of 2025. Mountain Mike’s Pizza climbed to #89 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® list – the brand’s third consecutive year in the Top 100 – and rose to #4 in the highly competitive pizza category. Franchise Times honored Mountain Mike’s with a coveted Zor Award for “Top Sit-Down Pizza,” and the Franchise Innovation Awards recognized the brand’s Heart-Shaped Pizza promotion as “Best PR Campaign.” Mountain Mike’s was also named “Brand of the Year” by Pizza Marketplace as part of its Top 100 Movers & Shakers. The prominent industry outlet also ranked CEO Jim Metevier among the top three executives shaping the pizza industry. Further affirming its significant momentum, Mountain Mike’s landed at #32 on Entrepreneur’s Top Food Franchises and #136 on the Nation’s Restaurant News & Restaurant Business Top 500 list of leading U.S. restaurant chains.
“The industry honors we have received are more than accolades – they’re validation that Mountain Mike’s is resonating with today’s consumer, inspiring loyalty from franchisees and standing out in a crowded category,” added Ed St. Geme, co-Owner and co-Chairman of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “The recognition reflects the strength of our team, our franchise system and the bold vision that’s guiding the future success we expect to experience.”
In the community, the brand continues to prioritize purpose-driven partnerships. In March, Mountain Mike’s extended its successful partnership with Angels Baseball for four more seasons, reinforcing its roots in California sports culture. The brand also launched Pizza 4 a Purpose – a charitable campaign in response to Los Angeles-area wildfires, directing a portion of proceeds from select menu items toward local relief efforts. Like so many of its philanthropic endeavors, Pizza 4 a Purpose further demonstrated the brand’s deep commitment to the communities it serves.
Internally, Mountain Mike’s launched two impactful initiatives to fuel development and elevate operational excellence systemwide: the Pizza Legend Program and the return of the National Pizza Perfection Championships. Helping franchisees build stronger teams from within, the Pizza Legend Program is a new learning and development pathway that supports future supervisors and managers by focusing on skills, confidence and leadership. Concurrently, the brand reignited systemwide competition with the National Pizza Perfection Championships, challenging teams to pursue operational excellence for the chance to be named National Champion at the brand’s annual convention. Each internal initiative is foundational to the brand’s commitment to cultivating talent, celebrating performance and delivering legendary pizza at every turn.
With more than 310 restaurants in operation across ten states and counting, Mountain Mike’s is primed to continue expansion throughout the U.S. by extending opportunities to new franchise partners looking to diversify their portfolios with a popular family pizza concept. To learn more about new franchise opportunities in your market of interest, visit MountainMikesFranchise.com.
About Mountain Mike’s Pizza
Since 1978, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain-sized pizzas, and dough made fresh daily has been a popular choice for families, serving “Pizza the Way it Oughta Be!®” In addition to offering carryout, its own in-house delivery, and four third-party delivery options, Mountain Mike’s provides a family-friendly dine-in environment making it easy for guests to enjoy the brand’s signature experience wherever they are. Most of its 310+ locations feature a kids’ activity area with arcade games, dedicated party rooms and big screen TVs throughout, making Mountain Mike’s an ideal place for sports teams, family gatherings, group fundraising events and private parties alike. With a menu of signature pizzas, chicken wings, garlic knots, fresh salads, sharable desserts, and a selection of beer and wine, there’s something for everyone at Mountain Mike’s. Guests may also take advantage of streamlined ordering via the Mountain Rewards® app to earn exclusive offers and personalized rewards towards free food. This year, Mountain Mike’s was named one of America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains by Newsweek, as well as one of the Top Beloved Brands by Nation’s Restaurant News. The brand also received FRANdata’s prestigious 2024 TopScore FUND Award. For a complete list of locations and the full menu, visit MountainMikesPizza.com or follow Mountain Mike’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Media Contact:
Kristyna Otto
Powerhouse+Co.
kristyna@powerhouseandco.com
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