Pizza Inn’s popular traditional and specialty pizzas are coming back to El Paso, Texas, with the opening of the newest Pizza Inn buffet restaurant at 1188 North Yarbrough.

The restaurant is part of a three-store deal with International Sunland Restaurants, LLC, a successful international franchisee for Pizza Inn that wanted to bring quality food at an affordable price to the El Paso community in a new, modern Pizza Inn location. 

“It’s a beautiful restaurant with a look and feel that people are going to love,” said Bobby Lyons, general manager for the new Pizza Inn. ”The space combines a legendary brand with an incredibly fresh experience. We can’t wait to welcome customers and serve them the delicious food that has made Pizza Inn an icon of the industry.”

The store will employ approximately 50 people and offer a pizza and salad buffet, as well as carryout options for customers. 

It’s a re-entry for Pizza Inn in the El Paso market, which last had a presence in the city in 1995. The development is part of a nationwide program to grow and update the Pizza Inn chain through new store developments as well as the remodeling of key existing sites.

“El Paso is a perfect setting for this resurgence,” said President and CEO Charlie Morrison. ”The economy is unique to the rest of the country with a strong military presence, a large industrial working force and a desire for a price conscious brand that can deliver a higher quality product. Our made from scratch dough, wide line of specialty pizzas and all you can eat buffet concept provide guests with an exceptional value that fits their budget.” Morrison added that the market has the potential for five restaurants over time.

The El Paso Pizza Inn is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Carryout orders can be placed by calling 915-593-5656.

California Pizza Kitchen, home of the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, has expanded upon their kiosk location in the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FYI) in Fresno, Calif.

The new quick-service location opened by CPK franchise partner HMSHost Corporation, a world leader in travel dining and shopping, will now serve CPK’s signature pizzas on the menu, in addition to the sandwiches and salads that have been available to travelers since July of last year. Located in the Main Terminal Building, the new CPK will service travelers flying upon airline carriers including Delta, American and United Airlines, among others.

The menu at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport location features a specialized selection of CPK’s most popular items from the full-service restaurant menu. Among the items offered will be the Original BBQ Chicken & Thai Chicken Pizzas, Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, Chicken Caesar Sandwich and Sedona Tortilla Soup.

In addition, the new CPK, open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., will offer a breakfast menu highlighted by a great selection of hot Panini egg sandwiches served on Rustic Panini Bread. The menu will also offer The Works Breakfast Burrito with scrambled eggs, applewood smoked bacon, sweet Italian sausage, black beans, Cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses, fresh red and green peppers, onions and tomatillo salsa.

Domino’s Pizza is counting down to kickoff this weekend and training hard to handle a rush in orders. This Sunday’s game marks the busiest day of the year for Domino’s, as football fans gather to enjoy the competition with pizza, pasta and wings – a sure win in households nationwide.

As the Green Bay and Pittsburgh football teams get ready for their biggest Sunday of the season, the Domino’s team anticipates delivering over 9 million pizza slices nationwide on game day.

“Every night in the Domino’s stores is a dress rehearsal for big days like Sunday,” said Chris Brandon, Domino’s Pizza spokesperson. “Our team is ready to tackle the anticipated rush with smart hustle and precision. We’re poised and ready to deliver a great game day meal to millions of football fans nationwide.”

To see what customers predict for Sunday’s matchup, Domino’s has been conducting a Facebook poll asking which team users thought would bring home a win on Feb. 6. As of Monday afternoon, more than 15,000 customers responded and 52 percent said they thought Green Bay would come out victorious. Consumers can still have their say by continuing to vote up until game time at http://bit.ly/DPZ_Feb6.

Over the years, Domino’s has observed how certain game day scenarios seem to affect sales. For instance, sales tend to increase when the game is close and viewers are glued to their TVs.  Also, while both the Green Bay and Pittsburgh-area Domino’s stores will see high sales at the beginning of the game, the city of the winning team will likely see higher sales at the end of the night.

Pepperoni pizzas are America’s favorite every day, and the same should hold true for this Sunday. Domino’s anticipates almost 60 percent of pizza orders will be for pepperoni pizzas, with sausage being the second most popular topping. Meanwhile, Domino’s delivery drivers will cover up to 4 million miles this Sunday in the U.S. alone.

In the NFL, every second counts. As the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL and Super Bowl XLV, Papa John’s agrees. That’s why on Super Bowl Sunday, Papa John’s is giving away free, delicious Papa John’s pizza every 45 seconds.

“Since Papa John’s is the Official Pizza of Super Bowl XLV, we want to make this the best Super Bowl ever for NFL fans everywhere,” Papa John’s Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Varga said. “When you add Better Ingredients, Better Pizza to your Super Bowl party, it’s going to be better than the rest, and we want to reward Papa John’s customers by giving away a free $45 Papa John’s gift card every 45 seconds. It’s one way that we’re saying thanks to our fans during Super Bowl XLV for making this NFL season the best one yet for Papa John’s.”

Beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, every customer who places an order online at www.papajohns.com will be eligible to win a free $45 Papa John’s gift card. The 45-Second Giveaway runs through Super Bowl XLV, ending at 9:59 p.m. ET. Papa John’s customers can also register for the 45 Second Giveaway at www.papajohns.com.

Papa John’s 45-Second Giveaway is one of several promotions the company is offering NFL fans for Super Bowl XLV, highlighted by Papa John’s offering a free large pizza to everyone in America, who registers for Papa Points, if this year’s Super Bowl goes into overtime. Papa John’s is also offering $10 large pizzas through Super Bowl XLV.

Papa John’s is in the first year of a multi-year sponsorship with the NFL and Papa John’s is also the Official Pizza of the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins.

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world’s third largest pizza company. For 10 of the past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John’s No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John’s also was honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2009 Gold Award for Consumers’ Choice in Chains in the pizza segment. Papa John’s is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the National Football League and Super Bowl XLV, XLVI and XLVII. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, visit Papa John’s at www.papajohns.com.

© 2010 NFL Properties LLC. Team names/logos/indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.

NO PURCHASE OR ORDER NECESSARY. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Starts 2/6/11 at 10:00 A.M., ET and ends 2/6/11 at 9:59:59 P.M., ET. See Official Rules at www.papjohns.com. Sponsor: Papa John’s International, Inc. The NFL Entities (as defined in the official rules) have not offered or sponsored this Sweepstakes in any way. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.

UNO  has once again partnered with Pizzas4Patriots, a non-profit organization, and DHL, the world’s leading international logistics company, to dish out 7,000 pizzas to U.S. service men and women on America’s largest pizza eating day of the year – Super Bowl Sunday.

To celebrate the “deployment” of the pizzas, UNO invites all members of the military, both veterans and active duty, to enjoy a free individual deep dish or thin crust pizza with the purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value on Super Bowl Sunday, February 6 and Monday, February 7. No coupon is necessary. Veterans or active military can simply show up with a military or veteran’s ID. (Not valid with other special offers or coupons.)

OPERATION PIZZA BOWL, an effort conceived by Retired Air Force Master Sergeant Mark Evans and his teenage son Kent (of Elk Grove, IL), will provide enough deep-dish pizza to feed around 28,000 service men and women at several bases throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and the Philippines in time for Super Bowl events on Sunday, February 6.

On Tuesday, February 1, Master Sergeant Evans will be joined by local military personnel for a ceremonial pizza loading which will take place at the UNO restaurant located at 432 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY.  Aided by local employees and executives of both UNO and DHL, the boxes will be loaded onto a DHL delivery vehicle. The pizzas, which initially depart from JFK, will first stop in Bahrain, where they will be disseminated by DHL Express and the U.S. military to a number of forward operating bases.

“We support our members in the military, whether it’s donating pizzas to local VA Hospitals or helping raise funds for organizations which support our men and women in uniform,” noted UNO CEO Frank Guidara.  ”We feel strongly about taking care of those who protect and defend our freedom. Sending ‘a slice of home’ for the Super Bowl is another way to say thanks. We’re grateful for all they do.”

To receive updates on UNO’s military efforts, or to enjoy exclusive special offers and information about menu items and happenings at UNO, join UNO Insider’s Club by visiting www.unos.com.

Domino’s Pizza raised more than $2.7 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the 2010 Thanks and Giving campaign. This marks the largest single charitable donation in the company’s 50-year history.

“Domino’s Pizza stores across the country completely rallied around this year’s campaign to collect an incredible amount, which dramatically increased our contribution from the year prior,” said J. Patrick Doyle, Domino’s Pizza president and chief executive officer. “I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone – especially our customers, team members and franchisees – who contributed during the campaign. Together we were able to raise much needed dollars to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude.”

During the 2010 Thanks and Giving campaign (Nov. 14, 2010 – Jan. 2, 2011), Domino’s stores nationwide participated by asking for a dollar or more to be added to customers’ orders to help the kids of St. Jude. The addition of two new ways to donate – through texting or mobile ordering – provided Domino’s customers with more ways to give. With the combined support of customers, stores and franchisees – as well as a company contribution – Domino’s Pizza raised more than $2.7 million for St. Jude, a 35 percent increase from what was raised in 2009.

“We are so grateful for the commitment and generosity from Domino’s and its customers who year after year have joined the Thanks and Giving campaign to raise funds critical for the research and treatment taking place at St. Jude,” said Marlo Thomas, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital national outreach director. ”Domino’s helps us keep our promise that no child is ever turned away because a family can’t pay.”

It costs $1.6 million to operate St. Jude each day and more than 70 percent of that funding comes from the public through programs like Thanks and Giving. Since opening in 1962, St. Jude has developed protocols that have helped push survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent to more than 80 percent overall.

“In just over five years, Domino’s has raised more than $9 million to support the efforts of St. Jude,” Doyle said. “We continue to expand our reach to raise public awareness, and are genuinely excited to continue to have St. Jude as our national charitable partner.”

Papa Bello Enterprises (Pink Sheets: PAPA) announced today that the company’s Papa Bello Pizza subsidiary will be opening its second location in Alabama.  Franchisee Terry Parmer has selected Alexander City for his location and hopes to open an additional location in the area later this year.  Papa Bello expects the new location to be opened within the next two months.  This will bring the total number of operating locations, across the Papa Bello Enterprises concepts, to eight and the company anticipates that additional locations could be added every six to eight months based upon economic and geographic conditions.  Additional information regarding the grand opening of the Alexander City restaurant will be made available in the near future.

James Price, CEO of Papa Bello Enterprises states, “We are very excited that Terry Parmer has elected to open an additional Papa Bello franchise.  He has been with us for several years and is a truly great business partner.  We believe that he will continue to build out his territory and serve as a model franchisee for our company and perspective franchisees.”

Founded in 2005, Papa Bello Enterprises is a San Diego, California based corporation that owns, operates, and franchises food service restaurants in the United States. The company was founded on the principles of providing the consumer with the highest standards of quality, value, and service. For more information on Papa Bello Enterprises or franchise information, please visit www.papabelloenterprises.com

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) (NASDAQ:CPKI), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches, and desserts, opened its sixth Boston-area full-service restaurant in Braintree, MA today.

The new 6,100 square-foot CPK is located on the main level of the South Shore Plaza, in the new Nordstrom wing. The restaurant will operate from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Guests can dine in or place a take-out order by ordering online at www.cpk.com, using their CPK iPhone app, or by calling 781.602.6149.

Following CPK’s tradition of giving back to the community, the new Braintree location will donate 100% of all dine-in pizza sales during regular business hours Monday, January 31, 2011, to the Braintree Community Youth Center (BCYC), a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Youth Center is focused on giving youth in grades 6 through 12 an alternative safe and fun location on the weekends. In its third-year, the center is currently working on raising funds to continue to blossom and add to its current membership.

The new Braintree CPK menu will feature all of the popular favorites and a number of new menu items, including:

• Four Seasons Pizza with imported Italian tomatoes, oven-roasted artichoke hearts, salami, fresh mushrooms, mild onions, and fresh Mozzarella cheeses topped with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese;
• Roasted Artichoke and Spinach Pizza, inspired by CPK’s popular Spinach Artichoke Dip, with a blend of oven-roasted artichoke hearts, sautéed spinach and garlic, Fontina, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and a spinach artichoke sauce;
• Baby Clam Linguini featuring linguini fini and baby clams with garlic, fresh Italian parsley, Parmesan cheese, white wine and red pepper flakes tossed in either a light lemon cream sauce or imported Italian tomatoes and fresh basil;
• Italian Deli Sandwich, a combination of spicy Capicola ham, salami and pepperoni topped with Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses, basil and shredded lettuce tossed in a herb-mustard Parmesan vinaigrette;
• Turkey Stack Sandwich oven-roasted turkey breast, sliced fresh Roma tomatoes, mayonnaise, shredded lettuce and Grey Poupon Dijon honey mustard; and
• Butter Cake, CPK’s newest dessert, an oven-baked butter cake served with fresh whipped cream.

The new restaurant will also feature an extensive beverage menu from its full bar, including the CPK Margarita and popular favorites such as Cranberry Mint Cooler and Cherry Lime Sparkler.

Continuing on its quest to create a healthier pizza experience for all, RedBrick Pizza, the fast-growing fast casual restaurant chain known for their fire-roasted gourmet Italian creations, has introduced a new gluten-free pizza crust especially for health conscious and wheat sensitive diners.

Every gluten-free RedBrick Pizza is made with the freshest ingredients of the highest quality including heart healthy olive oil. Each serving contains less sodium, calories, and carbs than ordinary pizza. RedBrick offers a full array of gourmet pizzas ranging from 280 to 450 calories. “We are delighted to be able to serve this audience with a delicious product that they can enjoy without guilt or worry,” says Jim Minidis, co-founder and CEO of RedBrick Pizza Worldwide, Inc.

For those with celiac disease, the gluten intolerance can be severe, and although our cafés are not a gluten-free establishment, RedBrick has gone to great lengths to train their staff and utilize separate prep and bake processes to keep customers safe and prevent any potential for cross contamination. The entire process has been reviewed and accepted by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF).

“RedBrick Pizza has a meticulous production process designed around safety and consistency,” noted Restaurant Dietician Darcie Ellyne. ”They have a passion for healthy and wholesome food. People with celiac can be confident that they’ll enjoy a reliable gluten-free pizza. They also have delicious and healthy menu items that cater to everybody in the family.”

RedBrick donates a portion of all gluten-free pizza sales to CDF’s Team Gluten-Free to help send children with severe wheat intolerance to summer camp. ”We’ve been impressed with the great work Team Gluten-Free is performing with children, who through no fault of their own, often find their lives highly restricted due to the prevalence of wheat products in the marketplace,” says Lynn Minidis, RedBrick co-founder.

Named The Future 50 fastest growing emerging chains in America by Restaurant Business, RedBrick Pizza Worldwide, Inc. has Neighborhood Pizza Cafés across the U.S. and Canada serving its fire-roasted gourmet pizzas, Fhazani sandwiches, chopped salads, and real Italian gelato ice cream.

To find your nearest RedBrick Pizza visit www.redbrickpizza.com.

Domino’s Pizza has opened its first store in Bulgaria, with the promise of hot, delicious pizza for the residents of Sofia.

The master franchisee for Bulgaria is Anatron Food Services, who also serves as the master franchisee for Domino’s Pizza in Greece and Cyprus.

However, the stores in Bulgaria will be operated by LN Solutions, owned by Lazgin Majid and Nikola Nikolov. The two partners have experience with other fast food franchises, as well as a non-food franchise, and also are involved in other businesses in the country. Their broad business experience in Bulgaria makes them well-positioned to develop Domino’s into a leading brand in the country.

“Domino’s Pizza is known around the world for delivering quality products to its customers,” said Majid. “The people of Bulgaria will now get to experience the high level of service and quality pizza that customers worldwide enjoy.”

Domino’s Pizza has also reopened in the Philippines, with a store in City of Makati in the Greater Manila area. The new master franchisee in the Philippines is a partnership formed by the Domino’s Pizza master franchisee for South Korea, Goldilocks Bakery and a minority operating partner. This partnership leverages the experience of a successful Domino’s master franchisee, a highly successful family-owned Philippine bakery chain with more than 300 stores and a partner who is a seasoned operator in the pizza business.

Domino’s Pizza now operates in 69 markets worldwide, with nearly half of its global retail sales coming from international stores, generating roughly a third of its operating income.  

Global pizza chain Sbarro may be getting burned by the competition—and its own debts. In the wake of the news that the company has hired restructuring and bankruptcy advisors to help restructure its balance sheet, brokers say that the eatery could be eyeing several Big Apple outposts for closure.

Melville, N.Y.-based Sbarro boasts a half dozen Manhattan locations, seven in Queens and one in Brooklyn, according to the company’s website. Among those are three outposts in John F. Kennedy International Airport. Since many of the Manhattan spots are in up-and-coming neighborhoods, brokers expect those shops to close first.

“They have some old leases,” said Ariel Schuster, executive vice president at Robert K. Futterman & Associates. “I can’t imagine that when they come up for renewal they’ll be able to pay the rent.”

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