Five Reasons Why Marco’s Is the Best Pizza Franchise for Investors

Franchisees seek us out for quality, management and more

Only one pizza franchise can be the best pizza franchise, and at Marco’s, that’s our goal.

We are excited about our rapid growth, and there’s never been a better time for the new or experienced investor to join a proven concept. At Marco’s, we’re on the cusp of a huge growth trend, and that means the savvy entrepreneur can still get in on the ground floor. We have 400-plus units across the United States, and we plan to hit the 500-store mark by mid-2014. We have another 1,000 stores in development.

“Best” is one of those words that’s hard to quantify. And yes, it is subjective. But we already know people love our pizza, and many of our franchisees started as customers. They were so wowed by our authentically Italian artisan pizza that they knew they had to join our team.

Here are five reasons why we’re better than the competition.

Territories: If your franchise system has built out to 10,000 units, that’s great. However, if you’ve built out to the point at which there’s little room for new franchisees, that’s a problem. It stifles the company’s growth and creates barriers for the new investor.

We operate on an area developer system so one person controls the growth in a given territory. We still have prime exclusive territories available, including great regions for multi-unit development. There are no years-long waiting lists or million-dollar minimums. Marco’s has opportunities available now.

Systems: Going into business for yourself is like taking a big leap. Going into the franchise business is like taking a big leap with a safety net. The appeal of franchising is that it allows you to explore your entrepreneurial bent while taking advantage of the proven systems that have already made the concept a success.

Every franchisee who joins the Marco’s system, whether they have restaurant experience or not, is trained in every aspect of running a Marco’s store. They learn everything from how to make CinnaSquares to how to staff the dinner rush. They’ll also get support on local store marketing and learn how to get connected within their communities.

The one thing we can’t teach our franchisees is passion. That’s something you’ll have to bring to the table.

Food costs: Another advantage of joining Marco’s is gaining the buying power behind a national corporation. At Marco’s, we never skimp on quality, as you’ll read a little further below. And we do charge a couple of dollars more for our pizza, because we believe in using top-notch ingredients. We work with our suppliers to negotiate flat fees so the prices don’t change daily based on the commodities market.

We don’t rely on an internal distribution center whose sole purpose is to squeeze out more profits for the company. Instead, we’ve created a system through external vendors to get the lowest possible prices on the highest quality ingredients so we can pass on the savings to our franchisees. That helps them and Marco’s succeed.

Pizza industry veteran Don Vlcek, Vice President of Purchasing, is a former Domino’s executive who oversees and educates store operators on product purchasing, distribution and pricing. He has one goal: “What I’m shooting for is to have the most price-protective, quality-protective and supply-protective distribution network in the chain industry,” Don says.

Management team: Don is not the only one who helps Marco’s benefit from decade of experience in the restaurant franchise industry. President and CEO Jack Butorac, who took the helm at Marco’s in 2004, spent 30 years transforming high-quality restaurants, like Chi-Chi’s, into thriving national chains. Executive Vice President of Operations Dave Black came to Marco’s after 34 years with Domino’s. Cameron Cummins, Vice President of Franchise Marketing & Recruiting, honed his skills with industry giant YUM! brands and Dunkin’ Donuts, among others.

The story is the same all down our management roster. Jack carefully culled a team of experts and winners because he wanted Marco’s to be backed by an unbeatable crew. The Marco’s management team has worked together to bring the concept to an exciting new level in the industry. It’s an incredible back-up team for our franchisees to rely on.

Food quality: Our dedication to quality may be the most important thing you need to know about Marco’s. We don’t cut corners or dumb down our product. When Pasquale “Pat” Giammarco founded the Marco’s chain in 1978, he knew he never wanted to compromise on quality. He spent his early childhood in his native Italy, where people use the freshest ingredients to create the best possible pizza. Pat never wanted Marco’s to stray from the authentic tradition of his youth, and we never have.

Our crust is delicious without a single topping on it because we make it from a high-protein spring wheat grown in Minnesota. We make the dough fresh in every store, every day. We asked growers to create a hybrid tomato to create the base of our sauce, a tomato that blended together the qualities of our three favorite tomato varieties to get the best texture, color and taste. Our pepperoni is thicker than most, our vegetables are chopped fresh in stores and our three-cheese blend is never frozen.

Marco’s wants people with as much passion for our pizza as we have. Business know-how is important, but restaurant experience is less so. If you think you have what it takes to run a Marco’s franchise, fill out the form at right or give us a call at 1-800-262-7267. We’d love to start a conversation with you.