Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint
Based: Atlanta
Founded: 2010
Style: Choose your crust, baked in conveyor oven
Price: $7 for up to three toppings
Rounding out menu: Smaller six-inch pizzas for combo meals, paninis, salads
Method of growth: Franchising
Founder: Matt Andrew
Units currently: 15
Units by end of year: 20–25
Project Pie
Based: Carlsbad, Calif.
Founded: 2012
Style: Thin crust, baked in 800-degree, gas-fired ovens
Price: $7.50 build your own
Rounding out the menu: Dessert pizzas
Method of growth: Corporate and franchise
Founder: James Markham
Units currently: 2
Units by end of year: 8 including 3 in the Philippines
Your Pie
Based: Athens, Ga.
Founded: 2008
Style: Choice of hand-tossed crust, baked in brick gas-fired ovens
Price: $6.95 base, varies by market
Rounding out menu: Salads in pizza-crust bread bowls, paninis
Method of growth: Franchising
Founder: Drew French
Units currently: 18
Units by end of year: 22
800 Degrees
Based: Los Angeles
Founded: January 2012
Style: Neapolitan, baked in 800-degree, wood-fired oven
Price: Base $5.15 to $6.45 with $1 per topping additional
Rounding out menu: Salads; LA Creamery gelato; beer and wine
Method of growth: Corporate; some licensing
Founders: Anthony Carron, Adam Fleischman, Allen Ravert
Units currently: 1
Units by end of year: 4
Photo: Elizabeth Daniels
Live Basil
Based: Denver
Founded: May 2013
Style: Neapolitan, hand-stretched crust; baked in high-temperature brick ovens
Price: $8 build-your-own with three toppings
Rounding out menu: Fruit smoothies made with Häagen-Dazs sorbet; beer and wine
Method of growth: Corporate
Founders: Rick Schaden and Tom Ryan with Consumer Capital Partners
Units currently: 1
Units by end of year: 4
Top That!
Based: Tulsa, Okla.
Founded: October 2010
Style: 10-inch or 6-inch, choice of crust, baked in conveyor oven
Price: $5.49 six-inch; $7.49 10-inch build your own
Rounding out menu: Salads, signature appetizer “bakes,” breadsticks, house-baked cookies
Method of growth: Franchising
Founders: Jeff and Lori Walderich
Units currently: 11
Units by end of year: 20
Pizza Pizzeria
Based: Los Angeles
Founded: Mid-June 2013 (projected)
Style: Choice of crust; gas-fired stone oven
Price: $6 plus 50 cents per topping
Rounding out menu: Salads, cupcake lasagna and other pastas, wine and beer
Method of growth: Corporate
Founders: Frank Fronda, Rodelio Aglibot, Charlie Candelas
Units currently: 0
Units by end of year: 2
Pieology
Based: Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
Founded: March 2011
Style: 12-inch Neapolitan, baked in gas-fired stone oven
Price: $7.50 build your own
Rounding out menu: Salads, dessert pizzas
Method of growth: Corporate and franchising
Founders: Carl Chang, co-founder
Units currently: 2
Units by end of year: 15-18
