Pizza brand sells 13 locations in Austin, Texas
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Mr. Gatti’s Pizza is continuing its refranchising program with the sale of 13 corporate locations in Austin, Texas, the company said Tuesday.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based pizza buffet brand sold the Austin-area locations to Jeff Tisdel, a local entrepreneur and former vice president of operations for Papa John’s Pizza. Terms of the deal, which was effective Tuesday, were not disclosed.
“Mr. Gatti’s has been an Austin staple for nearly 50 years,” Tisdel said in a statement. “As we approach the anniversary, I am eager to join the Mr. Gatti’s family. … We are looking at renovations for some locations, operational changes and possibly opening new locations down the line.”
Gatti’s Pizza was acquired by private-equity firm Sovrano LLC in June 2015. Units feature a pizza buffet and family-entertainment game rooms.
The brand this year opened its first new franchise location in seven years in Killeen, Texas, in early 2018. Another is scheduled to open in Tyler, Texas, later this fall.
Michael Poates, president of Mr. Gatti’s, said, “At the corporate office, we’ve put resources into finding what keeps our customers coming back and found that providing a great product and a place to welcome families is where we excel.”
Mr. Gatti’s Pizza, which first opened in 1964 as The Pizza Place in Stephenville, Texas, has nearly 100 locations.
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Correction Sept. 16, 2018: This story has been edited to correct the number of refranchised locations.
