Wichita, KS (RestaurantNews.com) After months of anticipation, the wait is finally over for Midwestern pizza lovers, as Pie Five Pizza Co. is preparing to open the first of seven planned locations.
Wichita residents will welcome the first of these new restaurants, located at 334 S. Ridge Rd., just south of Maple Street, at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 15. The opening marks the city’s introduction to perfectly crafted personal pizzas using only the freshest ingredients, baked to order at one great price. The “five” in Pie Five means it all happens in five minutes or less!
Pie Five franchisee Jim Stevens, owner of Big Cheese LLC and proud Wichita native, is a successful restaurateur who knows a winning concept when he sees it. “Of course, the first thing you notice about Pie Five is the cool look and feel of the restaurant. Then you see how fresh our ingredients are and how quickly we can make your own delicious, customized pizza. It’s unlike any other pizza place I’ve ever seen,” said Stevens. “I’ve been eagerly anticipating this moment for the past several months – we can’t wait to introduce Pie Five to the great city of Wichita!”
The grand opening celebration for the Ridge Road location is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22. Wichita’s hit music station 96.3 FM will be onsite, adding to the excitement with food and merchandise giveaways. Stevens and his team will kick off the radio remote with a check presentation to Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, run by the Catholic Charities, Inc. – Diocese of Wichita, thanks to proceeds raised from private training events to be held at the restaurant this week.
“It’s an exciting time because we know we’re on the verge of changing the way people in Wichita experience pizza,” said Stevens. “Once you come in and see how you can order your own personalized pizza, with as many toppings as you like, all in five minutes or less, you’ll understand what all the fuss is about. It’s delicious, and it’s simply perfect for on-the-go people, which all of us seem to be these days.”
At Pie Five, guests can choose from more than a million combinations of handcrafted pizzas and a variety of specialty pie choices prepared in less than five minutes on one of four crusts, all for one low price. The rapidly expanding chain is capitalizing on growing consumer demand for fresh dining options and artisan pizzas in stylish environments without the wait.
Pie Five Pizza has been named among Fast Casual’s 2014 Top 15 “Movers & Shakers,” a 2012 Hot Concepts winner by Nation’s Restaurant News and one of “10 Hot New Restaurant Chains from Established Brands” by Forbes.com. The company currently has 22 locations in seven states (Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia) with more than 200 announced franchise units under contract in 12 states and Washington, DC.
The Ridge Road location marks the third in the state of Kansas and the 22nd system-wide. It is also the first ground-up, freestanding restaurant in the chain’s system. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. A complete menu and more information are available at piefivepizza.com.