Pizza Patrón
Encyclopedia
Pizza Patrón is a United States
pizza
chain headquartered in Suite 200 at 10999 Petal Street, Dallas, Texas
.
Pizza Patrón operates locations in Arizona
, California
, Colorado
, Florida
, Georgia
, Nevada
, and Texas
. The chain opens locations in mainly Hispanic
neighborhoods, catering primarily to the Hispanic market. In addition to the franchise's 100 locations across the southwest, 40 more are currently under development. The franchise's logo features Charles Bronson
's face in a fedora
hat (earlier logos did not include a face). The chain's original slogan was Más Pizza. Menos Dinero. (Spanish
for "More Pizza. Less Money.") In 2009, the brand adopted a new tagline "Latin Life, Enjoy."
Pizza Patrón was founded in 1986 by Antonio Swad, of Lebanese
and Italian
descent. Swad is also known for founding the line of Wingstop
buffalo wing restaurants, which he sold in 2003 to focus on developing Pizza Patrón as an international brand. He currently acts as the president of Pizza Patrón; the Brand Director is Andrew Gamm and the Director of Operations is Ernesto Hernandez.
In 2006 Pizza Patrón successfully introduced new products like Patrón Dippers and Fiesta Wings, and established its "Lista" (ready now) pizza program nationally. In addition, Pizza Patrón developed a dine-in store model, the Pizza Patrón Rapidito (airports/malls) model, the "Tiendita" (portable mini-store extension) and its "Lista" drive-through concept. These progressive additions to the concept were largely responsible for the 34.55% increase in business that Pizza Patrón experienced in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2006.
s for a limited time. Though the company was not the first to implement such a policy in the United States, the move came at a time of increasingly heated debate over illegal immigration in the United States and caused the chain's Dallas headquarters to receive complaints and death threats. It also created publicity for the chain, garnering media attention from several outlets (including Fox News and The Colbert Report). After the first week of the promotion, one owner reported that he took in about 15,000 pesos (close to $1,400) at his two southern California branches, accounting for roughly 20% of his profits.
On May 3, 2007, the company reported that sales in the first three months of 2007 were up 35% compared to sales during the first three months of 2006. The company attributed the strong growth in sales to publicity generated by news reports about the "Pizza for Pesos" campaign and said that its policy of accepting pesos, originally scheduled to last only until the end of April, was being made permanent.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
chain headquartered in Suite 200 at 10999 Petal Street, Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Pizza Patrón operates locations in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The chain opens locations in mainly Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
neighborhoods, catering primarily to the Hispanic market. In addition to the franchise's 100 locations across the southwest, 40 more are currently under development. The franchise's logo features Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
's face in a fedora
Fedora (hat)
A fedora is a men's felt hat. In reality, "fedora" describes most any men's hat that does not already have another name; quite a few fedoras have famous names of their own including the famous Trilby....
hat (earlier logos did not include a face). The chain's original slogan was Más Pizza. Menos Dinero. (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "More Pizza. Less Money.") In 2009, the brand adopted a new tagline "Latin Life, Enjoy."
Pizza Patrón was founded in 1986 by Antonio Swad, of Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
descent. Swad is also known for founding the line of Wingstop
Wingstop Restaurants
Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of nostalgic, aviation-themed restaurants where the sole focus is on chicken wings. Wingstop locations are decorated following a 1930's and 40's "pre-jet" aviation theme. The restaurant chain was founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas , and began offering franchises...
buffalo wing restaurants, which he sold in 2003 to focus on developing Pizza Patrón as an international brand. He currently acts as the president of Pizza Patrón; the Brand Director is Andrew Gamm and the Director of Operations is Ernesto Hernandez.
In 2006 Pizza Patrón successfully introduced new products like Patrón Dippers and Fiesta Wings, and established its "Lista" (ready now) pizza program nationally. In addition, Pizza Patrón developed a dine-in store model, the Pizza Patrón Rapidito (airports/malls) model, the "Tiendita" (portable mini-store extension) and its "Lista" drive-through concept. These progressive additions to the concept were largely responsible for the 34.55% increase in business that Pizza Patrón experienced in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2006.
Pizza for Pesos
In January 2007, Pizza Patrón announced its new "Pizza por Pesos" policy which enabled the chain's customers to pay for pizzas with Mexican pesoMexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
s for a limited time. Though the company was not the first to implement such a policy in the United States, the move came at a time of increasingly heated debate over illegal immigration in the United States and caused the chain's Dallas headquarters to receive complaints and death threats. It also created publicity for the chain, garnering media attention from several outlets (including Fox News and The Colbert Report). After the first week of the promotion, one owner reported that he took in about 15,000 pesos (close to $1,400) at his two southern California branches, accounting for roughly 20% of his profits.
On May 3, 2007, the company reported that sales in the first three months of 2007 were up 35% compared to sales during the first three months of 2006. The company attributed the strong growth in sales to publicity generated by news reports about the "Pizza for Pesos" campaign and said that its policy of accepting pesos, originally scheduled to last only until the end of April, was being made permanent.