&pizza

&pizza

File:&pizza logo.svg
Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurants
Founded	2012 (2012)
Founders	Michael Lastoria (CEO) Steve Salis
Headquarters	Washington, D.C. , USA
Number of locations	55
Area served	East Coast of the United States
Products	Italian cuisine
Website	andpizza.com

&pizza (pronounced "And Pizza") is a U.S.-based fast casual pizza chain operating 55 outlets along the East Coast, including Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The brand is known for its customizable, oblong-shaped personal pizzas that reflect local flavor preferences, complemented by interiors designed by regional artists to capture neighborhood character. Select venues also serve beer, wine, and cocktails.

History

Established in July 2012 by Michael Lastoria and Steve Salis on H Street NE in Washington, D.C., the enterprise originally launched under the name H&pizza. Steve Salis acted as CEO until 2015, after which Lastoria assumed both CEO and creative director positions. In 2016, &pizza secured a $25 million capital infusion from AVALT to facilitate its entry into New York City, unveiling its inaugural NYC restaurant in June 2017.

In mid-2017, &pizza collaborated with bakery Milk Bar to create a joint location within Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subsequently that year, the company attracted additional investment from RSE Ventures aimed at accelerating expansion in strategic markets.

Positioning itself as a brand committed to social responsibility, &pizza publicly supported a $15 minimum wage by 2023 during Congressional dialogues. This advocacy aligns with its broader corporate philosophy emphasizing ethical leadership and active community involvement.

Reception

The Washington Post characterized the chain as "the pizza shop for the 21st century," drawing parallels to "Chipotle for pizza." It earned the title of best pizza in the Washington City Paper Best of D.C. 2017 edition, appeared at number 12 on Restaurant Business's 2017 Future 50 list highlighting rapidly expanding small restaurant concepts, and was included in Fast Company World's Most Innovative Companies of 2018.

Marketing

Since 2015, &pizza has hosted an annual Pi Day celebration featuring complimentary weddings at various locations. These events provide couples with pizza, cake, alcoholic beverages, officiants, and photography services. In 2018 alone, the company facilitated over twelve weddings across cities including DC, Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia. Additionally, employees who opt to get the company’s ampersand logo tattooed are compensated financially. Nevertheless, this policy along with referring to staff as "tribe members" has sparked criticism from advocacy organizations.

On Pi Day each year, loyalty program participants benefit from pizzas priced at $3.14.

In a significant legal episode, &pizza initiated a trademark infringement lawsuit against UK-based @pizza. Following a protracted three-year legal process involving both the District Court and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the claim was ultimately dismissed in 2020.

See also

• List of pizza chains in the United States