Marco's Pizza
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | February 18, 1978 in Oregon, Ohio, United States |
| Founder | Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco |
| Headquarters | Toledo, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, India, Mexico |
Key people | Bryon Stephens (President), Jack Butorac (former CEO) |
| Products | Pizza, subs, wings, salads, CheezyBread, CinnaSquares, pizza bowls, Ghirardelli brownies |
Number of employees | 20000 (2021) |
| Website | marcos |
Marco's Pizza, managed by Marco's Franchising, LLC, is a U.S.-based restaurant chain and franchise headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, focusing on Italian-American cuisine. The company was established by Italian immigrant Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco on February 18, 1978, when the inaugural outlet opened in Oregon, Ohio.
As of July 2024, Marco's has grown to more than 1,000 locations throughout the United States (including Puerto Rico), as well as in the Bahamas, India, and Mexico. The milestone 1,000th store was inaugurated in Kissimmee, Florida, on October 21, 2020. In fiscal year 2020, the company generated $3 billion in revenue and employed around 20,000 people by 2021.
In 2016, Marco's Pizza secured the #10 position on Pizza Today’s Top 100 U.S. Pizza Companies list and earned recognition from Marketing Quarterly as one of the Top 25 Pizza Chains. Additionally, Franchising World ranked the brand eighth among "Fast and Serious Growth Franchises," emphasizing its robust expansion and market presence.
Founding
Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco, originally from Sulmona, Italy, founded Marco's Pizza. Having immigrated from the Abruzzo region at age nine, he was raised in Dearborn, Michigan, where he gained experience working in his family's pizzeria. Together with his father, Giammarco crafted the distinctive sauce recipe that is now used across all Marco's Pizza outlets.
Modern history
In 2002, Jack Butorac, a seasoned professional in the restaurant sector, identified Marco's Pizza as a promising growth prospect. After visiting several Ohio locations, he observed inconsistent branding but consistently exceptional pizza quality. Recognizing the brand’s potential for expansion, Butorac began advising Giammarco and negotiated to secure franchising rights. He assumed leadership in January 2004 with a goal to develop Marco's Pizza on a national scale.
From 2005 onward, under Butorac’s strategic guidance, Marco's experienced rapid expansion—doubling its size and extending its reach into over 35 states as well as Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and India. In recognition of his impact on the industry, Butorac received the Golden Chain lifetime-achievement award from Restaurant News in July 2017.
Marco's Pizza and its president Bryon Stephens were featured on the January 29, 2016 episode of CBS's Undercover Boss, which attracted an audience of 7.3 million viewers and topped its time slot in television ratings.
Family Video partnership
In 2013, during the decline of video rental businesses, Family Video entered into a partnership with Marco's Pizza, enabling the pizza franchise to operate within numerous Family Video stores. This collaboration was designed to merge pizza delivery services with video rentals. The alliance concluded after a decade when Family Video ceased operations.
Menu
Marco's Pizza primarily offers delivery and takeout services; however, select locations also provide dine-in options and catering. Their menu includes pizza varieties, subs, wings, salads, CheezyBread, CinnaSquares, pizza bowls, and co-branded Ghirardelli brownies.
Among specialty pizzas is the White Cheezy variety, which won a gourmet competition held in California. Other distinctive menu items have featured Chicken Florentine, Pepperoni Magnifico, Chicken Fresco, Spicy Fresco, and Double Pepperoni Spicy Fresco pizzas. The Fresco line is notable for incorporating Marco's signature giardiniera, an Italian-style pepper relish.
2017 honors and rankings
In 2017, Marco's Pizza secured the #8 position on Pizza Todays list of Top 100 Pizza Chains and also achieved the #8 spot on Franchise Times Fast and Serious growth franchises ranking. Earlier, in 2012, the brand finalized a $100 million agreement with Family Video to open up to 350 co-located outlets.
By 2014, Consumer Reports rated Marco's as the third-best pizza chain in the United States, based on customer feedback—marking its debut on this list and underscoring its expanding market presence and reputable brand standing.