At that time, Pizza Factory had launched its first promotional campaign consisting of television, newspaper and radio advertisements, as well as billboards. īy May 1989, the company had grown to include 45 restaurants, located in small towns across six states: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The magazine noted that it was unusual for a two-year-old company to be included on the list. As of 1988, Entrepreneur rated Pizza Factory at number 485 on its list of the top 500 franchises in the United States. Each quarter, a field director who was also a franchise owner would inspect each location for cleanliness, uniformity, and consistency of food preparation. The company also sponsored an annual convention, as well as semiannual regional meetings. Three training schools were established to teach franchisees about the company and about operating one of its restaurants. While most locations had little or no competition, the couples stated that this was not the reason for the success of each franchise.
The couples' ultimate ideal goal was to have 200 locations by 1992. Willey said that the company's goal was to add 20 to 25 new restaurant locations each year, with no more than that, as the two couples desired to keep the company small enough to continue overseeing it themselves. In 1988, the chain had 36 franchise restaurants, located in California, Arizona, Idaho, and Oregon. Joyce Willey said about the company's focus on local communities, "It's a throwback to when neighbors knew one another. Each franchisee was encouraged to add local memorabilia and photos to their restaurant, as well as participate in community events and to support local sports teams. Each restaurant was designed to allow customers to watch as the food was being prepared. The company also charged a one-percent advertising fee. The company charged a three-percent royalty fee, considered low in comparison to similar franchises. įranchisees were required to have $50,000 to $55,000 cash on a total investment of $65,000 to $75,000 to buy in, including a $20,000 franchise fee. The couples chose to open their restaurants in small towns with fewer than 15,000 people, as they did not believe they could compete against larger companies in metropolitan areas. Danny Wheeler and Ron Willey owned the company with their wives. Carol Wheeler and Joyce Willey wanted to protect the food's consistency and convinced their husbands to begin franchising the company starting in 1986. The couples allowed the use of the Pizza Factory name for a fee and also helped to set up the new restaurants in small towns across the San Joaquin Valley.
īy 1982, the Wheelers and the Willeys had been approached by friends who desired to open their own Pizza Factory restaurants. In 1981, the Willeys opened a second location in Mariposa, California, known as Pizza Factory.
Ron Willey and his wife Joyce were frequent customers at the restaurant. In 1979, Danny Wheeler and his wife Carol purchased a pizza restaurant for $5,000 they opened it as Danny's Red Devil Pizza, located on California State Route 41 in Oakhurst, California, near Yosemite National Park.