Pizza Inn was started by two Texas brothers in Dallas.  They started their business in 1958 across from the southern Methodist University campus.  They introduced many different pizzas throughout their 50 year history and in 1994 the Pizza Inn was named as the #1 pizza chain in the United States by Restaurants and Institutions Magazine annual “America’s Choice in Chains”.  The headquarters is still in Dallas, Texas and they currently operate more than 300 locations in the United States and in other countries.  The current President and CEO of Pizza Inn is Charles R. Morrison and he was appointed to this position in 2007.

Pizza Inn is known for serving a made-from-scratch crispy, cracker like thin crust pizza with a tangy signature sauce that is still used in their brand today. They introduced the first Taco Pizza to their menu in 1979 and the first dessert pizza called the “Pizzert” in 1986.  Their hallmark pizza is the bacon cheeseburger pizza.  The dough for their crust is made fresh daily and they offer 19 different toppings.  They serve many specialty pizzas along with pasta, sandwiches, desserts, beverages, and they also feature a salad bar as well.

Pizza Inn offers three unique restaurant franchise concepts which include the Buffet, the Delivery/Carryout, and the Non-Traditional.  They require that the franchisee has a net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of $150,000 to open a buffet location, $150,000 net worth and $100,000 in liquid assets to open a Delivery/Carryout location, and a net worth of $80,000 and liquid assets of $30,000 to open a non-traditional location.  The buffet is a dine in restaurant that is simply a family-style atmosphere with a salad bar and a pizza buffet. The delivery/carryout location is the most popular and is for those on the go.  It offers the full menu with no dine in option.  The Non-traditional concept is the type that is found in the convenience stores, airports, arenas, food courts, and on college campuses.  This location offers a limited menu more geared toward the individual and the occasional carry out order.