Shakey’s Pizza Parlor was started in Sacramento, California.  On April 30th of 1945 Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and Ed Plummer opened the first Shakey’s Pizza Parlor.  The nickname, Shakey, comes from the nerve damage that Johnson suffered due to malaria from World War II.  The company started by only selling beer the first weekend because the pizza ovens were not ready yet.  They started selling pizza the following Monday and never looked back.  The second location opened in 1956 in Portland, Oregon and the third in 1959 in Albany, Oregon.  In 1967 Johnson sold his interest in the company and there were 272 locations at this point. 

Colorado Milling and Elevator bought Johnson’s share for $3 million and acquired Plummer’s half for $9 million a year later.  They later sold the company to Hunt International Resources in 1974 and it was purchased by two franchisees in 1984 as well.  Inno-Pacific Holdings purchased the company in 1989 and most of the U.S. stores closed.  Currently there are over 80 Shakey’s Pizza Parlor locations in the United States mainly in California and about 500 stores worldwide.

The Shakey’s Pizza Parlor menu features many specialty pizzas and they are most well-known for large and plentiful toppings.  They also feature breaded and fried potato slices called MoJo’s, Buffalo wings, and a create your own pizza.  They serve a daily lunch buffet and they can provide family packages along with party packages for all your catering needs.

Shakey’s Pizza Parlor is currently looking to expand through their restaurant franchise opportunities.  The initial investment ranges from $800,000 to $2.2 million per location and they require the franchisee to invest between 20% and 30% with their own money.  The rest can be obtained through financing, if necessary.  Most locations are between 5,500 square feet and 6,500 square feet and they can be free standing locations or end cap locations near grocery stores or retail shopping centers.