Latest news with #Cicis
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Pizza Buffet Chain You Nearly Forgot About Could Come Back In Full Force
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways If you remember people predicting the end of buffet restaurants a few years back, let the newfound success of one pizza buffet chain remind you that nobody really knows how the world will change. At the height of the Covid pandemic, buffets were understandably struggling as people pulled back from eating at restaurants with shared trays of food. There were even concerns that the era of heightened health concerns were here to stay, which would spell the permanent end of the buffet. Little did anyone know that less than two years after buffets appeared doomed, food prices started soaring and the value that all-you-can-eat buffets provide started to look a lot more attractive again. And one of the popular pizza chains trying to take full advantage of that resurgence is Cici's. Cici's was actually in trouble before the pandemic. The nostalgic pizza buffet of the '90s and 2000s had peaked at over 600 stores, but by 2019 was down to 420 locations. Then Covid nearly killed the chain, with fewer than 300 stores left when the chain filed for bankruptcy in 2021. However, this story has a happy ending. Cici's was purchased by new owners who cleared out all the company's debt, and under the leadership of a president who has been with the brand for over 30 years, the chain refocused on its unique parlor experience and bringing back higher quality pizza. Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss Cici's Pizza Is Expanding Its Gaming Options And Looking To Franchise Again Cici's Pizza exterior - J. Michael Jones/Shutterstock Cici's resurgence has been built around three points — getting more efficient technology, refocusing on the gaming side of the chain, and undoing a decline in quality that had plagued the brand under previous owners. The one that will be most clear to customers is the expansion of game rooms, and remodeled Cici's have expanded gaming areas from 400 square feet to up to 3,000 square feet, which has attracted a new wave of customers. A major technological overhaul installed new ordering systems and QR codes to push customer engagement. That focus on efficiency is important to Cici's Pizza, which relies on affordability to attract customers, so keeping its costs down is essential. On the pizza side, the company has focused on bringing back older, higher-quality recipes that had been successful in the past. It has also added unique menu items like a Chicken & Eggo Waffles Pizza collab and a huge 28-inch party pizza with 64 slices. Sales grew by 31% in the first year after new ownership took over, and another 7.8% after that. Cici's even reopened shuttered stores in North Carolina, Texas, and Alabama, and is courting franchise owners in places like Virginia and Atlanta. The chain is still well below its peak, but with rebounding sales and expansion on its mind, Cici's could be back in your life pretty soon. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Pizza Buffet Chain You Nearly Forgot About Could Come Back In Full Force
a close up image of pizzas on a pizza buffet - Kortemeyer/Getty Images If you remember people predicting the end of buffet restaurants a few years back, let the newfound success of one pizza buffet chain remind you that nobody really knows how the world will change. At the height of the Covid pandemic, buffets were understandably struggling as people pulled back from eating at restaurants with shared trays of food. There were even concerns that the era of heightened health concerns were here to stay, which would spell the permanent end of the buffet. Little did anyone know that less than two years after buffets appeared doomed, food prices started soaring and the value that all-you-can-eat buffets provide started to look a lot more attractive again. And one of the popular pizza chains trying to take full advantage of that resurgence is Cici's. Cici's was actually in trouble before the pandemic. The nostalgic pizza buffet of the '90s and 2000s had peaked at over 600 stores, but by 2019 was down to 420 locations. Then Covid nearly killed the chain, with fewer than 300 stores left when the chain filed for bankruptcy in 2021. However, this story has a happy ending. Cici's was purchased by new owners who cleared out all the company's debt, and under the leadership of a president who has been with the brand for over 30 years, the chain refocused on its unique parlor experience and bringing back higher quality pizza. Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss Cici's Pizza Is Expanding Its Gaming Options And Looking To Franchise Again Cici's Pizza exterior - J. Michael Jones/Shutterstock Cici's resurgence has been built around three points — getting more efficient technology, refocusing on the gaming side of the chain, and undoing a decline in quality that had plagued the brand under previous owners. The one that will be most clear to customers is the expansion of game rooms, and remodeled Cici's have expanded gaming areas from 400 square feet to up to 3,000 square feet, which has attracted a new wave of customers. A major technological overhaul installed new ordering systems and QR codes to push customer engagement. That focus on efficiency is important to Cici's Pizza, which relies on affordability to attract customers, so keeping its costs down is essential. On the pizza side, the company has focused on bringing back older, higher-quality recipes that had been successful in the past. It has also added unique menu items like a Chicken & Eggo Waffles Pizza collab and a huge 28-inch party pizza with 64 slices. Sales grew by 31% in the first year after new ownership took over, and another 7.8% after that. Cici's even reopened shuttered stores in North Carolina, Texas, and Alabama, and is courting franchise owners in places like Virginia and Atlanta. The chain is still well below its peak, but with rebounding sales and expansion on its mind, Cici's could be back in your life pretty soon. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Nostalgic Pizza Buffet Chain That's Been Making A Comeback
While pizza giants like Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut continue to compete amongst each other, there's a casual, sit-down restaurant chain serving up buffet–style, all-you-can-eat pizza that has been staging a quiet comeback since it filed for bankruptcy in 2021. That chain? Cicis Pizza, a now 40-year-old mainstay in family dining based in Coppell, Texas, with around 300 restaurants spread out amongst over 30 states at the time of writing. It once was a go-to spot — and a lifesaver — for busy families who need to fill up at a modest price point (just $1.99 per adult, originally). After peaking with over 600 locations in 2009, that number gradually began to declined; in January 2021, nearly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Cicis entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But a mere two months later, it emerged debt-free, with new owners and a new lease on life. Certainly, Jeff Hetsel, the president and COO of Cicis, was looking forward to staging a comeback. In 2023, under the leadership of Hetsel and prominent shareholder Chris Dharod, the chain tweaked its pizza recipe, and more importantly, expanded the size of its game rooms. That latter move alone exploded same-store sales, and it wasn't just making the game rooms larger that helped. Cicis Pizza locations also invested money into modernizing its game room experience, getting rid of tokens (which can be easily dropped or lost) and replacing them with cards. These interactive game elements may just help Cicis get one step ahead of rival pizza chains. Read more: Ranking Frozen Pizzas From Worst To Best Despite its successes after emerging from bankruptcy in 2021, Cicis Pizza still occupies a tenuous market space, as casual dining restaurant chains take hit after hit (like TGI Fridays, which filed for bankruptcy in November 2024, and Hooters, which went bankrupt just five months later). Cicis continues to evolve, however, leaning into its newer call-ahead, pick-up-in-store ordering system, as well as third-party delivery models. It's also getting in on the "value wars," attempting to offer customers menu items that provide more bang for your buck. Cicis recently went old school for its 40 year anniversary, offering "vintage" pricing of $4.99 adult buffet admission on select days of the week. The new era of Cicis is also leaning into modern technology in a big way, implementing stringent and widespread security measures in Payment Card Data (PCI), as well as leveraging AI in innovative ways. The pizza buffet chain also recently won the Visionary in Technology Award, presented by XRobotics, for "leading the way in modernizing restaurant operations through smart, scalable technology solutions," (via Pizza Marketplace). This integration of cutting edge technology into everyday operations, while still staying true to what made it a success in the first place, may be exactly what Cicis needs in order to survive whatever comes next. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. Read the original article on Food Republic.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Once-Struggling Buffet Restaurant Chains Making A Comeback
Most people have dined at a buffet-style restaurant at least once in their lives. These establishments are ideal for groups with picky eaters in tow as well as diners seeking a hearty meal on a budget. While they may not hold the same sway they once did with consumers, a few have experienced renewed popularity after the rise and fall of all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. Consider that many struggling chain restaurants in general, including Olive Garden and Pizza Hut, have made comebacks recently, showing that it's possible to turn things around. We did a little digging and uncovered a few buffet chains that also seem to be on an upward trajectory after experiencing some setbacks. Cicis Pizza, Golden Corral, and Mr Gatti's Pizza have all been making waves as of late, whether celebrating major milestones, working on brand updates, or embarking on continued growth and expansion. It's a challenging time for the restaurant industry due to an unpredictable economic climate. Yet, buffets offer the novelty of getting to choose from a wide variety of dishes, which could give them a slight advantage over more traditional, full-service restaurants. Read more: Ranking All-You-Can Eat Buffet Chains From Worst To First Cicis Pizza is a family-focused buffet restaurant that offers access to fun game rooms and a variety of pizza as well as other foods. The restaurant made its debut in Texas in 1985 and now operates locations throughout approximately 30 states. While you'd be hard pressed to find a person who doesn't enjoy the tempting combo of all-you-can-eat pizza and arcade games, Cicis has faced some substantial obstacles. For example, Cicis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021, citing the effects of the pandemic as a major reason since the pizza chain's dine-in service is its primary draw. However, things definitely improved for Cicis in the ensuing years. In 2024, the brand actively sought franchisees to continue its expansion. And this year, Cicis Pizza celebrates its 40th anniversary, indicating its staying power. PMQ Pizza also ranked the restaurant as the 16th largest pizza chain in the U.S. in 2025, an impressive showing when you consider the top spots are occupied by huge brands like Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Little Caesars. Founded in North Carolina in 1973, it's safe to say that Golden Corral played a big role in popularizing the buffet concept in America. It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the chain, but Golden Corral was able to pull itself from restaurant ruin resulting from the waning desire for buffet-style dining and allegations of poor sanitary practices. Additionally, the restaurant capably weathered challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting its buffet concept by having servers portion out food to customers to limit exposure. This willingness to adapt is ushering in a brand-new era for the restaurant. For instance, Golden Corral is executing a new unified commerce platform to make for a smoother operational process across the chain. It's also experimenting with a tweaked and rebranded version of its buffet concept, which was originally dubbed "Homeward Kitchen" but now goes by "Golden Corral Favorites" to maintain brand association. This concept is closer to a fast-casual dining model in that restaurants will feature drive-thrus to accommodate convenience-minded customers. As for the menu, dishes will be taken directly from Golden Corral's buffet lineup — much to the delight of existing patrons. Mr Gatti's Pizza earned a place on our list of pizza buffets that still exist today, alongside Cicis Pizza and select Pizza Hut locations. The chain, which is primarily situated in the South, was founded in Austin, Texas, in 1969 and has steadily grown since ... at least, mostly. The restaurant fell on hard times in 2019 when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, at which point the chain owed creditors between $10 million and $50 million. However, the brand emphasized that its sales figures were robust at the time of the filing and that the financial problems it experienced resulted from challenges with its lender. These days, Mr Gatti's Pizza has improved its fortunes, as it continues to expand to new locations. At the close of 2024, the restaurant boasted 234 new locations (either in development or already opened) and experienced a .4% boost in sales. The chain has also struck a deal with Walmart that will result in 12 new locations being developed inside Walmart stores throughout Oklahoma and Texas. These in-store Mr Gatti's Pizza locations should be up and running by the end of 2025. Read the original article on Mashed.
