Riko’s Thin Crust Pizza Set to Soar with Franchise Expansion
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Riko’s Thin Crust Pizza Set to Soar with Franchise Expansion

Riko’s Thin Crust Pizza Set to Soar with Franchise Expansion

Beloved regional restaurant brand Riko’s Thin Crust Pizza is fired up for growth, poised to expand onto the national scene as a unique franchise concept with a local, neighborhood feel.

The family-owned Connecticut institution, famed for its thin crust, hot oil pizza, is off to a hot franchise start with plans underway for Riko’s first franchised location in Levittown, New York. The full-service restaurant expands the brand’s reach in the Northeast with seasoned multi-unit franchisees.

“We are thrilled to welcome 19 Doughballs, Inc. and its partners to the Riko’s family,” says Rico Imbrogno, who co-founded Riko’s with a business partner, and cousin, Luigi Cardillo. “To attract such experienced and operationally focused individuals is a true endorsement of the strength of the Riko’s brand and the success of our system.”

In a $44 billion pizza sector, oversaturated with no frills chains dialed in on delivery speed, Riko’s stands tall as a gathering spot for high-quality fare served up in a welcoming way.

Riko’s began in 2011 with a single location in Stamford, Connecticut and quickly grew to three locations, with a loyal following. The menu features classic, time-honored recipes for made-to-order thin-crust pizza, baked wings, and salads. Restaurant designs convey a unique personality and ambiance, with warm wood tones, contemporary tile, rustic lighting fixtures, and authentic black and white ancestral photos.

“We are a franchise company that is selling a pizzeria with a distinct flavor,” emphasizes Cardillo.  “When you walk into our restaurant you aren’t going to feel like you are in a franchise, it will have a mom and pop feel. And, people love their mom and pop pizzerias.”

With a construction business background, Cardillo and Imbrogno understand the value of a strong foundation. They have spent years continually refining the processes and systems to create a proven system now primed for franchising.

While most restaurants grapple with a myriad of labor issues, Riko’s simple approach allows for consistency and operational ease, without cutting corners on quality. The streamlined menu uses the highest quality ingredients, perfected and prepared with efficiently-developed systems. Every employee is cross-trained on restaurant operations.

“In our restaurants, we cross train our employees to do three functions: take the order, make the order, and deliver the order,” explains Cardillo. “You have to do, two out of three, or three out of three of those functions to be able to work in our restaurant.”

For franchisees, Riko’s offers an unmatched opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a proven turn-key concept with market flexibility. Franchise partners can opt for a full-service restaurant with a full bar, table service, and family-style dining or a fast-casual-express operation that includes take-out, dine in, and delivery.

“You can run our full-service restaurant as flawlessly and seamlessly as running a quick-serve restaurant – that is how simple the operation is,” notes franchise veteran Gary Occhiogrosso, founder of Franchise Growth Solutions.

Occhiogrosso has signed on to expand Riko’s to a dozen new locations by 2020. The brand seeks to soar with community-minded franchisees who are family and locally-focused on spreading the love for Riko’s Pizza.  Franchisees can expect comprehensive, ongoing support, and immersive training to ensure sustainability and long-term success—from the start.

“We are looking for front-of-the-house hospitality in our franchisees,” adds Occhiogrosso. “Guest service, community engagement, and marketing are where a franchisee’s qualities and skill set comes into play.”

Ready to join the Riko’s family? Discover your franchise opportunities at rikosfranchise.com.

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Published: May 14th, 2019

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