Fazoli's facts for kids
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Trade name
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Fazoli's |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | |
| Genre | Fast Casual |
| Founded | 1988 as Gratzi's in Lexington, Kentucky |
| Founder | Kunihide Toyoda |
| Headquarters | Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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211 (2023) |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Doug Bostick – President |
| Products | Italian-American food, including spaghetti and meatballs, Fettuccine alfredo, lasagna, ravioli, breadsticks, pizza, submarine sandwiches, and salads |
| Revenue |  US$125 million (2021) |
| Parent | Jerrico Inc. (1988) Duskin Co. Ltd (1988–1989) Seed Restaurant Group (1989–2006) Sun Capital Partners (2006–2015) Sentinel Capital Partners (2015–2021) FAT Brands (2021–present) |
Fazoli's is a popular American restaurant chain that serves Italian-American cuisine. It's known as a fast casual restaurant, which means you get your food quickly, but it's usually higher quality than traditional fast food. Fazoli's started in 1988 in Lexington, Kentucky. Today, it is owned by a company called FAT Brands. As of 2023, there are 211 Fazoli's restaurants across the United States.
Contents
History of Fazoli's
Want to know how Fazoli's became a favorite spot for pasta and breadsticks? Let's take a look at its journey!
How Fazoli's Started
The idea for Fazoli's began in 1988. It was meant to be a casual place for Italian-American dinners. Just two years later, the Fazoli's restaurant system was officially set up. The very first five Fazoli's locations opened in the Lexington, Kentucky area.
At first, a company called Jerrico Inc. managed Fazoli's. But Jerrico Inc. decided to sell Fazoli's to focus on another restaurant chain. So, Duskin Co. Ltd bought Fazoli's. Duskin Co. Ltd then teamed up with a business leader named Kuni Toyoda. Together, they formed a new group called Seed Restaurant Group. This group then took over owning Fazoli's.
Growing Bigger
In the mid-1990s, Fazoli's grew very quickly! By 1992, there were 35 restaurants in Kentucky, Indiana, and Florida. This number almost doubled in 1993 when 25 more locations were added.
During this time, each Fazoli's restaurant started making a lot more money. This quick success made it easy for Fazoli's to open even more locations. Many new restaurants were able to make a profit within their first year!
New Owners and Changes
In 2006, the Seed Restaurant Group sold Fazoli's to a company called Sun Capital Partners. At that time, Fazoli's had 319 locations across 32 states. Sun Capital Partners brought in a new president and CEO, Robert Weissmueller, to lead the company.
Later, in 2008, Carl Howard became the new CEO. When he took over, Fazoli's was facing some challenges. Sales were going down, and many stores were closing. This was partly because of choices made by the previous management. The number of Fazoli's restaurants had dropped from its highest point of 400 locations in 2004.
In 2015, Sun Capital Partners sold Fazoli's to another company, Sentinel Capital Partners. At this time, Fazoli's had 124 company-owned restaurants and 89 restaurants run by other owners, in 26 states.
In 2021, Sentinel Capital Partners sold Fazoli's to FAT Brands Inc. for $130 million. At that time, Fazoli's had 220 restaurants in 28 states.
In 2022, Carl Howard retired after 14 years as CEO. Doug Bostick, who was already a leader at Fazoli's, took over as the new president.
What is Fazoli's Like?
Fazoli's is a busy restaurant chain with over 200 locations in 26 states.
Where You Can Find Fazoli's
Fazoli's is planning to expand even more! They want to open restaurants in other countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. They made a deal with a group called World Franchise Associates to help them build restaurants in these places.
Fazoli's also opened its first location on a college campus in 2014. This was at Texas Tech University. Opening restaurants in places like college campuses is part of their plan to grow in new and different ways.
The main office for Fazoli's is located in Lexington, Kentucky.
What's on the Menu?
Fazoli's is famous for its delicious Italian-American dishes.
From Pizza to Pasta
In the very early days, Fazoli's mainly sold pizza. But Kuni Toyoda, one of the early leaders, realized it was hard to compete with big pizza chains. So, he decided the menu should focus more on pasta. With this change, they quickly improved their pasta recipes. Toyoda helped make the pasta firmer and made sure portions were larger.
Healthy Choices and New Ideas
In the early 2000s, many people started trying low-carbohydrate diets. This caused Fazoli's sales to drop, so they had to think about their menu again. In 2004, they added new items with less fat. They also added dishes with more vegetables and protein. They even hired an expert, Elizabeth Somer, to help create healthy, low-calorie meals. In 2005, Fazoli's announced that their famous breadsticks would no longer have trans fat.
In 2017, Fazoli's launched its first app! This app lets customers earn rewards and order food using their phones.
Today, Fazoli's menu features many tasty Italian-American dishes, including baked pastas and their special Submarinos sandwiches. Here are some popular items:
- Twice Baked Lasagna
- Chicken Parmigiano
- Seasonal salads
- Meatball da Vinci
- Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza
- New York Style Cheesecake
- Baked Spaghetti
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Having a Party? Fazoli's Can Help!
Fazoli's offers catering services for parties and events at many of its locations. Their catering menu has lots of options, like:
- Group Meal Deals
- Fresh Made Pastas
- Oven Baked Pastas
- Fresh Chopped Salads
- Box Lunches
They even have a full-service option that includes table service, plates, and plastic ware. You can order catering online or at the restaurant. Pick-up or delivery options are available in certain areas.
See also
- List of Italian restaurants
- List of fast casual restaurants
