Rocky Rococo facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurant, delivery |
| Founded | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. (1974) |
| Headquarters | Oconomowoc, Wisconsin,
United States
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Number of locations
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40 |
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Key people
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| Products | Pizza, pasta, salad |
| Revenue | US$ 41,000,000 |
| Parent | Rocky Rococo Corporation |
Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta is a restaurant chain in North America. They are famous for their thick, pan-style pizza, which you can buy by the slice. It was started in 1974 in Madison, Wisconsin, by two friends, Wayne Mosley and Roger Brown. They got the name from a character created by a comedy group called The Firesign Theatre. The company grew quickly, having 120 restaurants by 1986. The original owners later sold the business. Today, there are about 40 Rocky Rococo locations, mostly in the Midwest.
How Rocky Rococo Started
Wayne Mosley and Roger Brown opened their first pizza place in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1974. They wanted to create a unique pizza experience.
The Name and Mascot
The name "Rocky Rococo" came from a character in a comedy sketch by The Firesign Theatre. This character was a villain in one of their funny stories. To create their restaurant's look, Mosley and Brown hired an artist. This artist designed a character for their logo that looked a bit like the "White Spy" from Mad Magazine.
They also hired an actor named Jim Pederson to play their mascot, "Rocky Rococo." He dressed up as a cool Italian character with a mustache, a white suit, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. He helped make the brand fun and memorable.
Where You Can Find Rocky Rococo
As of 2020, there were about 39 Rocky Rococo restaurants. Most of them are in Wisconsin, and there is one in Minnesota. In the past, Rocky Rococo had locations in many other states, including Florida, Colorado, and Illinois. The company used to make about $40 million in sales each year.
See Also
