Mountain Mike’s Pizza, the California chain renowned for its signature curly pepperonis and oversized 20-inch pizzas, is launching its first Florida locations. The expansion comes through a 10-unit agreement covering Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando, led by Mountain Mike’s franchisee Sean Morrison, CEO of BizBox Restaurant Group, in partnership with Multipli Capital founder Ned Algeo.

The brand’s CEO Jim Metevier expressed optimism about the move: “We expect Mountain Mike’s to reach new heights in Florida’s booming, entrepreneurial economy, and we are confident that new guests throughout the state will appreciate and enjoy our high-quality menu offerings, unmatched dine-in experience, and community involvement.”

Since its founding in 1978, Mountain Mike’s has built its reputation on creating family-friendly environments featuring pizza buffets, salad bars, arcade games, and dedicated party spaces. The nostalgic dine-in experience has generated particular excitement among families in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas, where the first locations are planned.

The expansion follows significant recognition for the brand, including a 5-star rating from Newsweek in 2023, based on a comprehensive survey of 4,000 customers and employees. The chain, which operates nearly 300 locations nationwide, earned praise for its family-oriented atmosphere, quality, and food freshness.

Mountain Mike’s has also garnered attention in the franchise industry, securing rankings in prominent publications including Franchise Times, Nation’s Restaurant News, Entrepreneur, Fast Casual, QSR Magazine, and Restaurant Business. Most recently, the brand achieved the #182 position on Franchise Times’ 2024 Top 400 Franchises list.

(Image credit: Restaurant Magazine)