Fortel's Pizza Den

Fortel's Pizza Den is a family owned, limited service pizza restaurant founded on January 1, 1981, when Robert J. "Bob" Fortel and his wife, Jan, purchased The Pizza Den at Mackenzie and Heege in Affton, Missouri. Bob had worked at the original location since April 1966, during high school and college. In the early years, Bob and Jan kept separate day jobs while operating the restaurant at night. Their daughters, Shelly and Shannon, joined the business as children, with Shelly rolling dough at age ten and Shannon starting two years later. When Bob died at age 53 from a massive heart attack on January 21, 2003, the family had built nine Missouri locations, seven owned by family members. The franchise opportunity page cites eight successful locations, while the current system has six operating units. Headquarters are in Arnold, Missouri, and operations remain concentrated in the St. Louis metropolitan area and neighboring southern Illinois. The concept is a community focused regional brand with more than 40 years of operating history rather than a national chain seeking a 500 unit footprint.

Fortel's competes in a large pizza and limited service restaurant market. The United States pizza industry was valued at $46.9 billion in 2022. The global pizza food service market is expected to reach $320.0 billion in 2026 and $585.0 billion by 2033, reflecting a 9% compound annual growth rate. The global limited service restaurant market was valued at $1.2 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2030 at a 3.2% CAGR. The United States accounted for $315.1 billion of the 2024 limited service valuation. Carry out and delivery fit current consumer behavior, with takeout projected to represent approximately 47.2% of global pizza food service market share in 2026. Delivery focused models are expected to grow at approximately 9.1% CAGR through 2033. Fortel's built its early reputation around carry out and delivery, then added an 80 seat dining room in 1993. Chained pizza outlets are projected to hold approximately 70.2% of global revenue in 2026. The brand also offers gluten free pizza crusts, chicken tenders, and brownies. Regional fragmentation leaves room for community based concepts with loyal local customers.

The Fortel's Pizza Den franchise investment ranges from $63,500 to $238,800. A typical pizza franchise investment ranges from $200,000 to $600,000 and can exceed $1 million for nationally recognized dine in brands. The lower Fortel's figure may fit a conversion or existing space, while the upper figure may cover a modest ground up location or substantial renovation, including dining space, equipment, and initial working capital. Quick service restaurant franchise fees in 2025 range from $6,250 to $90,000, while pizza concepts commonly charge $14,000 to $40,000. Fortel's franchise fees are provided through direct inquiry rather than public disclosure. Pizza franchise royalties commonly range from 5% to 8% of gross sales, with advertising contributions commonly ranging from 2.5% to 5%. The total investment places Fortel's below many pizza concepts and within the range of buyers using personal capital, ROBS retirement fund strategies, or conventional small business lending. The brand began franchising in 1999, providing more than 25 years of franchising history.

Daily operations include dough preparation, pizza production, carry out, delivery, and dine in service. The 1993 expansion at the Affton location added an 80 seat dining room. In November 2018, that location added a private party room with more than 50 seats and tripled its game room footprint. Comparable units generally require kitchen staff, counter and dispatch personnel, and shift managers, with approximately 10 to 20 employees depending on volume and hours. Reviews from the Fairview Heights, Illinois location describe flexible scheduling for high school and college students and cross training in food preparation. Fortel's selection process includes a phone interview about the candidate's background, proposed location, and business and financial plans. A face to face meeting follows and requires resumes, a detailed business plan, financial documents, and references, including banking relationships. The franchise page refers to growing the Fortel's Territory, indicating that defined territories form part of the agreement. Shelly Fortel earned a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Missouri in 1995 before returning to St. Louis to work with her father. Training details are provided through direct inquiry.

Buyers therefore need to assess revenue potential through industry benchmarks, operating history, and conversations with franchisees. A unit in a secondary suburban market such as Affton or Fairview Heights may benefit from lean labor and lower occupancy costs than an urban location, though results vary. That outcome is possible at well performing regional pizza concepts but is not guaranteed. The Ballwin and Creve Coeur locations left the system by July 2018 and reopened as Nanna Mamas pizza. The current system of six to eight locations in the St. Louis metropolitan area and southern Illinois gives candidates a manageable group of operators to contact.

Fortel's growth history reflects a durable regional concept rather than rapid franchise expansion. The brand began franchising in 1999 under Bob Fortel's plan for a Missouri wide chain and reached nine Missouri locations by January 2003, including seven family owned units. A new Affton flagship opened in May 2003 across the parking lot from the original location, with updated plumbing and electrical systems, a large outdoor patio, and a retail and dining complex now known as Fortel's Plaza. The November 2018 expansion added the private party room and tripled game room capacity. The franchise opportunities page describes eight successful locations. Menu changes have included fish, which became a significant Lent traffic driver in the heavily Catholic St. Louis market, along with gluten free pizza crusts, chicken tenders, and brownies. These offerings address the estimated 3 million Americans with celiac disease and a broader gluten conscious customer segment. The brand's competitive position rests on neighborhood loyalty, family ownership across three generations, and local identity. The PeerSense Loan Activity Score is 41, rated Fair, reflecting a small regional system with limited public financial disclosure and a modest unit count. The brand has continued operating through Bob's death, multiple economic cycles, and the COVID 19 restaurant crisis. Radio advertising was effective enough for the family to produce its first television commercial in 1998, while marketing has remained focused on local community connection.

The preferred Fortel's Pizza Den franchise candidate is an owner operator rather than a passive investor. The selection process calls for face to face interviews, a detailed business plan, financial documents, and personal references. Experience in food service management, retail operations, or community focused small business ownership may fit the model. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate financial stability and banking relationships. The territory focus remains Missouri and southern Illinois, especially locations in and around the St. Louis metropolitan statistical area. The franchise page describes expansion as growing the Fortel's Territory across nearby regions, potentially including suburban St. Louis corridors and Missouri and Illinois markets within driving distance of the support base in Affton. Bob Fortel's four grandchildren represent a possible next generation of family ownership. The company therefore appears positioned to remain family controlled at the corporate level while expanding through franchising. Franchisee relationships are likely to be handled directly, consistent with a smaller family owned system.

Fortel's Pizza Den offers an investment range of $63,500 to $238,800 in a pizza market projected to reach $585.0 billion globally by 2033. The brand has more than 40 years of operating history in one major American metropolitan market and a family ownership culture centered on community loyalty. Its six to eight current locations provide a smaller reference base than larger franchise systems, so buyers should speak with current and former franchisees, review the full FDD with a franchise attorney, and study the specific territory. The PeerSense Loan Activity Score of 41, rated Fair, supports careful independent research. PeerSense is a commercial capital advisory firm that introduces franchise buyers to SBA and conventional lenders; it is not a lender. Fortel's may suit buyers seeking an accessible, community rooted pizza franchise with a long regional operating history, subject to their own due diligence.