Marco's Pizza

Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco, an Italian immigrant from Sulmona, Italy, founded the company on February 18, 1978, after arriving in the United States at age nine. He began franchising in 1979. Growth accelerated in 2004 after Jack Butorac purchased the franchise rights and became CEO. The company is headquartered at 5252 Monroe Street in Toledo, Ohio, and has approximately 1,159 franchised and 45 company owned locations across 35 states, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Mexico. FRANdata gives Marco's the highest FUND Score among QSR concepts and ranks it first in the pizza category. A new CFO, CMO, and VP of Franchise Growth support a plan for more than 80 new stores in 2026.

Marco's competes through preparation methods that differ from many QSR pizza brands. Each store makes dough from scratch every day with premium flour and precise water to air temperature ratios. The sauce follows the founder's original family recipe, using imported herbs and spices that have remained unchanged for more than 45 years. Its proprietary three cheese blend uses fresh, never frozen cheese. Marco's has received Technomic's designation as America's Favorite Restaurant in the Limited Service Pizza category and Newsweek's Reader's Choice Best Pizza Chain award. The brand is positioned for consumers seeking higher quality than commodity pizza delivery while retaining competitive pricing and quick service.

The initial franchise fee is $25,000. The Franchise Disclosure Document reports a total initial investment of $286,727 to $807,152, with differences tied mainly to real estate conditions, build out complexity, and the selected format. Financial qualifications include $125,000 to $150,000 in liquid capital and $400,000 to $450,000 in net worth. The agreement lasts 10 years and includes two additional 10 year renewal terms, creating a potential 30 year operating horizon. Qualified multi unit operators may receive early stage royalty incentives starting at zero percent through the Franchise Development Royalty Incentive Program if they meet a defined store opening schedule. Fee discounts are available to qualified first responders, U.S. veterans, and key management employees. Marco's does not provide direct financing. PeerSense offers SBA lending data that shows how federal lending programs have historically evaluated Marco's applications.

Marco's combines scratch made food preparation with QSR speed. Daily work includes making dough, hand slicing toppings, and preparing the proprietary sauce and cheese blend. Internal competitions have produced pizza assembly times below 40 seconds, while pickup orders have a reputation for fulfillment in approximately 10 minutes. The Marco's Order Management System, or MOMS, forecasts sales, schedules dough preparation, and predicts staffing needs across more than 1,200 locations. Cloud based point of sale systems and app based ordering are standard. Training totals approximately 363 hours over eight weeks, including 16.8 hours of e learning, 40 hours of remote and virtual instruction, 40 hours of classroom training at Marco's University in Toledo, Ohio, and 266 hours of on the job training at a certified store. Franchisees or Designated Franchise Operators must finish the program before opening. If the franchisee will not manage daily operations, two designated trainees must complete the program and become certified operators. Marco's University Online provides continuing mobile accessible training, and DeVry University offers team members a 15 percent tuition discount, waived admission fees, and potential college credit.

Nearly two thirds of franchise agreements signed in 2024 came from existing operators.

Marco's opened more than 60 stores in 2025, including 41 during the first half of the year, and targets more than 80 new locations in 2026. Domestic growth includes New Jersey and development agreements for New Mexico. International development continues across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin American regions. Ghost kitchens and other nontraditional formats are part of the expansion plan, including in urban areas where traditional real estate may cost more. The brand's advantages include its Italian heritage and family recipes, FRANdata's highest QSR FUND Score, and an AVA Digital Gold Level Award winning ordering platform. An Operations Center of Excellence in development is intended to improve training, operational consistency, and performance measurement. Chef Kathleen Kennedy leads culinary innovation, while Marco's explores AI powered ordering and develops a next generation loyalty program.

A suitable franchisee brings business judgment and management ability, with interest in operational involvement and multi unit development. Pizza or food service experience can help but is not required because of the 363 hour training program. Financial qualifications are $125,000 to $150,000 in liquid capital and $400,000 to $450,000 in net worth. Qualified multi unit developers may also use the Franchise Development Royalty Incentive Program, which offers starting royalties at zero percent under its requirements. The agreement provides a 10 year term with two 10 year renewal options, and the designated Area of Responsibility offers territory protection during the term. Development opportunities span 35 states and international territories, with emphasis on cluster development for operating efficiency and marketing reach. Discounts for key management employees support the development of operators familiar with Marco's standards and culture.

Its multi unit incentive program may appeal to both new operators and experienced developers. Buyers can review the full Marco's Pizza franchise profile on PeerSense when assessing the opportunity.