Rosati's Pizza

Buying a franchise requires substantial capital and carries the risk of choosing an unproven concept. The American retail pizza market is valued at $40 billion and represents nearly 10% of U.S. foodservice sales. Rosati's Pizza is an American casual dining chain focused on Chicago style pizza. Its history began in 1895, when Ferdinand Rosati, an Italian immigrant from Naples, opened a fine dining Italian restaurant and pizzeria on Coney Island, New York. After moving to Chicago in 1906, he opened another Italian restaurant on Taylor Street and began serving Italian Style Pizza as an appetizer. Ferdinand's sons, Dick, Ron, and Al Rosati, founded the Rosati's Pizza brand in 1964 when they opened the first pizzeria in Mount Prospect, an Illinois suburb. The company is headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois, and remains privately held and family owned. All 10 board members are Rosati family members, supporting a five generation operating history. Rosati's began franchising in 1978, although some sources cite 1979. The system is registered in all 50 states. Current reported operations include 83 total units, all franchised and none company owned. Other reports have cited over 130 locations nationwide, 134 franchised locations in the USA as of 2020 FDD data, 126 US franchises based on 2024 FDD information, and more than 200 locations throughout the United States, reflecting different reporting periods and formats. The brand serves communities across the country with Chicago style pizza and an Italian menu rooted in family recipes.

The United States pizza restaurant market is valued at $40 billion and accounts for nearly 10% of total foodservice sales. Surveys indicate that 90% of Americans enjoy pizza. The quick service restaurant franchise sector was projected to grow by 2.2% in 2024. Consumers continue to look for fresh toppings, flavorful cheese, rich sauce, and a crust with good taste and texture. Rosati's addresses those preferences with original family recipes and nearly 100 proprietary ingredients. Convenience, variety, and reasonable pricing also influence purchasing decisions. Online food delivery was projected to reach $500 billion globally by 2028. About half of sales for major pizza chains come through digital channels, and consumers spend about 18% more on online orders. The industry is testing delivery drones and robots, automated pizza making machines, smart ovens with IoT technology, and artificial intelligence tools for customer recommendations. Contactless payments and pickup lockers also became more common during the COVID 19 pandemic. In 1995, Rosati's was recognized as the fourth largest pizza chain in the Chicago area, behind Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Little Caesars.

The initial franchise fee is $35,000. Each additional unit for a multi unit operator carries a $17,500 franchise fee. Reported total initial investment ranges from $147,000 to $1.49 million. The 2025 FDD lists total investment of $312,000 to $1,485,000, while the 2024 FDD lists $147,200 to $500,500. The lower end is below the pizza sub sector averages of $380,153 to $837,259. Costs vary between a carry out and delivery location and a full service Rosati's Family Sports Pizza Pub. The pub format generally requires more construction, leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and opening funds. The 2025 FDD lists lease deposits and the first three months of rent at $10,000 to $40,000, leasehold improvements at $100,000 to $600,000, and furniture, fixtures, and equipment at $100,000 to $500,000. Signage costs $5,000 to $25,000, opening inventory and supplies cost $10,000 to $30,000, training costs $5,000 to $30,000, miscellaneous opening costs range from $10,000 to $30,000, additional funds for 12 months range from $15,000 to $150,000, and computer hardware and software cost $22,000 to $35,000. Prospective franchisees are expected to have $150,000 in liquid capital and a minimum net worth of $400,000. Some sources cite ideal liquidity of $150,000 to $200,000 and net worth as low as $250,000. Cooperative advertising and a National Ad Fund are also offered. The monthly Tech Fee is $99. Rosati's connects franchisees with third party financing providers and opportunities for SBA financing. Veterans may receive $10,000 off the initial franchise fee, while some sources cite a 25% discount.

Rosati's offers carry out and delivery locations as well as Rosati's Family Sports Pizza Pubs. A typical carry out location requires 5 to 10 employees. The Sports Pub seats approximately 120 customers and requires 10 to 15 employees at opening and 20 to 24 employees during steady operations. The brand looks for hands on owners who enjoy food, especially pizza, meeting customers, and building relationships. Training includes 292 hours of on the job instruction and 8 hours of classroom instruction at a certified training store. Materials and onsite instruction from operations team members are included, with onsite operations and marketing training generally lasting two to four weeks. Support covers market analysis, site approval, trade area demographics, population density, household income, and competition. Rosati's often favors strip shopping centers for visibility, curb appeal, and access. A national real estate brokerage network assists with site selection, and the company provides lease negotiation support based on more than 35 years of experience as both a landlord and tenant. Construction support and recruiting assistance through Career Plug are available. Ongoing help includes operations, marketing, customer service, and store design. Franchisee Marie Jacobs has described receiving support and compassion from the corporate office with daily operations and marketing. Rosati's seeks multi unit franchisees and offers territory development opportunities. Passive and semi passive ownership options are also available.

The figures from $807,000 to $1,241,865 may reflect differences between carry out and delivery locations and the larger Rosati's Family Sports Pizza Pubs. The pubs seat approximately 120 customers and offer a full bar with sports, beer, wine, and liquor, along with the complete Italian menu. Rosati's Loan Activity Score is 54, categorized as Moderate.

Reported unit counts vary by period. Historical figures show growth from 102 franchisee outlets in 2013 to 134 in 2019. In 2016, Rosati's reported 195 U.S. units and a 2.6% year over year unit change. Other reports cite over 130 locations nationwide, 126 US franchises based on 2024 FDD information, approaching 200 locations throughout the United States, and more than 200 locations across the United States. More than a third of those locations were reported in Illinois. The company seeks multi unit franchisees and offers territory development opportunities. Its Rosati's Pizza Sports Pub concept added a full service, sit down format. Rosati's ranked number 21 on Pizza Today's top 100 pizzerias list in 2018 and entered the top twenty of Pizza Today's America's 100 Largest Pizza Chains in 2019 because of increased sales. Entrepreneur Magazine has repeatedly included the brand on its Top 500 list, and Franchise Times has included it on its Top 300 list. Rosati's differentiates itself through its history since 1895, family ownership, original recipes, nearly 100 proprietary ingredients, and Chicago style pizza. The brand has a loyal Midwest customer base. It is affiliated with the International Franchise Association, Small Business Association, National Restaurant Association, The Pizza Industry Council, Social Council for NRA, and VetFran.

Rosati's looks for candidates with business, sales, management, or marketing experience, sound personal finances, motivation, and a record of success. Preferred traits include independence, persistence, outgoing communication, confidence, results focused work, leadership, teamwork, and hands on ownership. A genuine interest in food, especially pizza, is also expected. The company actively seeks multi unit franchisees. Rosati's is registered in all 50 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The brand has a strong Midwest presence, with 92 locations in that region out of 134 in 2020 and more than a third of its 200 plus locations in Illinois. Territory development may be available in other markets. The franchise agreement lasts 10 years. The opening timeline is not specified, but training and operational support guide the setup process. Passive and semi passive ownership options can accommodate investors who do not want daily involvement.

Rosati's operates in the $40 billion pizza industry and offers formats ranging from carry out and delivery locations to full service Rosati's Family Sports Pizza Pubs. The brand's history since 1895, family recipes, nearly 100 proprietary ingredients, and Chicago style menu support its identity. The quick service restaurant franchise sector was projected to grow by 2.2% in 2024, while consumer demand continues to favor convenience, quality, and digital ordering. Training, ongoing support, and multi unit development options are available to qualified franchisees. PeerSense provides due diligence information that includes SBA lending history, a Loan Activity Score of 54 categorized as Moderate, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and side by side comparison tools.