Ohio pizza franchise plans 10 Midlands locations

Columbus, Ohio-based Donatos pizza has announced expansion plans for South Carolina that includes as many as 10 restaurants in the Midlands over the next few years.

After successfully opening South Carolina’s first restaurant in Summerville this July, the company has now turned its sights to the Midlands. In addition to the Summerville location (and the three other restaurants planned to open in Charleston over the next few years), Donatos currently has over 150 locations nationwide, but only four on the east coast – two in Virginia and two in North Carolina.

While no specific locations have been announced for the Columbia area, the franchise is looking for local franchise owners to open up to 10 locations across the Midlands, according to Tom Pendrey , COO of Donatos.

The company is most known for its trademark “Edge-to-Edge" pizza, which features toppings loaded from one edge of the pie to the other on a bed of aged provolone cheese. The Donatos menu also features 25 fresh, hand-cut, locally sourced toppings for customizable and signature pizzas.

Donatos Pizza was founded in 1963 by 19-year-old Jim Grote. In 1999, McDonald’s purchased the chain, by then considered a gold standard in the pizza delivery. But in 2003, when the company later decided to refocus on burgers, Jim and his daughter, Jane, bought back Donatos.