Your Pie

Although Your Pie claims to have launched the fast-casual pizza category 10 years ago, its growth hasn't accelerated nearly as quickly as front-runners Blaze Pizza and MOD Pizza. Both landed among the top five fastest-growing brands on Restaurant Business' 2015 Future 50 list, at Nos. 2 and 5, respectively. And both have since moved into the top 200 in Technomic's Top 500 chains ranking.

With Blaze and MOD leading the way in same-store sales growth and hundreds of locations each, the market for quick-fired personal pizzas continues strong. In 2018, Your Pie added 18 units for a total of 65 and grew sales 49%. In addition to build-your-own pizzas, the concept differentiates its menu with a Craft Series of pies, featuring five seasonally focused pizzas each year. While the original Your Pie was inspired by the authentic pizzas founder Drew French experienced in Italy, the Craft Series includes less classic combos such as the Chicken & Waffle Pie, Peach Prosciutto Pie and Double Bacon BLT Pie. All are made with hand-tossed dough and baked in an 800-degree brick oven.

Giving back to the community is key to Your Pie's mission, and franchisees support schools, charities and other local causes. The concept also promotes its multigenerational management team: Founder and President French is a millennial, while CEO Bucky Cook is an industry veteran.