COLUMBUS, Ohio — Donatos Pizza, the Midwest pizza chain famous for its “Edge to Edge” toppings and tavern-style thin crust, announced on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, that it is officially entering the Houston market. The company has signed agreements with three separate franchise groups to develop the brand across the Greater Houston area, with the first locations expected to open in Summer 2026.
The expansion marks a significant milestone for the 60-year-old brand, which has historically concentrated its footprint in the Midwest. The move into Houston is part of a broader “Lone Star State” strategy that aims to open over 100 locations in Texas over the next several years, building on its recent entry into the Dallas-Fort Worth market.
Kevin King, CEO and President of Donatos Pizza, stated in the press release:
“As we continue to grow our presence in Texas, we’re excited to announce the first location in Houston. We are looking to add additional locations across DFW and Houston and we look forward to welcoming aspiring Texas entrepreneurs to explore our franchise opportunity.”
The “Tavern Style” Differentiator
In a Texas pizza market dominated by thick-crust delivery chains and artisanal Neapolitan concepts, Donatos is betting on its specific regional style to carve out a niche. The brand’s signature offering is Columbus-style pizza (often marketed as “tavern style”), characterized by:
- Thin, Crispy Crust: A cracker-like dough that holds its crunch.
- Party Cut: Square slices rather than traditional wedges, optimized for sharing.
- Edge to Edge® Toppings: A heavily trademarked philosophy where toppings like their heritage pepperoni (100+ slices per large pizza) cover the entire surface to eliminate “topping-less” bites.
Strategic “Tri-Pronged” Entry
Rather than relying on a single master franchisee, Donatos is entering Houston with a diversified operator base. The three franchise groups are targeting distinct sub-markets to maximize coverage:
- North Houston: Focusing on high-growth suburbs like The Woodlands and Tomball.
- Southwest Houston: Targeting the Missouri City area.
- Greater Houston: A third group is scouting locations for broader metro coverage.
This clustered approach allows the brand to build supply chain density quickly—a critical factor for maintaining dough freshness and ingredient quality in a new region.
Franchise News
Update: January 2026 Donatos isn’t the only franchise ramping up operations this year. While the pizza chain focuses on strengthening its foothold in the Texas market, Wahlburgers is taking a more unconventional route to reach hungry customers. The celebrity-backed burger brand just announced a massive expansion plan that includes food trailers at Home Depot locations and new airport outposts. For the full scoop on their non-traditional growth strategy, read our report on the Wahlburgers National Expansion.
Why It Matters
For the CPG and Foodservice industry, Donatos’ arrival in Houston illustrates the growing power of “regional pizza” as a scalable category. Just as Detroit-style pizza saw a national boom in recent years, the Midwest “tavern style” is now positioning itself as a lighter, more shareable alternative to heavy deep-dish or doughy delivery pies.
Furthermore, the brand’s potential synergy with Kroger—which carries Donatos’ frozen pizza line in many markets—offers a unique “omnichannel” advantage. If the restaurant expansion is paired with increased freezer-aisle distribution in Houston’s massive Kroger network, Donatos could achieve brand recognition significantly faster than competitors who rely solely on brick-and-mortar signage.
FAQs
When is Donatos Pizza opening in Houston?
The first Houston locations are slated to open in Summer 2026.
Where will the new Donatos locations be?
Initial development is focused on The Woodlands, Tomball, and Missouri City, with more locations planned for the greater metro area.
What is Donatos “Edge to Edge” pizza?
It refers to the brand’s topping philosophy, where ingredients like pepperoni are spread all the way to the edge of the crust, ensuring every bite has toppings and eliminating the “crust-only” leftovers.
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