Boston’s Pizza Branches Out: A hometown favorite lays roots in its namesake town. 

At Boston’s Pizza, guests enjoy the best of two environments under one roof. Not only is it a family-friendly destination with more than 80 menu items, it’s a vivacious and exciting sports bar, too. 

The restaurant’s signature item—gourmet pizza—is made from dough that is scratch-made daily, using a sauce recipe that dates back more than 40 years. Alongside the pie selections are all the traditional sports bar favorites: wings, pastas (with a gourmet twist), burgers, salads, and heavier main dishes, like ribs, salmon, and chicken. Boston’s has an emphasis on fresh, homemade food, so toppings are never frozen, and most items are primarily made in-house. Of course, there’s a wide variety of cocktails and ice-cold beer to wash it all down on game day. 

“Boston’s was established in the U.S. almost 20 years ago, but our heritage stems from Canada where over 50 years of experience has yielded the number one casual-dining brand in the country,” says Mo Boutara, vice president of development and franchise sales. This year, the chain will finally take root in its namesake city, with the first Boston location—just a stone’s throw from Fenway Park—set to open mid-year. 

With more than 400 locations across North America and annual system-wide sales exceeding $1 billion, the concept was named No. 1 Restaurant & Sports Bar on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 Best of the Best list in 2017. Boston’s serves 40 million guests annually. 

“We are aggressively seeking single and multi-unit franchisees across the U.S.,” Boutara says. 

As for what makes a good Boston’s franchisee, Boutara emphasizes that its partners love people and are committed to success. “As part of the Boston’s team, franchisees are expected to participate in their location’s day-to-day operations, adapt quickly to changes within the company and market, and maintain a strong relationship with the local community,” he says. The minimum net worth requirement is $1–2 million and minimum liquidity of $500,000 per restaurant location.

New franchisees receive considerable training and support. Before the restaurant opens, the franchisee and his or her management team participate in a six-week training program at the company’s Dallas training center. In preparation for the grand opening, facilitators spend three to four weeks at the franchisee’s restaurant to help train staff and streamline operating procedures. 

After the launch, experienced regional business managers partner with the franchisees to offer ongoing individualized training and support. “The team uses various training methods to increase knowledge around operations, functional roles within the restaurant, POS features, and management fundamentals,” Boutara says. 

Franchisees also receive support on an individual and regional level in the form of highly targeted print and broadcast advertising, media buying, public relations, and promotions. Field marketing managers support the franchisees with all marketing initiatives and help implement localized programs.

Boston Pizza’s motto is “We’ll make you a fan.” For those interested in a fun, upbeat concept with wide brand recognition and ongoing franchisee support, this beloved sports bar and pizza joint may be right up your alley.