Little Caesars, a global family-owned pizza chain with stores in each of the 50 U.S. states and across 27 countries and territories, announced the signing of a 10-store restaurant agreement to expand its presence in New York City. Veteran multi-brand franchisees Suhel Ahmed and Saurabh Desai signed the deal and will develop 10 Little Caesars restaurants in the Bronx and upper Manhattan by 2026. The first opening is scheduled for late 2023.
“New York City is an iconic pizza market, and we’re eager to bring more of our high-quality, great-value products and fast, convenient ordering options to the city,” says Jeremy Vitaro, Little Caesars chief development officer. “Convenience is key in a fast-paced city like New York, and our brand’s digital-first offerings—like our Pizza Portal® pickup, the first heated, self-serve mobile order pick-up station in the quick service restaurant industry—are ideal for residents there. We’re excited to work with Suhel and Saurabh, who have extensive experience developing restaurants in New York City, to help grow our presence in the market.”
Ahmed and Desai—both New York City natives—have more than 40 years of combined restaurant experience. They also own and operate dozens of franchise locations by other global quick service restaurant chains throughout New York City.
“We know how to own and operate a multi-unit franchise business, and we know what brands work in New York City,” adds Ahmed. “We chose to franchise with Little Caesars because it has decades of experience as a global pizza chain and because of its recognized value, quality and convenience that revolutionized the pizza industry.”
In addition to its planned New York City expansion, Little Caesars is looking to grow across the Tri-State area. Little Caesars is seeking accomplished multi-unit franchisees with extensive QSR experience to help grow the brand. There are several multi-unit opportunities available with a three-store minimum agreement throughout Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, Connecticut and the five boroughs.
Little Caesars franchising investments range from $378,700 to $1,695,500 million, with incentive programs available for veterans and first responders.
