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Top 100: Restaurants - Pie Five Pizza Company

Pie Five Pizza Company is number 13 of the 2014 Top 100: Restaurants - Movers & Shakers.

March 2, 2015

Pie Five Pizza Company is number 13 of the 2014 Top 100: Restaurants - Movers & Shakers.

While pizza as a fast casual concept is still new, the team behind Pie Five seems to have worked out a winning strategy. CEO Randy Gier, who is also CEO of parent company Pizza Inn, runs the 3-year-old chain and has grown it to 19 units with plans to develop 150 over the next five years. To hit that number, Gier knows he has to help create a demand for the product, which is why the chain recently launched its first TV campaign, starring a couple of Dallas sports stars.

The spots, which included hockey legend Mike Modano and Texas pitcher Derek Holland chatting about their favorite Pie Five creations, ran this spring during prime time on AMC, Comedy Central, Fox Sports Southwest, Discovery, FX, TBS and TNT. “All of us at Pie Five are big fans of both local stars, and we were happy to know they’re fans of our pizza, too,” Gier said.

Although the publicly traded company is looking to expand quickly, Gier is a stickler when it comes to franchisee selection. “We are very discriminating in selection of franchisees — only those with significant capital and successful restaurant operating backgrounds,” he said.