Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Restaurants |
Founded | July 20, 1995Kingston, Ontario [1] | in
Founder | John Sotiriadis and Nelson Lang |
Headquarters | Kingston, Ontario , Canada |
Key people | Parent Company: Foodtastic (September 2021 – present) |
Parent | Foodtastic |
Website |
pitapit |
Pita Pit is a Canadian quick-service restaurant franchise serving pita sandwiches with fresh vegetables, grilled meat and sauces. [2] Its Canadian and global headquarters are in Kingston, Ontario. [3] Its United States headquarters are in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. [4] As of September 2021, it is owned by Foodtastic.
The first shop was opened by Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis in 1995 near Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. [5] [2] The restaurant was located near the college and aimed at students in the hopes it would be "recession-proof". [6] The store stayed open until late, providing a healthier and fresher late night food option to conventional fast food. [2]
In 1997, Pita Pit started to expand within Canada, and in 1999 they began franchising in the United States. [5] [2]
The first Pita Pit location outside Canada and the United States opened in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2007. The business was set up by Chris Henderson, a New Zealander returning from Canada, and Duane Dalton, the husband of netballer Tania Dalton. [7] [2]
By 2011, Pita Pit had expanded to 350 stores in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Panama, South Korea and Brazil. [2]
By 2020, it had over 500 locations in India, France, Brazil, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Ireland and Sweden. [5]
On September 1, 2021, it was announced that Québécois restaurant franchiser Foodtastic had acquired Pita Pit.[ citation needed]
Pita Pit New Zealand has 85 stores around New Zealand, including 26 in Auckland. [8] This down from about 90 stores in 2020 and more than 100 stores in 2017, [9] [10] but still more than the 65 it had in 2014, [11] and 18 it had in 2011. [2]
The business also has nine stores from Australia, [12] down from 14 in 2017. [10]
The company is based in Takapuna, Auckland where it opened its first store in 2007. [13]
Pita Pit New Zealand started actively seeking franchises in 2011, [2] and by 2017 the vast majority of stores were franchisees. [10]
The chain introduced a diabetes-friendly menu in 2016, [14] and introduced a fillings limit in 2019. [15] It started to trial virtual kitchens in 2020, after many of its stores were unable to open during the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Restaurants |
Founded | July 20, 1995Kingston, Ontario [1] | in
Founder | John Sotiriadis and Nelson Lang |
Headquarters | Kingston, Ontario , Canada |
Key people | Parent Company: Foodtastic (September 2021 – present) |
Parent | Foodtastic |
Website |
pitapit |
Pita Pit is a Canadian quick-service restaurant franchise serving pita sandwiches with fresh vegetables, grilled meat and sauces. [2] Its Canadian and global headquarters are in Kingston, Ontario. [3] Its United States headquarters are in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. [4] As of September 2021, it is owned by Foodtastic.
The first shop was opened by Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis in 1995 near Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. [5] [2] The restaurant was located near the college and aimed at students in the hopes it would be "recession-proof". [6] The store stayed open until late, providing a healthier and fresher late night food option to conventional fast food. [2]
In 1997, Pita Pit started to expand within Canada, and in 1999 they began franchising in the United States. [5] [2]
The first Pita Pit location outside Canada and the United States opened in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2007. The business was set up by Chris Henderson, a New Zealander returning from Canada, and Duane Dalton, the husband of netballer Tania Dalton. [7] [2]
By 2011, Pita Pit had expanded to 350 stores in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Panama, South Korea and Brazil. [2]
By 2020, it had over 500 locations in India, France, Brazil, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Ireland and Sweden. [5]
On September 1, 2021, it was announced that Québécois restaurant franchiser Foodtastic had acquired Pita Pit.[ citation needed]
Pita Pit New Zealand has 85 stores around New Zealand, including 26 in Auckland. [8] This down from about 90 stores in 2020 and more than 100 stores in 2017, [9] [10] but still more than the 65 it had in 2014, [11] and 18 it had in 2011. [2]
The business also has nine stores from Australia, [12] down from 14 in 2017. [10]
The company is based in Takapuna, Auckland where it opened its first store in 2007. [13]
Pita Pit New Zealand started actively seeking franchises in 2011, [2] and by 2017 the vast majority of stores were franchisees. [10]
The chain introduced a diabetes-friendly menu in 2016, [14] and introduced a fillings limit in 2019. [15] It started to trial virtual kitchens in 2020, after many of its stores were unable to open during the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]