Pizza Patron Unveiled for National Launch

On Oct. 16, 2002 Antonio Swad unveiled his new Restaurant concept for national expansion through Franchise distribution with the opening of his fourth company-owned Pizza Patron located at 2930 S. 1st Street in Garland, Texas.

Swad, founder of Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. -- ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the thirty fastest-growing Franchises in the nation last year -- says that Pizza Patron was developed to fill a unique niche. The brand features festive and fun carryout-only pizza stores that are community-based in Spanish-speaking or predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods.

"We're the first to truly develop a Hispanic brand in the pizza segment," said Swad. "I opened the first stores 17 years ago, and, due to the current surge in Hispanic growth and an economy-driven return to value consciousness, decided now is the right time to take the concept national."

The menu is value oriented, offering high quality, freshly prepared pizzas at very low price points. All pizza dough is made fresh throughout the evening; no preservatives are added or needed. The sauce is prepared fresh in the stores, as well, from crushed Roma tomatoes. Only 100% mzzarella is used. Whole and half pizzas are offered at prices as low as $4.99 for a large pizza with cheese and one topping and $3.49 for the same half pizza. A large deluxe pizza with everything is only $6.99.

"Although fresh, higher quality ingredients mean higher food costs, we're able to keep our customer prices low and our owner/operator profits high with a very efficient operating system, low overhead, no delivery service, and virtually no couponing or discounting," said Swad.

Store operating hours are from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 4:00 to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, designed for home meal replacement at dinnertime and also to be owner/operator friendly.