Pizza Patron, the premier Latino pizza brand, avoided the sales downturn that plagued most of the restaurant industry during the fourth quarter of 2008. The chain saw comparable-store sales leap 3.29% among its franchised units which exceeded expectations for the final quarter of 2008.
The company attributed the success to a combination of its Latino brand focus, strong marketing, and unparalleled everyday food values.
“We worked very proactively over the past year to stabilize and lower operating costs for our franchise partners,” said Andrew Gamm, director of Brand Development for Pizza Patron. “At the same time, we were able to create a number of new value options for customers without compromising the quality of our food, or raising retail prices.”
Company officials say the brand is well-positioned for strong growth over the next couple of years despite an economic environment that shows no immediate signs of improvement. Restructured supplier contracts, new store designs with reduced construction costs, and more favorable real estate and lease trends are expected to drive expansion in 2009.