Little Caesers Pizza

About Little Caesers Pizza

American multi-national pizza chain founded in Detroit in 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch which has grown to the third largest in the world. The first Little Caesar's franchise location opened in 1962, and its first overseas location followed in 1969. It franchises pizza restaurants in the US and 26 other countries across Asia, the Middle East, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is now focusing its expansion on Europe, with new director of international development, Sascha Stokic, saying: “We see big opportunities in the European market, we are always open to new countries if we find a great candidate. In both new and established markets, now is a great time to invest in the Little Caesars Pizza brand. Our simple, yet powerful business model focused on selling high-quality pizzas at an affordable price resonates with consumers in every market.”

In December 2022, Little Caesers marked its UK return by opening a store in Derby. “As we continue to expand around the world, we are thrilled to bring Little Caesars Pizza and our globally recognised value, quality and convenience to the UK,” said chief operating officer Paula Vissing. “The UK is an important new market for us given how influential it is. We expect to open several new sites in this market over the next few years.”

A second UK Little Caesers site opened in January 2024, in Nottingham, followed by its London debut, in March 2024, in Greenford. The following month, Carlos Vidal, vice-president of international development at Little Caesars, told Propel it is seeking multi-store operators “with a vision to develop about 20 stores in a five to six-year term”.

He added: “Since we opened our first store in Derby, we’ve noticed a steady flow of sales. Given the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, there is a distinct appetite for a value-first offering which doesn't compromise on quality or fresh ingredients, and trading has reflected this.

“We left the UK more than 20 years ago as we wanted to focus on our internal structure and offering in North America. In the time since we were last here, we've developed our signature Hot-N-Ready model that allows customers to walk in and out in 30 seconds or less with an affordable pizza that is as fresh as it is delicious.”

By April 2026, only the London store remained open, but Mike Therrian, global director for international development, told Propel Little Caesars Pizza “remains confident in the UK as a strong, long-term opportunity” and is “actively evaluating how we expand our presence in the market”.

He said: “As with any market (re)entry, we’re taking a measured and test-and-learn approach to expansion in the UK. The closures relate to early-stage locations where, together with our franchisee, we’ve been evaluating site performance, local dynamics and long-term viability. In some cases, that has meant making the decision to exit specific sites while we refine our approach. Our London location continues to operate, and it remains an important part of our efforts to better understand customer preferences, operational models, and positioning within the UK market.

“We remain confident in the UK as a strong, long-term opportunity and are actively evaluating how we expand our presence in the market. While we don’t have specific locations to announce currently, our focus goes beyond sites. We are actively seeking passionate, growth-minded franchise partners to join us in building the brand across the UK. The market remains a priority for us, and we’re excited about the opportunity ahead.”

Why franchise with Little Caesers Pizza

• ✓Having specifically “put an emphasis on England” for its European expansion pre-pandemic, the UK is one of the new markets Little Caesers has targeted for opening its first restaurant in this year. The company says a convenience-driven and value-focused business model, coupled with its family-oriented approach and international support network, makes Little Caesars Pizza “an attractive franchise opportunity for experienced entrepreneurs who are interested in joining the booming global pizza industry”.
• ✓It has ambitious plans to continue expanding around the world and is actively seeking qualified franchisees, with ideal candidates having an in-depth understanding of their local market and possessing the drive to build 20-plus stores in a five-year span.
• ✓“In 2021, the strategy was about entering and capitalising on new markets in a disciplined way,” said Jeremy Vitaro, who joined the brand as the chief development officer in 2021. “As we continue to build out our development team with international experts like Sascha, winning is all about our ability to systematically open locations in new markets and work with great franchisees. 2021 was an incredibly exciting time as we continued to develop a strong track record in international markets around the world. Every new international market we enter is a huge milestone for the Little Caesars Pizza brand. Now, in 2022, we are confident there are even more opportunities for growth.”
• ✓Claiming it has a “60-year legacy of helping franchisees thrive and a path towards an even brighter future of strong growth”, Little Caesars says it offers world class support and makes significant investments in new technology to help the business stay relevant with customers. With a business model that emphasises simplicity and efficiency, it is a transaction based QSR concept that can be scaled quickly, requiring low square footage, limited numbers of employees and featuring take-away service, all designed to help keep operating costs low.
• ✓A Little Caesars international development agreement requires new franchisees to build and operate a minimum number of restaurants in a particular area within a specific timeframe, and to have a substantial net worth and readily available funds. It generally requires a minimum $2m in net worth, although this may vary depending on the number of stores to be developed. These are minimum requirements and do not represent the total potential costs to open and operate one or more restaurant units.
• ✓Potential franchisees must also have experience in owning and operating a multi-unit restaurant business; access to highly preferred real estate; the organisational structure to support and own and operate a network of stores; and a long-term strategic vision for developing the brand. The average return on investment globally is three-five years.