In popular culture, the specter of midlife crisis often looms large at 40.
But not for Marco’s Pizza. The chain, which turns 40 this year, is on the fast track to restaurant franchise superstardom.
In 2016, the Toledo-based pizza chain had 17.1 percent growth. In 2017, it had locations in 35 states as well as India, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. In April of this year, it opened its 900th store in Puerto Rico, and at present it is on target to have 1,500 locations open by 2020.
A new Marco’s store opens every three days.
As the company rings in 40, there is plenty of cause for celebration. On Tuesday, it did with a party at the Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion recognizing Marco’s Pizza’s long history and bright future.
WATCH: Marco’s pizza celebrates 40 years in business
At the event, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz presented Pasquale “Pat” Giammarco, the founder of Marco’s Pizza, with a key to the city, honoring his contributions to Toledo in the 40 years since the restaurant’s first location opened in Oregon.
Mr. Giammarco, a native Italian, immigrated to the United States at age 9. His family settled in the Detroit area, where his father opened an Italian restaurant.
“I made pizzas with him,” Mr. Giammarco said.
Many years later, he was driving through Toledo when the thought occurred to him to bring an authentic Italian pizzeria to northwest Ohio.
“The area needed a real, quality pizza made from good ingredients,” he said. “We opened up and people lined up out the doors.”
In 2002, when now-owner and CEO Jack Butorac came on board as a consultant, Marco’s had 126 stores across three states. It was the 26th-largest pizza chain in the United States — not exactly a coveted title.
But Mr. Butorac was blown away by the Marco’s Pizza product, and saw huge potential for the regional chain.
It all started when, on the job in December, 2002, he tried the same product from five different Marco’s stores, all on the same day. It was exactly the same in each location.
“Pat Giammarco had accomplished the most difficult thing to do in the food service business, which was to make products consistent from location to location,” he said.
Mr. Butorac spent his career working in restaurant development, and knew what to look for. As he reached the last of his five stops, the Marco’s on Monroe Street in Toledo, he had an idea.
“This vision came into my mind,” he said. “How do I get to meet Pat Giammarco to tell him he’s got a national brand but doesn’t know it?”
As it happens, the two men met that very night. Mr. Butorac told Mr. Giammarco his plan: go national, and become the fourth-largest pizza chain in the country.
They took a year and a half to discuss, and in 2004 Mr. Butorac became CEO and bought the brand.
In the years since, Marco’s has enjoyed a meteoric rise. It is now the seventh-largest pizza chain in the country, and Mr. Butorac predicted that within 18 months it’ll be the fifth-largest. His dream of number four is closer than ever.
In 2017, Marco’s was ranked by consumers as America’s Favorite Pizza Chain, according to a customer survey from Market Force Information, and was also No. 2 on Forbes magazine’s list of Top 10 Franchises to Invest In.
The same year, Mr. Butorac was awarded a Golden Chain Award by industry publication Nation’s Restaurant News. The award is the restaurant industry’s highest honor.
“Jack took it to the next level,” Mr. Giammarco said.
As far as Mr. Butorac is concerned, the chain’s success boils down to the original, authentic product, which features good ingredients and fresh dough made daily.
“I’m adamant that what Pat Giammarco created we’re going to continue to do,” he said.
Contact Eve Sneider at esneider@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.
First Published July 25, 2018, 12:22 a.m.