As featured in the Houston Chronicle, June 2025.
Donatos Pizza is making Houston a first stop in its expansion into Texas, the latest company to bring more pizza offerings to the city.
The Ohio-based pizza chain is eyeing between 40 and 50 locations in Houston and its surrounding area in the first wave of an wider expansion strategy throughout the state. "It will be with a number of franchise owners in the local market," said Jeff Baldwin, Donatos vice president of development.
The company has signed on two of those franchise owners with each one expected to start with three stores and grow from there. "We have lots of room for additional territories and franchise partners to enter into the market," Baldwin said. The first wave is expected to include restaurants in Missouri City, Tomball and Sugar Land and the Woodlands.
Texas Expansion
The pizza chain already has a presence in the state with locations in Flower Mound and Frisco, and in addition to Houston, plans restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Austin, Waco and East Texas. The pizza chain expects to add more than 100 restaurants to its Texas map as part of a strategy to become a “major contender in Texas’ pizza industry”, the company’s statement said.
The chain is also set to open its first fully autonomous pizza restaurant this month at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio. This robot-generated kitchen will be operated by hospitality company HMSHost International, and will deliver pizzas fast for travelers, according to the company website.
What is Donatos Pizza?
The name, which is the Latin derivative of “To give a good thing”, may be new to Texas, but the family-owned company was founded in 1963 and has since grown to 460 restaurants in 29 states.
The chain’s signature Columbus-style pizzas include its non-greasy thin crust specialties sliced into squares with toppings piled from edge to edge.The company weighs its toppings to ensure consistency. One 14-inch large pie is always going to be topped with over 100 slices of pepperoni. "Our founder Jim Grote always said, 'If someone orders pepperoni, I want to give them pepperoni' — so we want to make sure people have that," Baldwin said.
Subs, salads, wings are also on the menu. The company also provides large-scale catering and is the official pizza of several universities and athletic programs in the north, including the Ohio State Buckeyes.
About Donatos Pizza
Donatos Pizza, founded by Jim Grote in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, is a family-owned business known for its famous thin-crust pizzas with abundant toppings spread Edge to Edge®. Headquartered in Columbus, Donatos and its franchise partners operate over 175 stores. Additionally, Donatos Pizza is proudly served in nearly 300 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants. Committed to quality, community, and customer satisfaction, Donatos Pizza has received numerous awards and accolades, reflecting its dedication to excellence and innovation. For more information about Donatos Pizza and franchising opportunities, visit www.donatosfranchise.com.
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