East of Chicago Pizza^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2025

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What Is East of Chicago Pizza?

East of Chicago Pizza is a restaurant franchise that features pizzas, baked subs, salads, and other menu items. New stores are primarily a carry-out/delivery-only model, while some units operate as dine-in/carry-out/delivery restaurants (some with buffets); restaurants can serve primarily residential areas, primarily commercial areas, and destination locations. Some dine-in restaurants sell beer and wine, subject to obtaining applicable licenses.

East of Chicago Pizza Franchise: Pros and Cons

An unusually low initial franchise fee range of $0 to $20,000 gives owners more cash for build-out and launch compared with typical Food & Beverage franchises, but the required 7% manager equity-well above the industry norm-forces a sizable personal capital commitment and increases operator financial exposure.

Pros

Initial franchise fee range tops out at $20,000 with a $0 low end - both figures are well below what's common in Food & Beverage, leaving you with more cash on hand for build-out and launch.

Franchise Stability Score is 75/100 (above typical for the industry) - stronger-than-average franchisee retention that supports steadier peer performance and less churn-related disruption.

No franchisee-initiated judgments, settlements, government penalties, non-renewals, terminations, or reacquisitions - all figures are well below typical for Food & Beverage, indicating a clean legal/regulatory record and fewer system disputes.

Cons

Manager-required equity is 7% - well above what's common in Food & Beverage - which increases the personal cash the manager must commit to the business.

Mandatory ongoing training is not required (an unusual absence - 91.9% of Food & Beverage franchisors require this), so you'll carry more of the training and quality-control burden yourself.

Franchisees do not have the right to relocate (an unusual absence - 90.8% of Food & Beverage franchises allow relocation), which limits operational flexibility and reduces exit/adjustment options.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

79/100

NORMAL

East of Chicago Pizza sued a former franchisee for closing the franchised location and operating competitively using confidential information; the case was resolved by settlement on April 10, 2023 requiring menu changes and limiting signage, without admission of liability. Advice: review post-termination confidentiality and non-compete terms, Item 12 territory protections, and request prior settlement/enforcement records.

Territory Protection

48/100

NORMAL

East of Chicago Pizza grants a protected, non-exclusive, site-specific territory-typically a 1–4 mile radius (2-mile default) with limited-access venue exceptions. Territorial rights are contingent on meeting performance quotas; franchisor retains the right to develop additional units in the surrounding market (no ROFR) and to sell via e-commerce/alternative channels, while relocations and out-of-territory delivery/catering require franchisor approval.

Training & Support

51/100

NORMAL

East of Chicago Pizza provides a focused 42-hour training curriculum designed to prepare two staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness; travel, lodging, and living expenses are the responsibility of the franchisee, and on-site support is provided for an additional fee.

Franchisee Stability

75/100

Good

East of Chicago Pizza earns a Good Stability Score. Three-year turnover of 3.26% falls below the typical Food & Beverage franchise (around 6%) and places the system toward the lower end of the sector; among roughly 271 industry peers this represents relatively modest churn. Out of 6 total exits across the three reported years, ceased operations dominated with 6, alongside no terminations, no non-renewals, and no franchisor buybacks; this activity occurred in a system with about 63 franchised outlets in the most recent year.

The concentration of ceased operations suggests location-level economics were the main driver: individual locations underperformed or operators elected to close, not necessarily signaling franchisor-franchisee friction. For prospective franchisees, examine unit-level economics in the geographies where closures have concentrated, and request recent unit-level P&Ls, sales trend data, and explanations the franchisor can provide about the reasons for those closures.

Unit Growth Analysis

East of Chicago Pizza added one net unit since 2022 (roughly 1.5% annual growth to 66 locations). This slow, steady pace means the concept has some local proof but isn’t scaling fast-you're buying a stable, owner-operated business with likely available territories rather than a breakout opportunity, so plan for limited corporate expansion support and focus on running a tight, locally driven store.

How Much Do East of Chicago Pizza Franchise Owners Make?

East of Chicago Pizza franchise locations reported average gross sales of $674,729 and median gross sales of $686,132 in 2025, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$674,729

Median Gross Sales:

$686,132

High Gross Sales:

$1,364,943

Low Gross Sales:

$176,336

Sample Size:

Percent Attaining Average:

52.0%

Audit Status:

Unaudited

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: The dataset covers 63 outlets in 2024: 62 franchised and 1 company-owned. The single company-owned outlet reported average (and median) annual sales of $843,989, which is materially higher than the franchised average of $671,999 and franchised median of $681,612. Because the “company” column represents one store, its figures should be treated as a single-data-point comparison rather than a representative corporate average.

Performance Variability Analysis: There is wide variability across outlets. For all stores the average annual sales were $674,729 and the median $686,132 (median slightly above mean), indicating the mean is modestly pulled down by lower outliers. The highest store sold $1,364,943 and the lowest $176,336 (range = $1,188,607). The top 20% (13 stores) averaged $1,016,218 while the bottom 20% (13 stores) averaged $333,443. 33 of 63 stores (52%) were above the overall average. This distribution and the large high–low spread imply material dispersion in unit-level performance; top-quartile/top-20% stores outperform typical stores by a large margin.

Data Scope and Limitations: Table 1 is a historical representation of 2024 sales for outlets open the entire year (63 outlets); it excludes four outlets temporarily closed for part of 2024. The FDD states this is not a projection and that individual results may differ; written substantiation is available on request. The Item 19 disclosure does not provide COGS, net income, or audited financial statements in the shown pages, so margins and profitability metrics cannot be calculated from the provided data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is East of Chicago Pizza a good franchise to own?

Whether East of Chicago Pizza is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2025 FDD: East of Chicago Pizza operates 66 locations, received a legal risk score of 79/100, a training and support score of 51/100. Financial performance data is disclosed in Item 19. Prospective franchisees should review the full Franchise Disclosure Document and consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decision.

How long does it take to break even with an East of Chicago Pizza franchise?

Break-even timelines for East of Chicago Pizza franchises are not disclosed in the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. Break-even periods vary significantly based on initial investment level, local market conditions, operating costs, and revenue ramp-up speed. Prospective franchisees should build a pro forma financial model using Item 7 cost estimates and, where available, Item 19 financial performance data from the FDD.

Is East of Chicago Pizza a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2025 FDD, East of Chicago Pizza operates 66 franchised locations and 2 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

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