Blaze Pizza vs. 1000 Degrees vs. Your Pie: Which Investment is Right For Me?

What is the difference between a Blaze Pizza franchise, a 1000 Degrees pizza franchise, and Your Pie Pizza? Learn the pros and cons and see which one is right for you.

Blaze Pizza

Blaze Pizza was founded and began franchising in 2012 by Rick and Elise Wetzel, the cofounders of Wetzel’s Pretzels who decided to parlay their experience with the snack-food chain and observation of growing interest in assembly-line style fast casual dining into the pizza realm. The franchise started with two locations in Southern California and has since grown to over 300 locations nationwide.

Blaze closely models itself after Chipotle, opting for unprocessed ingredients, upscale beverage offerings, and unique in-store design elements. They even install a second make line in every kitchen, just as Chipotle has done. Like 1000 Degrees and Your Pie, Blaze Pizza focuses on a sense of authenticity prepared and delivered quickly for customers to enjoy. Unlike the other two, the cost of investing in a Blaze Pizza franchise is significantly higher. With an initial total investment ranging between $565,400 and $1,101,500, Blaze also requires investors to possess a liquid capital of at least $250,000 making this a prohibitive option for many prospective owners.

Blaze Pizza is a growth-focused model, which may be ideal for some investors. However, for entrepreneurs seeking a franchise opportunity that presents both a promising investment and a concept based in history and authenticity, Blaze may not be the right fit. Blaze Pizza is more closely modeled after Chipotle restaurants as opposed to a modern take on the authentic pizzerias of Italy.

1000 Degrees

1000 Degrees Pizza was founded and began franchising in New Jersey two years after Blaze, in 2014. The franchise serves up Neapolitan and Roman style pizzas in 30 locations across 22 states. They use custom Neapolitan brick ovens, cooking pizzas at 1000 degrees in under 2 minutes.

The youngest and smallest franchise in this group, 1000 Degrees requires net worth and liquid cash availability of its prospective franchisees, $300,000-$1,000,000 and $200,000-$400,000 respectively. The initial total investment to open a 1000 Degrees pizza franchise will run between $220,650 and $784,250. The franchise provides significantly less training than the other two, but does offer absentee ownership, which may be appealing to investors seeking a less hands-on model.

Due to its relative youth, 1000 Degrees has stepped into a market already steeped in robust competition. As such, location and site selection may be crucial to the success of each store. The growth of the 1000 Degrees brand will depend on its ability to adapt to the market and differentiate itself from its more established, unique competitors.

Your Pie

Your Pie was founded in Athens, Georgia as the original fast-casual artisan pizza franchise. The concept and pizza are just as fresh and exciting now as it was then. Founder Drew French discovered his love for authentic, brick oven fired pizza while honeymooning on the island of Ischia, Italy and knew he had to bring the unique flavors and unforgettable dining experience back to the states.

With a fully customizable menu, customers can select their own toppings from a range of unique, authentic toppings, and the pizza makers will deliver them to the table, piping hot from our brick ovens. In addition to delicious pizza, Your Pie offers handcrafted panini, chopped salads, gelato, and a curated list of craft beer and wine to create a most memorable dining experience.

Costs for opening a Your Pie average between $364,750-$610,000 and include planning, layout and construction of the warm and inviting dine-in environment. Your Pie restaurants are designed for customers to fully immerse themselves in the authentic family dining experience.

Your Pie offers full support to its franchisees through every step of the way. From the real estate process to pre-opening training at Your Pie University, to grand opening marketing and beyond. Your Pie prides itself on the quality and authenticity of the product, delivered by a well-trained and enthusiastic team of fellow pizza lovers. Your Pie believes in innovation and creativity, never allowing the brand or the pizza to grow stale.

Investment Is The Best

The biggest thing that sets Your Pie apart from the competition is our commitment to authenticity at every level. From offering our customers the freshest, hand-selected ingredients prepared with love in a warm and inviting environment to providing franchisees with unrivaled training, support, and brand culture, Your Pie continues to exceed expectations as one of the best restaurant franchises across the industry.

Your Pie’s connections to the traditions and flavors of the past combine with our innovative spirit and ability to continually develop new ways to best serve our customers and provide winning opportunities for our franchisees. Through seasonal and limited time menu offerings and partnerships with 3rd party delivery services, Your Pie presents options that appeal to customers and serve the franchisees’ bottom line.

One way we show our innovation is in our commitment to originality, building from methods, flavors, and ideas that are rooted in history and are proven to succeed. Your Pie promotes creativity both through its menu and its approach to franchising, offering investors from all backgrounds the opportunity to bring delicious food and a shared experience to their communities while growing their business.

Your Pie’s success is a testament to our core values of authenticity, originality, and community. Prospective franchise owners are attracted by our comprehensive training, ongoing support, and brand loyalty. The ideal franchisee will find a home unlike any other with Your Pie.

With 77 locations across 19 states, Your Pie is looking to expand further with like-minded franchisees who are excited about bringing our special brand of authentic Italian family dining to your community. Recently named one of the Top Fast Food Brands to Watch in 2021 by QSR, it’s clear that Your Pie’s trajectory continues to rise, and with good reason.

If you would like to learn more about franchising opportunities with Your Pie, please contact us.