Toppers Pizza in the Chicago Sun-Times Voices

Toppers Pizza in the Chicago Sun-Times Voices

Toppers Pizza was recently featured in the Chicago Sun-Times Voices. The article talks about how Toppers Pizza will be opening a location in Wrigleyville at 3404 N. Sheffield in August. Chris Cheek talks about how Toppers got its start in Champaign and that Toppers is looking for areas with a lot of night traffic, foot traffic and nightlife in Chicago to open. Furthermore, the article talks about how this is one of eight stores that will be opening up in Chicagoland this year and that the first will be opening up in Mount Prospect.

You can view the full article here. 

Toppers Pizza featured in Pizza Marketing Quarterly

Toppers Pizza was recently featured in an article titled “Toppers Pizza Taking on Chicago” in Pizza Marketing Quarterly. The brief was based off of the article we in Crain’s Chicago Business. The article discusses how Toppers may be the next big thing in Chicago pizza. The article also shares some of unique the Toppers menu items, and a link to the full Crain’s article. Click here for the article, or read it below.

Toppers Pizza Taking on Chicago

"An unassuming pizza company based in a strip mall in Whitewater, Wis., just might be the next big thing in Chicago pies," according to Crain's Chicago Business.

"Toppers Pizza, a self-described "eclectic chain," caters to 18- to 34-year-olds with pizzas like the "Hangover Helper" (Canadian bacon, regular bacon, green peppers, onions and potatoes) and the "Mac 'n' Cheese" (exactly what it sounds like). The menu also includes quesadillas, bread sticks, sub sandwiches and wings."

(Read More)

Toppers featured in Crain's Chicago Business

Toppers Pizza was recently featured in an article titled “Toppers aims to win over Chicago pizza snobs” in Crain’s Chicago Business. In the article, Scott Gittrich discusses Toppers' plans for expansion in 2012, including plans to have 52 to 55 locations open by the end of this year. The article also discusses Toppers development plans for 2013 in the Chicagoland area, with the goal of opening 10 more locations by the end of 2013 in areas such as Lincoln Park and Bucktown. Toppers also plans for nationwide development, which includes plans to have 150 stores by 2015, and 500 by 2020. Click here for the full article, or begin reading below.

Toppers aims to win over Chicago pizza snobs
by Brigid Sweeney

An unassuming pizza company based in a strip mall in Whitewater, Wis., just might be the next big thing in Chicago pies.

Toppers Pizza, a self-described "eclectic chain," caters to 18- to 34-year-olds with pizzas like the "Hangover Helper" (Canadian bacon, regular bacon, green peppers, onions and potatoes) and the "Mac 'n' Cheese" (exactly what it sounds like). The menu also includes quesadillas, bread sticks, sub sandwiches and wings.

"We're bridging the gap between sit-down and takeout," founder and CEO Scott Gittrich said. "We're not the $5 pizza, but we're not the $30 pizza, either."

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Toppers featured in Chicago Tribune

Toppers was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune. The article, written by Erin Chan Ding gives a comprehensive overview of the Toppers Pizza chain, including its college-aged demographic, menu items, company sales, number of locations and even how much it costs to invest in a franchise. The article goes on to profile Greektown owner Robin Pearce. It also includes perspective from a pizza customer and a local pizza store owner. It includes quotes from Pearce, president Scott Gittrich and director of franchise development Scott Iversen. A portion of the article is included below and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.
Chain bets on Chicago's pizza appetite
Wisconsin-based Toppers enters city with Greektown location, plans more

In a formerly empty Greektown storefront, one of Chicago's newest pizza places opens Saturday, serving up a cheeky attitude, laid-back decor and quirky fare aimed at pleasing the college kids and 20-somethings it's aiming to attract.

Slogans for Toppers Pizza dot the windows, declaring: "Spank Your Buds" and "Bad Pizza Sucks.'' Its menu says, "For a Free Taste of Big-Chain Pizza Just Eat the Cardboard Under Ours."

"Yeah, we're kind of sophomoric," said Scott Gittrich, president of Toppers Pizza Inc., a chain based in Whitewater, Wis. "We talk smack with our customers. We talk smack with each other. We've just always been like that."

Reveling in its own irreverence, Toppers has served its carb-laden food to Midwestern 18- to 24-year-olds for the past 20 years and now has big plans for more units here. But there's a big question to be answered: Can a place that sells mac-and-cheese or potato pizzas survive in a town known for its pizza prowess?

"The reason we think we can make it in Chicago and that we will make it is that there are several million proven pizza lovers in Chicago," said Gittrich, 48, who started Toppers in 1991. "We have a distinct place in the market. We don't do it the way other people do it. The way we talk to our customer, our menu, the way we interact with our customer is simply different."

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Toppers Pizza was recently featured in the South Bend Tribune!

Toppers considers S.B.

By HEIDI PRESCOTT
Tribune Columnist

Last Sunday, you read about the South Bend-Mishawaka market opening up to possible Potbelly Sandwich Shop franchisees.

Today, we have similar news from Toppers Pizza. The 26-unit chain recently opened the South Bend market to franchisees. About half of its restaurants are located in college towns.

"The greater South Bend area has the potential for two to three locations," says Scott Iversen, director of marketing and franchise development for the Whitewater, Wis.-base company.

The company recently expanded into Chicagoland with its 1,650-square-foot strip center prototype store that offers mainly carry out and delivery. Toppers hopes to have 100 restaurants in operation by 2013.