In January 2017, MOD Pizza had open its 200th location, which was located in Frederick, Maryland. MOD Pizza closed all UK locations in 2020. MOD named John Nelson, formerly of Nando's U.K., as their CEO of U.K. Īdditional expansion in the United Kingdom with joint venture partner Sir Charles Dunstone and his business partner, Roger Taylor began in 2015. In June, the company opened their first international location in Leeds, United Kingdom. In March 2016, MOD Pizza announced that they had secured $32 million in a funding round and had plans to expand to 190 stores. The "purpose-led fast casual concept" reached the 1,700-employee milestone in August 2015. MOD's growth is also accelerated by the addition of several franchise partnerships. The main investor was a private equity fund, PWP Growth Equity. In 2015, MOD Pizza raised $40 million in new funding for a total of $70 million in investment capital to fund an aggressive national growth strategy. Notable backers included Dunkin' Donuts president Paul Twohig and TOMS Shoes Chief Executive Officer Jim Alling. The same year the company secured $15 million in private investment. īy 2014, MOD Pizza had 31 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. The same year, it added its first location outside of Washington, with a restaurant at Cedar Hills Crossing shopping center in Beaverton, Oregon. In 2013, the restaurant chain was named one of the United States' "Top 50 Breakout Brands" by Nation's Restaurant News. He subsequently started a California-based chain set on MOD's "DIY" pizza concept called Pieology. The first MOD Pizza location, at Union Square in Downtown Seattle, Washingtonīy 2010, Markham had left MOD Pizza due to what he later characterized as a dispute in direction with the Svensons. The restaurant's first location was in Union Square and was followed by additional Seattle locations. James Markham, who had previously started pizza parlors in San Diego, California and Shanghai, China, was also a part of the founding team and helped develop the house recipes used by MOD. After moving back to their home town of Bellevue, Washington, the Svensons started MOD Pizza after being unable to find fast, affordable healthy meals for their four sons. The Svensons also helped found Carluccio's Ltd., an Italian restaurant in the U.K. Afterwards Scott stayed on as president of Starbucks Europe. The Svensons previously founded the Seattle Coffee Company, a successful coffee company based in the United Kingdom, which they sold to Starbucks in 1998. MOD Pizza was established in 2008 in Seattle, Washington, by co-founders Scott and Ally Svenson. The interior of a MOD Pizza restaurant, pictured in 2014īlaze Pizza, Pieology, & Pizza Rev are all considered direct competitors to MOD Pizza. Restaurant trade publication QSR News has characterized the concept as the " Chipotle of the pizza industry." Customers specify which ingredients they want included on their order, and watch the preparation process, though the restaurant also offers recommended combinations. The acronym "MOD" in the company's name stands for "Made on Demand." Its menu features pizzas made with organic dough and gourmet ingredients that are cooked in three minutes using stone ovens at 800 ☏ (425 ☌). The decor and layout of MOD restaurants has been described as "family-friendly," with Zagat observing it has a "simple and functional vibe that ties in nicely with its DIY theme." The interior of each MOD restaurant is unique and "locally inspired." MOD also serves fountain drinks, beer and wine. MOD pizzas are made with fresh pressed dough by King Arthur Flour, the oldest flour company in the United States. MOD's pizzas and salads are offered in three different sizes – Mini, MOD, and Mega. MOD also offers 9 classic pizzas, a pizza salad, and a seasonal pizza and salad. Customers can build their own pizza or salad, which cost the same no matter how many toppings they choose. MOD Pizza offers individual, artisan style pizzas, which are baked for approximately 3-8 minutes in a 700 degree pizza oven (depending on size and toppings).