Little Caesars Celebrates 65 Years with Franchise Expansion

The third largest pizza chain in the world, Little Caesars, has celebrated 65 years of business, by signing new multi-unit development agreements to widen its franchise in the US and as far abroad as Cambodia.

Little Caesars was founded in 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch in Detroit, Michigan. The company began franchising just three years later and now operates over 4,300 locations worldwide.

Little Caesars boosts presence in high-traffic venues and enters Cambodian market amid global expansion

Little Caesars is significantly expanding its presence in the Northeast United States, with ambitious plans led by experienced restaurateurs. Suhel Ahmed and Saurabh Desai, who have over 40 years of combined industry experience, are set to open 10 new locations in New York City by 2026. 

Meanwhile, Kiren Patel and Sagacity Ventures have acquired more than 30 Little Caesars restaurants in the region and plan to open additional locations in Baltimore. Their goal is to expand to 50 restaurants across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Maryland.

In 2024, Little Caesars accelerated its expansion into non-traditional venues to meet the growing demand for convenient dining options:

The brand's popular Hot-N-Ready menu items, including the new Crazy Puffs, are well-suited for these high-traffic areas and are particularly popular with students.

Little Caesars is actively seeking qualified multi-unit franchise operators across various U.S. regions, including the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, New Orleans and the Carolinas.

Internationally, Little Caesars is set to open its first restaurant in Cambodia, marking the brand's entry into its 29th global market. The master franchise in Cambodia is held by World Bridge Group, with a second Phnom Penh location planned for early 2025. This expansion reflects Cambodia's growing attractiveness for international franchise brands, with over 30% increase in foreign brand entries over the past five years.

“Cambodia presents a dynamic and rapidly growing market,” shared Paula Vissing, President of Global Retail at Little Caesars. “With an expanding population and increasing demand for quick-service dining, we are excited to bring Little Caesars affordable and convenient pizzas to Phnom Penh as we expand into our 29th country.”

Little Caesars ambitious expansion plans

Over the past few years, Little Caesars’ has taken steps to continue to meet the demands and preferences of franchisees and guests alike. 

“As we celebrate our 65th anniversary, we're thrilled to see our franchisees' hard work come to fruition and encouraged by the significant strides we've made so far this year as a brand," said Patrick Cunningham, Vice President of U.S. Development at Little Caesars. "With several new deals and grand openings on the way, we're excited about the future of Little Caesars and look forward to giving guests more opportunities to enjoy their favourite menu items nationwide."

According to Kiren Patel, Little Caesars franchisee, pizza is a staple in the USA and the quality that Little Caesars delivers when it comes to freshness, value and convenience is unmatched.

“We're looking forward to meeting our guests' demands by making these high-quality offerings accessible in new communities," said Kiren. "Little Caesars efficient operations and model makes it stand out against other brands. Between its processes, innovative menu items and technologies, the support and resources Little Caesars provides its franchisees made it an easy decision for us to become franchisees."

Make sure you check out the latest edition of Food Digital and also sign up to our global conference series - Sustainability LIVE 2024

Food Digital is a BizClik brand