Mountain Mike’s franchisees overcame every challenge this year threw at them. We’re ready to take on the year ahead.
Just showing up to work every day can be an act of heroism. Just being present and trying hard. That’s why we’re so proud of our franchisees and team members in a year that has hit everyone in the world hard, and people in California even harder.
From global pandemic to devastating wildfires, nothing has stopped Mountain Mike’s Pizza. In fact, we have the largest pipeline amongst our existing franchisees interested in new growth that we’ve seen in the history of the brand.
We will close out 2020 with , heightened safety and health protocols and a renewed sense of who we are as a 40-year-old legacy brand. We’re already looking toward a bigger growth goal for 2021, and we feel ready for whatever next year brings.
“When we look out to 2021, I think one of the things we’re most excited about is how to support our franchisees’ continued growth,” says co-owner and Co-CEO Chris Britt. “Our job is to support them, help get those restaurants open, support those restaurants and continue to help them pursue their dream as franchise owners in the Mountain Mike’s system.”
Facing a pandemic and out-of-control wildfires
When COVID first hit, Mountain Mike’s Pizza was scrambling like everyone else, says co-owner and Co-CEO Ed St. Geme. But we swiftly put together a plan that centered on communicating — over-communicating, really — with our franchisees.
“We had daily morning meetings,” St. Geme says. “We zeroed in on safety protocols, standard operating procedures, and endeavored to over-communicate that to franchisees in the field.”
Even before the pandemic, Mountain Mike’s has always been scrupulous about health and safety. As a restaurant franchise, that’s job No. 1. Adding in masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and social distancing was paramount to making franchisees feel safe about serving our communities and making our communities feel safe about enjoying their beloved Mountain Mike’s pizza.
Our franchisees stepped up to feed the workers on the front lines of the pandemic, and when wildfires decimated many of the California communities we serve, we stepped up to feed those front-line heroes as well.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our franchisees, not only for serving the front-line workers — the nurses, the doctors, the policemen, the firefighters — it’s just showing up to work every day,” Britt says
A vote of confidence
Through it all, our sales rebounded and then soared. Many locations reported double-digit year-over-year gains. It said a lot about the trust consumers placed in us. And our continued growth says a lot about the trust franchise buyers place in us, too.
President and COO Jim Metevier notes that a significant percentage of our growth is from existing franchisees.
“To the franchisees that are growing with us, we thank them,” he says. “They are the backbone of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. During the pandemic, a lot of people pulled back from developing restaurants, but these people took a leadership position and opened up new restaurants.”
Our business model at Mountain Mike’s Pizza is very strong, Metevier says, and “it starts with our franchisees. They provide a great guest experience which provides really strong top-line sales within our restaurants, which flows through to the bottom line for our franchisees.
“We love that because that lets them re-invest back into our business, and we grow together that way.”
Join us for 2021
At Mountain Mike’s, we’re very optimistic about the year ahead. We’re continuing to look for experienced restaurant operators interested in joining an experienced and successful franchise brand.