• Pizza Inn has created a new and cost-effective design “that delivers on customer experience while making financial sense for franchisees and investors alike.”
• The chain’s updated mascot, Jojo, is a friendly, smiling go-getter who’s also “gritty and determined,” the company said.

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Pizza Inn, owned by Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group, is rolling out a fresh new look, including a new store design and logo and an updated mascot, Jojo.

“Now that we’re in our post-pandemic era, it’s time to express the brand in a compelling and modern way across all of our customer touch points,” says RAVE CEO Brandon Solano. “Few brands can withstand the test of time, increased competition and a pandemic—but we did. And we have eight consecutive quarters of profitability behind us to prove it.”

“We are working hard on the economics of this new concept to create a cost-effective design that delivers on customer experience while making financial sense for franchisees and investors alike,” Solano added.

Pizza Inn tapped BooneOakley, a nationally acclaimed advertising agency, and award-winning retail design firm Chute Gerdeman to imagine the Pizza Inn retail experience of tomorrow.

“Pizza is fun, and it’s an American staple that provides a sense of comfort and nostalgia unlike any other kind of experience,” says Claire Oakley, director of client services for BooneOakley. “We wanted to pay homage to the brand’s legacy while meeting consumers where they are today. This refreshed look is not only found in the logo and our beloved mascot, Jojo—who stands tall and proud—but throughout every aspect of the new restaurant design.”

Since 1958, Jojo has evolved with Pizza Inn. The company said the modern Jojo is the boldest reflection of the brand yet—friendly and welcoming, always smiling, while also gritty and determined, with his sleeves rolled up and ready to get in the kitchen to make his own house-made dough and pre-shred the mozzarella cheese.

The first Pizza Inn location to feature the refreshed design will be unveiled in Asheboro, North Carolina, later this year. The buffet will continue to be the “hero” of the restaurant design. Families will enjoy a party room tailor-made for birthdays and sports gatherings with an Instagrammable “Say cheese” accent wall, game room and other fun elements. An outside patio complements the design.

“Our team designed the new layout with the pizza buffet as the hero, while creating memorable and shared dining experiences for guests,” says Brian Seitz, partner at Chute Gerdeman. “We are excited to see these renderings finally come to life this year.”

“It’s time we shared our brand story,” Chaz Black, Pizza Inn’s senior director of marketing, says. “We’ve enhanced our dine-in experience, and I’m so excited to see this come to life both in person and via social media. Whether our guests are celebrating a birthday in the party room under a customizable kiosk, snapping a selfie in front of the pizza wing Instagram wall, or stacking as many sundae toppings as possible at the sundae bar, Pizza Inn’s dining room is as craveable as our pizzas. The social opportunities to celebrate, snap, and share are going to make our new restaurant concept a must dine.”