According to a news report from freep.com, “Little Caesars Pizza founder Mike Ilitch hopes that competing food franchisers such as McDonald’s and Applebee’s copy his program to help U.S. military veterans open up new restaurants.”
“We’re going to be opening one new store owned by a veteran every 14 or 15 days next year,” Ilitch, 77, said in an interview in Washington on Monday. Ilitch came to the capital to accept the highest award given to private citizens for service to veterans. It was given to him by James Nicholson, secretary of Veterans Affairs,” said the story. “Little Caesars launched its veterans program last November, after Ilitch was inspired by the story of Army Staff Sgt. Robbie Doughty, who lost both legs in an Iraqi roadside bomb explosion. Doughty and his business partner, fellow Iraq war veteran Lloyd Allard, were given a new Little Caesars franchise in Douhgty’s hometown of Paducah, Ky., and opened for business in February.”
