After opening 70 new stores and awarding 85 franchises last year, it’s no wonder Toledo-based Marco’s Pizza sees 2024 as a “landmark year.”

The brand opened its 1,200th store in January 2024 and debuted a new store design in July. From menu enhancements to new top-level hires, more announcements kept coming in throughout the year as Marco’s racked up franchise agreements and cast its gaze on Mexico City.

In a recent press release, Marco’s touted some of its notable achievements for 2024:

  • Culinary Innovation: Marco’s introduced tasty LTOs like its Fiery Flavors Menu, anchored by a spicy cheese blend, while other menu highlights included the Triple Pep Magnifico and Margherita Pizza.
  • Technology Advancement: The rollout of a proprietary cloud-based platform, with 770 new features and enhancements added since its launch, continues to enhance franchisee operations and guest experiences, the company said in a press release.
  • New Brand Platform: The launch of But Wait, There’s Marco’s, “continues to disrupt routine ordering behavior and reminds customers why Marco’s stands out with its fresh ingredients and bold flavors,” the company said.
  • Design & Operational Enhancements: The unveiling of a new store design and the integration of technologies “strengthened both the customer experience and operational efficiency.”
  • NextGen Leadership: Marco’s bolstered its leadership team with strategic hires, including SVP of Digital Marketing Ben Halliwell and Director of Culinary Innovation Kathleen Kennedy, who support 2023 new hire CMO Denise Lauer. Marco’s also points to the promotions of John Meyers to COO, Milton Molina to SVP of store technology, Cathy Kinzer to SVP of supply chain, and Kristin Corcoran to chief legal counsel.
  • Philanthropic Efforts:  The Marco’s Pizza Foundation joined forces with Junior Achievement USA to further fuel entrepreneurial opportunity for young people, with a goal of reaching $500,000 in donations.

Related: Marco’s Pizza COO John Meyers: 5 ways to deliver a consistently exceptional guest experience

Marco’s Vision for 2025
Marco’s has entered 2025 with a renewed focus on multi-unit franchise development, with 65% of 2024 agreements coming from existing franchisees. Key growth areas include expansion into nontraditional locations and international markets, including Mexico.

“Marco’s leads the charge in growth, innovation and customer satisfaction,”said Tony Libardi, the chain’s co-CEO and president. “As we continue our expansion, we remain focused on bold culinary creations, operational excellence and franchisee support. 2025 will be a year of momentum as we deliver on our commitment to quality and innovation.”

Key initiatives on the horizon include:

  • Expanded Culinary Innovation: Under Kennedy’s leadership, Marco’s will continue introducing menu items “that captivate customers and help drive franchisee sales.”
  • Technology Enhancements: Marco’s will add new features to its front- and back- of-house system, including enhanced data analytics, to support franchisee operations and create an improved guest experience with an upgrade of its digital platform.
  • Multi-Unit Growth & Nontraditional Opportunities: Marco’s is currently focusing on key markets in the Midwest, East Coast and Sun Belt regions, plus international expansion, building on the momentum of a 50-unit franchise agreement to develop in Mexico City. Meanwhile, the development team continues to explore options for nontraditional expansion, including ghost kitchens in urban areas.

Marco’s growth and strong performance continue to be recognized across the industry. Notably, the brand ranked in the Top 50 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, earned a spot in Newsweek’s America’s Best Customer Service for pizza chains, and was highlighted on QSR’s Top 50.

Additionally, the Marco’s Franchising Franchise Disclosure Document reports the top 50% of Marco’s franchised stores generated average net royalty sales of AUV $1,208,653 during the 2023 fiscal year.

FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, reports Marco’s 2024 FUND Score ranks among the Top 10 of all evaluated franchise systems. More impressively, Marco’s ranks in the Top 3 scores for all QSR brands and No. 2 in the pizza category, maintaining its strong position from 2023.

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