By Charlie Pogacar
Pop-quiz: What’s the largest full-service pizza chain in the U.S.? It’s Mellow Mushroom, the quirky 51-year-old franchise based in Atlanta that is entering a new phase of growth.
For years, Mellow Mushroom franchised quietly. It would field inquiries, but it did not publicly advertise its franchising opportunities. That’s changed, and a new growth phase is being headed up by franchising veteran Jamie Cecil, who accepted a job as VP of franchise development for the 160-plus-location chain in Spring 2025.
Now, nearly a year into his tenure, Cecil is helping formalize a franchise sales process. He says interest is strong, thanks to Mellow’s distinct identity, strong unit economics and longstanding reputation for great pizza served in vibrant, hyper-local spaces.
Related: Inside Mellow Mushroom’s Digital Transformation and Vision for the Future
Cecil joined Peel: A PMQ Pizza Podcast to chat about how Mellow Mushroom is evolving—and where it’s headed from here. Here’s a sampling of that conversation, lightly edited for clarity.
Q: What made Mellow Mushroom an appealing opportunity for you? What resonated about the brand?
Jamie Cecil: I’ve been a fan of the brand for many, many years, and honestly didn’t realize Mellow Mushroom was a franchise. They’d never had a formal franchise sales process, yet they’re over 160 locations. Being such a fan of the great pizza, the salads, the calzones, the hoagies—it was a perfect time for me to jump on board and help them grow this thing and move the needle across the map.
Q: With a 50-year legacy, how do you modernize the brand while preserving what makes it unique?
Cecil: All of our stores are unique—we call them unicorns. Preserving that look and feel is incredibly important. When you go into a Mellow Mushroom, we try to pull in what’s going on in the community: the murals, the artwork, the local references. We’re not cookie-cuttering these things and plopping them everywhere. Tying each store into its community helps bond people to the location and preserves our 50-plus-year history.
Q: What do you look for in a Mellow Mushroom franchisee?
Cecil: Business acumen is key. You don’t necessarily have to have restaurant experience—we can teach you how to make a pizza. But you have to understand a P&L and how to run numbers. We’re looking for someone who has a passion for pizza and for people: the community, the employees. Someone who wants to bring something unique to their town.
Q: How is the brand adapting to today’s labor and real estate challenges?
Cecil: Most of our locations are still full-service, but we recently rolled out a fast-fine counter-service model in the 2,000–2,400 square foot range. With labor costs going up, that model helps reduce the labor piece while keeping the experience strong. Post-COVID, dining habits changed—people want more to-go—so we don’t need 8,000-to-10,000 square feet anymore. We can get by with 3,500-to-4,000, and that saves franchisees on construction, rent and utilities.
To listen to the full conversation, check out one of the following links:
