According to Nation’s Restaurant News, “Naked Pizza, the four-unit pizza chain based in New Orleans, is stripping down its name as it expands to the more conservative Middle East.”

“The chain’s first store outside the United States, set to open in the Dubai Marina in the United Arab Emirates in January, will carry the name ‘N_K_D Pizza.’  The name was modified so as to not offend potential customers in region, the company said, and got the endorsement of the local developer, which will be basing its Middle East headquarters near the first unit in Dubai. ‘We were fully aware of the cultural sensitivities in the Arab world,” said Naked Pizza co-founder Robbie Vitrano. “We’ve had significant interest from throughout the G.C.C. [Gulf Cooperation Council], so while we’re focused on refining our international beachhead in Dubai, we’ve always been mindful of our eventual expansion.”

Read more: http://nrn.com/article/naked-pizza-covers-middle-east#ixzz13mIcuGxW