Shakey’s Pizza is reactivating its franchise expansion strategy in the United States and beyond, marking a renewed growth phase after a comprehensive brand revitalisation effort aimed at repositioning the legacy chain for modern consumers.
The 70-year-old brand, widely recognised as one of the first franchised pizza chains in the US, has rebuilt its positioning around a “slow casual” dining format, aimed at driving longer in-store visits and reviving its dine-in, community-led heritage.
John J. Tilley, creative visionary at Shakey’s USA, said the shift is central to the brand’s next phase. “We’re still always wanting to be fast, friendly and clean,” he noted, adding that the goal is to encourage customers to “spend more time in our restaurants.”
The renewed franchise push comes with a clearer structural base. Historically, Shakey’s scaled rapidly through franchising, reaching over 300 locations in the US by the late 1960s and around 500 units nationwide at its peak in the 1970s.
Today, the brand operates a significantly smaller domestic footprint, with roughly 50–60 restaurants in the United States, largely concentrated in California and limited markets such as Washington.
Globally, however, the system is far larger and increasingly driven by its Asia-based parent, Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. (SPAVI). The group reported a total network of over 2,600 stores and outlets worldwide, spanning multiple brands, with around 275 Shakey’s Pizza restaurants within that portfolio.
SPAVI operates a hybrid model of company-owned and franchised stores, particularly in the Philippines and other international markets where it holds master franchise rights across Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. This structure allows the group to sub-franchise in new territories while maintaining operational control in core markets.
The Philippines remains the brand’s strongest market, with more than 200 Shakey’s stores nationwide, forming the backbone of its dine-in, family-oriented positioning.
The US franchise relaunch is therefore being positioned as a rebuild rather than a pure expansion, aimed at attracting new franchisees under a modernised format while leveraging global scale and operational learnings from Asia.
Backed by an aggressive global rollout strategy, SPAVI is targeting over 400 new stores annually across its portfolio,Shakey’s is looking to re-establish relevance in its home market while continuing to grow internationally.
