Donatos Pizza
Encyclopedia
Donatos Pizza is a pizza delivery
restaurant chain headquartered in Columbus, Ohio
. It has nearly 200 locations in six states, with the majority of locations in Ohio. Donatos is also served at several venue outlets including Ohio Stadium
, Nationwide Arena
, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
.
sophomore Jim Grote purchased a small pizzeria on the south side of Columbus, Ohio
for $1,300. From the beginning, Grote built Donatos on three fundamentals: creating a superior product, hiring great people, and to "treat others the way I would like to be treated". Today, these fundamentals still define Donatos as it promises “To serve the best pizza and make your day a little better.”
In 1999, Donatos was purchased by McDonald's
in an attempt to enter the pizza industry. However, a majority interest in Donatos was repurchased by Jim Grote and daughter Jane Abell in 2003 as McDonald's sought to refocus on its core business. During this period Donatos also had operations in Munich
, Germany.
that is loaded Edge to Edge® with toppings -- there are over 100 pepperoni
slices on every large pepperoni pizza. Also, the pizza is party-cut into square pieces to make it easier to eat. In August 2009, several Columbus, Ohio
, stores launched a new hand-tossed crust, with the concept going company-wide later that year. This pizza features a sweeter pizza sauce, mozzarella
cheese instead of the company standard provolone
, a traditional "pie cut," and a spicier pepperoni. In addition to pizza, Donatos serves subs
, salad
s, stromboli
, and wings
.
supermarkets. The Take and Bake concept offers a limited menu of their Signature Pizzas created to the customer's desires. The pizza is placed on a disposable foil baking pan, packaged with a cardboard square cutting board, and boxed with instructions on how to bake them at home. Since its inception, the make-to-order concept has been phased out in favor of premade 13" pizzas. They are sold in five varieties including pepperoni, sausage, half pepperoni & half cheese, pepperoni & sausage, and cheese.
As of 2011, the Donatos Take and Bake will also be sold in Walmart Supercenters around the country.
Pizza delivery
Pizza delivery is a service in which a pizzeria delivers a pizza to a customer. Delivery is normally made with an automobile, motor scooter, or bicycle.- Ordering :...
restaurant chain headquartered in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. It has nearly 200 locations in six states, with the majority of locations in Ohio. Donatos is also served at several venue outlets including Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on March 22, 1974...
, Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Columbus, Ohio, USA. It opened in 2000 and is the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, of the NHL....
, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
.
History
In 1963, Ohio StateOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
sophomore Jim Grote purchased a small pizzeria on the south side of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
for $1,300. From the beginning, Grote built Donatos on three fundamentals: creating a superior product, hiring great people, and to "treat others the way I would like to be treated". Today, these fundamentals still define Donatos as it promises “To serve the best pizza and make your day a little better.”
In 1999, Donatos was purchased by McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
in an attempt to enter the pizza industry. However, a majority interest in Donatos was repurchased by Jim Grote and daughter Jane Abell in 2003 as McDonald's sought to refocus on its core business. During this period Donatos also had operations in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany.
Products
Donatos is famous for its thin crust pizzaPizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
that is loaded Edge to Edge® with toppings -- there are over 100 pepperoni
Pepperoni
Pepperoni is a spicy Italian-American variety of salami usually made from cured pork and beef, but poultry may be added, if labeled correctly, for less expensive versions. Pepperoni is characteristically soft, slightly smoky, and bright red in color...
slices on every large pepperoni pizza. Also, the pizza is party-cut into square pieces to make it easier to eat. In August 2009, several Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, stores launched a new hand-tossed crust, with the concept going company-wide later that year. This pizza features a sweeter pizza sauce, mozzarella
Mozzarella
Mozzarella is an Italian Traditional Speciality Guaranteed food product. The term is used for several kinds of Italian cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting :...
cheese instead of the company standard provolone
Provolone
Provolone is an Italian cheese that originated in Southern Italy, where it is still produced in various shapes as in 10 to 15 cm long pear, sausage, or cone shapes. A variant of Provolone is also produced in North America and Japan...
, a traditional "pie cut," and a spicier pepperoni. In addition to pizza, Donatos serves subs
Submarine sandwich
A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub among other names, is a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split lengthwise either into two pieces or opened in a "V" on one side, and filled with various varieties of meat, cheese, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. The...
, salad
Salad
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes, including vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, eggs, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They may include a mixture of cold and hot, often including raw vegetables or fruits.Green salads include leaf...
s, stromboli
Stromboli (food)
Stromboli is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, typically mozzarella, Italian meats such as salami, capicola and bresaola or vegetables...
, and wings
Buffalo wings
A Buffalo wing, hot wing or wing is a chicken wing section that is traditionally fried unbreaded and then coated in sauce...
.
Take and Bake
In 2004, the company introduced the Donatos Take and Bake in KrogerKroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
supermarkets. The Take and Bake concept offers a limited menu of their Signature Pizzas created to the customer's desires. The pizza is placed on a disposable foil baking pan, packaged with a cardboard square cutting board, and boxed with instructions on how to bake them at home. Since its inception, the make-to-order concept has been phased out in favor of premade 13" pizzas. They are sold in five varieties including pepperoni, sausage, half pepperoni & half cheese, pepperoni & sausage, and cheese.
As of 2011, the Donatos Take and Bake will also be sold in Walmart Supercenters around the country.