Cicis Pizza

{{Infobox company

| name = Cici Enterprises, LP

| trade_name = Cicis Pizza

| logo = Logo of CiCis Pizza.svg

| logo_caption = Logo

| logo_size = 150px

| type = Private

| foundation = {{start date and age|1985}}
Plano, Texas, United States

| genre = {{flat list|

}}

| location = Coppell, Texas

| num_locations = 274 ({{CURRENTYEAR}}){{Cite web|title=Pizza Near Me – Find a Cicis Pizza Location|url=https://www.cicis.com/locations/|access-date=2023-08-09|website=www.cicis.com}}

| key_people = Jeff Hetsel (President and Franchise Owner)

| founders = Joe Croce
Mike Cole

| industry = Restaurants Franchising

| products = Pizza, salad, pasta, chicken wings, desserts

| owner = D&G Investors

| website = {{official URL}}

}}

Cici Enterprises, LP, doing business as Cicis Pizza{{efn|Stylized in all lowercase and formerly stylized as CiCi's Pizza}} and also known as simply Cicis, is an American chain of buffet restaurants based in Coppell, Texas,[https://www.cicis.com/news/restaurantopenings-alabama-oct2017 Revitalized Cicis Steps up New Restaurant Openings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108174803/https://www.cicis.com/news/restaurantopenings-alabama-oct2017 |date=January 8, 2018 }}." Cicis Pizza. Retrieved February 11, 2016. specializing in pizza. The company was founded in 1985, and started franchising by 1987.{{Cite web|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/cicis/282203|title=Cicis Franchise Information|website=Entrepreneur|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}} In November 2015, the company began a new marketing campaign which included the renaming of the company to Cicis (by dropping the apostrophe, making the second "C" lowercase and dropping "pizza" from its name), and a redesigned logo and website.

History

File:CiCi's Brooklyn.JPG in February 2013. This location closed in 2020.]]

File:Logo of Cicis Pizza (2015–2020).png

Cicis was founded in 1985 by Joe Croce and Mike Cole in Plano, Texas.{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-122898028/fast-growing-dallas-pizza.html|title=Fast Growing Dallas Pizza Chain to Open Store in Wichita, Kan.|last=Voorhis|first=Dan|date=2002-07-06|work=The Wichita Eagle|access-date=2009-09-20}}{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F0546AFAFA6B6FA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Locally based pizza chain is pursuing growth Cici's launches a new look and expands its trademark buffet|last=Quinn|first=Steve|date=2001-10-05|work=Dallas News|access-date=2009-09-20}} In 2001, with 363 restaurants at the time, the chain expanded its buffet offerings and began remodeling restaurants. Four years later, CiCi's had more than 500 locations, and was the fastest-growing pizza chain in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9430917_ITM|title=CiCi's budget buffets propel company to fastest-growing pizza chain.|last=Shlachter|first=Barry|date=2005-07-05|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|access-date=2009-09-20}}

In 2003, Croce retired from the business, and passed ownership of the company to the company's executive team. Craig Moore, who was a general manager in Dallas, became vice president of the company, a position he held for five years before he was named president after the sale. Croce gave 20% of his proceeds to Gateway Church, where he was a member.[http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article/111491/CiCi-s-Pizza-founder-insisted-sale-be-an-inside-deal CiCi's Pizza founder insisted sale be an inside deal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202512/http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article/111491/CiCi-s-Pizza-founder-insisted-sale-be-an-inside-deal |date=October 29, 2013 }} As president of the chain, Moore oversaw the company's operations and franchise growth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/president-cicis-pizza-set-retire|title=President of CiCi's Pizza Set to Retire|date=2009-08-24|website=QSR magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-12-10}} Moore announced his retirement in 2009, after 17 years with the company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.franchisetimes.com/October-2009/CiCis-Moore-Retires/|title=CiCi's Moore Retires - Franchise Times - October 2009 - FranchiseTimes.com|website=www.franchisetimes.com|date=October 2009 |access-date=2019-12-10}}

File:Macaroni and cheese pizza.jpg

Michael Shumsky, previously CEO of La Madeleine Restaurant, Inc. took over for Moore. Shumsky retired in August 2013 and Darin Harris took over as CEO of the company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2013/07/24/cicis-pizza-hires-new-ceo-to-replace.html|title=CiCi's Pizza hires Darin Harris as new CEO|last=Abril|first=Danielle|date=24 July 2013|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-12-10}} Harris left the company in January 2018 and was replaced by Bill Mitchell as interim CEO.{{Cite web|url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/leadership/cicis-reveals-it-has-new-ceo-bill-mitchell|title=Cicis reveals it has a new CEO: Bill Mitchell|date=May 8, 2018|first1=Peter|last1=Romeo|website=Restaurant Business|language=en|access-date=2019-12-10}} Mitchell was appointed to the position permanently in March 2018.

In addition to its current restaurants, in 2010 Cicis announced plans to add another 500 restaurants in the next 10 years (with the possibility of expanding internationally into Canada and Mexico). CiCi's has won numerous awards and has also been named one of the top 25 performing brands by The Wall Street Journal and a top 200 franchise concept by Franchise Today. The award for worst restaurant ideas has also been awarded to the pizza chain.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mbaskool.com/fun-corner/top-brand-lists/13981-top-10-pizza-restaurants-in-the-world-2015.html?start=2|title=Rank 8 Cicis Pizza : Top 10 Pizza Restaurants in the World 2015|last=Zigu|website=MBA Skool-Study.Learn.Share.|language=en-gb|access-date=2020-04-29|archive-date=July 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706195054/http://www.mbaskool.com/fun-corner/top-brand-lists/13981-top-10-pizza-restaurants-in-the-world-2015.html?start=2|url-status=dead}}

Cicis pizza comes with traditional varieties such as pepperoni, meat-lovers, veggie, supreme and Hawaiian, but also has specialty pizzas such as macaroni and cheese, barbeque pork and Buffalo chicken. In 2022, the chain even offered a giant 28 inch pizza called "Piezilla".{{Cite web |last=Cameron |first=Meghan |date=2022 |title=Cicis New Massive "Piezilla" is a $65 Pizza |url=https://www.eatthis.com/cicis-piezilla-pizza-launch/ }}

In November 2015, the company began a new marketing campaign which included the simplified renaming of the company to just Cicis with the modifier "Beyond Pizza," along with the addition of a new logo and redesigned website. The campaign is aimed at proving that Cicis has more to offer than just pizza.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrn.com/marketing/cicis-debuts-new-branding|title=Cicis debuts new branding|date=2015-11-04|website=Nation's Restaurant News|language=en|access-date=2019-12-10}}

Cicis offers many additional items including chicken wings, pasta, salads and soups, and desserts are abundant with dessert pizzas, cinnamon buns and fudge brownies.

Cicis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; it had not benefitted from delivery due to its buffet model. It had recently reached an agreement to sell itself as well as its $82 million in liabilities to its primary lender, D&G Investors.{{cite news |last1=Valinsky |first1=Jordan |title=Pizza buffet chain Cicis files for bankruptcy |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/investing/cicis-bankruptcy/index.html |access-date=26 January 2021 |work=CNN |publisher=WarnerMedia |date=26 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://reorg.com/cicis-pizza-chapter-11/|title = CASE SUMMARY: CiCi's Pizza Buffet Restaurant Chain RSA Provides for Conversion of Prepetition Lender D&G's Debt into New Equity}} Just two months after filing, Cicis emerged from bankruptcy and completed its sale.{{cite news |last1=Maze |first1=Jonathan |title=Cicis Pizza quickly emerges from bankruptcy with new owners |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/amp/financing/cicis-pizza-quickly-emerges-bankruptcy-new-owners |access-date=30 December 2022 |work=www.restaurantbusinessonline.com |date=16 March 2021}}

=Recognition and awards=

From 2004 to 2009, CiCi's Pizza held third place in the pizza category for Restaurants & Institutions{{'}} "Consumers' Choice in Chains" contest, which is judged based on consumer reviews of the competing restaurant chains.{{cite web| url= http://www.rimag.com/info/CA6686617.html |title=Consumers' Choice in Chains Winners, 2004–2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091208131337/http://www.rimag.com/info/CA6686617.html | archive-date=December 8, 2009 | website= Restaurants & Institutions | publisher= Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. | date= 2009}} In March 2009 Men's Health gave CiCi's Pizza "top marks" in providing healthy food choices among its list of "66 major chain restaurants".{{cite press release | url= https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS177843+26-Mar-2009+PRN20090326 | title= CiCi's Pizza Scores Top Marks on Men's Health 'Eat This, Not That!' Report Card | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090503092900/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS177843%2B26-Mar-2009%2BPRN20090326 | date= 26 March 2009 | archive-date= May 3, 2009 | agency= PRNewswire | location= Coppell, Texas | access-date= 7 April 2015 | url-status= dead | df= mdy-all }}