Debonairs Pizza

Debonairs was founded in 1991, in the Park Road Spar in Pietermaritzburg. The company was founded two university students - Craig MacKenzie and Andrew Harvey - who had just R6,000 (~ $320) between them. MacKenzie came up with the idea and business model to found the company following a gap year trip to Los Angeles, while studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

From conception, the restaurant offered free delivery services, and delivery people would wear tuxedos with bowties, as a differentiator.{{cite web|url= https://debonairspizza.co.za/our-story/#our-story |title= Our Story |author= |publisher= Debonairs Pizza |date= |access-date= 30 April 2025 }}

Subsequent restaurants established were located in Umhlanga and Durban.{{Cite web|url=http://www.studyingbusiness.co.za/articles/item/127-steers|title=Steers Holdings Limited|date=20 August 2013|website=Studyingbusiness.co.za|access-date=4 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104204232/http://www.studyingbusiness.co.za/articles/item/127-steers|archive-date=4 November 2016|url-status=dead}}

In 1996, Steers Group (now Famous Brands) acquired Debonairs, and in 1997, the company opened its first restaurant outside South Africa, in Manzini, Eswatini.

Debonairs began delivering food by vehicle in 1997.

The following year, the chain opened its 60th restaurant (located in Rivonia), and received the SA Franchisor of the Year award from the Franchisee Association of South Africa.

In 1999, Debonairs aired its first TV commercial.

The chain's tagline was changed in 2005 from the existing, "We Deliver Smartly" to the new, "It's the way you like it". This was changed to the current tagline; "Try Something Different", in 2011.

In 2010, the restaurant chain became the first pizza brand in Africa to offer mobile ordering.

After 25 years of operation, Debonairs opened its 600th restaurant in 2016, in Botshabelo. In 2020, the chain opened its 700th restaurant.

File:Debonairs Pizza, The Zone.jpg, South Africa.]]

As of 2018, Debonairs Pizza was the largest pizza restaurant chain in South Africa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2018/06/08/romans-pizza-ceo-allegedly-threatens-to-burn-down-competitors-and-go-to-war-with-them_a_23453931/|title=Roman's Pizza CEO Allegedly Threatens To 'Burn Down' Competitors And 'Go To War' With Them|date=2018-06-08|website=HuffPost South Africa|language=en|access-date=2019-03-02|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306042819/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2018/06/08/romans-pizza-ceo-allegedly-threatens-to-burn-down-competitors-and-go-to-war-with-them_a_23453931/|url-status=dead}}

As of 2025, the company had over 700 restaurants across 15 countries, most of which are in Africa. The company also had locations in the United Arab Emirates.{{cite web|url= https://debonairspizza.co.za/our-amazing-footprint/ |title= Our Footprint |author= |publisher= Debonairs Pizza |date= |access-date= 30 April 2025 }} The majority of its restaurants are located in South Africa.

In 2012, Debonairs started its CSR initiative, called Doughnation, working with local charities and communities in need in South Africa.

In 2018, Debonairs ran a South African TV advertisement campaign on national (free-to-air) and DSTV channels, in support of the LGBT community. The ad featured a female same-sex couple, and the tagline, "Celebrate Different". Debonairs Marketing Executive Toni Joubert instructed FCB Johannesburg to create a campaign that acknowledged the diversity of South African society and culture, where the message encouraged the audience to be tolerant of and celebrate South Africans' differences. The campaign received positive and encouraging responses from the public.{{cite web|url= https://www.mambaonline.com/2018/01/29/debonairs-pizza-stands-lgbt-inclusion-watch/ |title= Debonairs Pizza stands up for LGBTQ inclusion (Watch) |author= Roberto Igual |publisher= MambaOnline |date= 29 January 2018 |access-date= 30 April 2025 }}

In 2016, Debonairs Pizza was voted South Africa's favorite pizza brand, and 3rd favorite fast food brand, in the Sunday Times Top Brands Awards. In the same year, the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi) for Fast Food Restaurants found that Debonairs Pizza had the most satisfied customers in the fast food industry, taking 1st place for quality and value for money.{{cite web|url= https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/168/153592.html |title= Debonairs Pizza has the most satisfied customers in the fast food industry |author= |publisher= Bizcommunity.com |date= 10 November 2016 |access-date= 30 April 2025 }}{{cite web|url= https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/142636/best-and-worst-fast-food-restaurants-in-south-africa/ |title= Best and worst fast food restaurants in South Africa |author= Staff Writer |publisher= BusinessTech |date= 8 November 2016 |access-date= 30 April 2025 }}

In 2019, the chain won the Top Brands Award again, and moved up to second place for favorite fast food brand.

• List of pizza chains
• List of pizza franchises
• List of pizza varieties by country
• {{portal-inline|Companies}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Pizza chains}}

{{Witwatersrand companies}}

Category:Pizza chains of South Africa

Category:Pizza franchises

Category:Restaurants established in 1991

Category:Companies based in Johannesburg

Category:1991 establishments in South Africa

Category:Fast-food chains of South Africa