America's Incredible Pizza Company

America's Incredible Pizza Company
Industry Restaurants
Founded 2002
Headquarters Springfield, Missouri
Key people Rick Barsness Founder & CEO,
Cheryl Barsness Founder
Products Pizza
Revenue $64.1 million
Employees 1200
Website http://www.incrediblepizza.com/

America's Incredible Pizza Company (AIPC) is an American pizza buffet, entertainment center and restaurant chain based in Springfield, Missouri. The first restaurant was opened in Springfield, Missouri in 2002.[1][2] The restaurant has 1200 employees,[3] and it has a revenue of $64.1 million.[3]

Contents

History

America's Incredible Pizza Company headquarters is located Springfield, Missouri and is owned by Rick and Cheryl Barsness. The couple entered the pizza business with a single restaurant in Victoria, Texas. In 1975, the Barsnesses owned 11 franchises of Gatti's Pizza.

AIPC grew out of an idea from its founder, Rick Barsness. When Barsness was a hockey player in high school, his high school's hockey team reached the state championships, but his father never attended a game. His father's absence nurtured a boyhood dream of a place where families could eat and have fun together. This was the type of place Barsness wished he could have spent time with his father.[4]

In 2003, years of legal battles came to an end when Rick Barsness agreed to pay Mr. Gatti's a $1 million settlement.[5] Mr. Gatti's had charged that Barsness had violated his franchise contract with them, and had taken trade secrets. In addition to the $1 million payout, Barsness also agreed to pay Mr. Gatti's Inc. 1% of IPC's net sales for the next 10 years.[6]

AIPC started franchising and established its corporate headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2003. It moved the headquarters to Springfield, Missouri in 2009.[7]

AIPC restaurants have an average of 250 employee and it costs $5–9 million to start a restaurant.[8]

Locations and format

At the AIPC, the music and decorations have a 1950s theme.[2] AIPC has a buffet style pizza, pasta, salad, and dessert bar, with different seating areas for customers to eat in.[9] The restaurant has 30 types of pizza and an 80-item salad bar.[10] An AIPC restaurant has an average area of 65,000 to 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2).[11] The restaurant is smoke-free and alcohol-free.[12] It has an arcade, go-karts, billiards, bowling, and miniature golf, among other activities.[13][14]

AIPC locations are in the central/southwest part of the United States and Mexico. The pizza franchise is planning to build 20 restaurants in Mexico, with the first one which was built in Monterrey, Mexico in 2007. Starting in 2007, the AIPC plans to build 2 restaurants every year in Mexico until 2017.[15] AIPC has 73 franchise locations in the United States and Mexico.[16] In the United States, AIPC has 6 locations in Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Illinois, Tulsa, Oklahoma and another restaurant in Warr Acres, Oklahoma. In Texas, there are restaurants in San Antonio, Houston, Sugar Land, El Paso, Texas, and Conroe.[17] In total, the company has around 15 locations.[18]

Incredible Pizza Company Foundation

In the fall of 2007, the Incredible Pizza Company founders, Rick and Cheryl Barsness, founded the Incredible Pizza Company Foundation (IPC Foundation) with the purpose to donate to missionaries and orphanages. On February 20, 2008, the IPC Foundation gave $24,000 to the Convoy of Hope, a non-profit organization.[19] In September 2008, the IPCF donated $6,500 to Care to Learn, a fund managed by the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools.[20]

America's Incredible Pizza Company was the primary sponsor of #11 CJM Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.[21] On June 17, 2008, Jason Keller, the driver of the Incredible Pizza-sponsored car, attended the opening of the 15th Incredible Pizza restaurant in Mesquite, Texas.[22] In 2008, which is the first complete NASCAR season that the AIPC has sponsored a racing team,[23] the team finished in 17th place.[24] In July 2008, CJM Racing and the AIPC became partners with Joe Gibbs Racing.[25] The partnership between the two racing teams includes the NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse Jr., who received 13th place out of 52 cars in the No. 11 America's Incredible Pizza Company Chevrolet in October 2008.[26]

Awards

In 2008, the America's Pizza Company was named a "Top Family Entertainment Center of the World" (TFEC) from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA),[27] which places it among one of the top five entertainment centers in the world.[4] Also in 2008, the America's Pizza Company in Springfield, Missouri won the "Best Place for a Kid's Birthday Party" award from Riverfront Times.[28] In 2008, AIPC was rated the 456th fastest growing company in the United States by the Inc 500.[29] In the Inc. Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies, AIPC was rated number 12th, with a 693.1% growth.[30]

References

  1. ^ Olberding, Matt (2005-09-17). "Pizza places planned for Omaha, Lincoln". Lincoln Journal Star. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPFp0xl. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  2. ^ a b Cherry, Scott (2007-04-06). "Incredible Pizza Company delivers with loads of fun and good, filling food". Tulsa World. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPIbkey. Retrieved 27 November 2008. 
  3. ^ a b "America's Incredible Pizza Company". Inc.com. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPKNJ4M. Retrieved 26 November 2008. 
  4. ^ a b Whiteman (2006), p. 2.
  5. ^ MacCormack, Zeke (2003-08-13). "Pizza chain settles suit with former franchiser Mr. Gatti's will get $1 million and a bit of new venture's revenue.". San Antonio Express-News (Hearst Corporation). Archived from the original on 2009-04-01. http://www.webcitation.org/5fhgE6wp4. Retrieved 1 April 2009. 
  6. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Company". Pizza Marketplace. 2003-08-13. Archived from the original on 2009-04-01. http://www.webcitation.org/5fhfq1Khb. Retrieved 1 April 2009. 
  7. ^ Incredible Pizza Company Website: Corporate.[1]
  8. ^ Whiteman (2006), p. 5.
  9. ^ Williams, Charles (2007-09-21). "Incredible game room". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPWEG7E. Retrieved 27 November 2008. 
  10. ^ "TEAM CJM Racing and America’s Incredible Pizza Company". CJM Racing. 2008-03-31. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPYMKeE. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  11. ^ Whiteman (2006), p.4.
  12. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Company Opening Second DFW Metroplex Location, Creates Over 200 Jobs.". Business Wire. 2008-05-07. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPajz75. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  13. ^ "Family matters: incredible Pizza Company entertains the family market.". Chain Leader. 2004-02-01. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPdJekO. Retrieved 27 November 2008. 
  14. ^ Nelson, Yvonne D. (2008-01-17). "America's Incredible Pizza Company opens". E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPfIffk. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  15. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Company signs 20-store agreement for Mexico". Pizza Marketplace (NetWorld Alliance LLC). 2006-06-28. Archived from the original on 2006-10-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20061018015944/http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=5298. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  16. ^ "Simon to head America's Incredible Pizza Co. as CEO". Pizza Marketplace (NetWorld Alliance LLC). 2006-08-17. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chQDRLMa. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  17. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Co. names new executives". Pizza Marketplace (NetWorld Alliance LLC). 2006-06-22. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chQFwjm6. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  18. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Company, LLC". Hoover's. Dun & Bradstreet. http://www.hoovers.com/america%27s-incredible-pizza/--ID__160249--/free-co-profile.xhtml. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
  19. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Company Joins the HopeWalk". Convoy of Hope. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPDncli. Retrieved 26 November 2008. 
  20. ^ "Incredible Pizza Company Gives Back to Care to Learn". Foundation for Springfield Public Schools. 2008-09-18. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPhRA1L. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  21. ^ "Phoenix: Jason Keller race report". Motorsport.com. 2008-04-11. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPjRrGX. Retrieved 27 November 2008. 
  22. ^ "America's Incredible Pizza Announces Preview Event and Grand Opening Extravaganza.". Business Wire. 2008-06-12. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPle30C. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  23. ^ "Lagasse Jr to drive No. 11 for CJM Racing". Motorsport. 2008-09-17. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPle30C. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  24. ^ "Season Finale Cut Short for Lagasse Jr. at Homestead". Motorsport. 2008-11-17. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPtPfK1. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  25. ^ "CJM, Joe Gibbs Racing to form technical alliance". NASCAR. 2008-07-16. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5eBIzWVmb. Retrieved 29 January 2009. 
  26. ^ "Charlotte II: Scott Lagasse Jr race report". Motorsport.com. 2008-10-10. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5eBIZtUr7. Retrieved 29 January 2009. 
  27. ^ Hixon, Marion (2008). "Top FECs of the World awards went to Incredible Pizza Company and FUN CENTRAL Tecamac". International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPv4am0. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  28. ^ "Best Place for a Kid's Birthday Party America's Incredible Pizza Company". Riverfront Times. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5chPwvzAI. Retrieved 28 November 2008. 
  29. ^ "Incredible Pizza joins the Inc. 5000 List at No. 456!" (PDF). America's Incredible Pizza Company. 2008-08. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5eBKRvHC5. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
  30. ^ "Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies". Inc. 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. http://www.webcitation.org/5eBKP2ufs. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 

Bibliography

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