Pizza Ranch

Pizza Ranch, Inc.
Private
Industry Restaurants
Founded Hull, Iowa, U.S. (1981)[1]
Headquarters Orange City, Iowa, U.S.
Key people
 Adrie Groeneweg, co-founder[2]
Lawrence Vander Esch, co-founder[3]
Products Pizza, Chicken
Revenue US$138.121 million[4]
Website www.pizzaranch.com

The Pizza Ranch, Inc., founded in 1981,[5] is a "fast casual" restaurant chain. Pizza Ranch offers pizza, chicken, a salad bar, and a pizza and chicken buffet.[6] Pizza Ranch has over 200 locations[7] in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Pizza Ranch is the largest regional pizza franchise in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.[8]

History

The first restaurant opened December 21, 1981, in Hull, Iowa.[9][10] The six original house pizzas were the Roundup (deluxe), Sweet Swine (Hawaiian), Texan Taco, Bronco (meat lover's), Prairie (veggie lover's) and Sagebrush. Initially, Pizza Ranch only offered a Tuesday night buffet, while the rest of the dining hours were for take-out or dine-in orders. The second Pizza Ranch opened in Orange City in 1983,[11] where the first noon buffet was introduced. In 1987, with the addition of a Sioux City restaurant, the menu expanded to offer chicken.

Pizza Ranch has grown over the years and now has franchises in thirteen states. Pizza Ranch's specialties are their pizza and chicken.[12] Their headquarters, formerly located in Hull, Iowa, is currently located in Orange City, Iowa.[13][14]

Pizza Ranch is a Christian-based company.[2][8] The Pizza Ranch vision is "To glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in."[15]

The chain has become a popular stop for conservative presidential candidates during the Iowa caucuses.[16][17]

In 2012, Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney refused to eat at Pizza Ranch because of the co-founders history of molesting minors. Romney's strategist David Kochel cited Vander Esch's conviction as the reason why the candidate would not eat at the restaurant[18].

Sexual Assault

Lawrence Vander Esch, one of the co-founders Pizza Ranch, pleaded guilty in 2001 to molesting at least three teenage boys. It is thought his crimes occurred over a period of at least 19 years[19]. He was denied parole in 2005 after testimony from one of his victims stating that Vander Esch duped young boys by asking them for sperm in an experiment he was conducting[20].

Customers have two options; ordering from the menu or (at designated times) eating from the buffet.

The menu features standard pizzeria items: Cheesy Ranch Stix, various options of pizza (including specialties like Texan Taco, Roundup, Bronco, bacon cheeseburger, buffalo chicken, chicken bacon ranch, and The Wildfire), Cactus Bread (dessert pizza) and Buffalo wings. Pizza Ranch also offers a salad bar, as well as "Crispy Ranch Chicken" (the company's own recipe for broasted chicken), several wraps, broasted potatoes, chicken fingers, waffle fries, ranch chips, and mashed potatoes and gravy (in some locations). The buffet features the above-mentioned items, and may include local specialties daily.

Controversy

In March 2016, Pizza Ranch was linked to an E-Coli outbreak, stemming from their dessert offerings.[21] Subsequently, lawsuits were filed by victims and their families; one of the victims being an eight-year-old girl from Nebraska.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dreeszen, Dave (September 12, 2012). "Pizza Ranch to add Sioux City location". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Semuels, Alana (December 26, 2011). "Easy as pie: Iowa's campaign trail runs through Pizza Ranch". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  3. ↑ Dreeszen, Dave (January 8, 2012). "Why Romney didn't dine at a 'Ranch'". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Pizza Ranch Inc Revenue and Financial". Hoovers. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  5. ↑ Askew, John (September 17, 2007). "Meanwhile at the Pizza Ranch…". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  6. ↑ Kennedy, Wally (November 23, 2013). "Range Line to be home of still more pizza". Joplin Globe. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ Eggmeier, Pam (January 22, 2017). "Pizza Ranch set to open Monday in Sterling". The Prairie Advocate. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Dreeszen, Dave (January 7, 2012). "Pizza Ranch again blazes trail to White House". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ Viccaro, Eric (May 26, 2010). "In part, Madsen owns local Pizza Ranch spot". Sioux County Index Reporter. New Century Press. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  10. ↑ Turner, Terry (March 4, 2004). "Pizza Ranch opens in Sergeant Bluff". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ Anderson, Doug; Schlak, Tim; Grond, Greta; Kaltenbach, Sarah (2014). Orange City: Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467111584.
  12. ↑ Korbelink, Jeff (February 27, 2014). "Pizza Ranch offers pizza AND chicken". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ Gearino, Dan (November 18, 2005). "Pizza Ranch gets state loan for move". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  14. ↑ Oechslin, Russ (April 27, 2008). "Pizza Ranch grows into eight states". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  15. ↑ Wallenfang, Maureen (July 3, 2013). "The Buzz: Pizza Ranch rounds up its newest restaurant". Post-Crescent. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  16. ↑ Yadron, Danny (December 24, 2011). "Pie in Sky: The Iowa Pizza Circuit". The Wall Street Journal. p. A6. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ Howley, Kerry (March 11, 2011). "The Road to the White House is paved with pizza". New York Times. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  18. ↑ ddreeszen@siouxcityjournal.com, Dave Dreeszen. "Why Romey didn't dine at a 'Ranch'". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  19. ↑ "Vander Esch Guilty of Sexual Abuse". KELOLAND News. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  20. ↑ Times, Quad-City. "Pizza Ranch founder is denied parole". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  21. ↑ Leys, Tony (March 16, 2016). "Pizza Ranch linked to E. Coli outbreak in nine states". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  22. ↑ Maricle, Kelly (March 30, 2016). "Another Lawsuit Filed in Pizza Ranch E. Coli outbreak". Retrieved March 31, 2016.
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