Pie Five Inks Deal For Deep South Expansion

Weeks after announcing an 18-unit franchise deal for the Tampa, Fla., area, Pie Five Pizza Co. has announced agreements to open a string of restaurants in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The fast-casual Dallas chain has awarded 26 franchise units to Birmingham, Ala.-based Quality Restaurant Concepts, which will introduce the brand throughout Alabama, Mississippi and Chattanooga, Tenn. Quality Restaurant Concepts owners Fred Gustin and Kurt Guttshall currently own and manage 60 Applebee’s franchised restaurants across the Southeast. The duo anticipates opening their first Birmingham Pie Five Pizza unit by early 2015.

Pie Five currently has 21 locations in seven states (Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia) with more than 200 announced franchise units under contract in 13 states and Washington, D.C.