California Pizza Kitchen Spreads Its Wings

California Pizza Kitchen has opened two new nontraditional locations—a full-service dining/full bar concept along with a quick-service kiosk with a limited menu—in Latin America.

Both locations are nestled in the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica, and are owned and operated by Morpho Travel Experience.

Last year, CPK made its debut in Costa Rica when it opened a two-story location (pictured below) in a newly renovated mall in Escazu, just outside the capital city of San Jose.

Morpho Travel Experience also operates the new CPK Costa Rica located at the Multiplaza mall in Escazu. Courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen.

In 2022, CPK also opened in Chile and Canada for the first time—boosting its presence to span 11 countries. In the U.S., CPK says it is committed to growing its franchise presence, including in nontraditional venues such as airports and casinos.

“We are proud of our success in 2022 and will use this momentum to fuel further growth not only internationally, but domestically,” says Giorgio Minardi, CPK’s executive vice president of global and franchise operations.

Panera Bread, too, has been eyeing added nontraditional growth in recent months, saying its newer on-the-go format may be a fit for hospitals or universities. Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and Subway also were among those shaking up their portfolios in 2022.