Pizza King Weinbach has recently reopened right next door! They have relocated to the former Hardee's and Los Alfaro's Restaurant building next door. The new location includes a bigger parking lot, dine-in options and a NEW drive-thru service.
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Do you know the history of this local pizza place?
Why do Pizza King locations around the state vary so much? Well, in 1956, Indiana's first Pizza King was opened by brothers Wendell and Robert Swartz in Lafayette. Soon after, the brothers decided they wanted to take the growing business in different directions, so they split up the state and now two entirely separate companies operate using the Pizza King name in their own regions of Indiana.
Wendell's territory is where you'll find the famous Pizza King Guy logo and also some of the spots that deliver beverages via model train. Robert's slice of the state, where you'll find the unique "Ring the King" system that lets customers order via a phone at their table.
Furthermore, neither parent company runs their many locations with a traditional franchise model (where restaurant operations and appearance would be controlled by the larger corporation). Instead, each location is independently owned and operated, dealing with their parent companies through a unique "supply agreement" that has them purchase ingredients and supplies from the larger company without being under their control.
This means each Pizza King is truly a local business within its community and has a chance to set themselves apart from the rest. In Evansville, for example, Pizza King is known for their signature stromboli much more than their pizza.
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The growth and perseverance of this Indiana brand over nearly 70 years is certainly an interesting piece of Indiana history and we're glad it took home our Indiana's Greatest Restaurant title in 2022.
