The fast-casual pizza concept Pieology filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.
The Irvine, California-based chain was once one of the rapidly growing “craft your own pizza” brands gunning to be the “Chipotle of pizza” in a field that included MOD Pizza, Blaze Pizza and others. Designed to be made fresh on site, that style of pizza has suffered since the pandemic drove many consumers to rely more on delivery.
Founded in 2011, Pieology had more than 200 units at one point pre-pandemic, but in recent years the number of units has shrunk considerably. Last year, Pieology ended with 103 locations, a 5% decline. Sales in fiscal 2024 were $101.8 million, down almost 11%, according to Technomic’s Top 500 Restaurant Chain list. All but eight of the chain’s locations are owned by franchisees and wouldn’t be affected by the filing…