As kids, there was always that one place we begged our parents to take us to, or got excited about visiting for a birthday party or a school field trip.
After all, kids’ fixations are simple: Give them pizza and entertainment, and they’ll happily stay occupied for hours. When a business offers both, it often becomes a welcome break for parents as well.
Everyone has their own version of that place, whether it’s Chuck E. Cheese, Dave & Buster’s, or Main Event. Over the years, these spots have become go-to destinations for families across the country. In Texas, however, one chain has long stood apart as a source of Lone Star pride.
Mr Gatti’s Pizza began in 1964 as a small restaurant called “The Pizza Place” in Stephenville, Texas. Five years later, it relocated to Austin and was renamed Mr Gatti’s, in honor of the founder’s wife’s maiden name.
During the 1970s, the Mr Gatti’s brand expanded into a chain and introduced buffet-style dining, an innovation that helped distinguish it from competitors.
Although the Austin restaurant predated the first Chuck E. Cheese location (which opened in San Jose, California, in 1977), Mr Gatti’s didn’t really jump onto the entertainment-plus-pizza trend until the 1980s. The concept quickly won over families, and today Mr Gatti’s Pizza operates more than 200 locations across Texas and the southeastern U.S.
Industry experts say this hybrid model has become increasingly valuable as traditional casual dining struggles to compete for consumers. According to a 2025 McKinsey & Company survey, 45% of surveyed consumers have reduced their spending at pizza restaurants.
“When there’s good entertainment and good experiences, check averages go up,” Downtown Restaurant Investments President and BYOD CEO Dave Dittenber told Restaurant Dive.
Dittenber added that entertainment only works when paired with strong service and quality food.
Mr Gatti’s Pizza has sold a majority stake in its business to OneRyan Global LLC, the family office of businessman and philanthropist G. Brint Ryan, according to a press release. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
OneRyan has been a franchisee of Mr Gatti’s Pizza since 2022, but its involvement with the brand has steadily expanded.
In September 2025, OneRyan acquired a minority stake in the company and, a month later, purchased a corporate-owned restaurant at South Park Meadows in Austin. That transaction completed Mr Gatti’s Pizza’s transition to a fully franchised system and concluded the re-franchising of all company-owned locations.
As part of the deal, G. Brint Ryan will serve as chairman, and Amanda S. Ryan will serve as vice chairwoman of the Board of Managers. CEO Jim Phillips and CFO KC Mann will remain in their roles, along with the rest of the senior leadership team.
Mr Gatti’s Pizza’s corporate headquarters will continue to be based in Fort Worth, where the company relocated following its acquisition by Sovrano LLC in 2015.
“Our deep appreciation for the Mr Gatti’s brand, combined with our firsthand experience operating locations across multiple markets, made this acquisition a natural and exciting opportunity,” said OneRyan CEO Amanda S. Ryan.
“Mr Gatti’s has built a category-leading platform in dining and family entertainment, supported by an exceptional network of franchisees. We look forward to helping the brand continue to grow and thrive.”
Phillips described Ryan as an “exceptional leader with enormous respect for the heritage of Mr Gatti’s.”
“He brings a compelling vision for the brand’s future, along with the expertise needed to help us reach our full potential,” Phillips added. “We are excited to have his leadership both as an owner-operator and as Chairman as we enter this next phase of growth.”
Mr Gatti’s Pizza sells its majority stake to OneRyan Global LLC.Shutterstock ·Shutterstock
Although Mr Gatti’s Pizza is not a nationwide chain, its popularity in the southern U.S. has allowed it to continue growing. The company reported a 4% increase in system-wide sales for fiscal 2024, according to PR Newswire.
By the end of that year, the chain had 234 locations open and under development, having awarded 39 new franchise agreements in 2024 alone.
Expansion shows no signs of slowing. In July 2024, Mr Gatti’s Pizza sealed a partnership deal with Walmart (WMT) to open 92 new locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Kentucky by mid-2026.
These Walmart-based locations are smaller than traditional stand-alone stores and don’t include arcade games, but they still offer the full menu. This format was designed to capture high-traffic retail customers without the expense of arcades.
However, the road has not always been smooth.
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Mr Gatti’s Pizza’s former parent company, Sovrano LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2019 after accumulating $32 million in secured debt and listing liabilities between $10 million and $50 million, according to court records.
At the time, a company spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesman that the bankruptcy filing was intended to address banking and operational issues, emphasizing that it was not due to the brand’s performance and would not affect store-level operations. The filing applied only to one corporate-owned location and did not impact franchise support.
Many companies choose to franchise to accelerate expansion and establish their brand across more markets. A franchisee invests in the right to operate a business under a recognized name, reducing the risk associated with starting from scratch.
As franchisees gain experience and confidence in a brand’s long-term potential, they often seek greater ownership to maximize returns.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 17% of new restaurants close within their first year, making franchising an appealing lower-risk alternative for both operators and brand owners.
Still, the model has drawbacks. Because daily operations are handled by individual owners, maintaining consistent quality can be a challenge. Poor oversight or mismanagement by even a few franchisees can damage a brand’s reputation.
“Labor experts say that franchised chains have higher rates of violations than corporate-run chains because they are less invested in preserving a brand’s reputation,” wrote Labor Expert Lauren Kaori Gurley and Investigative Data Reporter Emmanuel Martinez for The Washington Post. “They are also under pressure to keep labor costs low to make up for steep operating costs, especially franchise fees.”
For OneRyan, waiting several years before acquiring a controlling stake likely allowed the firm to better understand these risks, assess the brand’s long-term potential, and position itself for sustainable growth before committing fully.
“What excites me most about franchising today is the next generation of emerging brands — founders who are intentional about growth and committed to building sustainable systems,” said Franchise FastLane VP Brand Recruiter Patrick Sanchez for FranchiseWire.
“Franchising, when done right, creates opportunity far beyond unit growth. It builds communities, empowers entrepreneurs, and changes lives. Success isn’t about growing fast — it’s about growing well.”
Related: 30-year-old pasta chain announces 35 restaurant closures in 2026
This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Restaurants section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
