Incredible Pizza expands to Mexico

Rick Barsness has only been selling Incredible Pizza Co. franchises for two years. With 73 sold domestically already, Barsness, who founded the Tulsa, Okla.-based restaurant chain in 2002 in Springfield, wasn’t planning to tackle the international scene just yet.

But, then again, he wasn’t planning on Gonzalo Barrutieta Losada wanting to franchise all of Mexico.

The two men needed only a month to negotiate a 20-store deal that will begin with restaurants in Monterrey and Mexico City next year. American tourist destinations Acapulco and Cancun are slated to get restaurants within 10 years.

Barrutieta will pay Barsness the same franchise fees that his American counterparts do – $50,000 per store and 5.5 percent of sales thereafter.

The Mexican Incredible Pizza restaurants also will mirror their American counterparts in operation, with a pizza buffet and game room set in a 1950s American theme. The only difference in the Mexican locations will be a piñata room for birthday parties.

“Mexican people love American concepts,” Barsness said.

Barsness doesn’t believe Mexico’s poor economy will negatively impact the endeavor. He said the middle class doesn’t exist in Mexico, but Mexicans still have enough disposable income to make the restaurants successful.

Barsness said Barrutieta has a proven track record. Barrutieta’s family owns Grupo Gigante, which has a 43-year history and operates 119 RadioShack stores, 110 Office Depot stores and more than 200 grocery stores and cafeterias.

“He has already done his homework,” Barsness said.

Domestically, Incredible Pizza has locations in Springfield, Tulsa and Warr Acres, Okla., and Conroe, Sugar Land and Champions, Texas. The Springfield location is at 2850 S. Campbell Ave.

By early 2007, stores will open in St. Louis, Memphis, Tenn., and San Antonio, Pasadena, Euless and Victoria, Texas.[[In-content Ad]]