Fresh dough, handcrafted preparation, premium ingredients, and established recipes define the pizza program.
Chef-Founded Pizza Franchise
Own a New York-Style Pizza Franchise With Russo's
Build a restaurant business around handcrafted New York-style pizza, a full Italian kitchen, four guest sales channels, and a founder-led system franchising since 1999.
A Broader Restaurant Platform
More Than a Pizza-Only Franchise
Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen pairs a recognizable pizza category with a broad chef-created menu.
Pasta, calzones, salads, sandwiches, Italian entrees, and desserts give guests more reasons to visit.
Dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering support different guest occasions and dayparts.
Chef-Created Food With Family Roots
Chef Anthony Russo grew up learning family recipes shaped by relatives from Naples and Sicily. He founded Russo's New York Pizzeria in Houston in 1992. The system has offered franchises since 1999.
The brand standard centers on fresh-to-order food, premium ingredients, extra-virgin olive oil in designated recipes, and hands-on culinary training. That positioning gives candidates an alternative to a commodity pizza model.
Read Chef Anthony Russo's family storyWho Should Consider the Opportunity?
- Qualified single-unit owners who can lead a restaurant team
- Experienced restaurant operators planning multi-unit growth
- Area developers with local real estate and management capacity
- International groups with food-service, supply-chain, and market experience
- Business owners committed to brand standards and guest hospitality
U.S. Franchise Financial Reference
See Cost DetailsInvestment and Performance Snapshot
- Top 50% Average Net Sales*
- $1.164M*
- Liquid Capital Requirement
- $250K
- Net Worth Requirement
- $550K
- Initial Franchise Fee
- $35,000
- Total Investment Range
- $439,350 - $1,490,000
*The top 50% of U.S. franchised Russo's stores averaged $1,164,000 in Net Sales for fiscal year 2025 according to Item 19 of the FDD. Individual results vary. Review the current FDD for complete details.
From Inquiry to Opening
How the Franchise Process Works
- Start the ConversationSubmit your market, capital, experience, and ownership goals.
- Review the OpportunityDiscuss the concept, territory, investment, and qualification process.
- Complete Due DiligenceReview the current FDD, speak with advisors, and evaluate the business.
- Plan the RestaurantWork through site review, design, construction, training, and opening preparation.
Training and Support
A Restaurant System Built Around Execution
Support may cover site review, design coordination, equipment, vendors, opening tasks, and local launch planning.
Training addresses dough, sauces, pizza, pasta, kitchen operations, food safety, service, ordering, catering, and local marketing.
Franchisees operate their own businesses while following the FDD, franchise agreement, operating standards, and approved systems.
Franchise Questions
Pizza Franchise Opportunity FAQs
What makes Russo's a New York-style pizza franchise?
Russo's combines handcrafted New York-style pizza, a full Italian kitchen, chef-created family recipes, premium ingredients, and restaurant training built around consistent preparation and hospitality.
What sales channels can a Russo's franchise use?
The full-service restaurant concept is designed around dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering. Actual sales mix and results vary by restaurant and market.
How much does a Russo's pizza franchise cost?
The current U.S. total investment range shown on this website is $439,350 to $1,490,000. Candidates should review the current Franchise Disclosure Document for the complete investment table, assumptions, and terms.
Does Russo's provide training and opening support?
Qualified franchisees may receive site-selection guidance, training, opening support, operating systems, approved vendor guidance, marketing tools, and ongoing coaching as described in the current franchise documents and agreements.
Is Russo's offering an existing pizza franchise for sale?
This website describes a franchise opportunity to develop an approved Russo's restaurant. It is not a listing for an existing operating restaurant for sale. Territory and site approval are required.
Can candidates pursue multi-unit or international development?
Russo's reviews qualified single-unit, multi-unit, area development, and international candidates. Market availability, qualifications, compliance, and approval requirements apply.
Next Step
Is Russo's the Right Pizza Franchise for Your Market?
Share your preferred market, available capital, restaurant experience, and opening timeline. Russo's franchise development will review qualified inquiries and explain the next steps.
Submitting an inquiry does not reserve a territory or constitute a franchise offer.