Paisano’s Pizza Franchising · Est. 1998
Join our franchise family
A proven concept with 35 restaurants across Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Built here, founded here, and backed by high-level support and training from day one and whenever you need it.
$1,335,717Average unit volume across all 29 franchised restaurants, 2025*
The Official Pizza of the Washington CommandersFDD Item 19
2025 by the numbers
Franchised restaurants averaged $1,335,717 in 2025 sales, with cost of goods at 30.7%*
| Restaurants | Avg. Sales | Median Sales | Avg. COGS | Lowest COGS | Highest COGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchised restaurants (29) | $1,335,717 | $1,269,284 | 30.7% | 24.4% | 37.6% |
| Company-owned restaurants (6) | $1,386,869 | $1,396,997 | 27.5% | 25.6% | 29.0% |
*From Item 19 of our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, calendar year 2025. COGS is cost of goods sold as a share of gross sales. Franchised restaurant sales ranged from $768,598 to $1,997,453. These figures don’t reflect operating expenses or other costs. Some Restaurants have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much. See the full basis.
Why franchise with us
Why Paisano’s over every other franchise?
We run Paisano’s too
Our company owns and operates six Paisano’s restaurants on the same system franchisees use, in the same markets. Your success is our success.
Answers within 24 hours
Our corporate team responds to every franchisee within 24 hours, big question or small. You’re never on your own, from training through opening week and beyond.
Buying power
Franchisees get national pricing negotiated with our broadline distributor and beverage partners, the kind of pricing an independent shop can’t get alone.
Made from scratch
Our pizza dough is made from scratch every day, and our flavors keep customers coming back for more.
Marketing muscle
As the Official Pizza of the Washington Commanders, we market Paisano’s across the region, and every franchisee benefits.
Own it your way
Many franchisees own their restaurants without running them day to day. Every Paisano’s is led by a full-time General Manager who completes our training.
Marketing
What we do for you
It’s the question prospective franchisees ask us most. Here’s what our marketing team does for your restaurant.
Official Pizza of the Commanders
Our Washington Commanders partnership puts Paisano’s in front of DMV fans all season, with game-day deals for Rewards members.
We run the campaigns
The Brand Fund pays for regional marketing we create and run: digital, TV, radio, our website and social media, photography, video, and PR.
Your grand opening
Your Restaurant Launch Package funds an opening marketing program from one week before you open to three weeks after, and we can run it for you.
Rewards, app & gift cards
Your restaurant joins our loyalty program, online ordering, and app, and a gift card bought at any Paisano’s works at yours.
Local & targeted
Your territory is profiled before local advertising starts, and part of your local spend can go to SMS campaigns we direct for you.
Cutting-edge tools
Our marketing team works at the cutting edge of marketing technology, AI included.
91%of our 2025 Brand Fund spending went to media placement*
Paisano’s in the news
Inside a Paisano’s
Home of the DMV’s best pizza
Your support team
Right next to you
We run Paisano’s restaurants too. What we learn, we teach you, and what you learn, you teach us.
Fouad Qreitem opened the first Paisano’s in Fair Lakes, Virginia, in 1998. Today there are 35 across Virginia, Maryland, and DC, and his company still runs six of them on the same system franchisees use.
Our leadership team brings more than 100 years of combined restaurant experience, and we’re as invested in each franchisee’s success as we are in our own.
- Fouad QreitemFounder & CEOOpened the first Paisano’s in Fair Lakes in 1998 and launched franchising in 2011.
- Colleen SiskVice President of Operations25+ years of operational experience, specializing in organizational development and streamlined operations.
- Gary WiseVice President of FinanceCPA with 25+ years of operational, development, and management experience.
- Peter D’AmelioVice President of Franchise DevelopmentYour first call, from your inquiry to your opening day.
- Sophia QreitemMarketing
Ways to own
Four ways to own a Paisano’s
Build new, franchise a restaurant we’ve built, convert the one you already own, or take Paisano’s on the road.
Open a new restaurant
We help you find and evaluate your site, then guide you through the lease, the build, and opening week.
Franchise a restaurant we’ve built
Don’t want to manage construction? Paisano’s can find the site, sign the lease, and build the restaurant, then hand it over to you ready to open.
Convert your restaurant
Own a pizzeria or another restaurant? Converting to Paisano’s brings new equipment, our training, a remodel, and a brand your neighborhood already knows.
Own a food truck
Take Paisano’s on the road within your territory. It’s the mobile option people kept asking us for, now part of our 2026 franchise offering.
- Franchise fee
- $15,000
- Royalty
- $1,500/mo
- Brand Fund
- None
- Initial investment
- $71,950–$214,000
FDD Items 5, 6 & 7
The investment
The numbers come straight from our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document.
Prefer a food truck? The estimated initial investment is $71,950–$214,000, with a $15,000 franchise fee.
The process
From inquiry to grand opening
- 1
Reach out
Fill out the form below. Our franchise development team responds within 24 hours.
- 2
Questionnaire & territory
Complete the franchise questionnaire while we confirm an available territory in your market.
- 3
Discovery Day
Visit us, meet Fouad and the team, and see the operation up close. For us it’s a relationship, not just a numbers deal.
- 4
Approval
Leadership signs off on fit, financial readiness, and the operations plan.
- 5
Train & open
We train up to three of your people, our VP of Franchise Development guides the build, and our team is on site for your opening.
Technology
Technology that supports people
We use technology to enhance the guest experience and the quality of every order, never to replace the people who make it. We’re about quality and making everything as fresh as it can be.
Every store runs on a single integrated system, the same one powering all 35 Paisano’s restaurants today.
- Single-source POS with built-in loyalty programs and email capabilities
- Multiple ordering options: in-store, online, and an easy-to-use app
- Order integrations with third-party delivery services
- Driver IQ GPS delivery
- Promise Time technology
- Extensive analytics and reporting
- Integrated curbside pickup
Our charitable pillar
Paisano’s With a Purpose
Paisano’s With a Purpose believes that access to nutritious, delicious meals is a fundamental human right. Our mission is to bring high-quality food to underserved communities, charitable organizations, and community partners, one meal at a time.
Giving back is a cultural stronghold here. We partner with local food banks, shelters, and school programs, and our food truck donates meals in underserved communities, with a goal of 50,000 meals a year. See how it works.
The right fit
Who thrives here
The ideal Paisano’s franchisee is community-based with strong local connections, hospitality experience, and financial discipline. Above everything sits one value: integrity. Do the right thing.
We look for accomplished people who follow a proven system and still bring fresh thinking. Ideas are welcome and go through a process, and our Great Idea Award recognizes the best of them.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Will Paisano’s help me find a location?
Yes, we will. Many factors will help contribute to the success of your location including neighborhood, demographics, parking, traffic patterns and more. We will work together with third parties to gather this information to help you make an informed decision.
Can I franchise a restaurant that’s already built?
Yes. Paisano’s can find a site, build the restaurant, and hand it over to you ready to open, so you don’t have to manage construction. Ask our franchise development team what’s available.
Can I convert my current restaurant?
Yes. If you own a pizzeria or another restaurant, you can convert it to a Paisano’s with new equipment, our training, and a remodel.
Can I own a Paisano’s food truck?
Yes. New in our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, a food truck franchise has a $15,000 franchise fee, a flat royalty of $1,500 a month, and no Brand Fund contribution. The estimated initial investment is $71,950–$214,000.
Does Paisano’s train me, and how long is the training?
Yes. Our training program consists of both hands-on and classroom instruction for up to three people, at our headquarters and in our restaurants, 30 to 60 days before you open. We will be onsite with you around your grand opening to ensure you are set up for success.
What experience do I need to become a Paisano’s franchise owner?
You don’t need restaurant experience to own a Paisano’s franchise because our system is turnkey, though it’s welcome. Every restaurant needs a full-time General Manager with prior restaurant experience, and our team trains them.
Do I have to run the restaurant myself?
No. Many of our franchisees own their restaurants without running them day to day. Each restaurant is led by a full-time General Manager who has completed our training.
How much will it cost me to open a Paisano’s?
The estimated initial investment is $378,300–$798,900 depending on the site selected. Item 7 of our Franchise Disclosure Document has the full breakdown.
Is financing available?
While we don’t provide direct financing, our team can connect you with third-party financing companies that specialize in funding startup franchisees.
Will I pay royalty fees?
Yes, there is a 6% royalty fee on gross sales.
Will I pay advertising fees?
Yes. You’ll contribute to our Brand Fund, currently 1% of gross sales, and spend on local advertising, currently 2% of gross sales.
What does Paisano’s do for my marketing?
Our team runs the brand’s marketing: regional campaigns paid for by the Brand Fund, our website and social media, the Commanders partnership, and the Rewards program. Your Restaurant Launch Package funds your grand-opening marketing, and we can run it for you.
What is the next step?
Fill out the form below and someone from our franchise team will reach out with more details.
Start the conversation
It’s your time
Contact us today to learn more about this mouthwatering opportunity! Let’s create a world of cheesy goodness together.
- 1Tell us about yourself and where you’d like to open.
- 2Our franchise development team reaches out within 24 hours.
- 3We walk you through the questionnaire, available territories, and Discovery Day.
Request franchise information
Our franchise development team responds within 24 hours.
*Sales figures are from Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document issued April 27, 2026 (amended May 21, 2026). They show actual gross sales for the calendar year ending December 31, 2025, for 29 franchisee-owned and 6 company-owned Paisano’s restaurants in Maryland and Virginia; all outlets were included. Cost of goods sold (COGS) percentages are as reported in Item 19. Gross sales do not reflect the costs of sales, operating expenses, or other costs that must be deducted to obtain net income or profit. Some Restaurants have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much.Written substantiation is available upon reasonable request. Investment and fee figures, including the food truck’s, are from Items 5, 6, and 7 of the same document, and the Brand Fund figures are from Item 11.
This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for information purposes only. There are approximately 14 countries and 15 US states that regulate the offer and sale of franchises. The countries are Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada (provinces of Alberta and Ontario), China, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Spain, and the United States of America. The US states are California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you are a resident of one of these states or countries, are receiving this message in one of these states or countries, or intend to operate a franchise in any of these states or countries, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with any applicable pre-sale registration and/or disclosure requirements in the applicable jurisdiction.