Pizza Fan: Pay and protection for 2,500 workers in focus

Protecting Pizza Fan’s approximately 2,500 employees has become a central concern following the suspension of the chain’s operations. Comments by Deputy Minister of Labour Kostas Karagounis and a request from the Panhellenic Federation of Catering and Tourism Workers (POEET) for income support and social insurance cover highlight a distinct employment dimension to the case, with direct relevance to Greece’s franchising community and employers operating franchised outlets.

The ministry’s position on contracts and wages

Speaking to ERTnews, according to a report in Ta Nea on 25 October 2026, Kostas Karagounis reiterated employers’ obligation to pay wages. He also said that, based on the information available at that point, no procedures to terminate employment contracts had been initiated.

“There appear to be no dismissals at present,” the deputy minister said. This wording reflects the situation he described at that particular time, rather than any guarantee about the future of those jobs. He said the ministry was monitoring the case closely and was in contact with employee representatives.

His comments followed an investigation into alleged tax evasion and the suspension of operations at stores and the call centre. The employment issue remains separate from the investigation into the allegations: it concerns existing contracts, the payment of wages and keeping staff across the network informed.

What financial support POEET is seeking

The Panhellenic Federation of Catering and Tourism Workers has asked the government to place employees under a formal employment contract suspension scheme. According to Dnews, POEET sent a letter to the Minister of Labour on 23 October, requesting a special-purpose allowance and social insurance cover for around 2,500 employees nationwide.

The request is for a monthly allowance of €534, alongside full coverage of social insurance contributions calculated on employees’ contractual salaries. The same report said the ministry was considering payment of this allowance.

Considering a measure is not the same as deciding to implement it. The allowance is a proposed form of support under consideration, not a benefit already in place. Likewise, when informing employees, the suspension of the business’s operations should not be confused with the formal suspension of employment contracts sought by the federation.

This distinction has practical implications for expectations about income and social insurance cover. On the one hand, the deputy minister has reiterated employers’ obligations; on the other, there is a request for state intervention whose implementation is not presented as certain.

Why the issue directly affects franchisees

Most of the network operates through franchise partners. On 24 October, Chaniotika Nea, citing Naftemporiki, reported that there were 101 franchised outlets and nine company-owned stores. These figures illustrate the importance of franchising to employment across the chain, without specifying how many employees work in each category of outlet.

According to Ta Nea, franchised stores continue to face operating commitments such as payroll, rent and energy bills. The discussion about employees therefore concerns franchisees’ businesses as well as the central company and the call centre.

For the franchising community, the case highlights the importance of clear communication by each individual employer. A general statement about the chain’s employees does not automatically describe the status of every individual contract. Nor does POEET’s collective request for support, in itself, confirm that employment arrangements have changed at any particular store.

Demonstration to call for jobs to be safeguarded

The Catering and Tourism Workers’ Union has called a demonstration for Monday 26 October at 14:00 outside the company’s offices in Chalandri, a suburb of Athens. According to Ta Nea, its main demands are to safeguard all jobs and ensure employees are fully informed.

Workers are seeking information on developments in the case and the timetable for reopening stores and other departments. The demonstration therefore adds a specific demand for information to the call for employment protection, while the ministry says it is monitoring developments.

Practical takeaway: Franchisees need to distinguish their current obligations as employers from proposed support measures, and keep staff informed on the basis of confirmed decisions rather than possible outcomes.