PizzaLazza targets 200 restaurants by 2027 through franchise-led growth

PizzaLazza aims to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2026 and 200 by the end of 2027 under its franchise-led growth plan. The Turkish pizza chain currently serves customers at more than 135 restaurants across the country, with 110 operated by franchise partners. Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Eskişehir and Kocaeli are its priority cities for new investment.

Franchise partners are central to the growth plan

According to information published in the 11–24 October 2026 issue of Ekonomist and on its website on 30 October, PizzaLazza was founded in 2014 as a Turkish venture. The brand continues to expand its restaurant network through franchising. Its disclosed outlet breakdown shows that franchise partners operate the vast majority of the network.

The restaurant target should therefore be understood as a growth plan pursued jointly with partners, rather than solely through the brand’s own investment. However, the announced targets refer to the total number of restaurants. The goal of 200 restaurants by the end of 2027 should not be read as a target of 200 franchised outlets.

PizzaLazza highlights a sustainable operational infrastructure and a focus on digitalisation in its investor proposition. These are elements the brand uses to describe its partnership offering. When assessing an investment, prospective franchisees should also consider how this approach would translate into the day-to-day running of their chosen restaurant. The size of the existing network and the performance of an individual new outlet should be assessed separately.

A two-stage target: 150 restaurants, then 200

The first milestone in the brand’s timetable is to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2026. The second is to increase the total to 200 by the end of 2027. The growth plan envisages adding approximately 65 restaurants to the existing network.

These figures represent future targets, not completed openings. In particular, because the current restaurant count is stated as “more than 135”, the planned expansion of around 65 restaurants should not be interpreted as an exact number of openings. Nor does the announced timetable specify which months or cities will see new restaurants open.

For Turkey’s franchise sector, the key point is the direction of growth: an expansion built on an existing partner network, with two year-end milestones. For investors, this timetable provides a starting point for asking the brand how applications, location assessments and opening preparations will be sequenced. However, the overall network target does not mean that any particular application will be accepted or that a restaurant will open in a specific area.

Location and delivery are priorities in five cities

PizzaLazza names Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Eskişehir and Kocaeli as its priority cities for new investment. This list indicates the geographical focus of its expansion, rather than setting a separate restaurant target for each city.

The brand is looking for high-potential street locations or shopping centre premises with a strong concentration of customers. Suitability for takeaway and delivery operations is also among its requirements. Site assessments therefore extend beyond visibility and footfall: the conditions needed to get orders to customers are also part of the model.

Prospective franchisees should not assess a proposed address solely on whether it is in one of the priority cities. The customer concentration and delivery suitability described by the brand need to be examined separately for each site, even within the same city. In practice, anyone approaching the brand with a specific location proposal should consider both the nature of the premises—whether a street location or a shopping centre unit—and the arrangements for takeaway and delivery.

Distinguish the entry fee from the total investment budget

The announced franchise entry fee, described as a brand signage fee, is US$15,000 plus VAT. The total investment cost varies according to the floor area of the premises and local conditions. The stated fee should therefore not be treated as the total capital required to open a PizzaLazza restaurant.

Investors should first distinguish between the brand entry fee and the full budget for their chosen site. As investment costs vary with floor area and location, quotations for different premises need to be compared on a like-for-like basis. Rather than making a decision based on a single fee, investors can make a more informed assessment by obtaining written confirmation of which items are included in the budget for the proposed restaurant.

PizzaLazza’s announced growth plan is based on expanding a network in which franchise partners play the dominant role. Practical takeaway: Before applying, assess the suitability of your target location, delivery arrangements and total investment budget together; do not treat the US$15,000 plus VAT entry fee as the full cost of opening a restaurant.