Pizza Pilgrims is trading ahead of expectations in terms of both sales and covers, with the business overall in “good shape,” co-founder Thom Elliot tells MCA.
The chain is continuing to look for opportunities outside London, with an eye on expanding its presence across major cities.
It currently operates 22 locations, four of which are outside the capital in Oxford, Brighton, Nottingham, and Cambridge. It is also keeping an eye on continuing to build its London footprint.
“There are so many great cities that we could be in,” Elliot says. “It’s about identifying a city you like and finding the right site. We have a list of potentials but we’re not in a rush to open faster and faster – we want to do it at the right pace.
“Just before Covid, we had opened in Victoria and were about to open in Cambridge. The team was on fire. It’s taken until the last three months to get back to that.”
With the 10th anniversary of its first bricks-and-mortar restaurant this year, Pizza Pilgrims is also focused on evolving its menu.
While the chain is to open a new site in London’s Queen’s Park, Elliot explains this is due to an opportunity for a strong site rather than “the beginning of a strategy” to move into more residential areas.
“We were pretty confident London will come back…it took longer than I thought, but it’s back now,” he adds. “In Central London, it depends on opportunities that are exciting or new. Those opportunities are still presenting themselves.”
Proximity to train stations has worked well for Pizza Pilgrims, but the brand will continue to differentiate between its venues and stick to “quirky sites” as opposed to a cookie cutter approach, Elliot explains.
He emphasises the brand is remaining selective about new locations rather than trying to reach a target number.
“We’re oddly trading ahead of budget, but we’re all working a bit harder for it.”
Average spend per head remains at £16, with the business aiming to maintain value despite some price rises.
Pizza Pilgrims also recently introduced an espresso and dessert bar concept to its Carnaby site, while announcing its upcoming Queen’s Park location will have a deli space within the restaurant.
These concepts aim to utilise existing space and are unlikely to be rolled out across the estate, according to Elliot.
“The deli ties in really nicely with the community at Queen’s Park,” he says. “In Carnaby, we thought the espresso bar would be a way to make the space buzzier in the mornings and afternoons.
“There are so many different Pizza Pilgrims with different vibes…we like to be creative with stuff.”
The business is also continuing to focus on the experiential element. Having hosted gigs, masterclasses, tastings, and a ‘recruitment disco’ within pizzerias, it is actively on the lookout for multipurpose sites.
