Pizza lovers in Saudi Arabia will soon get their first taste of Pizza Inn.
The Dallas-based pizza buffet chain on Wednesday said it has inked a deal with Blessings Basket Company for Serving Food to develop 50 locations in the kingdom.
The deal will kick off with two new locations this month.
The expansion on its own would more than triple the number of locations Pizza Inn operates internationally. The chain has 110 U.S. locations plus 19 in international markets.
“We are confident Blessings Basket Company will bring our brand to life as we bolster our presence in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and introduce Pizza Inn to more markets,” Brandon Solano, CEO of Pizza Inn parent Rave Restaurant Group, said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia is a quickly growing economy, thanks to its diversifying economy. The country’s economy outside of the oil business has accelerated in recent years and was expected to be 5% in 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund. Just over 20% of its gross domestic product since 2017 is tied to oil, down from just under 50% between 2005 and 2010.
Pizza Inn’s sales have rebounded in the past couple of years as consumers have returned to buffet concepts. Same-store sales in the company’s fiscal first quarter ended Sept. 24 rose 6.8%.
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