Mountain Mike's Pizza

Mountain Mike's Pizza is an American pizza restaurant brand built around a franchised-store model. The first restaurant opened in Palo Alto, California, in 1978, founded by Thomas Van Buskirk. From that single location, the company developed into a regional chain with its strongest presence in California, particularly Northern California, while also expanding into additional western and central-western states. The brand's core business is pizza served through dine-in, takeout, and delivery-oriented restaurant locations. Its menu extends beyond pizza to include chicken wings, garlic sticks, dessert pizzas, salad-bar items, and a lunch buffet. This combination gives the restaurants a broader casual dining and group-meal proposition than a narrowly focused takeaway pizza outlet. The buffet and salad-bar format also supports lunch and family occasions in locations where those services are offered. Mountain Mike's has locations in Northern and Southern California, including the Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego. Outside California, the chain has expanded into Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. The available reference material identifies approximately 300 locations in 10 states as of November 10, 2023. The chain therefore remains primarily a western United States brand rather than a nationwide or international operator. A major ownership change occurred in 2017, when Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme acquired the company. Britt, a California native associated with prior ownership interests in Boot Barn and Signature Theaters, and St. Geme were described as college friends and co-owners. They also co-own Juice It Up!, a Southern California franchisor. Under their ownership, Mountain Mike's passed the 200-unit milestone and doubled new-unit growth in 2018, according to the available reference material. These developments indicate an emphasis on franchise expansion and development of new restaurants rather than a shift away from the brand's regional identity. The brand continues to position itself as a western U.S. pizza chain with a franchise-centered growth model and a menu designed for families, groups, and casual gatherings. Its public profile has also included recognition related to franchisee financing support: on March 21, 2024, Mountain Mike's received FRANdata's annual TopScore FUND Award for support of franchisees' access to financing and lending opportunities. A reference also reports that Yelp placed Mountain Mike's sixth among its Top Pizza Brands in America in 2025. These recognitions complement, but do not replace, the chain's central proposition: regional pizza restaurants offering dine-in and off-premise meals through a broad network of franchised locations.

Mountain Mike's Pizza began in 1978, when Thomas Van Buskirk opened the first restaurant in Palo Alto, California. The business started as a single pizza restaurant and gradually developed a franchise network concentrated in the western United States. California became the brand's principal market, especially Northern California, while later locations extended its reach into Southern California and several other states. The restaurant concept has combined pizza with a broader menu and dine-in experience. In addition to pizza, locations offer items such as chicken wings, garlic sticks, dessert pizzas, salad-bar selections, and a lunch buffet. The exact mix can vary by restaurant, but the format is designed to serve families, groups, and customers seeking either an on-premise meal or food for takeout and delivery. Mountain Mike's expanded beyond its original Northern California base into Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Its Southern California presence includes the Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego. The available reference material states that the chain had approximately 300 locations in 10 states as of November 10, 2023, making it a substantial regional operator while remaining focused on the western United States. In 2017, Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme acquired Mountain Mike's Pizza. The two owners were described as college friends, and both had experience with other consumer and franchising businesses. They also co-own Juice It Up!, a Southern California-based franchisor. During the early period of their ownership, the chain surpassed 200 units and doubled new-unit growth in 2018, reflecting a strategy centered on franchise development and network expansion. The brand's later public milestones have included recognition of its franchise support and consumer reputation. In March 2024, it received FRANdata's TopScore FUND Award for support of financing and lending access for franchisees. A separate reference reports that Yelp placed the chain sixth in its 2025 Top Pizza Brands in America ranking. These developments reflect the continuing expansion and visibility of a regional pizza franchise whose identity remains closely associated with California and the broader western U.S. restaurant market.

• 2024

  Receives FRANdata franchise-financing award

  [1]Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Mountain Mike's received the annual TopScore FUND Award for support of franchisee access to financing and lending opportunities.

• 2023

  Network reaches approximately 300 locations

  [1]Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  The chain was reported to have approximately 300 locations across 10 states as of November 10, 2023.

• 2018

  Chain exceeds 200 units and accelerates new-unit growth

  [1]Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  During the early ownership period of Britt and St. Geme, the brand surpassed 200 locations and doubled new-unit growth.

• 2017

  Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme acquire the chain

  [1]Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme became owners of Mountain Mike's Pizza, initiating a new period of franchise-focused development.

• 1978

  First Mountain Mike's Pizza opens

  [1]Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas Van Buskirk opened the first Mountain Mike's Pizza restaurant in Palo Alto, California.

A regional, franchise-led American pizza chain focused on family and group occasions, with dine-in, takeout, and delivery-oriented service and a menu broader than pizza alone.

• Core restaurant offering · 1978

  Pizza

  Pizza is the central product category and primary identity of Mountain Mike's Pizza. It is sold through the chain's franchised restaurants for dine-in, takeout, and delivery-oriented occasions. The product supports the brand's family and group-meal positioning and anchors the broader menu.

• Side and shared food

  Chicken wings

  Chicken wings complement the chain's pizza menu and provide a shareable alternative or add-on for group meals. They are part of the broader restaurant assortment described for Mountain Mike's locations.

• Side dish

  Garlic sticks

  Garlic sticks are a savory side item offered alongside the chain's pizza and other group-oriented foods. They extend the meal occasion beyond the main pizza product.

• Dessert

  Dessert pizzas

  Dessert pizzas provide a sweet conclusion to the restaurant meal and distinguish the menu from a single-course pizza offering. They are listed among the chain's additional food products.

• Dine-in service offering

  Lunch buffet and salad bar

  Some Mountain Mike's restaurants offer a lunch buffet and salad bar, supporting dine-in lunch occasions and customers seeking variety. Availability may differ among franchised locations.

• 2017

  Acquisition by Chris Britt and Ed St. GemeM&A

  Background

  Mountain Mike's Pizza had developed from a single California restaurant into a regional franchise chain. In 2017, ownership changed to Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme.

  Action taken

  Britt and St. Geme acquired the chain and continued its development through a franchise-led expansion model.

  Aftermath

  The chain passed 200 units and doubled new-unit growth in 2018, later reaching approximately 300 locations across 10 states by November 2023.

  Source

• 2026.08.17

  Reported2026.08.17

  Palona AI launches multimodal AI operating layer for restaurants[2]Palona AI 推出面向餐饮业的多模态 AI 运营平台fastcasual.com

  Palona AI launched a multimodal AI operating layer for physical businesses, debuting in restaurants before expanding to other brick-and-mortar sectors. The platform connects customer demand, live operations and automated action for restaurant operators and is already deployed with chains including Din Tai Fung, Mountain Mike's Pizza, Giordano's, Rooted Hospitality and Cali BBQ.

• 2021.05.24

  Reported2021.05.24

  Mountain Mike’s launches Mountain Rewards and revamped mobile app[3]Mountain Mike’s 推出 Mountain Rewards 忠诚计划及改版移动应用restaurantmagazine.com

  Mountain Mike’s Pizza launched its Mountain Rewards loyalty program and revamped mobile app to the public, enabling mobile ordering and rewards.

• 2020.05.27

  Reported2020.05.27

  Mountain Mike’s Pizza ranks in 2020 Top 500 Chains Report[4]Mountain Mike’s Pizza 入选 2020 年 Top 500 连锁餐厅榜单restaurantnews.com

  Mountain Mike’s Pizza announced that it ranked No. 187 among the nation’s highest-grossing restaurant chains in Restaurant Business’ 2020 Top 500 Chains Report, up 16 places from the 2019 report.

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2020.05.13

  Mountain Mike's Pizza opened its fifth Oakland store[5]Mountain Mike's Pizza 在奥克兰开设第五家门店pizzamarketplace.com

  Mountain Mike's Pizza opened its fifth store in Oakland, California. The store's dining room remained closed under local shelter-in-place orders, while contactless delivery and carryout were available.

Read more

1. 1Mountain Mike's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Palona AI 推出面向餐饮业的多模态 AI 运营平台fastcasual.com
3. 3Mountain Mike’s 推出 Mountain Rewards 忠诚计划及改版移动应用restaurantmagazine.com
4. 4Mountain Mike’s Pizza 入选 2020 年 Top 500 连锁餐厅榜单restaurantnews.com
5. 5Mountain Mike's Pizza 在奥克兰开设第五家门店pizzamarketplace.com
6. 6Mountain Mike's opens Cloverdale store for carryout, deliverypizzamarketplace.com
7. 7Mountain Mike's opens San Bernardino County storefastcasual.com