Round Table Pizza
American pizza restaurant chain and franchise known for family-oriented dining and its medieval-themed branding.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Round Table Pizza is an American pizza restaurant chain and franchise founded in Menlo Park, California, in 1959 by William R. Larson. It developed from a single neighborhood pizza parlor into a large franchise system concentrated primarily in the Western United States. The brand is associated with hand-prepared pizzas, a family-oriented restaurant environment, salad offerings, beverages, and a long-running King Arthur and Pizza Knight visual identity. Larson opened the first restaurant on December 21, 1959, at 1235 El Camino Real in Menlo Park. The restaurant was later moved to 1225 El Camino Real, where the location continued to operate under the ownership of Larson's son, Bob Larson, according to the referenced material. The name Round Table Pizza came from round redwood tables that William Larson and his father built. Larson's restaurant concept combined a proprietary recipe and crust with a thematic dining environment intended to distinguish the business from other pizza parlors. The brand began expanding through franchising and grew substantially during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1961, Larson adopted imagery based on members of King Arthur's court eating pizza after a friend created related sketches. The medieval theme became a central part of the chain's identity. In 1970, three banners were added to the official logo; they were intended to represent the letters F-U-N. By 1978, the chain had more than 225 stores. Larson sold a substantial portion of the private franchise corporation to partners in 1978 and sold part of the company's stock to investors in 1979. Ownership evolved toward employee participation. Investors formed an employee stock ownership plan in 1985, and the company was described as wholly employee owned by 1992. Controlling partners acquired Larson's remaining interest in 1995. The company subsequently experienced a significant financial restructuring: Round Table Pizza filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2011 and emerged from bankruptcy that same year under a consensual reorganization plan. The plan provided for repayment of obligations to secured and unsecured creditors and retention of ownership by employee owners, according to the referenced account. Round Table Pizza's core format serves pizza, salads, and beverages in a conventional restaurant setting. It later introduced Round Table Pizza Clubhouse - Pizza Pub Play, a format designed to broaden the dining occasion with children's arcade games, large-screen sports programming, a wider menu, and craft beer. The business model remains substantially franchise-oriented, although the system has also included company-owned restaurants. The chain has operated across states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, and has reported more than 400 locations in the broader system. The company has also pursued international development. In 2014, it signed a development agreement covering 35 restaurants in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. However, all seven Dubai branches were reported closed in September 2017. In the United States, the chain expanded into the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in 2019 with restaurants in Frisco and near Southern Methodist University in University Park. Round Table Pizza marked its sixtieth anniversary in 2019 with a rebrand that included a new logo and the motto "Pizza Royalty." Earlier brand messages included Larson's "share a little pizza with someone you love" and the later slogan "The Last Honest Pizza." The company has used several advertising characters and spokespeople, including the puppets Matt and Marcus in television advertising around 2003-2005, the Pizza Knight beginning in 2007, and actor Billy Gardell in later promotional activity. In 2017, Round Table Pizza was acquired by Global Franchise Group. FAT Brands announced its acquisition of Global Franchise Group in 2021, and the transaction closed on July 22, 2021. The supplied reference material states that…
History
Round Table Pizza was established by William R. Larson in Menlo Park, California, with its first restaurant opening on December 21, 1959. Larson had been born in San Jose and raised in Palo Alto, served four years in the United States Navy, and worked in several occupations before entering the restaurant business. The original restaurant operated at 1235 El Camino Real before later moving to 1225 El Camino Real. The later site was reported to remain associated with the Larson family, with William's son Bob Larson owning and operating it as of 2020. The brand name reflected the restaurant's physical design. Larson and his father built round redwood tables, and the name Round Table Pizza was chosen from that visual feature. The company developed its own recipe and crust and used a family-friendly atmosphere to build customer loyalty. The restaurant's identity became more distinctive in 1961, when Larson adopted illustrations of King Arthur's court members eating pizza. This medieval theme later informed the chain's logos, advertising, and Pizza Knight character. Franchising became the principal mechanism for expansion. The company had grown to more than 225 stores by 1978. During that period, Larson sold approximately three-quarters of the private franchise corporation to partners, and in 1979 he sold part of Round Table stock to a group of investors. An employee stock ownership plan was formed in 1985. By 1992, the business was described as wholly employee owned, while controlling partners bought Larson's remaining 25 percent interest in 1995. The chain's visual identity developed alongside its store network. Three banners were added to the official logo in 1970 and were intended to symbolize F-U-N. The brand used the slogan "share a little pizza with someone you love," later replacing it with "The Last Honest Pizza." Around 2003-2005, television advertising featured two puppet mascots named Matt and Marcus. In 2007, the Pizza Knight became the brand's mascot and was promoted as a defender of family night. Other spokespersons, including actor Billy Gardell, were also used. Round Table Pizza entered a major restructuring period in 2011, when it filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. It emerged from bankruptcy in the same year under a consensual plan of reorganization. The referenced account says the plan provided for 100 percent repayment of obligations to secured and unsecured creditors and allowed employee owners to retain full ownership. The company subsequently reported improving financial strength through debt retirement and higher cash flow, although detailed financial figures are not provided here. The operating model has included traditional restaurants serving pizza, salads, and beverages, as well as an entertainment-oriented Clubhouse format. Round Table Pizza Clubhouse - Pizza Pub Play adds arcade games for children, large-screen televisions showing sports, an expanded menu, and craft beer. These formats allow the chain to target both ordinary family meals and longer social or recreational visits. The company pursued international franchising in the 2010s. A 2014 agreement called for 35 restaurants across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. The brand's seven Dubai locations closed in September 2017. In the United States, the chain remained concentrated in the West, with locations reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. The system was described as having more than 400 restaurants, and another supplied figure reported more than 450 franchised and company-owned locations in 2016. Round Table Pizza was acquired by Global Franchise Group in September 2017. In 2019, the company marked its sixtieth anniversary with a rebrand, introducing a new logo and the "Pizza Royalty" motto. That year also brought expansion into the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, including locations in Frisco and near Southern Methodist University in University Park. FAT Brands announced the acquisition of Global Franchise Group in June 2021, and the transaction closed on July 22, 2021. The supplied reference material further reports a FAT Brands Chapter 11 filing in January 2026 and a court-approved asset acquisition by FBG Bid Co. in June 2026 that included Round Table Pizza. Those later ownership and financial events should be checked against bankruptcy-court and transaction filings before being treated as fully verified.
- 2026
Reported transfer to FBG Bid Co.
[1]The supplied reference material reports that FBG Bid Co. acquired FAT Brands' remaining assets, including Round Table Pizza, after a Chapter 11 process.
- 2021
FAT Brands acquisition closes
[1]FAT Brands completes its acquisition of Global Franchise Group on July 22.
- 2019
Sixtieth-anniversary rebrand and Texas expansion
[1]The chain introduces a new logo and "Pizza Royalty" motto and expands into the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- 2017
Acquired by Global Franchise Group
[1]Global Franchise Group acquires Round Table Pizza in September.
- 2014
Middle East development agreement
[1]The company signs a 35-store development agreement covering five Middle Eastern markets.
- 2011
Chapter 11 restructuring
[1]Round Table Pizza files for Chapter 11 protection and emerges under a consensual reorganization plan later in the year.
- 2007
Pizza Knight becomes mascot
[1]The Pizza Knight becomes the chain's mascot and is positioned as a defender of family night.
- 1992
Company becomes wholly employee owned
[1]The company is described as having become wholly employee owned.
- 1985
Employee stock ownership plan formed
[1]Investors establish an employee stock ownership plan.
- 1978
System exceeds 225 stores
[1]Round Table Pizza grows to more than 225 stores under Larson's direction.
Products and positioning
Family-oriented pizza dining with a distinctive medieval and King Arthur theme, supported by franchised neighborhood restaurants and an entertainment-focused Clubhouse format.
Pizza restaurant format · 1959
Traditional Round Table Pizza restaurants
The chain's established restaurant format centers on pizza served with salads and beverages in a family-oriented dining environment. These restaurants represent the core Round Table Pizza concept and have historically operated through a combination of franchised and company-owned locations.
Entertainment-oriented restaurant format
Round Table Pizza Clubhouse - Pizza Pub Play
The Clubhouse format expands beyond a conventional pizza parlor by adding children's arcade games, big-screen televisions for sports programming, a broader menu, and craft beer. It is designed to combine family dining, recreation, and social viewing in a larger entertainment-focused setting.
Food and beverage · 1959
Round Table Pizza menu
The brand's menu is built around pizza, supplemented by salads and beverages. The Clubhouse format additionally provides an expanded menu and craft beer selection, although the supplied sources do not identify individual pizza recipes, product names, or current menu specifications.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Pizza Royalty sixtieth-anniversary rebrand
United States
For its sixtieth anniversary, Round Table Pizza introduced a new logo and the motto "Pizza Royalty."
Outcome. The rebrand coincided with renewed domestic expansion, including entry into the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
- 2007Pizza Knight
United States
The Pizza Knight was introduced as the brand's mascot and promoted as the defender of family night.
Outcome. The character became a recurring spokesperson within the chain's family-oriented marketing.
- 2003Matt and Marcus television advertising
United States
Two puppets, Matt and Marcus, appeared as official mascots in the chain's television commercials around 2003-2005.
Outcome. The characters served as short-term advertising mascots; the supplied material does not provide performance data.
- 1961King Arthur court theme
United States
Round Table Pizza adopted imagery of King Arthur's court members eating pizza, giving the chain a distinctive medieval and family-entertainment identity.
Outcome. The theme became a long-running part of the brand's restaurant design and marketing.
Brand decisions
2026
Reported asset transfer to FBG Bid Co.M&ABackground
The supplied reference material reports that FAT Brands entered Chapter 11 proceedings while carrying between $1 billion and $10 billion in listed assets and liabilities.
Action taken
Following court approval, FBG Bid Co. reportedly acquired FAT Brands' remaining assets, including Round Table Pizza.
Aftermath
The reported transaction placed Round Table Pizza under FBG Bid Co.; the supplied material requires verification against primary bankruptcy and sale documents.
Reported asset purchase price. $595 million (June 18, 2026)
2021
FAT Brands acquisition of Global Franchise GroupM&ABackground
Global Franchise Group owned Round Table Pizza after the 2017 acquisition.
Action taken
FAT Brands announced the acquisition of Global Franchise Group on June 28 and completed it on July 22.
Aftermath
Round Table Pizza joined the FAT Brands portfolio alongside brands such as Fatburger and Johnny Rockets.
2019
Introduction of the Clubhouse formatGeneration changeBackground
The chain sought to broaden its traditional pizza-parlor proposition and create a more entertainment-led visit.
Action taken
Round Table Pizza developed the Clubhouse - Pizza Pub Play format with arcade games, sports screens, an expanded menu, and craft beer.
Aftermath
The format provided a second operating model alongside traditional restaurants.
2017
Acquisition by Global Franchise GroupM&ABackground
Round Table Pizza was operating as a franchised and company-owned restaurant system.
Action taken
Global Franchise Group acquired Round Table Pizza in September.
Aftermath
The brand became part of Global Franchise Group until that group's acquisition by FAT Brands in 2021.
2014
Middle East international developmentStrategyBackground
Round Table Pizza sought to extend its franchise model beyond its principal Western United States market.
Action taken
The company signed a development agreement for 35 restaurants in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Aftermath
The supplied material later reports that all seven Dubai branches closed in September 2017; it does not provide a complete outcome for the other markets.
2011
Chapter 11 reorganizationOtherBackground
The company entered a court-supervised restructuring process.
Action taken
Round Table Pizza filed for Chapter 11 protection and adopted a consensual plan of reorganization.
Aftermath
The company emerged from bankruptcy in the same year. The supplied account says the plan provided for full repayment of secured and unsecured creditors and preserved full employee ownership.
1985
Employee stock ownership planStrategyBackground
The company had moved from founder control toward ownership by investors and partners.
Action taken
Investors formed an employee stock ownership plan.
Aftermath
Round Table Pizza was described as wholly employee owned by 1992.
1978
Shift toward partner-backed franchise ownershipStrategyBackground
Round Table Pizza had expanded substantially and was reported to have more than 225 stores by this period.
Action taken
William Larson sold approximately 75 percent of the private franchise corporation to partners.
Aftermath
The transaction accelerated the separation of the founder from control and preceded later employee-ownership developments.
Recent events
- 2026
FAT Brands files for Chapter 11 protection[1]
Bankruptcy
The supplied reference material reports that FAT Brands filed for Chapter 11 protection in an effort to address billions of dollars of debt, with Round Table Pizza included in the subsequent asset-sale process.
- 2026
FBG Bid Co. acquires remaining FAT Brands assets including Round Table Pizza[1]
M&A
The supplied reference material states that FBG Bid Co. acquired the remaining assets of FAT Brands, including Round Table Pizza, following court approval.
- 2021
FAT Brands announces acquisition of Global Franchise Group[1]
M&A
FAT Brands announced that it would acquire Global Franchise Group, bringing Round Table Pizza into its brand portfolio. The transaction closed on July 22, 2021.
- 2019
Round Table Pizza launches a sixtieth-anniversary rebrand[1]
Campaign · Other
The chain introduced a new logo and the "Pizza Royalty" motto while expanding into the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- 2017
Global Franchise Group acquires Round Table Pizza[1]
M&A
Round Table Pizza announced its acquisition by Global Franchise Group in September 2017. The same month, the chain closed its seven Dubai branches.
- 2014
Round Table Pizza signs a 35-store Middle East development agreement[1]
M&A · Other
The company announced a development agreement covering Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.
- 2011
Round Table Pizza files for Chapter 11 protection[1]
Bankruptcy
The company sought bankruptcy-court protection and emerged later in the same year under a consensual reorganization plan that provided for repayment of secured and unsecured obligations and continued employee ownership.
Sources1 sources
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