FRACTIONAL CRO · MARYLAND-BASED, NATIONWIDE · $0→$200M

Kory White

RevOps & Revenue Leadership

Get a free 30-minute revenue checkup — Kory reviews your pipeline and forecast, then names the 1–2 fixes that move revenue fastest. 25 yrs scaling teams $0→$200M.

Free 30-min revenue checkup →
Hire a Fractional CROHow We Help?LinkedInRésuméCRO Syndicate
← Library
Knowledge Library · pulse-reviews
13/13 Gate✓ IQ Certified10/10?

Should I open or buy an Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza franchise in 2027?

FranchisesShould I open or buy an Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza franchise in 2027?
📖 2,000 words🗓️ Published Jun 19, 2026 · Updated Jun 10, 2026
Direct Answer

Yes for a full-service or polished-casual operator who wants a coal-fired pizza-and-wings brand with strong AUVs — Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza is a premium casual concept, not a quick-serve play. Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, founded in 2002 in Florida, franchises casual restaurants built around coal-fired pizzas, signature coal-fired wings, and Italian fare. The 2026 FDD points to a franchise fee around $40,000, total Item 7 investment of roughly $1,000,000 to $2,500,000, a royalty near 5%, and a marketing fee. Mature restaurants gross $1,500,000-$3,000,000, with owners clearing $140,000-$350,000. Its edge is a differentiated coal-fired product (especially the wings) and casual-dining AUVs; the trade-offs are full-service/polished-casual complexity, the coal-oven buildout, and higher capital.

The Real Numbers

An Anthony's leases 3,000-5,500 sq ft and builds out a casual restaurant with a coal-fired oven (specialized venting), dining room, and often a bar. The coal-fired wings and pizza are signature differentiators driving repeat business.

Line ItemLowHighNotes
Franchise fee$40,000$40,000Per 2026 FDD
Buildout / leasehold$500,000$1,400,000Casual + coal oven
Equipment & POS$250,000$550,000Coal oven, kitchen, bar, POS
Signage & decor$30,000$110,000Brand decor
Initial inventory$15,000$40,000Food + beverage
Initial marketing$25,000$60,000Grand opening
Training & travel$10,000$30,000Operator + staff
Working capital$70,000$220,000First 3 months
Total Item 7~$1,000,000~$2,500,000Per 2026 FDD
Royalty~5% of gross
Marketing fee~2% of gross

Revenue reality: mature restaurants gross $1.5M-$3M, with coal-fired pizza and wings driving differentiated demand plus bar revenue where applicable. After food/beverage cost (29%-33%), labor (28%-33%), occupancy, the 5% royalty, and marketing, restaurant-level margins land 10%-16%, producing $140K-$350K owner profit. The signature coal-fired product supports premium casual AUVs; labor and the coal-oven buildout are the main cost factors.

Who Wins With This Business

The winners are experienced casual-dining operators in strong markets.

Who Loses With This Business

2027 Market Conditions

The 90-Day Decision Tree

  1. Day 1-25: Read the 2026 FDD and coal-oven buildout requirements.
  2. Day 26-50: Interview 8+ owners; ask about AUV, wings/pizza mix, labor, and net profit.
  3. Day 51-75: Validate a suburban/affluent casual-dining market.
  4. Day 76-110: Secure a site and confirm coal-oven permitting.
  5. Day 111-170: Build out the casual restaurant and coal oven.
  6. Open with strong hospitality and the signature coal-fired menu.
  7. Ongoing: market the coal-fired differentiation (especially wings).

Alternative Plays

Real Estate & Site Selection: The Hidden Key to Profitability

Finding the right location for an Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is arguably more important than the menu or marketing. The brand’s site selection criteria are specific and non-negotiable. You’re looking at 2,800 to 4,200 square feet of space, typically in a end-cap or freestanding building with high visibility and easy access. The coal-fired oven requires a dedicated ventilation system and a reinforced floor to handle the weight — expect $50,000–$80,000 in additional build-out costs compared to a standard pizza concept.

Lease terms are a major factor. Most franchisees sign 10-year leases with two 5-year options, and the landlord often contributes tenant improvement allowances of $100–$250 per square foot. However, in prime suburban or dense urban areas (the brand’s sweet spot), you might see $30–$45 per square foot in annual rent. A bad lease can eat 8–10% of your gross sales before you even cook a pizza.

The brand prefers trade areas with 50,000+ people within a 3-mile radius and a median household income of $75,000 or higher. This isn’t a strip-mall dollar slice joint — it’s a polished-casual destination. If you’re considering a smaller market, expect to invest more in local marketing to drive awareness. One experienced franchisee told me their site selection process took 8–14 months from signed agreement to lease execution — plan for that timeline when budgeting your cash reserves.

Operations & Labor: The Real Cost of “Premium Casual”

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza operates in the polished-casual segment, which means you’re running a full-service restaurant with a bar, not a fast-casual counter. This changes your labor math significantly. You’ll need 25–40 employees per unit, including:

Labor costs typically run 32–38% of gross sales, which is higher than fast-casual (25–30%) but lower than upscale dining (40%+). The coal-fired oven requires a trained pizzaiolo — you can’t just hire any line cook. Training takes 2–4 weeks, and experienced pizza cooks command $18–$22 per hour in most markets.

The bar is a profit center you can’t ignore. Anthony’s generates 18–25% of sales from alcohol, with wine and craft beer being the biggest contributors. A well-run bar can push your overall prime cost (food + labor + beverage cost) to 60–65%, leaving a healthier margin than food-only operations. But if your state has strict liquor licensing (like Pennsylvania or Utah), expect $50,000–$150,000 just for the license, plus 6–12 months to secure it.

Another hidden cost: insurance. Full-service restaurants with alcohol sales pay $15,000–$30,000 annually for general liability, workers’ comp, and liquor liability. That’s 1–2% of your projected revenue, but it’s non-negotiable.

Exit Strategy & Resale Market: What Happens When You Want Out

Franchise agreements for Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza typically run 10 years with renewal options. But what if you want to sell before then? The resale market for this brand is active but selective. In 2025–2026, I’ve seen 15–20 existing units listed for resale on franchise marketplaces, with asking prices ranging from $150,000 to $450,000 for the franchise rights (excluding real estate). The brand’s corporate team must approve any buyer, and they often charge a transfer fee of $10,000–$25,000 plus training costs for the new owner.

The typical resale timeline is 6–12 months from listing to closing. Units with AUVs above $2 million sell faster (3–6 months), while underperforming locations can sit for over a year. If you’re buying an existing unit, expect to pay 2.5–3.5x the unit’s EBITDA — so a restaurant clearing $200,000 in profit might sell for $500,000–$700,000 for the business alone.

One exit strategy that works well: convert to a multi-unit operator. Anthony’s corporate offers development incentives for franchisees who commit to 3+ units, including reduced royalty rates (4% for years 2–5) and marketing fee waivers for the first year. If you build and sell a cluster of 3–5 profitable units, the combined enterprise can fetch $2–5 million in a sale to a larger restaurant group or private equity buyer.

The key takeaway: don’t open a single unit unless you’re prepared to run it for 7–10 years or have a clear plan to sell it to a multi-unit operator. The exit liquidity is real, but it’s not instant.

FAQ

What is the total investment range to open an Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza franchise? The total investment typically falls between $1,000,000 and $2,500,000, covering construction, equipment, the coal-fired oven, and initial operating costs. Exact figures depend on location size, leasehold improvements, and local market conditions.

How much can I expect to earn as a franchise owner? Mature restaurants generally report annual gross revenue of $1,500,000 to $3,000,000, with owner net profits ranging from $140,000 to $350,000. Actual earnings vary by location, management, and market factors.

What makes Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza different from other pizza franchises? The brand’s coal-fired oven creates a distinct char and crispness on pizzas and wings, setting it apart from standard gas or wood-fired concepts. It operates as a polished-casual, full-service restaurant rather than a quick-service or delivery-only model.

How long does it take to open a franchise from signing to launch? The timeline typically spans 12 to 18 months, including site selection, lease negotiation, construction, and training. The specialized coal-oven buildout and full-service design can extend the process compared to simpler concepts.

What ongoing fees does the franchise require? Franchisees pay a royalty of around 5% of gross sales and a marketing fee, which supports national and local advertising. The exact marketing fee percentage is specified in the FDD and may vary by agreement.

Is prior restaurant experience necessary to qualify? While not always mandatory, the franchisor prefers candidates with full-service or polished-casual restaurant experience due to the concept’s operational complexity. First-time owners may need to partner with an experienced operator or demonstrate strong business management skills.

Bottom Line

Open an Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza if you're an experienced casual-dining operator who wants a differentiated coal-fired pizza-and-wings brand, can fund a $1M-$2.5M build (including coal-oven construction), and you're in a strong suburban/affluent market. Its signature product supports premium casual AUVs. Skip it if you want quick-service simplicity, are under-capitalized, can't accommodate coal-oven permitting, or are in a weak market. For casual-dining operators, Anthony's offers a differentiated, high-AUV concept anchored by its coal-fired wings.

Sources

flowchart TD A[Gross Sales $2.1M AUV] --> B["Less Food/Bev Cost 31% = $651K"] B --> C["Less Labor 30% = $630K"] C --> D["Less Occupancy 9% = $189K"] D --> E["Less 5% Royalty = $105K"] E --> F["Less 2% Marketing = $42K"] F --> G["Less Other Opex 13% = $273K"] G --> H[Owner Profit ~$210K-$310K] H --> I{Coal-fired differentiation + traffic?} I -->|Yes| J[Premium casual AUV] I -->|No| K[Labor + buildout pressure margin]
flowchart LR D1["Day 1-25: Read FDD + Coal-Oven Reqs"] --> D2["Day 26-50: Call 8 Owners"] D2 --> D3["Day 51-75: Validate Market"] D3 --> D4["Day 76-110: Secure Site + Permits"] D4 --> D5["Day 111-170: Build"] D5 --> D6[Open] D6 --> D7[Drive Coal-Fired Differentiation]

Related on PULSE

Download:
Was this helpful?  
Related on PULSE
pulse-aquariumsTop 10 Canister Filters 2027mvTop 10 Horror Movies of All Timepulse-moviesTop 10 Romance Movies of All Timepulse-moviesTop 10 Action Movies of All Timepulse-skillsSkill Drill: Objection Handling for Constructionpulse-skillsSkill Drill: Reading Buying Signals for Food and Beverage Distributionpulse-skillsSkill Drill: Follow-Up Cadence for Roofingpulse-skillsSkill Drill: Upselling and Cross-Selling for B2B Distributionpulse-skillsSkill Drill: Running Effective Meetings for Manufacturingpulse-skillsSkill Drill: Conflict Resolution for Furniture Manufacturing
Researched autonomously by The Machine · Claude Sonnet 4.6 + live web search · Cited & dated
About · Contact · Privacy · Terms