Overview
Sbarro is an American quick-service restaurant brand best known for large slices of New York-style pizza. Its format centres on displaying prepared pizzas and serving customers quickly, rather than relying exclusively on made-to-order whole pies. Depending on the location, menus also include stromboli, pasta, salads and other Italian-American dishes. Whole pizzas remain part of the offer, allowing restaurants to serve both individual customers and group orders.
The brand occupies a distinctive position between specialist pizza chains and general food-court operators. Its traditional customer is seeking a convenient meal while shopping, travelling or working nearby. That makes location quality, visible product presentation and the flow of passing customers particularly important to its operating model.
History and growth
Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro founded the business in Brooklyn, New York, in 1956. It began as an Italian delicatessen before developing into a restaurant concept. The family's food retailing background helped establish the counter-service approach that became central to the brand. Expansion into shopping centres subsequently put Sbarro in front of a much broader American audience.
The chain grew nationally and internationally through a combination of company-operated restaurants and franchising. However, its history also includes financial restructuring: Sbarro entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2011 and again in 2014. These episodes reflected financial and operating pressures, including difficulties associated with its shopping-centre exposure. The company moved its headquarters from New York to Columbus, Ohio, in 2014. Its subsequent development has placed greater emphasis on locations beyond conventional mall food courts.
Global footprint
Public company descriptions placed Sbarro at around 600 restaurants in more than 20 countries as of 2022. This is a historical reference point rather than a live store count: openings, closures and changes in franchise partnerships affect the network. Its international presence has included markets across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, alongside its US business.
The estate is not uniform. Restaurants operate in shopping centres, airports, travel plazas, convenience stores and other settings where customers already congregate. These formats can have very different trading patterns and space requirements. International partners also adapt the offer to local demand and operating conditions. Consequently, a global restaurant total says less about the opportunity in a particular market than the quality of available sites and the strength of the local operator.
How the franchise model works
Sbarro operates through both company-owned restaurants and franchise partners. Franchisees use the brand and its operating system under an agreement that sets out their commercial obligations and responsibilities. The franchisor provides support around areas such as training, restaurant development and operating standards. The precise scope of that support depends on the agreement and market.
A key feature is the ability to place the concept within an existing host business. Convenience-store and travel-centre operators can add a branded pizza counter rather than build a conventional standalone restaurant. Larger partners may operate multiple outlets, while international expansion can involve territorial development arrangements. These structures should not be treated as interchangeable: a single outlet inside a petrol station has different staffing, property and development obligations from a multi-site international franchise.
Investment and requirements
There is no single Sbarro investment figure that applies across its countries and restaurant formats. A counter inside an existing retail premises and a larger restaurant require different levels of construction, equipment and working capital. US franchise disclosure documents provide market-specific information, but those figures should not be assumed to apply internationally. A universal international franchise fee or investment range is not publicly disclosed.
Prospective franchisees should request the current franchise disclosure documents and a format-specific breakdown directly from Sbarro or the relevant authorised partner. Items to establish include initial fees, royalties, marketing contributions, equipment, fit-out, opening inventory and ongoing refurbishment obligations. Financial eligibility and experience requirements also need confirmation. For operators embedding Sbarro within another business, the budget should distinguish shared facilities and staff from costs attributable solely to the pizza operation.
What franchisees should consider
Site economics are central to the proposition. A busy venue is not automatically a strong restaurant location: visibility, pedestrian routes, competing food outlets, rent and trading hours all influence performance. Shopping-centre outlets depend on the attractiveness of the wider property, while airport and travel locations may carry additional access, concession and staffing constraints.
Pizza-by-the-slice service also creates an operational balance between availability and waste. Displays need to offer sufficient choice during busy periods without producing excessive unsold food when demand falls. Labour scheduling, food safety, holding times and stock control therefore deserve close attention. Prospective operators should also examine delivery arrangements, local pricing flexibility, required suppliers and territorial protections. Sbarro's restructuring history provides useful context, but it does not establish the performance of a present-day restaurant or franchise territory.
Competitive landscape
Sbarro competes with pizza specialists including Papa Johns, Domino's and Pizza Hut, although their formats and customer occasions differ. Those chains have substantial whole-pizza takeaway and delivery businesses; Sbarro's distinguishing emphasis is the individual slice sold from an accessible counter. Independent pizzerias can be equally important competitors, especially where local pizza traditions are strong.
Within food courts and travel venues, competition extends beyond pizza. Subway, Panda Express and other quick-service operators compete for the same customers seeking a fast meal. Convenience-store food programmes can also compete directly with a Sbarro concession on price and convenience. The relevant comparison is therefore often the set of alternatives available within a few minutes of the outlet, rather than the national pizza market alone.
Outlook
Sbarro's development beyond shopping centres broadens the range of sites available to the brand and reduces reliance on a single property category. Convenience stores and travel locations suit a product that can be purchased quickly and eaten without a lengthy ordering process. However, placing a recognised name in a host venue does not remove the need for consistent execution or sufficient customer demand.
The brand's prospects depend on selecting suitable partners and locations while maintaining product quality across different operating environments. Food, labour and occupancy costs remain important pressures, as they are throughout quick-service dining. For franchise candidates, the clearest assessment will come from current disclosure materials, a defined restaurant format and evidence about comparable locations, rather than from brand recognition or network size alone.
Sbarro franchise: frequently asked questions
How much does a Sbarro franchise cost?
The cost depends on the country, premises and format, particularly whether the outlet is a restaurant or a counter within an existing business. A universal international fee or investment range is not publicly disclosed. Prospective franchisees should request current franchise disclosure documents and a detailed schedule covering fees, fit-out, equipment, working capital and ongoing charges.
How many Sbarro locations are there?
Public company descriptions placed Sbarro at around 600 restaurants in more than 20 countries as of 2022. That figure is a dated benchmark, not a current live total. The network includes company-operated and franchised outlets in settings such as shopping centres, airports, travel plazas and convenience stores.
Where was Sbarro founded?
Sbarro was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1956 by Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro. The original business was an Italian delicatessen. It later developed into a restaurant chain known for New York-style pizza by the slice, with shopping-centre expansion playing a major role in its growth. Its headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.
Can a Sbarro franchise operate inside a convenience store?
Yes. Convenience stores and travel centres form part of Sbarro's non-traditional location strategy. The concept can operate as a branded counter within a host business, subject to approval and the applicable agreement. Space, equipment, staffing, utilities and customer traffic need assessment; an existing retail operation does not automatically make a site suitable.
How is Sbarro different from other pizza franchises?
Sbarro places particular emphasis on New York-style pizza sold by the slice from a counter, often in venues with passing customer traffic. Many competing pizza chains focus more heavily on whole-pizza takeaway and delivery. Sbarro also sells whole pizzas, but its individual-serving format makes location, display management and speed of service especially important.
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Figures are approximate and based on publicly reported information as of 2022. Franchise costs and terms change; prospective franchisees should obtain the brand’s current disclosure documents and take independent legal and financial advice. Profile updated October 2026.