| Peter Piper Pizza, LLC | |
| Trade Name: | Peter Piper Pizza |
| Foundation: | Glendale, Arizona, U.S. |
| Founder: | Anthony M. "Tony" Cavolo |
| Hq Location City: | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Hq Location Country: | U.S. |
| Locations: | 129 (Q4 2019) |
| Area Served: | United States, Mexico |
| Owner: | Venture West Group (1992–2007) ACON Investments (2007–2014) Apollo Global Management (2014–2020) Monarch Alternative Capital (2020–Present) |
Peter Piper Pizza, LLC (stylized as peter piper pizza) is an American pizza and entertainment company with locations in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico.
It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CEC Entertainment LLC, which makes it the sister restaurant chain to Chuck E. Cheese. Peter Piper Pizza was sold by private equity firm Apollo Global Management to Monarch Alternative Capital in 2020, as a result of the latter company’s acquisition of CEC Entertainment.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Anthony "Tony" Cavolo founded Peter Piper Pizza in Arizona in 1973. The first Peter Piper opened in Glendale, Arizona. There are 120 restaurants in the United States and Mexico.[5] In 1995, Peter Piper acquired its hometown competitor Pistol Pete's Pizza.[6] They were independent until 1992, when Peter Piper Inc. was acquired by The Venture West Group. The company was sold again to ACON Investments in 2007.[7] Apollo Global Management, owners of CEC Entertainment, Inc., the parent company of the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant chain, acquired the company in October 2014.[8] CEC Entertainment, Inc., Peter Piper Pizza's parent company, filed for bankruptcy in 2020 due to the significant financial strain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] But, CEC Entertainment, the owners of Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza chains, emerged from its June bankruptcy under the ownership selling of its lenders led by Monarch Alternative Capital.[10] [11]
In March 2014, Peter Piper Pizza redesigned its logo utilizing a serif font face following an abstract design. The new logo was created by WD Partners as part of an effort "to connect with Gen X and Millennial parents."[12] The updated design was widely panned.[13] [14]
In March 2023, a new fast-casual version of Peter Piper Pizza known as "Peter Piper Pizzeria" opened in Olathe, Kansas. A second location opened in Kansas City, Missouri in June 2023. Both locations would close by June 2024, with the Kansas City location being converted into a Chuck E. Cheese location.[15] [16]