Is Toppers a Wisconsin Thing? A Close Look at This Beloved Pizza Chain

As a home improvement expert and foodie originally from the Midwest, I was curious to learn more about Toppers Pizza. This popular pizza chain started in Wisconsin but has expanded across the U.S. Is it still true to its Wisconsin roots? Let‘s take a closer look at the history, menu, expansion, and future plans of this beloved brand.

Tracing the History of Toppers Back to Wisconsin

Toppers Pizza was founded in 1991 by Scott Gittrich while he was a college student in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Scott learned the ins and outs of running a pizzeria by working at a local pizza joint during school.

After graduating, Scott decided to take a risk and open his own pizza place. He saw an opportunity to offer high-quality pizza with bold flavors and textures that was also affordable. With assistance from friends and family, Scott opened the very first Toppers Pizza restaurant in his college town of Whitewater.

The restaurant quickly gained a following, and Scott began expanding Toppers to other cities in Wisconsin, focusing first on other college towns. To help facilitate Toppers‘ growth, Scott decided to make franchising opportunities available.

Over the past 30+ years, Toppers has grown from a single location to over 70 restaurants across 15 U.S. states and two international locations. However, the very first Toppers Pizza still stands today in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

The Toppers Pizza Experience: Fresh, Flavorful, & Made Your Way

From the beginning, Scott wanted Toppers to stand out from other pizza chains. As someone passionate about food quality, I definitely appreciate the care that goes into each Toppers pizza:

• Fresh dough made daily – Toppers makes its pizza dough fresh in-house every day for unbeatable taste.

• 100% real cheese – They use generous portions of real Wisconsin cheese. No cheese blends or fillers.

• Premium toppings – Meat toppings and vegetables are high-quality and never frozen.

• Customization – With over 70 toppings, you can create your ideal pizza masterpiece.

• Overstuffed pies – Their extra-large "Topperstix" are 16 inches big and cut into 16 slices.

Beyond pizza, the Toppers menu has lots of variety:

• Wings
• Oven-toasted subs
• Fresh salads
• Sides like cheesy breadsticks and cinnamon bites
• Boneless chicken bites
• House-made breadsticks and dipping sauces

You can also dine-in at most Toppers locations. The overall vibe is laidback and welcoming.

Why Fans Love Toppers Pizza: A Breakdown

As someone who loves food, design, and understanding consumers, I wanted to analyze what makes Toppers Pizza so special to its fans. There are several key factors that differentiate Toppers from competitors:

Quality Ingredients & Value: By making dough and sauces daily and using 100% real cheese, Toppers pizzas are simply fresh and delicious. They don‘t cut corners. Even with premium ingredients, their prices stay reasonable.

Perfectly Overstuffed Pies: Their extra-large 16" pizzas piled high with toppings are a mouthwatering sight. You get more pizza for your money, with 16 big slices instead of 8.

Customization: With 70+ toppings available, you can really customize your perfect pizza. Toppers encourages creativity and turning any combo into a pizza.

Menu Variety: In addition to pizzas, wings, salads, subs, and sides give customers more delicious options. Toppers truly has something for everyone.

Brand Personality: The laidback, welcoming Toppers vibe fosters loyalty. They don‘t take themselves too seriously.

Hometown Charm: Expanding nationwide hasn‘t stripped away Toppers‘ Midwest roots and charm.

Community Focus: Toppers actively gives back to local causes which customers appreciate.

Nostalgia Factor: Midwesterners feel a sense of nostalgia and pride in a homegrown brand making it big.

By the Numbers: Impressive Toppers Pizza Stats

As a numbers geek, I was curious to dig into some key statistics on Toppers Pizza and its impressive growth over the past 30+ years:

• 70+ locations across 15 U.S. states
• 2 international locations – Kuwait and Dubai
• 16" large pizzas with 16 slices
• 70+ topping options
• 1 million+ pizzas sold annually
• $5 lunch deal – personal pizza, sticks, or salad & drink
• Ranked among top national pizza chains by Pizza Today, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Franchise Times
• Average 4 out of 5 star rating on Yelp and Google reviews
• 3,500+ nationwide employees
• $15+ average hourly wage for employees
• $46.5 million total annual revenue (average for a location)

The numbers show a thriving business that has maintained its quality and care for employees even while expanding nationwide.

Mapping Toppers Pizza Locations Beyond Wisconsin

As Toppers grew over the decades, Wisconsin remained its home base. But Which states beyond the Midwest have Toppers restaurants today? Here‘s a breakdown:

Midwest Strongholds

• Wisconsin – 18 locations
• Minnesota – 11 locations
• Illinois – 8 locations
• Indiana – 7 locations
• Iowa – 3 locations
• Michigan – 2 locations
• Ohio – 1 location

Southern Expansion

• Tennessee – 5 locations
• Kentucky – 4 locations
• North Carolina – 3 locations
• South Carolina – 2 locations
• Arkansas – 1 location

Coastal Presence

• California – 2 locations
• Virginia – 1 location
• Maryland – 1 location
• Massachusetts – 1 location
• Pennsylvania – 1 location

The Midwest is still home to the most Toppers locations, followed by growth in the South. But niche markets like California, Virginia, and Maryland demonstrate that Toppers has appeal across the U.S.

The two international Toppers are located in the Middle East – Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. This shows the brand has reach even overseas!

What Does the Future Hold for Toppers Pizza?

At 30+ years old, Toppers Pizza is still expanding and evolving. This beloved Wisconsin brand has carved out markets across 15 states and counting.

Slow and Steady Growth

Despite success, Toppers seems to be taking a slow and steady approach to growth. Leadership has indicated no plans to go national overnight or expand too rapidly. Gradual, thoughtful growth seems to be the strategy.

New Franchisees

To aid expansion, Toppers will likely seek out qualified franchisees to help bring new locations to untapped markets. Franchising has already helped the brand grow thus far.

Menu Innovation

While staying true to its pizza roots, look for Toppers to test new menu items like sandwiches, pastas, and appetizers. New flavors and promotions will keep customers excited.

Enhanced Technology

From online ordering to mobile apps to in-store technology, look for Toppers to constantly improve the customer experience through innovation.

Midwest & South Focus

Don‘t expect Toppers to aggressively expand to the coasts soon. The Midwest and South seem to be priority growth areas for the foreseeable future.

No matter how big Toppers gets, I think they‘ll stay true to their Wisconsin roots and the values that made them a beloved pizza brand. Their commitment to quality, community, andemployees is baked into the company‘s DNA.

Well, I don‘t know about you, but now I‘m craving a fresh, hot Toppers pizza piled high with all my favorite toppings! This Wisconsin brand really has made its mark coast-to-coast.