Food Fight Restaurant Group

What Food Fight Restaurant Group does

Food Fight Restaurant Group is a privately held, Wisconsin-based multi-concept restaurant operator founded in 1994 by Monty Schiro and Peder Moren, with roots in the 1990 opening of Monty's Blue Plate Diner. The group owns and operates 16 distinct restaurant concepts spanning Italian (Cento, Bar Corallini, Il Cervo), steakhouse and seafood (Johnny Delmonico's), taqueria (Canteen Taco, Tex Tubb's Taco Palace), American diners (Monty's Blue Plate Diner, Hubbard Avenue Diner), craft beer pubs (The Coopers Tavern, Craftsman Table & Tap), fast-casual (HWY1), brunch (Bassett Street Brunch Club), pizza (Luigi's), veggie-forward (Everly), and coffee/café (Aldo's Cafe, Steenbock's on Orchard at UW-Madison). All locations operate in Wisconsin across Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee, with Il Cervo housed atop The Trade Hotel in the Deer District.

The underlying technology stack is conventional hospitality infrastructure rather than proprietary software: Explore Tock powers reservations, CardFoundry and GiveX handle gift card issuance and balance checks, Paycom manages HR and applicant tracking, and BentoBox hosts the marketing website. The portfolio benefits from shared back-office operations, a unified gift card valid across all concepts, and a centralized catering and private events division led by an Event Director, with a dedicated catering inquiry funnel. Revenue mechanics combine dine-in and takeout traffic across concepts, full-service catering (weddings, corporate, private events), private dining rooms and full restaurant buyouts, and gift card sales. Marketing is executed through email newsletters, organic Facebook and Instagram, community events, and earned press in regional outlets (Madison Magazine, Cap Times, Milwaukee Business Journal).

The group serves three primary segments: local community diners (individuals and families across the three Wisconsin markets), event and catering customers (corporate and private), and elementary/middle school students participating in the Feed the Read literacy rewards program. Pricing for individual menu items is not publicly disclosed; private event and buyout pricing varies by venue, day, and time, with documented F&B minimums ranging from $250 to $6,000 plus service fees. The company emphasizes internal promotion, employee ownership opportunities, and community giving (including $278,000+ to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin over 16 years).

Name

Food Fight Restaurant Group

Legal name

Food Fight Restaurant Group

Website

https://foodfightinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Food Fight Restaurant Group is a privately held Wisconsin restaurant operator founded in 1994 that owns 16 distinct dining concepts across Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee, serving local diners, event and catering customers, and running a unified gift card and community programs portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant Hospitality

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE), Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD), Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF), Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)

Keywords

• Restaurant operations
• Hospitality services
• Event catering
• Private dining venues
• Gift card programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Monona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Direct-to-consumer dining revenue from 16 unique restaurant concepts offering diverse cuisines including Italian, steakhouse, Mexican/Tex-Mex, American diner, pizza, brunch, craft beer pub, and fast-casual options.
2. Catering and Private Events: Full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and private gatherings. Offers private room rentals, full restaurant buyouts, and custom menus across all restaurant concepts.
3. Gift Cards: Gift cards valid at all Food Fight Restaurant Group locations across Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee. Sold online, at restaurants, at main office, and via phone.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Food Fight Restaurant Group operates a portfolio of 16 distinct restaurant concepts across Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, spanning Italian, steakhouse, Mexican/Tex-Mex, American diner, pizza, brunch, craft beer pub, and fast-casual cuisines. The group also provides full-service catering for weddings and corporate events, private and semi-private event spaces with full restaurant buyouts, and gift cards redeemable at all locations. It operates wholly owned subsidiary restaurants rather than franchising and runs centralized procurement, HR, and marketing functions across the portfolio.

Product overview

Food Fight Restaurant Group is a locally grown restaurant company operating 16 distinct restaurant concepts across Wisconsin (Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee). The portfolio spans diverse cuisines including steakhouses (Johnny Delmonico's Steakhouse), Italian restaurants (Cento, Bar Corallini, Il Cervo), taquerias (Canteen Taco, Tex Tubb's Taco Palace), diners (Monty's Blue Plate Diner, Hubbard Avenue Diner), fast-casual (HWY1), pubs (The Coopers Tavern, Craftsman Table & Tap), and casual eateries (Everly, Luigi's Pizza, Bassett Street Brunch Club, Aldo's Cafe, Steenbock's on Orchard). The company offers supplementary services including catering (accessible across all 15+ restaurant concepts), private event spaces and full restaurant buyouts, a gift card program valid at all locations, newsletter subscription, and the community-focused Feed the Read literacy program. Founded in 1994 by Monty Schiro and Peder Moren, the group began with Monty's Blue Plate Diner (opened 1990) and has grown to become a significant presence in Wisconsin's dining scene.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monty's Blue Plate Diner A retro gas station-turned diner in Madison's Atwood neighborhood serving all-day breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, and vegetarian and vegan options in a 50s-diner-meets-hipster atmosphere.
• Craftsman Table & Tap A Middleton restaurant serving hearty rustic pub fare and craft beer, featuring award-winning cheese curds and antique tool decor inspired by craftspeople.
• Il Cervo A modern Italian restaurant and rooftop venue in Milwaukee's Deer District, located atop The Trade Hotel with views of the Fiserv Forum, offering world-class hospitality and event spaces including the Four Seasons Room and Cream City Room.
• Canteen Taco A vibrant taqueria and tequila bar on Madison's Capitol Square serving street tacos, nachos, burritos, and an extensive tequila and mezcal list.
• Cento An upscale Italian restaurant one block from Madison's Capitol Square, combining Old World Italian traditions with modern techniques and sourcing quality ingredients locally and from Italy.
• Johnny Delmonico's Steakhouse An Art Deco-inspired big city steakhouse and seafood restaurant one block off Madison's Capitol Square, voted among the Best Steakhouses in Madison for ten consecutive years.
• Luigi's Pizza A neighborhood pizzeria on Madison's near-west side in the Midvale Heights neighborhood, also offering sandwiches, pastas, Italian sodas, and beer and wine.
• HWY1 A fast-casual Baja-inspired restaurant serving bold bowls, burritos, and nachos, evoking dusty roadside stops and the freedom of Mexico's Highway 1.
• The Coopers Tavern A European-style neighborhood tavern on Madison's Capitol Square serving hearty rustic food, featuring 28 beer taps and over 130 whiskeys.
• Everly A friendly eclectic neighborhood eatery on Monroe Street featuring veggie-forward So-Cal inspired cuisine with meaty dishes, a gluten-free fryer, and a heated covered patio.
• Bar Corallini A classic Italian restaurant in Madison's Atwood neighborhood named after the hometown of Chef Giovanni Novella, featuring fresh-made mozzarella, pasta, pizza, and burrata daily.
• Tex Tubb's Taco Palace An Austin-style taco joint in Madison's Atwood neighborhood serving authentic tacos, burritos, house-made limeade, horchata, Mexican beer, and legendary margaritas.
• Hubbard Avenue Diner A classic Middleton diner famous for pie, serving breakfast all day, eggs, bacon, burgers, shakes, and a pastry case with pies, cookies, brownies, and cheesecakes.
• Steenbock's on Orchard A seasonal downtown dining restaurant located in The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery on the UW-Madison campus, featuring sleek modern decor, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a folding glass wall opening to covered outdoor dining.
• Bassett Street Brunch Club A downtown Madison restaurant serving all day, all night brunch plus comfort food classics with Mod-American cuisine featuring style and sophistication.
• Aldo's Cafe A UW-Madison campus favorite in the Discovery Building serving locally-roasted fairtrade organic coffee, breakfast, lunch, and grab-and-go options.
• Food Fight Catering Services Full-service catering across 15+ restaurant concepts offering weddings, corporate events, taco bars, breakfast meetings, office lunches, cocktail hours, and custom menus with dietary accommodations including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
• Private and Semi-Private Event Spaces Private and semi-private dining rooms available across multiple restaurants including Cento, The Coopers Tavern, Craftsman Table & Tap, Il Cervo, Johnny Delmonico's, Steenbock's, and Tex Tubb's for events from 30 to 225 guests, with food and beverage minimums varying by day, time, and season.
• Full Restaurant Buyouts Complete restaurant buyout options for private events at venues including Canteen (capacity 36 seated, 65 reception), Cento (130 seated, 150 reception), Il Cervo (156 seated, 225 cocktail reception), and Johnny Delmonico's (120 seated), with food and beverage minimums varying by day, time, and season.
• Food Fight Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable at all Food Fight Restaurant Group locations across Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee, available in multiple designs including classic, birthday, graduation, holidays, and thank you themes, and sold online at foodfightinc.cardfoundry.com, at any restaurant location, at the Monona main office, and via phone orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted Best Chef in Madison 2023 & 2024 (Chef Giovanni Novella, Bar Corallini)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern WisconsincoreOthersLong-term community partnership through Food Fight Against Hunger annual campaign. Over 16 years, contributed more than $278,000 to fight food insecurity across Southern Wisconsin region.
• Centro HispanominorOthersOngoing community partnership with local organization serving Hispanic community in Madison area.
• Goodman CenterminorOthersOngoing community partnership with local community organization in Madison.
• Abundant Life Christian SchoolminorOthersEmergency and Recovery Fund donation of $10,000 to support families in crisis.
• The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery FundminorOthersDonated nearly $3,400 to support Minnesota neighbors through restaurant recovery efforts.
• Wisconsin HeartminorOthersLocal Wisconsin organization partnered for charitable giving and community support.
• Arc of WisconsinminorOthersProud community partner supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Madison Metropolitan School DistrictminorOthersCommunity partner supporting local education through various initiatives including Feed the Read program.
• The Trade HotelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Fight to operate rooftop restaurant Il Cervo at The Trade Hotel in Milwaukee's Deer District, near Fiserv Forum. Strategic partnership to operate Italian restaurant on top floor of new hotel development (announced September 2022).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Chicago-based independent restaurant group operating a portfolio of 60+ diverse concepts (R.J. Grunts, Wildfire, Big Bowl, Beatrix). Most directly comparable peer: independently owned, multi-concept operator with Italian, steakhouse, American, and casual concepts under one corporate umbrella, similar to Food Fight's 16-concept model.
• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Privately-held multi-concept restaurant group (Hillstone, Houston's, Bandera, R+D Kitchen). Comparable business model: family-controlled operator running upscale-casual American concepts across multiple markets with strong culinary reputation and centralized operations — direct analog to Food Fight's full-service, chef-driven approach.
• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants: Public multi-concept operator combining winery, restaurant, and large-scale private event spaces (capacity 200+). Highly comparable to Food Fight's combination of full-service dining with extensive private event/buyout offerings, and similar premium positioning with multi-state footprint potential.
• Ruth's Chris Steak House: Specialty steakhouse chain with strong event/private dining infrastructure. Direct comparable for Johnny Delmonico's Steakhouse (Food Fight's award-winning steakhouse segment) — both compete in the upscale steakhouse category with similar event/buyout revenue streams.

Broad incumbents

• The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated: Public full-service restaurant company known for oversized menus spanning diverse cuisines under a single brand, plus significant event/catering programs. Comparable in menu diversity strategy and broad customer appeal, though Cheesecake Factory operates as a single brand versus Food Fight's 16 distinct concepts.
• Darden Restaurants: Large public multi-concept restaurant holding company (Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Eddie V's, Yard House, Cheddar's). Strategic comparable for capital allocation and brand portfolio management across diverse concepts including steakhouses (Capital Grille parallels Johnny Delmonico's) and Italian (Olive Garden parallels Cento/Il Cervo).
• Bloomin' Brands: Public multi-concept restaurant operator (Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's). Comparable for its portfolio approach to casual and upscale dining segments; Fleming's Prime Steakhouse parallels Food Fight's steakhouse positioning.
• Texas Roadhouse: Public steakhouse chain with strong Midwest presence. Comparable for the steakhouse segment (Johnny Delmonico's) and as a Midwest-anchored casual dining competitor, though Texas Roadhouse operates a single brand at much larger scale.
• Brinker International: Public restaurant operator of Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy. Comparable for managing a casual American concept (Chili's parallel to Food Fight's casual concepts) and an Italian upscale concept (Maggiano's parallel to Cento/Il Cervo/Bar Corallini).
• Dine Brands Global: Public restaurant holding company (Applebee's, IHOP, Fuzzy's Taco Shop). Comparable for portfolio diversification across multiple concepts, particularly Fuzzy's Taco Shop's overlap with Food Fight's Tex-Mex/Mexican concepts (Canteen, Tex Tubb's, HWY1).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/foodfightmadisn
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodFightRestaurantGroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodfightrestaurantgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Food Fight Restaurant Group