We, The Pizza LLC

What We, The Pizza LLC does

We, The Pizza LLC is a chef-driven fast-casual Italian-American pizza restaurant chain operating five locations across Washington DC, Arlington VA, and Clearwater Beach FL. Founded in 2010 on Capitol Hill by the Mendelsohn family, the company operates as part of Sunnyside Restaurant Group alongside five other restaurant concepts. The core menu features 14+ pizza varieties by the slice (including traditional, Detroit-style, and Sicilian crusts), complemented by hand-tossed wings, fresh salads, handcrafted Italian sodas, and Italian gelato shakes. The company emphasizes premium ingredients — 100% white whole wheat flour from northern Great Plains, Pastini family tomatoes, Shenandoah Valley herbs, and house-made Fiore di Latte mozzarella — and offers vegan options.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with dine-in, takeout, and delivery services, supplemented by a catering program for groups of 4 to 25. Ordering is processed through Toast Tab (Capitol Hill) and FoodTec Solutions (other locations). Revenue is generated through transaction-based food and beverage sales, catering, and a franchise program marketed for national and international expansion. The customer base spans local residents, families, tourists near Capitol Hill and U Street, corporate and event clients, and school/tour groups. The brand is anchored by celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn's public profile and extensive community involvement with organizations including DC Central Kitchen, CARE International, and Food Rescue US.

The company is privately held by the Mendelsohn family with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds. It maintains a corporate management team that includes the family principals, a Director of Operations with experience at Jimmy John's, sweetgreen, Starbucks, and Applebee's, and a General Manager with international franchise expansion experience. The Clearwater Beach FL location is temporarily closed due to hurricanes Helene and Milton with plans to reopen. The company recently added a Detroit Style Pizza line (2024) and introduced a 2.5% environmental responsibility surcharge across locations.

Name

We, The Pizza LLC

Legal name

We, The Pizza

Website

https://wethepizza.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

We, The Pizza LLC is a chef-driven fast-casual pizza chain founded in 2010, operating four active locations plus one temporarily closed in Washington DC, Arlington VA, and Clearwater Beach FL. It serves local residents, families, tourists, and corporate event clients through dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast Casual Pizza Restaurants

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Caterers (72232)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pizza QSR (THAFAAAB), Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Fast casual pizza
• Italian-American cuisine
• Restaurant catering
• Pizza by the slice
• Craft beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from selling pizza by the slice and whole pies, wings, salads, house-made sodas, Italian gelato shakes, and craft beers. Operating dine-in, takeout, and delivery services across 5 locations.
2. Catering and Event Services: Catering services for pizza parties and special events, with packaged offerings for groups ranging from 4-6 people to 25 people. Contact-based inquiries for corporate events, school groups, tour groups, fundraisers, and office parties.
3. Franchise Fees: Franchise opportunities offered for expanding the brand nationally and internationally. The company seeks franchise partners for growth around the United States and the world.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

We, The Pizza is a chef-driven fast-casual Italian-American pizza restaurant chain selling pizza by the slice and whole pies across multiple locations. The menu features 14+ pizza varieties including traditional, Detroit-style, and Sicilian-style crusts, complemented by wings, salads, handcrafted Italian sodas, in-house gelato shakes, and craft beer. The company operates dine-in, takeout, and delivery services through Toast Tab and FoodTec Solutions platforms, and offers pizza party catering packages for groups of 4-25 people.

Product overview

We, The Pizza is a chef-driven Italian-American fast-casual pizza concept operated by the Sunnyside Restaurant Group (Mendelsohn family). The core offering centers on pizza by the slice with 14+ varieties including traditional, Detroit Style, and Sicilian Style pizzas, complemented by handmade Italian sodas, Italian gelato shakes, kettle-sizzled wings, pizza dough knots, and fresh salads. The restaurant operates multiple locations (Capitol Hill DC, Crystal City, Ballston, U Street Express, and Clearwater Beach FL) and offers online ordering through FoodTec Solutions and ToastTab platforms, pizza party catering packages, and an SMS/MMS mobile messaging program for marketing communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pizza by the Slice Italian-American pizza served by the slice or whole pie in 14+ varieties including Simple Cheese, Capitol Supreme, Double Pepperoni, Margherita Burrata, White Pie, and specialty pies. Sold at all locations for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.
• Detroit Style Pizza Square Detroit-style pizzas with crispy crust offered in cheese, pepperoni, vegan, and spicy varieties. Available in small sizes for individual dining.
• Sicilian Style Pizza Rectangular Sicilian crust pizzas offered in vegan (Vegan Veg Sicilian) and spicy (Spicy Sicilian) varieties.
• Homemade Italian Sodas Handcrafted sodas made with natural spring soda, crushed fruit, and homemade syrups. Features creative names such as Dreams Are Made Of Strawberry Lemonade, Very Very Sour Cherry, and Catherine & Bella's Blackberry Mint.
• Italian Gelato Shakes Creamy shakes made with homemade Italian gelato churned daily in-house. Flavors include Stracciatella Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Amore, Nutella Hazelnut, and Cherry Almond Amaretto, with toppings like Bada Bing cherries, shaved chocolate, or toasted hazelnuts.
• We, Tossed Wings Kettle-sizzled fresh jumbo wings served with homemade buttermilk ranch or blue cheese dip. Flavors include Sriracha Hot & Honey Sweet, All Fired Up, Chipotle BBQ, Lemony Garlic & Parm, and DC Mambo Sauce.
• Salads Fresh salads including Caesar (kale, crispy romaine, Applewood bacon, parmesan, Caesar vinaigrette), Farmers Market Salad (local seasonal greens and vegetables), and Italian Chopped.
• Pizza Dough Knots Fresh pizza dough knots in sweet (Mexican Cinnamon Knots with Vanilla Bean Glaze) and savory (Roasted Garlic Knots with Homemade Marinara) varieties.
• Craft Beer Draft beers including 32 Degree Draft Beers (20oz), growler pitchers, and canned beer options such as 'We, The Brew'.
• Frozen Lemonade Frozen dessert beverage available at the Capitol Hill, DC location.
• Pizza Party Catering Catering packages for events serving 4-6 (Pizza Party 1), 8-12 (Pizza Party 2), or 25 (Pizza Party 3) people. Each package includes combinations of large pies, wings, salads, and 2-liter sodas for corporate events, school groups, tour groups, fundraisers, and office parties.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Plant A Billion TreesminorOthersEnvironmental initiative planting trees in Brazil's Caraíva River Basin and along the Frides River. We, The Pizza plants one tree per day ($1 per tree). Project began when first concept Good Stuff Eatery opened over 10 years ago. Goal of removing 12 tons of carbon dioxide per 2.4 acres per year.
• Defeat DIPG Michael Mosier FoundationminorOthersPediatric brain cancer charity supporting the Mosier family whose son Michael was diagnosed with DIPG at age 6. Michael's Birthday Special (Shroom Burger, Toasted Marshmallow Shake, Snack Fry) sales go towards finding a cure. Participation in Dream Big Gala, Superhero Sprint & 6K Run, and events throughout the year.
• CARE InternationalminorOthersHumanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Chef Spike Mendelsohn serves as CARE Chef Ambassador. Company supports overseas trips and speaking engagements highlighting sustainable farming, local product sourcing, and rights of poor and small holder farmers worldwide.
• DC Central KitchenminorOthersOrganization working to end hunger through training unemployed adults into culinary careers and helping at-risk adolescents. Micheline Mendelsohn serves as Board Member. Spike co-hosts Annual DCCK Food Fight alongside Chef Jose Andres. Company provides support and attends events.
• Food Policy Action / DC Food Policy CouncilminorOthersChef Spike is first Chairman of DC Food Policy Council. Serves as Chef Ambassador and lobbyist for Food Policy Action. Hosts 'Plate of the Union' podcast discussing food policy issues. Mission to promote safe, healthy, affordable food for all.
• Les Dames D'EscoffierminorOthersCulinary leadership organization for women in hospitality. Micheline Mendelsohn is a member along with her mother Cathy. Organization described by Julia Child as 'women who have achieved success in their profession and contribute significantly to their communities.'
• Food Rescue USminorOthersNational volunteer organization using an app to connect businesses with excess usable food to hunger relief agencies. Kate Urbank began the DC Chapter. Volunteers pick up food and drop it at pre-designated organizations to feed hungry people.
• Pastini Family (Tomato Supplier)minorOthersFamily farm supplying tomatoes used in We, The Pizza's house-made tomato sauce, giving it velvety, full flavor and super deep red color.
• Logans Sausage (Alexandria, VA)minorOthersFamily-made sausage supplier from Alexandria, VA providing premium meats for pizzas.
• Shenandoah Valley FarmminorOthersSmall farm supplying fresh herbs for We, The Pizza menu items.
• Hyatt Hotel (Clearwater Beach)minorOthersWe, The Pizza Clearwater Beach location is on the ground floor of the newly restored Hyatt Hotel, making it a hospitality partnership for beach visitors.
• Sunnyside Restaurant GroupcoreOthersParent company owned by the Mendelsohn family operating and franchising six successful restaurant concepts: Good Stuff Eatery, We The Pizza, Santa Rosa Taqueria, The Butcher's Sandwich, and Big Top Ice Cream Bar. Provides centralized management, branding, and franchise support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• &pizza: Washington DC-born fast-casual pizza chain serving individual pies with counter-service and tech-forward ordering. Most direct geographic and concept competitor, operating in overlapping DC/Virginia trade areas with similar premium-ingredient positioning.
• Pieology Pizzeria: Fast-casual personalized pizza franchise with several hundred US locations. Comparable on custom-pizza model, franchised expansion strategy, and premium ingredient positioning targeting the same fast-casual consumer.
• Blaze Pizza: Fast-casual assembly-line pizza chain backed by LeBron James with nationwide franchise locations. Directly comparable fast-casual pizza model, menu breadth, and price point, with far greater capital and unit scale.
• MOD Pizza: Fast-casual custom pizza chain operating hundreds of franchised and company-owned locations across the US. Closest comparable on the fast-casual pizza format, unit economics, and franchise growth playbook.

Broad incumbents

• Pizza Hut: One of the largest pizza QSR chains globally, operating dine-in, delivery, and carryout. Broader incumbent with overlapping product category but a delivery-led, lower-price-positioned model rather than fast-casual dine-in.
• Domino's: Global pizza QSR leader with a digital-first delivery and carryout model. Overlaps in pizza category and online ordering integration, but competes in a fundamentally different value and convenience segment than fast-casual.
• Papa John's: National pizza QSR and franchise chain operating dine-in, carryout, and delivery. Broad incumbent sharing the pizza category but competing on speed, value, and delivery rather than chef-driven fast-casual experience.
• California Pizza Kitchen: Casual-dining pizza chain offering wood-fired pizzas and broader Italian-American menus. Comparable on premium, chef-influenced pizza positioning but operates at a higher price point with full table service.

Regional players

• Pi Pizzeria: DC-based artisan pizzeria with multiple locations serving wood-fired Neapolitan and Detroit-style pizzas. Regional competitor in the same DC market with comparable chef-driven positioning and craft-ingredient focus.

Others

• Sunnyside Restaurant Group (Good Stuff Eatery): The parent group and sister brand Good Stuff Eatery, the Mendelsohn family's flagship burger concept also operating in DC. Comparable as the same operator's adjacent fast-casual concept, sharing brand DNA, management, and franchise infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wethepizza
• Facebookfacebook.com/wethepizza
• Instagraminstagram.com/wethepizza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/we-the-pizza-llc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 We, The Pizza LLC