Cupini's
Cupini's is a family-owned Italian restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 2003 by Franco Cupini, that has extended its fresh-pasta, Roman-heritage brand into catering, banquet events, an e-commerce retail shop, a live music venue, and small-group culinary tours of Italy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersMissouri City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cupini's does
Cupini's is a family-owned Italian restaurant and culinary brand founded in 2003 by Franco Cupini and headquartered in a single location at 1809 Westport Road, Kansas City, Missouri. The core operation is a dine-in restaurant and deli serving fresh pasta, panini, and traditional Roman-heritage Italian dishes, with operating hours limited to lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. The company employs 11-50 staff and runs the business without external investment, parent-company control, or franchise expansion. Cupini's has monetized national brand recognition — including a 2013 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives feature, a Guinness World Record for longest noodle, and a 2019 "meatball in space" PR stunt — to support a portfolio of adjacent revenue lines.
Beyond the core restaurant, Cupini's operates a diversified ecosystem of related services: office and wedding catering, the Tony DiPardo Banquet Room for private events ($250-$399 room rental with $500-$1,000 food minimums), an e-commerce shop selling marinara, vinaigrettes, limoncello, cannoli kits, a published cookbook, and gift boxes; the Sunflower Stage live music venue on Friday and Saturday evenings; cooking classes; a school tasting program; and Cupini's Italia, a culinary-tourism business running 15-day small-group Italy tours (Grand Tour of Italy and Passion of the South) in partnership with licensed Italian operator Errico Travel Company. Distribution is domestic-only through the physical storefront, Toast Tab online ordering, and direct e-commerce, with no second restaurant location and no disclosed expansion into additional U.S. geographies.
Cupini's firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cupini's
- Legal name
- Cupini's
- Website
- https://cupinis.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cupini's is a family-owned Italian restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 2003 by Franco Cupini, that has extended its fresh-pasta, Roman-heritage brand into catering, banquet events, an e-commerce retail shop, a live music venue, and small-group culinary tours of Italy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cupini's industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Italian Restaurant and Catering Services
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH), Local Chef/Restaurant Meal Boxes & Marketplace Prepared Meals (CRAHAJAI)
Keywords
Where Cupini's is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Missouri City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cupini's business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Dine-in Restaurant: In-restaurant dining at 1809 Westport Road location with full menu including fresh pasta, sandwiches, and Italian dishes. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm.
- Catering Services: Office catering, wedding catering, and event catering services providing Italian cuisine for groups. Features free tasting for wedding clients.
- Retail Products: Sale of packaged food products including marinara sauce, vinaigrettes, limoncello, cookbooks, cannoli kits, and specialty gift boxes shipped to customers.
- Banquet Room Rental: Tony DiPardo Banquet Room rental for private events with various bar packages and food minimum requirements. Room rental fees range from $250-$399 depending on day and services.
- Italy Tours: Curated small-group culinary tours to Italy (Grand Tour of Italy, Passion of the South) operated in partnership with Errico Travel Company. Limited to 10-15 guests per tour.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail food products |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Banquet Room Friday-Saturday |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Banquet Room Monday-Thursday |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cupini's product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cupini's fundamentally operates a single-location Italian restaurant and deli in Kansas City, MO, serving fresh handmade pasta, panini, sauces, and traditional Roman-heritage Italian dishes for dine-in and takeout. Beyond the restaurant, it provides office and wedding catering services, rents out the Tony DiPardo Banquet Room for private events, and sells branded retail Italian food products (marinara, vinaigrettes, limoncello, cannoli kits, cookbooks, gift boxes) through an online shop. The business also extends into Italy culinary tourism via Cupini's Italia in partnership with Errico Travel Company.
Product overview
Cupini's is a single-location Italian restaurant and deli in Kansas City that has expanded beyond its core dine-in and takeout operations into a diversified portfolio of related products and services. The core restaurant (Cupini's Restaurant & Deli) serves fresh pasta, panini, and Italian dishes, while the business extends into: (1) catering services covering both office and wedding/event markets; (2) a dedicated banquet room (Tony DiPardo Banquet Room) for private event hosting; (3) an e-commerce shop selling branded food products (marinara, vinaigrettes, limoncello, cannoli kits, cookbooks, gift boxes, and gift cards); (4) a live music venue (Sunflower Stage); and (5) Cupini's Italia, a curated Italy travel experience business offering small-group culinary tours (Grand Tour of Italy, Passion of the South) and tailor-made travel consulting. The restaurant and catering operations feed into the shop (products can be ordered online), and the Italia tours complement the restaurant's mission of authentic Italian culinary immersion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cupini's Italia: A travel and culinary tourism service offering curated small-group tours of Italy, including the Grand Tour of Italy and Passion of the South tours. They partner with Errico Travel Company for regulated travel services.
Products and services
- Cupini's Restaurant & Deli Italian restaurant and deli at 1809 Westport Road, Kansas City MO, serving fresh handmade pasta, panini, and Italian dishes for dine-in and takeout. Open Monday–Thursday 11am–8pm, Friday–Saturday 11am–9pm.
- Office Catering Catering service delivering fresh pasta and panini for office events, meetings, and workplace gatherings in the Kansas City area, with menu options tailored for corporate settings.
- Wedding Catering Full-service wedding and event catering featuring authentic Italian cuisine, with free tastings available for couples to preview menu items before their event.
- Tony DiPardo Banquet Room Private event venue with full china, cutlery, glass setup, white linens, cloth napkins, and buffet-style setup. Room rental fees range from $250–$399 depending on day and bar options, with bar packages available per guest or as flat fees.
- Marinara Sauce (case of jars) Low-sodium, heart-healthy marinara sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes following the Cupini Family Tradition. Priced at $60.00 per case of 6 jars with free shipping via the online shop.
- Homemade Limoncello Homemade limoncello liqueur, 17.5 Oz bottle made in-house using imported Italian lemons. Pickup only, priced at $25.00.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (case of 6 bottles) Balsamic vinaigrette made with Italian imported balsamic blended in imported oil with spices for palate balance; suitable for salads and meat marinades. Priced at $41.70 per case of 6 bottles.
- Lemon Vinaigrette (case of 6 bottles) Lemon vinaigrette ideal for mixed green salads and fish marinades. Priced at $41.70 per case of 6 bottles.
- Cannoli Making Kit DIY cannoli kit including 12 shells, ricotta filling, pistachios, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, and a plastic cone for piping. Pickup only, priced at $29.99.
- Cupini's Cookbook Cookbook by Franco Cupini featuring classic fresh pasta recipes rooted in Roman heritage, with simple approaches to presenting fresh pasta. Priced at $24.00.
- Cupini's A'Matriciana Gift Box Gift box containing all ingredients to create the Roman classic A'Matriciana dish, including recipe book, guanciale, bucatini pasta, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pancetta, pecorino romano, marinara sauce, and apron. Free shipping. Priced at $124.99.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for online purchase through the Toast Tab platform, enabling recipients to order from Cupini's menu and products.
- Cupini's Italia Culinary Tours & Travel Consulting Italy travel experience curator offering curated small-group culinary tours and tailor-made consulting services, including the Grand Tour of Italy and Passion of the South, operated in partnership with Errico Travel Company which provides regulated travel services and logistics.
- Grand Tour of Italy Signature 15-day culinary tour of Italy running from Verona wine country through Tuscany, Pienza, Montalcino, Florence, Assisi, Amalfi Coast, Capri, Caserta, to Rome. All-inclusive with accommodations, transport, guided tours, winery visits, and meals. Limited to 10–15 guests.
- Passion of the South (Italy Tour) 15-day tour of Southern Italy covering Puglia, Matera, Sorrento, Pompei, and Rome, featuring coastal beauty, beach time, ancient history, and regional cuisine. Bookings closed for 2026; next available for 2027.
- Tailor-Made Italy Travel Consulting Custom Italy travel itinerary planning service for private, independent travel beyond tourist routes, providing a custom itinerary for private exploration.
- Cooking Classes (Live, Remote) Live cooking classes via telepresence taught by Franco Cupini, sharing Roman-heritage pasta recipes and techniques with participants.
- School Tastings Program Italian culinary tasting program for schools in which Cupini's brings food into classrooms for educational tastings and youth market engagement.
- Sunflower Stage Live Music Venue Outdoor live music venue at the Cupini's location featuring local musicians every Friday and Saturday from 6–9 PM, paired with Italian cuisine, sangria, and limoncello.
Quantifiable outcome
- Guinness World Record for longest noodle: 2,125 feet (2013)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cupini's
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cupini's technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cupini's partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Errico Travel Company Di Errico LucacoreLicensed Italian tour operator providing regulated travel services and technical support for Cupini's Italia tours. Located at Via Madonnina, 5, 37057 San Giovanni Lupatoto VR, Italy; Phone: +39 045 875 1327. Cupini's acts as experience curator and planner while Errico provides the actual travel operations and logistics.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cupini's competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buca di Beppo: Italian casual dining chain serving family-style Italian cuisine, banquets, and catering. Directly comparable to Cupini's on menu positioning, Italian authenticity narrative, and private-event/banquet room revenue mix.
- Tourissimo: Italy-based culinary and active travel tour operator offering small-group experiences. Directly comparable to Cupini's Italia tours on small-group (10-15 guests), all-inclusive, authentic regional cuisine positioning.
- Romano's Macaroni Grill: Casual Italian dining chain with private-event offerings, fresh pasta, and Mediterranean wine focus. Comparable on full-service Italian dining and banquet revenue mix.
- Lidia's Kansas City: Italian restaurant in Kansas City founded by celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich, featuring authentic Italian cuisine, events, and retail products. Most direct in-market peer with overlapping menu, retail, and event positioning.
- Carrabba's Italian Grill: Casual Italian dining chain with family recipes, fresh preparation, and bar/wine focus. Comparable to Cupini's on full-service Italian positioning and willingness to merchandise Italian heritage.
- Maggiano's Little Italy: Italian-American full-service restaurant with large banquet/event business. Directly comparable to Cupini's banquet room and wedding catering economics.
- International Kitchen: Specialty culinary tour operator focused on Italy and other food destinations. Direct competitor to Cupini's Italia on the small-group culinary-tour model targeting US food enthusiasts.
Others
- Williams Sonoma: Specialty food and cookware retailer selling branded pantry items, gift boxes, and cookbooks. Comparable to Cupini's online retail line (marinara, gift boxes, cookbook) on product mix and gifting positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants): Largest US Italian casual dining chain with broad menu and limited-service elements. Competitor for KC Italian dining share and benchmark for industry economics.
- Eataly: Italian marketplace combining restaurants, retail products, cooking classes, and educational experiences. Closest analog to Cupini's diversified ecosystem strategy (restaurant + retail + education).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cupini's social profiles
Digital presenceCupini's financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cupini's leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cupini's subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cupini's funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cupini's M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cupini's
What does Cupini's do?
Cupini's fundamentally operates a single-location Italian restaurant and deli in Kansas City, MO, serving fresh handmade pasta, panini, sauces, and traditional Roman-heritage Italian dishes for dine-in and takeout. Beyond the restaurant, it provides office and wedding catering services, rents out the Tony DiPardo Banquet Room for private events, and sells branded retail Italian food products (marinara, vinaigrettes, limoncello, cannoli kits, cookbooks, gift boxes) through an online shop. The business also extends into Italy culinary tourism via Cupini's Italia in partnership with Errico Travel Company.
Is Cupini's a public or private company?
Cupini's is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cupini's founded?
Cupini's was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cupini's based?
Cupini's is headquartered in Missouri City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cupini's make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Restaurant is the primary driver. The others are catering Services, retail Products, banquet Room Rental and italy Tours.
Who are Cupini's's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buca di Beppo, Tourissimo, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Lidia's Kansas City, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Maggiano's Little Italy and International Kitchen. Williams Sonoma is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants) and Eataly.
Does Cupini's have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cupini's.
What industry is Cupini's in?
Cupini's's product category is Italian Restaurant and Catering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAI, Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias, with a secondary code of THAJALAH, Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.