Sauce On The Side
Sauce on the Side is a St. Louis-based fast casual restaurant chain operating 12 locations across Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, specializing in handmade-from-scratch calzones and generating revenue through dine-in, off-premise, corporate catering, and franchise royalties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sauce On The Side does
Sauce on the Side is a privately-held, founder-led fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, operating approximately 12 locations across the St. Louis metropolitan area, Indianapolis (Carmel and Downtown Indy), and Edwardsville, Illinois. The company's core product is handmade calzones — 20+ signature varieties priced $11.79–$12.79 plus a build-your-own "Fold" option starting at $8.29 — supported by salads, bite sides, desserts (Caramel Apple Pie, S'mores), and a curated local beer and wine list. The operating model emphasizes daily in-house preparation of dough, sauces, and dressings with no freezers on premises, and uses a hybrid counter-order/full-table-service format. Average Unit Volume in 2022 was $1,180,099 (up 12% YoY), with top-quartile units averaging $1,613,302 and average EBITDA of 13.8% on affiliate-owned units.
The business generates revenue across four streams: dine-in service, off-premise channels (takeout, in-house delivery, third-party delivery, curbside pickup — 65% of system revenue in 2021), corporate catering for groups of 20–500 people delivered direct and via EZ Cater, and franchise royalties (5% of gross revenue plus 1% advertising on a $35,000 initial franchise fee, 10-year term). Technology infrastructure is built on the RevelUp cloud-based POS and online ordering platform, integrated with a Comosense-powered loyalty program and a digital gift card manager; owned digital transactions reached 39% of sales in 2021. The brand has received third-party validation including Travel Channel's "#1 Cheesiest Restaurant in America" and QSR Magazine's 40/40 List for 2022, and operates a structured franchise program with documented unit economics (total investment $414K–$704.5K, $200K liquid / $600K net worth requirements) as the primary lever for future multi-unit growth.
Sauce On The Side firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sauce On The Side
- Legal name
- Sauce on the Side
- Website
- https://sauceontheside.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sauce on the Side is a St. Louis-based fast casual restaurant chain operating 12 locations across Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, specializing in handmade-from-scratch calzones and generating revenue through dine-in, off-premise, corporate catering, and franchise royalties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sauce On The Side industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fast Casual Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (72232)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Salad & Bowl Concepts (Grain/Protein/Healthy Bowls) (THAFABAF)
Keywords
Where Sauce On The Side is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Sauce On The Side business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Dine-in Sales: Revenue from customers dining in restaurants with full-service hospitality experience where food is delivered to the table.
- Off-premise Sales (Takeout, Delivery, Curbside): Revenue from takeout, in-house delivery, third-party delivery, and curbside pickup orders. Off-premise accounted for 65% of system revenue in 2021. Digital transactions grew to 39% of sales.
- Catering Services: Corporate event and meeting catering with minimum 20 people, serving up to 500 people. Includes mini calzones, full-size calzones, salads, sides, and desserts with delivery and setup services.
- Franchise Royalties: 5% royalty fee on gross revenue plus 1% advertising fee from franchisees. Franchise fee of $35,000 per restaurant.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signature Calzones priced at $10.79-$12.79 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Create Your Own (The Fold) starting at $8.29 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Salads ranging $8.29 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Desserts from $7.89-$10.89 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Delivery fee $3.99 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sauce On The Side product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sauce On The Side is a St. Louis-based fast casual restaurant chain that sells handmade calzones, salads, and desserts prepared from scratch daily in-house, with no freezers on premises. The company operates 12 dine-in locations across Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, and distributes through takeout, in-house delivery, third-party delivery, curbside pickup, corporate/event catering (20-500 people), and a franchise program with a $35,000 franchise fee and 5% royalty.
Product overview
Sauce On The Side is a fast casual restaurant chain offering handmade calzones as its primary product, with 13 locations in the St. Louis and Indianapolis areas. The core offering consists of 20+ signature calzone varieties (priced $11.79-$12.79) and a build-your-own option called 'The Fold' starting at $8.29. The product portfolio is supported by complementary offerings including salads, bite sides, desserts (Caramel Apple Pie, S'mores), and beer & wine. Additional revenue streams include catering services (20-500 people), a franchise program, delivery/takeout operations, gift cards, and a loyalty rewards program. The company emphasizes fresh, in-house preparation of dough, sauces, and dressings daily without freezers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signature Calzones
Quantifiable outcome
- Average Unit Volume of $1,180,099 (2022), up 12% year-over-year
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sauce On The Side
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sauce On The Side technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
Sauce On The Side partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- EZ CatercoreThird-party catering delivery platform that allows customers to order Sauce on the Side catering for events. EZ Cater charges delivery fees for their service.
- RevelUpcoreOnline ordering platform and POS system provider powering Sauce on the Side's website ordering capabilities across all locations.
- Local Beer SuppliersminorLocal craft beer partners including 4Heads Brewing Co., Logboat Brewing Co., Civil Life Brewing Co., Yuengling, and other local breweries featured at locations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sauce On The Side competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blaze Pizza: Fast-casual customizable pizza chain with counter-ordering, build-your-own format, and strong off-premise/digital ordering mix. Closely comparable on concept, service model, and price point.
- &pizza: Fast-casual pizza concept with counter-ordering, custom-built pizzas, and a strong off-premise/digital focus. Comparable on hybrid fast-casual service model and digital ordering emphasis.
- Pieology Pizzeria: Fast-casual customizable pizza chain with build-your-own format, counter service, and franchise-driven expansion. Comparable on concept, price point, and franchise unit economics.
- MOD Pizza: Fast-casual pizza chain offering customizable personal pizzas with counter-ordering and table-service hybrid model. Directly comparable on category, service model, AUV scale, and franchise structure.
Broad incumbents
- Mellow Mushroom: Established pizza franchise with broader dine-in experience and craft beer focus. Comparable on full-service hybrid model, beer/wine attach, and franchise structure.
- Panera Bread: National fast-casual cafe chain with counter-ordering, table service, fresh-prepared positioning, and strong catering/off-premise channels. Comparable on hybrid service model and made-fresh brand positioning.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Largest fast-casual chain, operating a counter-order assembly-line model with strong off-premise and digital channels. Comparable on hybrid service model, digital-first ordering, and franchise-like unit economics for benchmarking.
- Marco's Pizza: Established pizza franchise with broader delivery/carryout model. Comparable on franchise-driven growth, mid-market price point, and pizza-adjacent category overlap with calzones.
Regional players
- Sarpino's Pizzeria: International delivery-focused pizza franchise. Comparable on franchise-driven unit growth, delivery/off-premise revenue mix, and pizza-adjacent category positioning.
Emerging players
- Noodles & Company: Fast-casual chain with customizable bowls and global cuisine focus. Comparable on made-to-order assembly-line format, mid-tier price point, and digital/off-premise channel mix.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sauce On The Side social profiles
Digital presenceSauce On The Side financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sauce On The Side leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sauce On The Side funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sauce On The Side 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 Sauce On The Side
What does Sauce On The Side do?
Sauce On The Side is a St. Louis-based fast casual restaurant chain that sells handmade calzones, salads, and desserts prepared from scratch daily in-house, with no freezers on premises. The company operates 12 dine-in locations across Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois, and distributes through takeout, in-house delivery, third-party delivery, curbside pickup, corporate/event catering (20-500 people), and a franchise program with a $35,000 franchise fee and 5% royalty.
Is Sauce On The Side a public or private company?
Sauce On The Side is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sauce On The Side founded?
Sauce On The Side was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sauce On The Side based?
Sauce On The Side is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sauce On The Side make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Sales are the primary driver. The others are off-premise Sales (Takeout, Delivery, Curbside), catering Services and franchise Royalties.
Who are Sauce On The Side's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blaze Pizza, &pizza, Pieology Pizzeria and MOD Pizza. Broad incumbents are Mellow Mushroom, Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Marco's Pizza. Sarpino's Pizzeria is listed as a regional player. Noodles & Company is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sauce On The Side have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sauce On The Side.
What industry is Sauce On The Side in?
Sauce On The Side's product category is Fast Casual Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAF, Salad & Bowl Concepts (Grain/Protein/Healthy Bowls). Its NAICS code is 722511.