800PIZZA

What 800PIZZA does

800PIZZA is a Dubai-founded Italian restaurant chain operating authentic Roman-style pizzerias across the United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2007 by Alessandro D'Ubaldo, the company operates approximately eight company-owned branches spanning Dubai (Marina Promenade, Al Barsha, Motor City, Jumeirah 1, Sustainable City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Healthcare City) and Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan), supplemented by a franchise program targeting the broader GCC market including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. The company serves individual consumers, corporate catering clients, and prospective franchisees across the region.

The core product offering centers on thin, light, and crispy wood-fired pizzas prepared in handcrafted Italian wood-burning ovens, alongside fresh daily-made pasta and traditional Italian desserts. Differentiating technical elements include a proprietary dough recipe with a 12+ hour maturing process, on-demand pasta preparation that is never pre-cooked or pre-boiled, and the use of authentic Italian ingredients. The business operates a dual revenue model combining direct food and beverage sales through company-owned dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery channels (including the proprietary 800Riders delivery fleet and a partnership with Kitopi) with franchise licensing that generates trademark fees, equipment supply revenue, and operational support fees from regional partners. The company has been consistently profitable and debt-free since inception without external funding.

Customer acquisition channels include a Squarespace-hosted marketing website, a dedicated online ordering platform, WhatsApp-based ordering, and the Gold Club loyalty program introduced in June 2021 to drive repeat orders. Strategic partnerships include a 2010 alliance with Belhasa Hospitality Group that enabled multi-branch expansion across the Dubai Emirate by 2012, and a 2021 delivery partnership with Kitopi. The company is privately held and founder-controlled.

Name

800PIZZA

Legal name

800PIZZA (legal entity name not publicly disclosed on website)

Website

https://800pizza.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

800PIZZA is a Dubai-founded Italian restaurant chain operating eight company-owned branches across the UAE that sells Roman-style wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta, and desserts via dine-in, takeaway, home delivery, catering, and GCC franchising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Italian Restaurant / Pizza Chain

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Caterers (722320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza QSR (THAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

Keywords

• Italian pizza restaurants
• Wood-fired pizza
• Pizza delivery service
• Restaurant franchising
• Italian dining catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Direct sales of wood-fired Roman-style pizzas, pasta dishes, desserts, gelato, appetizers, and other Italian food items to consumers through dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery at company-owned locations.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchising the 800PIZZA brand to entrepreneurs and corporations. Franchisees pay for the exclusive license to use 800PIZZA trademarks, receive equipment, furniture, and F&B items supply, along with operational and marketing support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

800PIZZA operates Italian pizzerias selling Roman-style thin, light and crispy pizzas baked in imported Italian wood-fired ovens, alongside fresh daily pasta and traditional Italian desserts. Customers can dine in, take away, or order home delivery through the in-house 800Riders fleet, with additional revenue coming from catering, a franchise licensing program, and a Gold Club loyalty program.

Product overview

800PIZZA is a Dubai-founded Italian restaurant chain operating a single integrated brand focused on authentic Roman-style pizza and Italian cuisine. The core offering centers on thin, light, and crispy wood-fired pizzas (made with a signature 12-hour-matured dough) alongside fresh daily pasta and traditional Italian desserts. The business is supported by three key add-on modules: an in-house 800Riders delivery service covering dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery across multiple UAE branches; a Catering service for wood-fired pizza events with gelato and appetizers; and the Gold Club loyalty program providing priority delivery and early access to new product launches. The company also operates a Franchise program enabling entrepreneurs to replicate the 800PIZZA model across the GCC and broader Middle East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wood-Fired Roman-Style Pizza Thin, light, and crispy Roman-style pizzas baked in an Italian wood-fired oven, made with a signature dough matured over twelve hours and sold to individual consumers and families for dine-in, takeaway, and home delivery in the UAE.
• Fresh Italian Pasta Authentic Italian pasta dishes made fresh daily at the time of ordering using the finest ingredients imported from Italy, never pre-cooked or pre-boiled, served alongside the pizza menu to UAE consumers.
• Traditional Italian Desserts Traditional Italian desserts prepared following nonna's recipes, completing the authentic Italian dining experience for 800PIZZA customers in the UAE.
• Catering Services Wood-fired pizza catering service in Dubai offering Italian gelato, appetizers, and full-event catering for corporate events, private parties, and gatherings in Dubai.
• 800PIZZA Franchising Program Franchise opportunity offering entrepreneurs and corporations an exclusive license to use the 800PIZZA trademarks, marketing and operational systems, equipment supply, furniture, and F&B items, plus location selection assistance for F&B operators in the GCC including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and the UAE.
• Gold Club Loyalty Program Loyalty program offering UAE consumers priority home delivery and exclusive access to new product launches, with membership assessed monthly based on a minimum spend of AED 600 or a minimum of 6 orders in the preceding quarter.

Quantifiable outcome

• 23% year-on-year sales increase in September 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KitopiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 October 2021Kitopi is a food delivery platform that partnered with 800PIZZA to fulfill delivery orders. The partnership was mentioned in news about 800PIZZA's record September 2021 sales, indicating Kitopi handles some delivery fulfillment for the pizzeria.
• Belhasa HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010In 2010, 800PIZZA joined hands with Belhasa Hospitality which resulted in a strong growth of the business. This partnership enabled expansion from the single original branch in Dubai to operations across the entire Emirate by October 2012.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pizza Hut UAE: Operates pizza delivery and dine-in restaurants across the UAE directly competing with 800PIZZA on convenience, pricing, and delivery speed. Most direct peer in the Dubai pizza delivery segment.
• Papa John's UAE: International premium-positioned pizza delivery brand operating in the UAE. Competes with 800PIZZA in the 'better-than-baseline' pizza segment with similar delivery and dine-in model.
• Franco Manca: UK-based sourdough pizza chain focused on authentic Italian-style wood-fired pizza. Closest international peer on authentic Italian positioning and wood-fired craft preparation ethos.
• Pizza Express: UK-origin casual Italian pizza restaurant chain with dine-in focus that has expanded into the Middle East. Comparable on Italian pizza brand expansion strategy and dine-in casual dining experience.
• Domino's Pizza UAE: Global QSR pizza chain operating delivery-focused outlets across the UAE, directly competing with 800PIZZA on home delivery. Closest comparable on convenience-led pizza ordering experience.
• Rosso Restaurant Dubai: Italian restaurant in Dubai offering wood-fired pizza and pasta in upscale dining environment. Direct competitor on authentic Italian dining and wood-fired pizza preparation in Dubai.
• Serafina Dubai: Italian restaurant brand with Dubai presence offering authentic Italian cuisine including pizza and pasta. Directly comparable on Italian authenticity positioning and Dubai dining market.

Regional players

• The Pizza Company: Major Asian pizza delivery chain with Middle East franchise presence. Comparable on multi-market pizza delivery franchise model rather than direct UAE head-to-head competition.

Broad incumbents

• MOD Pizza: US-based fast-casual pizza chain offering made-to-order artisan-style pizzas. Comparable on the customizable premium pizza positioning though with a different (US) heritage narrative.
• California Pizza Kitchen: Premium casual dining chain offering wood-fired and innovative pizzas in a broader menu format. Comparable upscale casual pizza positioning though with a wider, less Italian-authentic menu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 800PIZZA