Franchise growth at scale is often thought of as the ‘simple’ matter of adding new stores and new markets, and maybe, in this case, some new toppings.
Philip Goudreau, Chief Operating Officer of Pizza Pizza, however, understands that there is a little more to it than that.
Goudreau oversees a complex network spanning Operations, Franchising, Real Estate, and Construction, giving him a panoramic view of what it takes to keep hundreds of units aligned, profitable, and growing.
The through-line in his thinking is that franchise growth is engineered through systems, supported by training, reinforced through culture, and tested through data.
“Operational excellence is powered by our best-in-class Training & Development Team, paired with a desire across the entire Operations Team to execute, and execute well, on every customer, every transaction,” he says.
“For us, it is about doing the fundamentals at an A-Level, every day, at scale. That is why we built our A-Level strategy: clear standards, clear KPIs, and consistent execution and behaviours from the time our restaurants open to the time they close.”
Goudreau focuses on routines and measurement, which creates structural integrity within the organization and its franchise base.
“We reinforce it through strong habits such as hands-on coaching, regular evaluations, and real accountability to the numbers and the experience we deliver. We also celebrate it. We recognize new A-Level certified restaurants during our monthly Business Updates, and A-Level operators and teams are always recognized directly one-on-one and in group settings. That consistency is what drives sustained performance across hundreds of locations.”
It also drives franchise growth because well-run stores create confidence, and confidence is often the currency of franchising.
From the outside, Pizza Pizza’s footprint looks like a traditional QSR network. From the inside, it behaves more like a school that never stops teaching.
Franchise training as infrastructure for growth
Goudreau’s approach to franchise expansion places training at the core rather than as a support function. Onboarding is structured, hands-on, and supported with clear checkpoints and live guidance. Learning and development is continuous for a franchise owner.
We have a robust three-phase training program for new franchisees in an eight-week program,” explains Goudreau.
“There are structured touch-points throughout the full eight weeks, between the training team and new franchisees. And new franchisees and existing ones have an open door with all key department leaders for support. We also have a very talented Operations Team, and we take a high-touch approach to support our franchisees.”
Pizza Pizza also connects franchisees to the rhythm of the business through regular updates, which Goudreau treats as education modules as much as communications.
“One example is that, on a weekly basis, ‘Business Updates and Wins of the Week’ are sent to each franchisee/restaurant to highlight the week, introduce new items, and communicate changes clearly and educate and reinforce execution. Our Regional Operations Managers conduct A-Level Operations Evaluations every month and debrief with the franchisee/team. We have an active Customer Contact Centre that supports the business in real time with any compliments, concerns, and service recovery, along with a customer survey platform that customers can, and do, use to share feedback and rate their experience.”
The franchise growth engine does not stop after onboarding. Existing operators, even long-standing ones, are pushed to refresh skills and thinking, especially as competition intensifies.
“We do this through re-certifying them in our Innovation Learning Centre when needed and during the renewal process of their Franchisee Agreement,” he says.
“At five-year renewal, franchisees revisit pillars of success, such as revenue, customer experience, leadership, and operations, leaving with an action plan and a renewed growth mindset.”
That renewal process creates an intentional strategic pause for operators who might otherwise slip into autopilot. The support model is built around partnership and consistency through regular business updates, restaurant tours, direct check-ins, monthly A-Level evaluations, Restaurant Talk Committee meetings, and regional meetings. This way operators have the clarity, guidance, and follow-through needed to keep improving and growing.
“For restaurants that need additional support, we also use a structured ‘Build Your Business’ approach focused on cash flow, marketing, community engagement, and SMART goals,” adds Goudreau. “It is a high-touch and effective approach, as we value our Very Important Franchisees.”
Data, tech and disciplined market selection
Data plays a big part in how and where the business expands. Pizza Pizza uses demographic and trade-area tools to decide where growth actually makes sense.
“We seek opportunities for the business and for franchisees through a robust GIS Team that helps identify opportunities with the right demographics, trade areas, and demand. Our Real Estate and Operations teams, along with local franchisees, keep a close pulse on new opportunities to grow. Any opportunity goes through a formal vetted process and is discussed bi-weekly during development meetings.”
While some brands focus marketing on lifestyle or branding, Goudreau’s strategy is to match the message to customer economics and preferences.
“Through internal and external consumer insights, we have a strong pulse on what customers are looking for, along with broader industry trends,” he explains.
“We own many key attributes that customers seek, such as convenience and value, and we stay focused on staying on top of what each key demographic wants and needs, from Gen Z to aging Baby Boomers. That is why our national marketing focuses on being relevant in the moment and leading with value-driven offers that customers respond to. We also track the impact on the people who rely on it most – our franchisees.”
The other half of the modern franchise growth equation is technology, with significant investment in customer service and back-office operations.
“We have a robust IT Team, Service Desk, and Customer Contact Centre that monitors our business from open to close and supports franchisees in real time. Some of the most meaningful innovations we have deployed are iKDS (Intelligent Kitchen Display System) to help manage order flow and timing, Digital Menu Boards that allow us to update menus and promotions instantly across restaurants, and our Customer Tracking System (CTS) to provide transparency into delivery stages for both customers and franchisees.”
Data has become the connective tissue across functions, and Goudreau cites 2025 as a tipping point in the decision to increase investment and improve operations for franchise owners.
“In 2025, we introduced Google Looker, which gives our corporate and field teams real-time dashboards across sales, operations, delivery, and costs. The result is faster decision-making, stronger visibility into performance across the system, and more targeted support and coaching for franchisees.”
The tech enables an integrated approach across the business, enabling cross-functional decision-making and information sharing.
“We use a structured Roll-Out process to launch new products, standards, and policies system-wide. It starts with stakeholder education and alignment at the Senior Team level, then cascades through our Regional Operations Managers for consistent execution in the field. Each department has clear ownership and support roles. For example, Marketing delivers localized campaigns, Real Estate manages site and lease execution, and our Help Desk supports technology issues to minimize downtime. We reinforce the message through monthly Town Halls/Business Updates, live meetings, and virtual huddles, and we track adoption through the necessary KPIs so we can course-correct quickly.”
Disciplined expansion and franchise growth
The next chapter for Pizza Pizza will see some ambitious expansion plans both inside and outside of Canada.
“Seventy-five percent of our business is in one province: Ontario, so we have detailed development plans for every province across the country to grow in a smart, disciplined way. Our three- to five-year plan is anchored in consistency; we will strengthen the core while expanding carefully and continuing to innovate to drive franchisee profitability.
“From a footprint standpoint, we plan to expand both domestically and internationally, franchising 36–40 new traditional stores and 20 non-traditional units annually. Internationally, we are proud to support the growth of our master franchise in Mexico, which is a significant step in bringing Pizza Pizza to new markets.”
While that develops, the company will rely on its infrastructure and systems to give franchisees the tools to deliver what customers want (mainly pizza) and maintain the consistent standards that it established in the 1960s.
“Our highest priority is the long-term health of our system and continued focus on operational excellence. Innovation will continue to drive efficiency and margins, with technologies that streamline operations, enhance delivery, and reduce costs so franchisees have the tools and insights to optimize performance in real time.”
And you thought it was just about toppings.
