Blaze Pizza was founded inPasadena, California, by Rick and Elise Wetzel in 2011.[citation needed] The chain's first location was opened inIrvine, California, in August 2012,[3] which was followed two months later by the opening of their second, andflagship store, location in October 2012 in Pasadena.[4] The chain servesmade-to-order pizzas, with a choice of various sauces and toppings. Its business model is similar to other chains such asChipotle Mexican Grill andSubway.[5][6][7] The pizzas are cooked in a high-temperature open-flame oven with an average cook time of three minutes.[8] The only piece of cooking equipment inside each of the restaurants is an oven.[9]
By the end of 2014, Blaze had become the first fast-casual pizza restaurant to achieve 50 opened units.[10] The company planned to have at least 500 locations by 2020.[11]
In 2015, the company began to expand into Canada.[12] In partnership withAlshaya, the company opened locations in the Middle East in 2018.[13][14]
In 2024, the company announced its plans to move its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia to support future expansion plans.[15]
