Mr. Gatti's Pizza Makes Walmart Comeback

0:00Here's more Birmingham news for March 20th. Mr. Gatties Pizza, a Texas-based chain, is staging a big comeback by opening locations inside Walmart stores. In 2024, they announced plans for 92 corporate-owned spots in Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, which would push their total to 230 units. The chain bounced back strong after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 and restructuring by 2020. These new Walmart setups focus on simple menu items without the old buffet style, letting shoppers order through the app and grab food after shopping. Fans remember Mr. Gatties from his heyday, with all you can eat buffets that started in the 1970s. The brand got its start back in 1964 as the pizza place in Stephenville, Texas, then moved to Austin five years later and took on it's current name. By 2025, 15 of those Walmart locations were up and running, mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. With 23 more under, construction.

1:02A long time investor, one Ryan Global, just bought a majority stake this January and aims to grow even more around Houston. This expansion shows how classic pizza spots are adapting to grab-and-go shopping trends, keeping the name alive for a new crowd.