Sbarro's founding and pizza pivot (1956)
Gennaro and Carmela "Mama" Sbarro, Neapolitan immigrants, opened an Italian salumeria in New York. Carmela's pizza slices became a hit with shift workers, and the family converted the store into a pizza-focused fast-casual business.
The single shop took off and grew into a franchise chain.
Sbarro today counts more than 800 locations across 27 countries, with over 300 in the United States.
Explains the franchise model LV Petroleum is using to bring Sbarro into its Las Vegas travel center.
