Pita Pit is a Canadian quick-service restaurant franchise serving
pita sandwiches with fresh vegetables, grilled meat and sauces.[2] Its Canadian and global headquarters are in
Kingston, Ontario.[3] Its United States headquarters are in
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[4] As of September 2021, it is owned by Foodtastic.
History
The first shop was opened by Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis in 1995 near
Queen's University in
Kingston, Ontario.[5][2] The restaurant was located near the college and aimed at students in the hopes it would be "recession-proof".[6] The store stayed open until late, providing a healthier and fresher late night food option to conventional fast food.[2]
In 1997, Pita Pit started to expand within Canada, and in 1999 they began franchising in the
United States.[5][2]
The first Pita Pit location outside Canada and the United States opened in
Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2007. The business was set up by Chris Henderson, a New Zealander returning from Canada, and Duane Dalton, the husband of netballer
Tania Dalton.[7][2]
By 2011, Pita Pit had expanded to 350 stores in Canada, the United States, New Zealand,
Panama,
South Korea and
Brazil.[2]
On September 1, 2021, it was announced that Québécois restaurant franchiser Foodtastic had acquired Pita Pit.[citation needed]
Pita Pit International
New Zealand and Australia
Pita Pit New Zealand has 85 stores around New Zealand, including 26 in Auckland.[8] This down from about 90 stores in 2020 and more than 100 stores in 2017,[9][10] but still more than the 65 it had in 2014,[11] and 18 it had in 2011.[2]
The business also has nine stores from Australia,[12] down from 14 in 2017.[10]
Pita Pit New Zealand started actively seeking franchises in 2011,[2] and by 2017 the vast majority of stores were franchisees.[10]
The chain introduced a
diabetes-friendly menu in 2016,[14] and introduced a fillings limit in 2019.[15] It started to trial
virtual kitchens in 2020, after many of its stores were unable to open during the
COVID-19 pandemic.[16]