G. Brint Ryan has acquired the remaining ownership interest in Mr Gatti's Pizza, becoming the primary owner of the Fort Worth-based pizza and family entertainment chain following a transaction that also triggers the planned retirement of longtime CEO Jim Phillips. Ryan, founder and chairman of Dallas-based Ryan, LLC, first became a co-owner of the brand in December 2025; the completed transaction now gives him outright control of the franchisor and its expansion agenda.
Phillips will remain in the CEO role through a transition period while a successor is identified. His tenure, which began in 2015, saw the chain grow its restaurant footprint by 50 percent, expand from three states to 12, and nearly double systemwide revenue over the past five years — a run that included navigating COVID-19 disruptions and broader economic headwinds.
What Changed Operationally
Beyond the financial turnaround, Phillips oversaw a systematic modernization of the franchise infrastructure that carries direct implications for any operator or equipment specifier working with the brand. His team standardized franchise agreements, rebuilt the system-wide marketing fund, revived original recipes under a food-first philosophy, and refined store formats — work that typically runs in parallel with kitchen equipment standardization programs at multi-unit chains. For dealers and commercial kitchen design consultants already aligned with the brand, consistent store formats signal continued fleet-level equipment procurement as new units come online.
Growth Pipeline and Kitchen Implications
With more than 200 locations open or in development across Texas and the Southeastern United States, Mr Gatti's represents an active pipeline for back-of-house capital goods. Pizza chains at this scale typically rely on deck or conveyor ovens, high-volume refrigeration, and prep equipment specified across a prototype kitchen — meaning ownership stability and a clear expansion strategy matter directly to the equipment supply chain. Ryan emphasized continued investment in franchisee support, signaling that the infrastructure build-out supporting those 200-plus units is expected to continue. Operators looking at the family entertainment segment should note the brand's positioning around pizza, wings, and shareable menu items, a mix that typically demands flexible cooking equipment configurations and robust cold-storage capacity for high-volume service.
Ryan acknowledged Phillips' legacy directly, noting that the outgoing CEO "established a strong financial foundation, built an outstanding executive team and created a culture that puts franchisees first." For the franchise system, continuity of that franchisee-first approach suggests the equipment support programs and vendor relationships Phillips' team built are likely to remain intact through the leadership change. A new CEO announcement is expected at a later date.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
