Hungry Howie's Pizza
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHungry Howie's Pizza is a U.S. pizza franchise known for its flavored-crust pizzas and broad menu of casual, delivery-oriented foods.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Hungry Howie's Pizza is an American pizza franchise founded in 1973 by James Hearn in Taylor, Michigan. The business began as a local pizza shop on Telegraph Road and later developed into a franchised restaurant system. Steve Jackson, who initially worked for Hearn as a pizza delivery driver, became Hearn's business partner and helped lead the company's expansion. In 1982, Hearn and Jackson decided to franchise the operation, and the first Hungry Howie's franchise opened in 1983. The company expanded rapidly during its first decade as a franchisor. It awarded enough franchises to reach 65 locations within its first three years of franchising, and the network had grown to approximately 160 locations by 1990. Hungry Howie's opened its 500th store in 2005. The chain subsequently continued operating through franchisees and is described as having more than 550 locations across 22 U.S. states. Its headquarters are in Madison Heights, Michigan, in the Metro Detroit area, maintaining a connection to the region where the brand originated. Hungry Howie's central point of differentiation is its flavored-crust pizza. The idea reportedly emerged after a franchisee experimented with adding sesame seeds and butter to a pizza crust. The company tested the concept in selected restaurants before introducing eight flavored-crust options in 1985. The brand has since promoted itself as the “Home of the Flavored Crust Pizza,” making crust customization a prominent part of its identity rather than treating crust as a standard, secondary component. Available flavors include butter, butter cheese, asiago cheese, ranch, Cajun, sesame, garlic herb, and Italian herb. Customers can combine multiple flavors, giving the offering a personalization element. The menu extends beyond traditional and specialty pizzas. Hungry Howie's restaurants offer calzone-style subs, chicken wings and tenders, bread products, salads, cookies, and brookies. In 2025, the chain added Detroit-style pizza, a regional style associated with its Michigan roots and with broader consumer interest in regional and specialty pizza formats. The addition broadened the brand's pizza portfolio while retaining its emphasis on crust and format variety. The brand also has a longstanding cause-marketing program. Since 2009, its Love, Hope & Pizza campaign has supported the National Breast Cancer Foundation. During the campaign period in October, participating restaurants use pink pizza boxes and make donations tied to pizza sales. By September 2020, the company reported donating more than $3 million to the foundation. In 2020, the program was adapted to include support for the foundation's COVID-19 relief fund, with donations linked to pizzas sold in pink boxes and an additional customer-donation option available through online ordering. Hungry Howie's operates primarily as a U.S. franchise brand in the quick-service and delivery-oriented pizza segment. Its competitive proposition combines familiar pizza and complementary foods, franchise-based geographic reach, extensive crust customization, promotional activity, and community fundraising. Public reference material identifies the chain's locations and menu direction but does not establish a separate publicly listed parent, stock ticker, current chief executive, or precise corporate ownership structure.
History
Hungry Howie's Pizza began in 1973 when James Hearn opened a pizza restaurant on Telegraph Road in Taylor, Michigan. The store developed a local following, including among students from nearby Taylor Junior High School and Taylor Center High School. Steve Jackson, who delivered pizzas for Hearn, later became his business partner. Their relationship provided the foundation for the transition from a single local restaurant to a broader franchise organization. Hearn and Jackson decided in 1982 to franchise the business. The first Hungry Howie's franchise was awarded in 1983. Expansion was swift: the company franchised 65 locations during its first three years as a franchisor and reached approximately 160 locations by 1990. This growth established franchising as the company's principal operating model and allowed the brand to expand beyond its original Michigan base without relying solely on company-operated restaurants. A major product and branding milestone came from an innovation involving the pizza crust. A franchisee brought the idea of applying sesame seeds and butter to the crust to Hearn and Jackson. Hungry Howie's tested the concept in a limited number of stores and introduced eight flavored-crust varieties in 1985. The innovation became a defining feature of the chain and eventually supported the “Home of the Flavored Crust Pizza” positioning. The brand's crust range has included butter, butter cheese, asiago cheese, ranch, Cajun, sesame, garlic herb, and Italian herb. Multiple flavors may be combined, making crust selection part of the ordering experience. The chain continued growing through the 1990s and 2000s. It reached 500 stores in 2005 and later expanded to more than 550 franchised locations in 22 states. Its headquarters are located in Madison Heights, Michigan, in Metro Detroit. Publicly available reference material characterizes Hungry Howie's as the 11th-largest pizza chain in the United States, although the ranking is dependent on the comparison period and methodology. Hungry Howie's menu broadened from its core pizza offering to include specialty pizzas, calzone-style subs, wings and tenders, bread products, salads, cookies, and brookies. This assortment gives franchise locations products for individual meals, group orders, sides, and desserts. In 2025, the company added Detroit-style pizza, a format with particular regional relevance to its Michigan heritage and intended to respond to evolving pizza preferences. The company's brand activity has also included sustained cause marketing. Since 2009, Love, Hope & Pizza has raised awareness and funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The October program uses pink pizza boxes and donation-linked sales. By September 2020, Hungry Howie's reported that the initiative had generated more than $3 million for the foundation. During the 2020 campaign, the brand directed donations toward COVID-19 relief and enabled online customers to make additional contributions. Hungry Howie's remains a U.S.-focused franchise pizza brand. The available material confirms its founding story, franchise expansion, flavored-crust differentiation, menu development, and charitable campaign, but does not identify a current chief executive, a publicly traded parent, a stock ticker, or a definitive current ownership structure.
- 2025
Detroit-style pizza added
[1]The chain adds Detroit-style pizza to its menu.
- 2009
Love, Hope & Pizza begins
[1]The brand begins its recurring fundraising and awareness campaign for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
- 2005
500th store opens
[1]Hungry Howie's opens its 500th store.
- 1990
Franchise network reaches approximately 160 locations
[1]The company has expanded to about 160 locations through franchising.
- 1985
Flavored crusts introduced
[1]After testing the concept in selected restaurants, the company rolls out eight flavored-crust options.
- 1983
First franchise awarded
[1]Hungry Howie's awards its first franchise, beginning the chain's organized national expansion.
- 1982
Franchising decision
[1]James Hearn and Steve Jackson decide to franchise the restaurant business.
- 1973
First Hungry Howie's restaurant opens
[1]James Hearn opens the first Hungry Howie's restaurant on Telegraph Road in Taylor, Michigan.
Products and positioning
A U.S. franchise pizza chain differentiated by customizable flavored crusts, delivery-oriented menu breadth, and accessible family-style offerings.
Pizza · 1985
Flavored-crust pizza
Hungry Howie's signature product platform allows customers to select flavored crusts alongside traditional and specialty pizzas. Options identified in reference material include butter, butter cheese, asiago cheese, ranch, Cajun, sesame, garlic herb, and Italian herb. Multiple flavors can be combined, making crust customization a central part of the brand experience.
Pizza
Traditional and specialty pizzas
The core menu includes conventional pizza formats as well as specialty combinations. These products form the main basis of the chain's delivery and carryout business and can generally be paired with the brand's flavored-crust choices.
Pizza · 2025
Detroit-style pizza
Introduced in 2025, Detroit-style pizza extends Hungry Howie's range into a regional pizza format associated with the company's Michigan origins. The launch responds to interest in regional styles and gives the chain a product distinct from its standard round-pizza lineup.
Sandwiches
Calzone-style subs
Calzone-style subs provide a non-pizza entrée within the Hungry Howie's menu. They broaden the chain's appeal for customers seeking a handheld or sandwich-style meal while retaining the baked-dough orientation associated with the brand.
Chicken
Chicken wings and tenders
Wings and chicken tenders serve as supplemental entrées and shareable items for pizza orders. They support group ordering and provide familiar alternatives to the chain's pizza products.
Sides, salads, and desserts
Breads, salads, cookies, and brookies
The broader menu includes bread products, salads, cookies, and brookies. These items complete meals, add side and dessert choices, and help the franchise serve mixed group orders with varied preferences.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Love, Hope & Pizza COVID-19 relief support
United States
The 2020 version of Love, Hope & Pizza directed donations associated with pink-box pizza sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's COVID-19 relief fund. Customers could also make an additional contribution through online ordering for the remainder of the year.
- 2009Love, Hope & Pizza
United States
Hungry Howie's recurring October campaign raises awareness and funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Participating restaurants use pink pizza boxes and connect donations to pizza sales.
Outcome. The company reported more than $3 million in donations to the foundation by September 2020.
Brand decisions
2025
Add Detroit-style pizzaProduct launchBackground
The chain identified continuing consumer interest in regional and specialty pizza formats.
Action taken
Hungry Howie's added Detroit-style pizza to its menu.
Aftermath
The launch expanded the brand's pizza-format range and connected a new product to the company's Michigan background.
1985
Launch flavored-crust pizzaProduct launchBackground
A franchisee's experiment with sesame seeds and butter suggested a way to differentiate the pizza crust itself.
Action taken
Hungry Howie's tested flavored crusts in selected restaurants and introduced eight flavors across the system.
Aftermath
Flavored crust became the brand's principal product differentiator and a recurring part of its marketing identity.
1982
Adopt franchising as the expansion modelStrategyBackground
After operating as a local Michigan pizza business, James Hearn and Steve Jackson sought a way to expand the brand beyond company-operated restaurants.
Action taken
They decided to franchise Hungry Howie's, leading to the first franchise award in 1983.
Aftermath
The franchise network grew to approximately 65 locations within three years, about 160 locations by 1990, and 500 stores by 2005.
Recent events
Reported
Hungry Howie's announces Big Rapids store opening[2]
Hungry Howie's announced that its Big Rapids, Michigan store would open the following day. The opening was to include a $6.99 large one-topping pizza offer and a donation of 10% of the day's sales to Brookside Elementary School; the brand also planned a 10% sales donation to nearby Riverview Elementary on Thursday.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
Sources2 sources
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