Fazoli's was established as a sister brand of Long John Silver's in 1988, initially in the Lexington, Kentucky, area. In 1990, Kunihide Toyoda's Seed Restaurant Group purchased the five locations there.[5]
The chain expanded rapidly. By 1993, it had 62 restaurants within Kentucky, Indiana and Florida. By 1997, there were 300 Fazoli's across the country,[5] and a peak of 400 in 2004.[6]
In October 2006, Sun Capital Partners purchased the business. Of 319 locations, in 32 states, 179 were franchised.[7] However, by 2008, Fazoli's sales and location count were falling.[6] A struggling franchisee in Arizona announced it was closing all 13 of its restaurants in the state.[8]
In July 2015, Sentinel Capital Partners acquired Fazoli's 124 company-owned and 89 franchised locations[9] but the sole remaining location in Southern Nevada closed in 2016.[10][11] The remaining 122 owned and operated restaurants were acquired in November 2022 by FAT Brands Inc., for $130 million.[12]
Fazoli's original menu options were pizza and pasta. From 1990, the emphasis shifted away from pizza towards pasta cooked al dente, and meals at a lower price point than competing hamburger restaurants. In the early 2000s, low-carbohydrate diets became popular and Fazoli's added low fat items with more vegetables and protein.[5]
As of 2016, Fazoli's menu includes baked pastas, sandwiches, salads, parmigiano, meatballs and pizza.[13] Some restaurants offer a catering menu for collection or delivery.[14]
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