Editing Round Table Pizza (section)

== History ==
[[File:Original Round Table Pizza Logo.jpg|thumb|left|Updated version of the Round Table Pizza logo designed by William R. Larson.]] 
Round Table Pizza was founded by William R. Larson.<ref name="SFGATE/16629720" /><ref name="legacy/25387323">{{cite web |title=William R. Larson Sr. Obituary (2006) Mercury News |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/william-larson-obituary?id=25387323 |website=Legacy.com |access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref> Larson was born in [[San Jose, California]], on January 30, 1933, and was raised in [[Palo Alto, California]]. After serving 4 years in the U.S. Navy, Larson worked several different jobs, gaining experience that ultimately led him to create his own restaurant.<ref name="mercuryobit">{{cite web|date=2006-11-28|title=William R. Larson Sr.|url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-mercury-news/20061128/282157876754210|publisher=The Mercury News|via=PressReader.com}}</ref><ref name="latimes">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-21-me-passings21.1-story.html|title=Bill Larson, 73; founder of Round Table chain of pizza parlors|date=November 21, 2006|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> He opened his first pizza parlor in [[Menlo Park, California]] on December 21, 1959 located at 1235 El Camino Real.<ref name="SFGATE/16629720">{{cite news |last1=Marek |first1=Grant |title=The story of the man who still runs the first-ever Round Table |url=https://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/The-first-Round-Table-Pizza-is-in-the-Bay-Area-16629720.php |access-date=5 November 2022 |work=SFGATE |date=18 November 2021}}</ref> He called his new restaurant Round Table Pizza. He named the restaurant Round Table Pizza after the round [[redwood]] tables he and his father constructed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stolzoff|first=Simone|date=February 2, 2018|title=These Two Silicon Valley Pizza Places Show The Challenges Posed By Automation And Inequality|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40511861/these-two-silicon-valley-pizza-places-show-the-challenges-posed-by-automation-and-inequality|website=Fast Company}}</ref> 

This original location in Menlo Park would eventually be moved to 1225 El Camino Real a few years later, where it still stands today and is owned and operated by Bob Larson, William's son.<ref name="revisiting">{{cite web |title= Revisiting Round Table Pizza just shy of its 60th anniversary |url=https://inmenlo.com/2018/08/03/revisiting-round-table-pizza-just-shy-of-its-60th-anniversary/ |website=In Menlo|date=3 August 2018 }}</ref> As of 2020, Bob Larson still owns and operates the original Menlo Park location.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fatbrands.com/brand/round-table-pizza/|title=Round Table Pizza|website=FAT Brands Inc.}}</ref> 

According to PizzaMarketPlace.com, "William's developed recipe & crust soon brought Round Table Pizza a strong following from customers and entrepreneurs."<ref name="pizzamarket">{{cite web |url=https://www.pizzamarketplace.com/news/bill-larson-founder-of-round-table-pizza-dead-at-73/ |title= Bill Larson, founder of Round Table Pizza, dead at 73  |website=Pizza Market Place|date= 16 November 2006 }}</ref> By 1978 under Larson's direction, Round Table had amassed over 225 stores.<ref>{{cite web | title=The family business: Founder's son still lives and breathes Round Table Pizza | website=Round Table Pizza Franchise | date=July 13, 2016 | url=https://roundtablepizzafranchise.com/blog/the-family-business-founders-son-still-lives-and-breathes-round-table-pizza/ | access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref><ref name="fresh">{{cite web |title=50 Years of Fresh Pizza |url=https://inmenlo.com/2009/09/16/round-table-50-years-of-fresh-pizza/ |website=InMenlo.com|date=17 September 2009 }}</ref> In 2011, the company filed for protection under [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] with the [[U.S. bankruptcy court]] and emerged from bankruptcy the same year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Round Table Pizza Chapter 11 Petition|url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/view/SK2UEQA/Round_Table_Pizza,_Inc.__canbke-11-41431__0001.0.pdf|website=PacerMonitor|access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref> The Consensual Plan of Reorganization provides for 100% repayment of obligations to its secured and unsecured creditors and for its employee owners to retain 100% ownership of the company. Since then, the company met all obligations and its financial strength steadily improved with the retirement of debt and the increase in cash flow.<ref name="turnaround">{{cite news | url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Round-Table-Pizza-s-supreme-turnaround-2418381.php | title=Round Table Pizza's supreme turnaround | work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] | date=December 22, 2011 | access-date=January 2, 2015 | author=Ross, Andrew S.}}</ref>

In 2014, the company signed a 35-store development agreement to build restaurants in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20141028006482/en|title=Round Table Pizza Expands into Bahrain with five country Development Agreement|access-date=6 May 2015|publisher=Nations Restaurant News}}</ref> As of 2016,  more than 450 franchised and company-owned locations were in [[Alaska]], [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Hawaii]], [[Nevada]], [[Oregon]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.camaspostrecord.com/news/2016/oct/06/round-table-pizza-to-open-in-camas/|title=Round Table Pizza to open in Camas|date=2016-10-06|newspaper=Camas-Washougal Post-Record|access-date=2016-11-28}}</ref> On September 15, 2017, Round Table Pizza announced that it was acquired by [[Global Franchise Group]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Maze|first1=Jonathan|title=Great American Cookies owner buys Round Table Pizza|url=http://www.nrn.com/mergers-acquisitions/great-american-cookies-owner-buys-round-table-pizza|work=Nation's Restaurant News|date=15 September 2017}}</ref> In the same month, September 2017, Round Table Pizza closed all of the seven branches in Dubai.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Clowes|first=Ed|date=September 15, 2017|title=Round Table Pizza in Dubai has shut down|url=https://gulfnews.com/business/retail/round-table-pizza-in-dubai-has-shut-down-1.2090387|access-date=2020-09-23|website=gulfnews.com|language=en}}</ref>

In 2019, Round Table Pizza [[rebranding|rebranded]] on its 60th anniversary, including a new logo and a new motto: "Pizza Royalty". The chain also expanded to the [[Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex]] for the first time in 2019, with new locations in [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]] and near the [[Southern Methodist University]] campus in [[University Park, Texas|University Park]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gubbins|first1=Teresa|title=California restaurant chain Round Table orders up pizzas for SMU Dallas|url=http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/04-29-19-round-table-pizza-smu-university-blvd/|date=29 April 2019}}</ref>

On June 28, 2021, Global Franchise Group announced that it would be acquired by [[FAT Brands]], owners of [[Fatburger]] and [[Johnny Rockets]].<ref>{{cite news |author=FAT Brands Inc |title=FAT Brands Inc. Agrees to Acquire Global Franchise Group for $442.5 million |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/28/2253672/0/en/FAT-Brands-Inc-Agrees-to-Acquire-Global-Franchise-Group-for-442-5-million.html |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=GlobeNewswire News Room |date=28 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The acquisition was completed on July 22.<ref>{{cite news |author=FAT Brands Inc. |title=FAT Brands Completes Acquisition of Global Franchise Group |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/07/22/2267572/0/en/FAT-Brands-Completes-Acquisition-of-Global-Franchise-Group.html |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=GlobeNewswire News Room |date=22 July 2021}}</ref>