LaRosa's Pizzeria vs Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria Franchise Comparison

Buddy LaRosa was inspired to open his first pizzeria after the pizzas he made for a church fundraiser using his Aunt Dena's recipe turned out to be a hit. With $400 and a couple of partners, he opened Papa Gino's in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1954. After his partners left the business a few years in, he changed the name of the pizzeria to LaRosa's. In 1967, he began franchising.

Seeking new franchisees in Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia  

In 1992, brothers Aro & Allen Agakhanyan opened their first pizzeria in Los Angeles. They toiled for several years to prove their pizza restaurant concept was unique and different from the national pizza brands. Not only did they recreate the traditional pizzeria with a “cool” Southern California feel, but they also expanded the size of their pizzas to fit the demands of their guests. Their initial pizza size was a 28” pizza that you could order with your choice of toppings. But it soon became apparent that in order to feed the really big appetites of their customers, the Big Papa (36” in diameter) was born. But Aro and Allen Agakhanyan were not satisfied even then, so they introduced the Giant Sicilian which was and is the largest deliverable pizza in the world.

The Giant Sicilian (54” X 54”) is in the Guinness World Record Book.

Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria is currently seeking to expand in our home market of Southern California.

Individuals interested in Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria Franchise opportunities outside of our home market are encouraged to submit an inquiry.