Blaze Pizza was founded in Pasadena, California, by Rick and Elise Wetzel in 2011. The chain's first location was opened in Irvine, California, in August 2012,[4] which was followed two months later by the opening of their second, and flagship, location in October 2012 in Pasadena.[5] The chain serves made-to-order pizzas, with a choice of various sauces and toppings. Its business model is similar to other chains such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Subway.[6][7][8] The pizzas are cooked in a high-temperature open-flame oven with an average cook time of three minutes.[9] The only piece of cooking equipment inside each of the restaurants is an oven.[10]
By the end of 2014, Blaze had become the first fast-casual pizza restaurant to achieve 50 opened units.[11] The company planned to have at least 500 locations by 2020.[12]
In 2015, the company began to expand into Canada.[13] In partnership with Alshaya, the company opened locations in the Middle East in 2018.[14][15]
In 2024, the company announced its plans to move its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia to support future expansion plans.[16]
