Pita Pit Targets Tahoe-Area’s Outdoor Crowd As it Continues to Penetrate the West

As the Field Operations Specialist for Pita Pit, Doug Hanna knows what it takes to run a thriving restaurant. After all, for nearly 10 years, he owned and operated a Pita Pit location in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Hanna may have passed along ownership to brothers Juan and Jesus Hernandez back in 2015—two long-time Pita Pit employees—to pursue a role at Pita Pit’s corporate headquarters, but he brought with him a decade of invaluable market knowledge. Now, as the brand looks to expand throughout the Tahoe area, he’s using that expertise to make successful growth in the largely untapped territory possible. Hanna sees a lot of similarities between Mammoth and Tahoe, so he has every reason to believe that good things are on the horizon for Pita Pit as it continues to penetrate the West with its fresh grilled, flavor filled sandwiches.

According to Hanna, Tahoe’s demographics make it a prime location for Pita Pit. Because it’s an area driven by outdoor recreational activities, like skiing and hiking, it typically attracts guests looking for a healthy, fresh and on-the-go meal.

“Pita Pit’s main mission has always been to offer a healthy alternative to fast food. And that’s something that we’re finding is very important to consumers throughout areas like Mammoth and Tahoe,” Hanna said. “Being able to grab a vegan or vegetarian-friendly option before heading up the mountain for a ski trip is something that people crave in this region. And the fact that our options are all portable makes it even more appealing for athletes. It’s a clean, hand-held eat that someone can enjoy while hiking, for example. Pita Pit really is built for an active lifestyle, and that strikes the right chord for people out here.”

Hanna believes that Pita Pit’s culture and attitude also lends itself to the Tahoe area’s demographics. Because it’s largely a tourist town, visitors are often looking for the perfect spot to satisfy their late-night cravings. Pita Pit, with its fun, informal, vibrant and edgy environment, helps it to stand out in a sea of greasy spoons and cookie-cutter chains. In fact, during his own experience running Pita Pit in Mammoth, Hanna said that his store did incredibly well during the late night hours after the bars closed down.

“People come to Tahoe looking to have fun. It was always a pleasure serving people because they’re coming in on vacation and looking to cut loose and have a good time,” Hanna said. “I found that at Pita Pit, we were able to offer that to them through our unique experience and one-of-a-kind food. I have every reason to believe that Tahoe will be a great home for future Pita Pit locations.”