1851 Franchise’s Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises of 2026: Slice House by Tony Gemignani

• Brand: Slice House by Tony Gemignani
• Number of Units: 29 units
• Initial Investment Range: $455,300 - $1,197,600
• ROI Potential: Not publicly disclosed
• Units Sold Last Year: Not publicly disclosed

Slice House by Tony Gemignani has officially earned a place on 1851 Franchise’s 2026 Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises list — a recognition that highlights brands shaping the future of franchising through innovation, momentum and strong demand. As interest from franchisees continues to climb, Slice House is entering a pivotal phase of expansion.

“The combination of our corporate team structure and the popularity of our brand has catapulted our momentum,” said Gemignani, who founded the pizza restaurant brand. “We have seen so much interest across the U.S. It’s exciting to see so much growth in the future.”

History and Origin Story

Slice House started in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach. The brand is the fast-casual evolution of Tony Gemignani’s legendary career — a 13-time World Pizza Champion and the only non-Neapolitan to win the title of World Champion Pizza Maker in Naples, Italy. 

Originally launched to operate alongside Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Slice House was the answer to a simple problem: how to serve world-class, artisan pizza to the masses without the long wait times of a full-service sit-down restaurant. It bridged the gap between the distinct "slice shop" culture of New York and the high-quality standards of California cuisine. 

"I believe the quality and craftsmanship behind our food at every location is unlike any franchises that are out there," Gemignani said.

Why the Franchise Stands Out

In a segment often dominated by single-style pizza chains, Slice House disrupts the market with variety. The menu features four distinct styles (New York, Sicilian, Detroit and “Grandma”), allowing franchisees to capture a wider customer base than competitors who only offer one type of pie. Slice House also has a wide range of flavor combinations, from the classics to more out-of-the-box creations like “Big Papa,” “Burrata Queen” and “Motorhead.”

Crucially, the brand balances this level of craftsmanship with modern operations. By leveraging strong systems and carefully selected technology tools, Slice House positions franchisees to deliver championship quality pies at scale.

“The diversity of our menu has been proven to be popular as we’ve grown,” Gemignani said. “I believe the quality and craftsmanship behind our food at every location is unlike any franchises that are out there. We are not only a company that focuses on food; we are also a brand that focuses on technology.”

System Growth and 2026 Momentum

Last year, Slice House grew from a regional favorite to a national contender. In 2025, the franchisor saw steady growth, reaching beyond its California home-base to states like Colorado, Texas, Tennessee and Arizona.

Why Now Is the Moment for Franchisees

With over 75,000 pizza restaurants in the U.S. and nearly $50 billion in revenue last year, it’s clear the market is positioned to grow. Slice House offers franchisees the opportunity to tap into that market while appealing to a more discerning guest — often one who is looking for higher quality and more authenticity.

With the Slice House name, franchisees can sell a premium product backed by a well-known pizza pro, all with the infrastructure behind them to support aggressive growth. In addition to footprint growth, Gemignani is clear that the leadership team has a focus on consistent improvement across all departments, which will create further stability and opportunity for owners who choose to join the ground-floor opportunity.

Looking Ahead

This year, Gemignani’s priorities are clear: efficiency and strength in systems. The corporate team is focused on streamlining chef-driven recipes to create franchise-ready ones and building additional processes that will support local owners and their teams in delivering award-winning quality in a straightforward, scalable way.

“What excites me is to try and make our company as franchise friendly as possible without cutting back on the quality of our product,” Gemignani said. “It’s important to streamline our recipes and help support our existing stores while opening more stores throughout the U.S. Our infrastructure, franchisee training, marketing and support is very important for us to achieve this."

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the month for 1851 Franchise's full Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises series to explore the other innovative brands making waves in the industry.