A co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen says California would not be his first choice if he were launching the brand today. Instead, he said he would pick Florida, a striking contrast for a chain so closely tied to California in both name and identity.
The comment suggests how much the business landscape has changed since the restaurant first became a well-known dining concept. What once seemed like a natural home for a fresh, upscale pizza brand may no longer offer the same advantages for starting and growing a chain.
Although the full details of his reasoning were not included in the excerpt, the comparison between Florida and California points to broader questions about where restaurant companies can operate most effectively. For founders, decisions about location often reflect costs, regulations, consumer demand and how easy it is to expand.
The remarks also underscore a wider shift in how entrepreneurs view California. Even for a brand built around the state’s image, the idea of launching elsewhere shows how competitive and challenging the restaurant business environment has become.
