Scooters Pizza, once a staple in South Africa’s fast-food scene, is making a big comeback.
After nearly a decade off the menu, the popular pizza chain officially relaunches today, Tuesday, 21 October, marking the return of a brand many South Africans thought was gone for good.
The relaunch is being driven by one of Scooters original expansion partners, Juan Engelbrecht, who helped grow the brand in its early 2000s heyday. Engelbrecht revealed that consumer demand never really went away, and now the brand is ready for another slice of the market.
A South African pizza story
Founded in 2000 by Carlo Gonzaga, Scooters Pizza carved out a loyal following with its bold 39-minute delivery promise, or the order was free. The chain’s focus on speed, consistency, and local flavour helped it rapidly expand, reaching 100 stores by 2006 and becoming one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the country.
But in 2014, the wheels came off when Scooters’ then-owner, Taste Holdings, brought the Domino’s Pizza franchise to South Africa. The move led to the conversion of Scooters outlets into Domino’s branches, effectively erasing the homegrown brand. By 2016, Scooters Pizza was liquidated.
Taste’s foray into the US brand also didn’t end well. After struggling to make Domino’s work in the South African market, the company shut down all stores and exited the food sector.
The comeback slice for Scooters Pizza
Now, Engelbrecht is reviving Scooters with a mix of nostalgia and new energy. The first newly branded store opens this October in Melville, Johannesburg, on 4 Main Road, where fans can expect both old-school favourites and new offers.
The 39-minute delivery promise is also back, alongside special promotions and a 39-minute all-you-can-eat challenge to kick off the relaunch.
The new Scooters will once again follow a franchise model, with opportunities for new franchisees already open.
For now, it’s a single-store restart, but if the brand’s past growth is any indication, South Africa might not have to wait long before the familiar red logo lights up in more neighbourhoods again.
