At a Glance

  • BrakeTime Corner Market has signed a franchise agreement with Little Caesars, Rene Da Costa, vice president of food, beverage and quick service for the convenience retailer, confirmed to C-Store Dive.
  • Da Costa said the initial agreement covers two Little Caesars quick-service restaurants adjacent to BrakeTime stores in Texas, adding that the retailer plans to expand the Little Caesars network to other states.
  • The agreement highlights BrakeTime's goal of expanding its foodservice business, which its CEO Usman Bashir told C-Store Dive last year was one of the retailer's main objectives.

Deep Dive

BrakeTime's latest franchise agreement was signed about a month after the Houston-based convenience retailer struck a similar deal with Burger King. At that time, Da Costa said the agreement covered BrakeTime-adjacent stores and standalone Burger King locations in Illinois and Texas.

Now, by adding Little Caesars to its list of franchise offerings, BrakeTime is furthering Bashir's goal of increasing the number of quick-service restaurants across its network of about 300 convenience stores.

In an announcement detailing the agreement posted on LinkedIn, Da Costa said Little Caesars is "a great fit for high-traffic convenience store environments." He added that one location will be near William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, and the other will be in nearby Tomball.

"This isn't just about adding pizza to our lineup—it's about driving traffic, increasing basket size, strengthening margins, and elevating our overall foodservice strategy," Da Costa said in the announcement.

According to the pizza chain's website, the minimum financial requirements to become a Little Caesars franchisee are $200,000 in liquid assets and at least $400,000 in total net worth. Franchisees pay an initial flat fee of $20,000 upon signing, and then each restaurant pays Little Caesars a 6% royalty on sales and a 5% marketing fee.

Little Caesars says on its website that it offers a "non-traditional express" franchise model for convenience store locations, which ranges from 400 to 600 square feet and features lower construction costs and a streamlined menu.