Pizza Pizza is one of the few Canadian quick-service franchisors that's itself a publicly traded company, and the large majority of its network sits inside Ontario — one of the deepest Ontario resale markets by number of comparable transactions. We act as independent counsel for buyers and sellers of individual Pizza Pizza locations; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pizza Pizza Limited.
Pizza Pizza resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
Given Pizza Pizza's smaller delivery/takeout footprint, site conditions in the offer usually focus more on kitchen equipment and delivery arrangements than a full dine-in buildout.
1–2 weeks†Review of the buyer's background and financial capacity before the franchisor will consent to any transfer.
3–5 weeks†Confirming the location meets current brand and kitchen-equipment standards.
2–3 weeks, in parallel†Getting to closing
A franchisor-facilitated resale can look exempt from Arthur Wishart Act disclosure requirements — Ontario courts have read that resale exemption narrowly, so we assess whether disclosure may still be required.
assessed early, runs in parallel†Landlord consent to assign the lease — a smaller-footprint site can move faster through this step than a full-service restaurant would.
2–4 weeks†Pizza Pizza's operator training runs alongside final transfer approval before closing.
2–4 weeks, then closing†Publicly traded Canadian franchisor (Pizza Pizza Limited); official franchising page actively recruits Ontario and cross-Canada franchisees
Toronto-founded; the large majority of its locations are concentrated in Ontario
This is the first real decision in a Pizza Pizza resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise agreement | New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Pizza Pizza's then-current terms. | Existing agreement can stay in place, with Pizza Pizza still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change. |
| Lease / premises | Landlord consent to assign the lease into the buyer's name. | Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause. |
| Delivery vehicles / equipment | Kitchen equipment and, if included, delivery vehicles are itemized and transfer with the assets, confirmed against any leases or liens. | Vehicles and equipment stay with the corporation; existing insurance and lease arrangements carry over. |
| Staff (ESA) | Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew and drivers carry over to the buyer. | Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default for most single-location Pizza Pizza transfers. | Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company. |
New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Pizza Pizza's then-current terms.
Existing agreement can stay in place, with Pizza Pizza still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change.
Landlord consent to assign the lease into the buyer's name.
Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause.
Kitchen equipment and, if included, delivery vehicles are itemized and transfer with the assets, confirmed against any leases or liens.
Vehicles and equipment stay with the corporation; existing insurance and lease arrangements carry over.
Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew and drivers carry over to the buyer.
Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default for most single-location Pizza Pizza transfers.
Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Pizza Pizza delivery/takeout location changing hands between an outgoing and incoming operator, on a standard commercial lease.
Start my file →A multi-location Pizza Pizza operator selling several stores together, or a location with delivery vehicles and equipment that need their own diligence.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Pizza Pizza Limited being a publicly traded company means more of its own financial information is publicly available than with a privately held franchisor, which can be useful context — but it doesn't change the mechanics of the resale process itself, which still runs through the same consent, disclosure, and closing steps. We treat the franchisor's public filings as one more source of general market context, not a substitute for your own due diligence on the specific location.
Often, yes, in the sense that there's less real estate and buildout complexity to review compared to a full-service dine-in restaurant — but franchisor consent, lease assignment, and disclosure considerations still apply in full. Kitchen equipment and any delivery vehicles included in the sale still need their own diligence.
Driver arrangements vary by location — some use company- or franchisee-owned vehicles, others use drivers' own cars — and we confirm which model applies and what, if anything, actually transfers as part of the asset sale. Staff continuity considerations under the Employment Standards Act apply the same way they would at any other restaurant.
With the large majority of Pizza Pizza's network concentrated in Ontario, there tend to be more comparable transactions to reference than with brands that are thinner on the ground provincially — useful context when you're sanity-checking an asking price, though every location's numbers still need to be verified independently.
No — a franchise resale transfers you into the existing franchise agreement, or a new one on current terms, which continues to bind the location to the Pizza Pizza brand and system for its remaining life. Any exit from the system later would be its own separate process, not something to assume at the time of purchase.
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Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Pizza Pizza or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Pizza Pizza resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.