1 - Blaze Pizza's Rick & Elise Wetzel

Blaze Pizza started as a business plan scribbled on a Chipotle napkin back in 2011. At the time, Rick and Elise Wetzel were founders of the successful snack brand Wetzel's Pretzels, but they recognized an opportunity in the booming fast-casual model to turn pizza into a more personalized, lunch-driven category. Eight years later, Blaze Pizza has more than 300 locations and has been called the fastest-growing restaurant chain ever. In this conversation with QSR magazine editor Sam Oches, the Wetzels explain the genesis of Blaze Pizza, the ongoing competition among fast-casual pizza brands, and how they are positioning the company for future success.