Roman's Pizza, sometimes simply referred to as Roman's, is a South African pizza franchise, founded in 1993, and headquartered in Centurion, Gauteng.
As of 2024, the company operates over 250 outlets across Southern Africa.
History Roman's Pizza was established by Arthur Nicolakakis in 1993, originally under the name "Little Caesar’s". In 2002, the company rebranded to Roman's Pizza.
Ioannis (John) Nicolakakis, the founder's son, joined in 2001 and later became CEO, overseeing a period of growth and operational expansion.
CEO John Nicolakakis received the Young Business Leader of the Year (Southern Africa) award at the 2015 All Africa Business Leaders Awards. In 2016, the company won Brand Builder of the Year from the Franchise Association of South Africa.
Between the period 2019 and 2022 Ioannis Niccolkakis was removed as CEO and replaced by Bonnie Cooper
In early 2024 all Romans Pizza's stores in Zambia were promptly shut down
Operations The business operates on a franchising model, with store formats including both takeaway and sit-down options. Roman's Pizza has expanded to neighbouring countries, including Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia.
Menu Roman's Pizza serves pizza with a choice of pan or traditional crust. The menu includes pizza, pasta, pizza pies, garlic bread, salads, and combo offerings. A well-known sales feature is the pricing of two pizzas together as one item.
Media coverage In 2024, Roman's Pizza received the highest score in a comparative taste test of major South African pizza chains conducted by BusinessTech.
The brand has run advertising campaigns featuring South African public figures such as Barry Hilton and Alfred Ntombela.
Controversies In 2024 Romans Pizza is accused on Social Media of cleaning and reusing pizza boxes
In 2023, Romans Pizza and CEO Ioanis Nicolakakis lost high court case against former COO Basil Kassimatis and is accused of corporate bullying
In 2019, a business linked to CEO Ioanis Nicolakakis supplying cheese to Romans Pizza was accused of environmental damage
In 2018, a recording of CEO Ioannis (John / Yanis) Nicolakakis making remarks about competing chains was published by HuffPost South Africa.
In 2016 ASA rules against Romans Pizza for using references to Famous Brands Hot or Not Dot
In 2015, the company paid R200,000 to settle a complaint related to franchise compliance with religious dietary guidelines.
References