Imo’s Pizza started because of a rule about eating meat on Fridays.
The year was 1964. Ed and Margie Imo had a Friday night problem. As a devout Catholic couple in South St. Louis, they observed the Lenten custom of abstaining from meat until midnight. By 11:30 p.m., hunger won out, and Ed would make the trek to pick up a hot pizza. Even though they’d wait until after the clock struck twelve to take their first bite, it became a ritual. But one night, they had a thought:
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone just brought it to us?
That kind of delivery concept may sound quaint today, but the small human moment (the near-universal desire for great pizza, delivered hot) became the seed of something much bigger: Imo’s Pizza.
The Square That Stood Apart
Ed Imo as a tile setter by trade. He worked with his hands, understanding precision and what it meant to build something that lasts. Margie brought warmth, service, and a deep commitment to making people feel welcome. They opened their first small corner parlor on The Hill, one of St. Louis’s storied Italian neighborhoods. They brought an unforgettable recipe and a tackle box to serve as a cash register.
What came out of their pizza oven differed from other cities’ pizza offerings: a thin crispy crust and a tangy, sweet tomato sauce. Edge-to-edge toppings and Provel® cheese that pulls cleanly from the crust and tastes different. Cutting the pie in squares, not wedges, is a hallmark that made the brand famous.
Locals loved it and came back time and again, telling their friends. Imo’s Pizza became the first pizza restaurant west of the Mississippi River to deliver, making good on the idea that started it all.
Sixty Years of Something Real
Imo’s Pizza is an institution that has grown to more than 95 locations across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. Honored by the City of St. Louis in 2014 with the April 8th celebration of ”Imo’s Day,” the brand has deep roots and cultural cachet in the region. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is a fan, too. The brand has been heavily featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Midwest Table, Bravo TV, and other outlets.
But Imo’s Pizza legacy goes beyond media mentions to the way our neighbors in St. Louis talk about it; post-game orders, college homecoming traditions, and boxed delivery shipped across the country to someone who just needs a taste of home. Imo’s Pizza inspires the kind of loyalty that other brands can only beg for.
A Product Without Competition
Imo’s Pizza holds something rare in today’s crowded pizza party: genuine, culinary, and legal uniqueness.
St. Louis-style pizza with Provel® cheese is its own thing. Franchisees don’t have to source it from the open market. The ingredients that make Imo’s Pizza Imo’s are controlled, reliable, and protected.
When a first-time customer bites into an Imo’s pizza, the thin, crispy crust, tangy sauce, and creamy Provel cheese gives them an experience they won’t (and can’t) find elsewhere.
A Brand Built for Longevity
Americans eat an average of 156 slices of pizza each year, in a market that recently reached $37.9 billion. Pizza delivery spending alone topped $42.1 billion in 2024. The real appetite for good, quality pizza is here to stay.
What separates Imo’s Pizza franchise opportunities from the rest of the pizza pack?
For six decades, Imo’s Pizza has dominated the St. Louis market. But now it’s time to look beyond the Gateway Arch. Franchise opportunities are open in parts ofMissouri and surrounding states, giving investors a rare window: bring a beloved regional icon to your community.
The investment to get started with an Imo’s Pizza franchise ranges from $628,500 to $932,000, with a minimum liquid capital requirement of $150,000 — and an initial franchise fee of $40,000 for the first unit and . For a brand with this level of recognition, loyalty, and proprietary product differentiation, it’s an entry point that reflects the real opportunity at hand.
Imo’s Pizza brings built-in curiosity. People who’ve heard of it want to try it, and those who haven’t will be seeing something new.
More Than a Menu: Franchise Support for You
Imo’s Pizza has been running restaurants since before most of today’s franchise brands existed. That operational depth translates directly into franchisee support.
From day one, Imo’s Franchising puts its infrastructure to work for you. Site selection and real estate guidance help identify the right location. Pre-opening training at the Imo’s Franchising Training Center ensures you understand the product, the systems, and the standards before you flip the sign. Vendor relationships provide access to proprietary ingredients — including that irreplaceable Provel® cheese — without the guesswork of sourcing on your own.
Once you’re open, the support doesn’t stop. Ongoing operations coaching, field visits, inventory and supply chain support, and marketing resources keep your business running with the backing of a brand that’s been doing this for more than six decades. The Imo’s Pizza team isn’t distant corporate management; it’s accessible, practical, and invested in your success.
The Right Owners for the Right Communities
The ideal Imo’s Pizza franchisee isn’t a passive investor. It’s someone who understands what it means to serve their community.
Imo’s Pizza franchisees are people who connect with the brand’s roots; the idea that great food, made with care and delivered fast, can become a neighborhood’s heartbeat. They’re entrepreneurs, sure, but they also have a drive for operational excellence and are hungry (in every sense) to build something meaningful. Whether they grew up eating square-cut pies or have fallen in love with Provel® cheese for the first time, what matters most is the drive to bring people together around the table (or takeout box).
Ed Imo was a tile-layer. Margie Imo was a homemaker. They became pizza pioneers and community icons. Their legacy was built by two people who wanted to share something good with their neighbors.
The Imo’s Pizza franchise opportunity is an invitation to carry that legacy forward in your city, market, or community.
The Square Beyond Compare® is ready to go somewhere new. Is it your neighborhood?
If you’re interested in learning more about the Imo’s Pizza franchise opportunity, contact us today to download the free franchise eBook.
