Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza Opens Drexel University Location in Philadelphia Today; Announces Free Pizza Giveaway All Day Tomorrow

PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - Oct 20, 2016) - Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza, the nation's leading fast-casual, artisanal pizza concept, is turning up the heat today with the opening of its newest location at Drexel University in Philadephia. The restaurant is located next to campus at 3400 Lancaster Avenue. To celebrate the new location, the community is invited to Free Pizza Day tomorrow, Friday, October 21, from 11:00 a.m. to midnight. Anyone who follows Blaze Pizza on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat will be eligible for a custom-built, personal-sized pizza on the house.

The restaurant's 3,000 square-foot interior offers seating for 65. The location will be open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, with extended hours Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to midnight.

Blaze Pizza is a modern day "pizza joint" that has been cultivating fanatics since it opened its first location in 2012. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu's signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide selection of carefully sourced, high-quality ingredients -- all for around $8. The generously-sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven -- the centerpiece of the restaurant -- where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure that the thin-crust pies are fast-fire'd and ready to eat in just 180 seconds.

The Drexel University location marks the third Blaze Pizza in Pennsylvania. The concept debuted in the Keystone State earlier this year at 1100 West Montgomery Avenue near Temple University, and a Monroeville location opened in June. Restaurants in Erie and Pittsburgh are currently under construction.

"Philadelphia is a busy city. Blaze Pizza offers a fast, budget-friendly dining option that's perfect for students on the move," said Amit Patel, Operating Partner for Blaze in Philadelphia. "We look forward to becoming a part of the Drexel University community and hope to see many new faces during tomorrow's Free Pizza Day."

Blaze Pizza's commitment to the happiness and satisfaction of every individual guest and team member has been fundamental to the concept's popularity and expansion in Pennsylvania and beyond. Award-winning design architect Ana Henton has added several special touches to the restaurant, including an oversized wall mural custom-designed to suit the space. The restaurant, driven by its commitment to "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet," was constructed with recycled and sustainable materials, uses eco-friendly packaging and features energy-efficient LED lighting.

Blaze Pizza looks forward to continuing to build strong roots within the community. To that end, the company has developed a turn-key in-restaurant fundraiser program that returns 20 percent of an event's proceeds back to local organizations. The new Blaze Pizza will be partnering with local schools, sports clubs and other groups to host fundraising events at the new restaurant. For more information, please visit blazepizza.com/fundraising.

The new Philadelphia Blaze Pizza is operated by AMPAL Pizza LLC, which continues to develop the concept throughout Philadelphia, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

About Blaze Pizza
The first Blaze Pizza^® restaurant opened on Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif., and quickly gained attention for its chef-driven recipes, thoughtful interior design and a service culture that celebrates individuality. Now ranked as the leading fast-casual pizza chain in the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, Blaze Pizza is building momentum and developing a cult-like following as it expands across the country. The company currently operates 157 restaurants in 31 states and Canada, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Dallas, Las Vegas and Detroit. Founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzels), the concept is backed by investors including LeBron James, Maria Shriver, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner and movie producer John Davis. For more information, please visit blazepizza.com and facebook.com/blazepizza or click here to view a company video.

Blaze Pizza®, Fast-Fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, and the proprietary names "Pizzasmith," "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.