Ed Bogan and his brother oversee 66 Pizza King locations, working to bridge the gap between a 70-year-old brand identity and the demands of a fast-moving modern restaurant industry.
The map of Pizza King spans from South Bend to Evansville. a geographic stretch that holds the weight of a 70-year history. For Ed Bogan, who purchased the chain with his brother in 2020, the footprint is more than just coordinates. It is a logistical tightrope walk: maintaining the exact same experience for a customer in Indiana as someone finds at their single location in Illinois.
“We want consistency from South Bend to Evansville,” Bogan says.
Bogan and his brother represent only the third ownership group in the company’s history. Since the brand began in 1956. the chain had seen a key transition in 1965 when the founder sold it to Don Schutz. who held the helm until the current owners took over. On April 29, 2026, the brand celebrated its 70th anniversary, a milestone that underscores the fragility of legacy. “We look forward to about 70 more,” Bogan says.
The challenge is reconciling the past with a restaurant industry that has spent the last few years moving at what Bogan describes as “100 miles an hour.” While the brand relies on a deep-seated reputation to get customers through the door. repeat business depends on the individual performance of each of the 66 restaurants. A patron in one city is rarely concerned with the broader corporate health; they are focused entirely on the food and service presented to them.
To keep pace, Bogan recently attended the National Restaurant Show in Chicago for the first time. The experience left him with sore feet and a clearer view of the industry’s trajectory. Amidst robots and high-tech novelties. his philosophy remained anchored: “If you can’t see it. you don’t know about it.”.
Yet, he remains wary of technological bloat. He notes that while tools might improve efficiency, the core of the business remains human. “You still have to have that person make the food,” he says. When they do integrate new tools, they move with a specific intent. The chain’s adoption of Popmenu serves as a case study: after his brother identified its potential for search traffic and website engagement. they piloted the software at 22 locations. Following a review of the data, they expanded the platform to roughly 30 additional locations over a 10-month period.
The strategy is clear: the brothers vet every innovation against the reality of their kitchen staff’s daily workflow. Bogan’s first foray into the trade show circuit provided enough value that he has already decided to return next year. For now. the brothers remain focused on the granular. restaurant-by-restaurant work required to ensure that 70 years of history remains relevant in a rapidly accelerating market.
Pizza King Ed Bogan restaurant management food industry Indiana restaurants