The Donatos story is one of dreams, determination, family, values, and success.
It’s a story that our Franchise Partners are truly proud to be part of, as it continues to evolve. It all started when our founder, Jim Grote was 13 years old and took a job at a Columbus pizza shop. By his sophomore year at The Ohio State University, the pizza business had him hooked for life. Jim bought the shop in 1963 for $1,300. He kept the name, derived from the Latin for “to give a good thing”—the perfect way to describe his three-part mission: make the best pizza, hire great people, and promote goodwill in the community.
