KEARNEY — The seventh Pizza Ranch location in Nebraska will open in Kearney the second week of September.
The Midwest based restaurant chain’s latest location will be 123 Third Avenue, south of Cinema 8 and the Kearney Canal and north of Quality Inn.
The Kearney Pizza Ranch is scheduled to open the second week of September.
Buffet items the franchise serves are pizza, chicken, salads, various sides and desserts.
Pizza Ranch location will provide, “a faith and family-focused restaurant that offers a full buffet, carryout, and delivery, as well as a FunZone Arcade featuring interactive games for all ages,” according to their website.
The franchisees of the location are Dennis Johnson, Brian Tooker, and Bambi Grady.
“Johnson has developed a passion for Pizza Ranch and its vision ‘to glorify God by positively impacting the world’, which led him to opening his first location in Bemidji Minn., this past January,” Pizza Ranch stated in a press release.
“Johnson soon partnered with long-time franchisees Tooker and Grady to build a second location in Kearney. Johnson has hired Cory Albers as a managing partner to oversee the location. Albers has many years of experience alongside Johnson and is eager to take on the role of managing the new Kearney restaurant,” Pizza Ranch stated.
Training for the new Pizza Ranch crew began on Sept. 2, and the team will get their first chance to serve the community with their soft openings later this week.
The Kearney Franchisees have selected all proceeds raised from the soft openings to benefit Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska.
This organization works to provide essential programs that help individuals, families, and communities reach their fullest potential through a dedicated staff which provides access to opportunities in education, health, housing, nutrition, and transportation.
Pizza Ranch will be collecting food and monetary donations for the organization while their new team members perfect the ‘legendary experience’ of serving guests.
Pizza Ranch’s inception came in 1981 with the first location opening in Hull, Iowa. According to their website, the business rapidly expanded in 2022 after eight new franchises signed on.
The business is headquartered in Orange City, Iowa, and has 212 restaurants in 14 states, it celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021.
The other Nebraska locations include, Columbus, Grand Island, Lincoln, Norfolk, Omaha and West Point, according to Pizza Ranch website.
