California Pizza Kitchen

BBQ chicken originators

California Pizza Kitchen is an American casual dining restaurant chain known for inventive, California-style pizzas with nontraditional toppings like barbecue chicken, Thai peanut sauce, or goat cheese.

Founded in Beverly Hills in 1985, it helped popularize gourmet pizza as mainstream fare.

Often abbreviated CPK: Let's just grab something at California Pizza Kitchen.

thin crustMinimal dough layer
restaurantPlace serving meals
chainLinked segments forming length
casualRelaxed and informal
diningEating a meal

date night · happy hour · menu · flatbread · pasta · salad · gluten free · toppings · oven · crust · mozzarella · pepperoni · booth · appetizers · breadsticks · kids menu · takeout · delivery

Opposites

restaurant market positioning

California Pizza KitchenLittle Caesars

Fast-food pizza chain

Domino's · Pizza Hut

culinary philosophy

California Pizza KitchenNeapolitan pizza

Naples-style baked flatbread

Sbarro · Margherita pizza

Family

California, pizza, kitchen, pizzas, pizzeria, pizzerias, kitchens, kitchenette, kitchenettes

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Mostly American · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G