SOUTH FAYETTE, Pa., July 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza , the recognized leader in fast, artisanal pizza, is giving fans in South Fayette a reason to celebrate! The new restaurant will open on Thursday, July 19, in the South Fayette Township, at 160 Millers Run Rd. at the Gateway Shops at Newbury Market, across from UPMC Children’s Hospital. The new restaurant will offer free pizzas to anyone who follows Blaze Pizza on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram or Snapchat on Friday, July 20, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The new South Fayette Blaze Pizza location is the fourth location in the Pittsburgh-area, and the fifth in Pennsylvania.  Fire Pitt Pizza, the Pennsylvania-based franchisee developing the concept throughout the Keystone State, opened their first location in Monroeville in 2015. Since then, they’ve opened in Settlers Ridge in 2016, in Erie in 2017, and recently opened a location in the Cranberry Shopping center earlier this spring. The new 2,600-square-foot South Fayette restaurant includes seating for 44 inside with 25 seats on an outdoor patio. The restaurant has also created nearly 50 local jobs and will be open 11:00 am – 9:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 am to 10:00 pm Friday and Saturday.

Blaze Pizza serves up artisanal pies that are both fast and affordable. Each restaurant features an interactive open kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu’s generously-sized, personal signature pizzas - or create their own - all for around $8. Every pizza boasts made-from-scratch dough crafted in-house daily, all-natural meats and vegetables, and is finished in an open-flame oven that cooks pizzas in just three minutes. For guests with special dietary needs, Blaze offers gluten-free dough, vegan cheese, and tree-nut free pesto.

“South Fayette’s thriving retail and restaurant scene make it a perfect fit for our fifth restaurant,” said Phil Sero, Vice President of Operations for Fire Pitt Pizza. “We invite everyone out on Friday, July 20, for Free Pizza Day when we’ll host the biggest pizza party South Fayette has ever seen!” 

Blaze Pizza looks forward to building strong roots within the South Fayette community. The restaurant has developed fundraiser program that returns 20% of an event’s proceeds back to local organizations, and will be partnering with local schools, sports clubs, and other groups, to host regular fundraising events. For more information on fundraising, visit: www.blazepizza.com/fundraising .

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. Recently named ‘#1 Brand of the Year’ in the 2017 Fast Casual Top 100, the fast-growing chain currently operates over 270 restaurants in 40 states, Canada and Middle East, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Las Vegas, Boston, and Toronto.  Founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel’s Pretzels), the concept is backed by private equity firm Brentwood Associates and founding investors that include LeBron James, Maria Shriver, movie producer John Davis and Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner.  For more information, visit www.blazepizza.com or www.facebook.com/blazepizza or click here to view a company video.

Blaze Pizza®, fast-fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, the proprietary name "pizzasmith" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.

Media Contact  Rachel Albritton: 502.905.5170 Rachel@PaperboyPR.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...467782dbbf