Longtime Donatos Fans Bring Beloved Ohio Pizza Brand to Panama City
Husband-and-Wife Duo bringing Donatos Pizza to Panama City as the Ohio-based brand grows in the Sunshine State
PANAMA CITY, Fla., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Donatos Pizza, the premium pizza franchise famous for its abundant Edge to Edge® toppings, is expanding its presence in Florida with a new location in Panama City. The restaurant, located at 840 W. 23rd St., is scheduled to open on October 20, marking the brand’s third location in the state. To commemorate the grand opening, the store will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony in partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce.
The new restaurant will be owned and operated by George Schempf and Cris Doss, a husband-and-wife team whose connection to Donatos spans decades. As Ohio natives, they grew up with Donatos pizza and remained loyal fans of the brand throughout their lives. Now, as they embark on this exciting new chapter together, Schempf and Doss are turning that longtime dream into reality, opening a Donatos restaurant and sharing the family traditions, quality, and flavors they grew up with.
“Donatos has always been one of my favorite pizza brands,” said Schempf. “After evaluating several pizza and quick-service restaurant franchise opportunities, Donatos stood out because of the quality of its product and the strength of its systems. No matter which Donatos location you visit, you get a consistently great experience, and that’s something that sets the brand apart.”
Schempf brings decades of business and restaurant experience to the venture. He began working in restaurants at age 15, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and later owned multiple businesses, restaurants, and a real estate brokerage. After relocating to Southwest Florida nearly a decade ago he retired in 2021 to spend time traveling the country with his wife in a Motorcoach before eventually settling in Florida’s Panhandle, where they were drawn to Panama City by the area’s continued growth and strong economic momentum.
Schempf and Doss plan on opening more locations throughout the Panhandle in the future, and, in true Donatos fashion have made it a family business by bringing in Kasey Climes as their General Manager. Kasey happens to be engaged to Schempf’s nephew.
“Panama City’s continued growth and strong business climate make it an ideal market for Donatos as we expand our presence throughout Florida. George Schempf and Cris Doss bring a strong combination of entrepreneurial experience, hospitality expertise, and passion for the brand,” said Kevin King, President and CEO of Donatos Pizza. “Their longtime connection to Donatos and commitment to the community make them outstanding franchise partners, and we’re excited to introduce our Edge to Edge® pizza experience to more Floridians.”
For more information about the new Donatos Pizza, please visit https://donatos.com/
About Donatos Pizza
Donatos Pizza, founded by Jim Grote in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, is a family-owned business known for its famous thin-crust pizzas with abundant toppings spread Edge to Edge®. Headquartered in Columbus, Donatos and its franchise partners operate over 177 stores. Additionally, Donatos Pizza is proudly served in over 250 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants. Committed to quality, community, and customer satisfaction, Donatos Pizza has received numerous awards and accolades, reflecting its dedication to excellence and innovation. For more information about Donatos Pizza and franchising opportunities, visit www.donatosfranchise.com.
Contact: Maddy | Franchise Elevator PR | mreda@franchiseelevator.com
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SOURCE Donatos Pizza
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