Iconic South African fast-food restaurant is back
Iconic South Africa fast-food chain Scooter’s Pizza is making a comeback, with the group re-launching on Tuesday, 21 October, after almost 10 years since it was liquidated.
Scooters Pizza was a household name for pizza lovers in South Africa that disappeared after its previous brand owner, Taste Holdings, imported the Domino’s pizza brand into the country.
Launched in 2000, Scooters gained momentum through its bold brand promise to deliver pizzas in 39 minutes, or the order was free.
The company was the brainchild of Carlo Gonzaga, former Taste Holdings CEO, who first got a taste of the industry when his father bought one of the early Debonairs Pizza franchises.
After acquiring a law degree, Gonzaga joined his father in the pizza business during university holidays and later bought into it.
The brand resonated with South Africans who favoured quick and consistent delivery.
By 2006, it had 100 stores and was the fastest-growing pizza chain in the country. However, when Taste scored the Domino’s licence, the brand quickly started to fade.
By 2016, it had all but disappeared as the brand was liquidated and stores were converted to Domino’s Pizza.
Taste eventually exited the food and restaurant sector entirely. The group couldn’t make a deal for the Domino’s brand, and so the stores shut, with assets later auctioned.
In 2020, the company decided to liquidate its remaining food businesses and rebranded as Luxe Holdings. Luxe was eventually placed in liquidation in September 2023.
According to Scooter’s telling of its comeback, one of the brand’s early expansion partners, Juan Engelbrecht, acquired and is now relaunching the brand through 1st Choice Business Brokers & Franchising.
Engelbrecht is a seasoned entrepreneur, corporate executive and business acquisition specialist with over 40 years of transformative experience in corporate leadership.
During the founding years of Scooters Pizza in Gauteng (2002/3), he founded the first four outlets of the franchise in the Western Cape.
By his own telling, he has opened at least 22 franchise brands outside of Scooters, including Jimmy’s Killer Prawns and Wiesenhof Coffees.
Now in October 2025, the first re-branded Scooters Pizza will launch in Melville, Johannesburg, on 4 Main Road.
Engelbrecht decided to rebrand and relaunch Scooters Pizza after noticing continued consumer demand for the brand, the group said.
Customers can expect the return of the 39-minute promise as well as new promotions and challenges to set itself apart in a highly competitive environment.
On top of launch specials, the group is also running a 39-minute all-you-can-eat challenge. However, with only one store to start, it will be quite a journey to take the brand back to its glory days.
As with the previous operations, the group is following a franchising model, with opportunities for franchisees being promoted from the outset.
Scooter’s Pizza Relaunch
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