Iconic fast-food restaurant making a comeback in South Africa ten years after shutting down
Scooters Pizza is opening a new location in Rosebank, Johannesburg, in February 2026, continuing the iconic fast-food chain’s comeback in South Africa.
The new location is at Park Corner on the corner of Jan Smuts and Bolton Road in Rosebank, and is the latest addition to the Scooters brand following its revival last year.
The brand’s history dates back to 2000 when the Gonzaga family de-franchised three Debonairs’ locations in KZN and launched the Scooters brand.
In 2003, the brand expanded to Johannesburg and the Western Cape. By 2010, the chain had grown to over 100 outlets and received FASA accolades as one of SA’s fastest-growing franchises.
The company was then expanded in 2014, when Taste Holdings signed a master agreement to roll out Domino’s across Southern Africa and invited Scooters and St Elmo’s franchisees to convert.
At the time, there were 167 outlets with St Elmo’s Pizza across South Africa. The shift led to the liquidation of the Scooters brand.
Despite Domino’s international success, South Africans did not gravitate to the brand, and it fell on hard times.
When Domino’s SA could not find a sustainable buyer, Taste liquidated the food business in March 2020, and the remaining 55 Domino’s stores shut, with assets later auctioned.
While the Scooters brand ceased operations a decade ago, franchise veteran Juan Engelbrecht relaunched Scooters Pizza through 1st Choice Business Brokers & Franchising.
Engelbrecht is a seasoned entrepreneur, corporate executive, and business acquisition specialist with over four decades of experience.
He opened the first four outlets of the franchise during the founding years of Scooters Pizza in Gauteng (2002/3).
He has opened over 20 brands outside of Scooters, including Jimmy’s Killer Prawns and Wiesenhof Coffees.
The first rebranded Scooters was opened in October 2025, launching in Melville, Johannesburg.
Engelbrecht rebranded and relaunched Scooters Pizza after noticing continued consumer demand for the brand.
The new Scooter’s stores still offer the 39-minute promise, along with the latest promotions and challenges, to help it stand out in a highly competitive environment.
Like the previous stores, the group is following a franchising model, with opportunities for franchisees being promoted from the outset.
Scotter’s Pizza Images
This article has been updated.
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