The Untold Truth Of Round Table Pizza

Anyone who grew up on the West Coast is likely familiar with Round Table Pizza. The pizzeria founded by California native Bill Larson in 1959 grew from a single storefront in the Bay Area to an empire conquering the western United States. Between the freshly-baked pizzas piled high with toppings and sprawling arcade, the medieval-themed eatery defined American dining for families in the 1980s and beyond. No one who's celebrated a birthday or little league victory would forget the excitement of a freshly-baked pizza being brought to the table. Now 62 years later, it's 400+ locations strong, producing pizzas across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii (via Encyclopedia).

 Part of Round Table's rise, besides the delicious pies, can be credited to the pizza patriarch's vision of a place where pizza could bring people together. The name, the recipes, the spirit can be attributed to the 'Palo Alto-born pizza king,' and the resulting success that's accrued along the way. But every chain has its story, and to understand the reign of this pizza giant, we'll need to take its history apart, slice by slice. Here's the untold truth of Round Table and how it earned its spot on the throne as "The Last Honest Pizza."