Sbarro's Slogans & Taglines

Sbarro, LLC is an American pizzeria chain founded in 1956 by Gennaro and Carmela "Mama" Sbarro as an Italian salumeria in Brooklyn, New York. The original store sold fresh prosciutto, cured meats, and smoked mozzarella, but Mama Sbarro's pizza slices—made for shift workers seeking quick meals—became so popular that the family soon opened a second location focused solely on pizza. The brand's big break came in 1970 when it pioneered the mall food court concept at Brooklyn's Kings Plaza Shopping Center, establishing the template for food court dining nationwide. Core offerings today encompass New York-style pizza sold by the slice, stromboli, pasta, salads, and Mama Sbarro's original cheesecake recipe. After decades as a family-run business, the company was acquired by a private equity firm in 2006 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011. Under CEO David Karam from 2013, Sbarro underwent a comprehensive restructuring—relocating to Columbus, Ohio, eliminating 30-40% of menu items, and refocusing on pizza-centric branding with fresh daily dough, San Marzano tomato sauce, and 100% whole-milk mozzarella. Today, Sbarro operates over 630 locations across 28 countries, continuing to serve its iconic XL NY slice from mall food courts, airports, casinos, and travel centres worldwide.