McDonald’s acquired Donatos Pizza in 1999, adding the Ohio-based pizza chain to its restaurant portfolio.
Donatos was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1963 by Jim Grote. Its brand was known for edge-to-edge toppings and the slogan “Every piece is important.” McDonald’s bought the company during a period when it was exploring businesses beyond its core hamburger restaurants.
The acquisition is an example of McDonald’s corporate-brand history rather than a change to the main McDonald’s logo or mascot system. McDonald’s later sold Donatos back to the Grote family in 2003. That timeline is important because the chain was owned by McDonald’s for only part of its history, and Donatos continued operating under its own name rather than being converted into McDonald’s restaurants.