Which married couple founded Little Caesars in 1959?

Mike and Marian Ilitch founded Little Caesars in 1959.

The married couple opened the first Little Caesar’s Pizza Treat on May 8, 1959, in a strip mall in Garden City, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The business was initially much smaller than the multinational chain it would become, but the Ilitches built it together and expanded through franchising and distinctive value-focused promotions.

Mike Ilitch had previously pursued a professional baseball career in the Detroit Tigers’ minor-league system. After a knee injury ended that career, he entered the restaurant business with Marian. Their company later became part of Ilitch Holdings, the family enterprise associated with Little Caesars and several Detroit sports and entertainment properties.

The first franchise opened in 1962 in Warren, Michigan. Little Caesars later became famous for the “Pizza! Pizza!” slogan, introduced in 1979, and for its Hot-N-Ready carryout model. A common mix-up is attributing the chain to Tom Monaghan, who founded Domino’s; the Ilitches were the couple behind Little Caesars.