Slice Factory set to open on campus, potential rivalry with Antonio’s
Slice Factory will be adding a campus location on Green Street later this year. Although the restaurant was supposed to open in March 2017, construction has caused delays.
December 7, 2016
Slice Factory, a Chicago-based pizza franchise, is expecting to open on Green Street in January of next year. This grand opening will mark Slice Factory’s first location outside of Chicago and its first ever college campus location.
Dom DiDiana, founder and president of Slice Factory, said opening up this campus location has been a project of his since 2009.
“We have a location that’s near DePaul University in Lincoln Park in Chicago, and we do very well there with the students,” DiDiana said. “I have visited the campus every year since then and could never find the right location. I knew I wanted to be on Green Street, but I could never find a space available for lease.”
Slice Factory will serve eight different types of pizza slices each day and will feature an additional Slice of the Day pizza. The menu will also include mac-n-cheese wedges, wings and made-to-order salads. A self-serve frozen yogurt machine and topping bar will also be installed.
“What also sets us apart from other pizzerias is that we deliver our slices. We are known for our super speedy jumbo slice delivery,” DiDiana said.
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With jumbo slices starting at $4.99, DiDiana said his product is perfect for a college student’s budget. He also said Slice Factory will offer something fresh to campus that students cannot get anywhere else.
“I mean, I think when you put the size of our pizza slices, the value and the quality all together, it will allow students to make their own opinion — they just need to try our stuff,” DiDiana said.
Mike Chew, junior in LAS, is a frequent customer of Antonio’s Pizza on Green Street, but said he is open to trying Slice Factory once it arrives on campus.
“I don’t really have an allegiance to Antonio’s,” Chew said. “Variety, price and quality of pizza is what it all comes down to for me.”
Yazi Ferhi, general manager of Antonio’s Pizza, said he is not afraid of how the opening will affect Antonio’s sales.
Ferhi said because Antonio’s has over 50 different types of pizza, he isn’t afraid the restaurant will lose any business.
“We have like a New York style and we do make everything at home. Everything is fresh from the veggies to the dough to the chicken — everything,” Ferhi said. “We have spicy chicken, barbeque chicken, meat, veggie — you have a lot of options.”
DiDiana also said Slice Factory is known in other locations for their fast delivery of jumbo slices. He said since he last visited campus, his direct competition had not offered this feature.
“Having (Slice Factory) there, honestly, I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Ferhi said. “The only thing I care about is from that front door to the inside. I take care of my customers, I have good food, Antonio’s has a good reputation here on campus — and that’s enough for me.”
