News

PizzaExpress has today made another step in its mission towards opening 1,000 restaurants globally (including the UK) by 2030, as it partners with SSP, a leading operator of restaurants, bars, cafes and other food and beverage outlets in travel locations across 37 countries.

The iconic brand has opened at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, and at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, bringing its ‘proper’ pizza, black and white striped-clad team and distinctive Dough Balls and garlic butter to travellers in the Middle East.

From Soho to Singapore and now to Saudi Arabia, the pizzeria’s launch at these two airports signals its continued growth in the Middle East, where the brand already operates over 20 pizzerias. Following the success of PizzaExpress at London Gatwick Airport and its PizzaExpress Pod at Tesco in Southampton last year, along with the announcement of the brand’s expansion into the US later in 2025, these openings cement PizzaExpress’ commitment to broadening its concepts and outlets to hungry travellers and pizza fans on the go. The partnership with SSP, with its significant expertise in the travel market, will play a significant role in helping the company achieve its ambitions in this sector.

As part of the new partnership, PizzaExpress and SSP have now opened two pizzerias in Saudi Arabia. The handcrafted airport restaurant menu featuring global icons such as the Sloppy Giuseppe, the brand’s famous combination of spicy beef sausage, green peppers and red onion, Padana, featuring tangy goat’s cheese, sweet, caramelised onions and spinach, and locally inspired dishes such as Meat Lovers, topped with a feast of succulent chicken, pepperoni, spiced beef and veal bacon. Accommodating travellers no matter the time of day, the pizzerias also offer breakfast – bespoke to PizzaExpress’ airport locations – with firm favourites such as Poached Egg Benedict with Spinach, featuring sauteed spinach, silky hollandaise sauce and golden baked bread. PizzaExpress is a global icon with a legacy built on innovation, quality, experience and a passion for delicious pizza. With a robust portfolio of nearly 360 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, alongside 110 international and franchise locations spanning 12 markets, these new openings provide even more opportunities for the brand’s fans to enjoy their favourite pizzas whether that be a Sloppy Giuseppe or world renowned American Hot.

Chris Holmes, PizzaExpress Chief Development Officer, said, “We’re incredibly excited to be opening these new pizzerias with SSP, an experienced partner who shares our vision to offer delicious pizzas to our fans wherever they are. Seeing our iconic roundel at the airport will not only give a home comfort feeling to our fan base of pizza lovers who are on the move but also provides the chance for our authentic pizza to reach new fans and millions of international travellers who pass through the airport every year. We are all about making dinnertime, (as well as breakfast time!) showtime, and this remains the case even just before you’re about to take off!”

Mark Angela, CEO of SSP Eastern Europe & Middle East, said, “At SSP we take enormous pride in our portfolio of outstanding local and international brands, and PizzaExpress, with its reputation as a hugely loved name, is an impressive addition to that mix. Our brands are carefully chosen to meet the needs of the unique passenger demographic at each location, and our knowledge of passengers in the Middle East means we’re certain that these new pizzerias will be very well received by travellers at Jeddah and Riyadh.”