Founder & CEO Michael Hanna immigrated from Lebanon in 1968. His English was limited, and he had very little money, but Mike was determined to make Ottawa his new home. Within a few years he honed the English language while mastering his hospitality and food services skills by catering to Prime Ministers, socialites, and celebrities. In the mid-70s, Mike set aside enough funds to have his parents George and Shafika, along with his five brothers, George, John, Nick, Eli, and Joe, to join him in Ottawa.
On February 28, 1977, the Hanna family opened the doors to the very first Gabriel Pizza location on St. Joseph Blvd. in Orleans, Ontario. It was definitely not easy, however, with determination, hard work, a host of great recipes, and all five brothers doing deliveries – Gabriel Pizza started to build a name for itself.
In 1985, the second Gabriel Pizza opened in Orleans. Over seven short years, Gabriel Pizza grew to four locations along with the original site expanding to a family restaurant. It didn’t take long for their delicious breakfast to become immensely admired and resulted in second restaurant opening in Ottawa East. Gabriel Pizza was growing with popularity and demand.
In 2003, George Hanna was appointed as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Gabriel Pizza Franchise Corporation. George quickly developed the operations and marketing team to meet the needs of the rapidly growing franchise. Within five years, and thanks to the efforts of George and his team, the franchise had grown to twenty-three locations across the National-Capital Region.
By 2008, the demand for Gabriel Pizza delivery was so high that a corporate office and call centre was established to accommodate the growing customer demands and public interest in franchising opportunities. Over the years, Gabriel Pizza and the Hanna family have been recognized for its award-winning products, and strong community involvement.
In 2020, Gabriel Pizza launched the Gabes Pizza Perks app and loyalty program. Within a short period of time, the platform has exceeded industry standards. Gabriel Pizza was recognized as the 2021 Top International Customer by Punchh. The award was selected from more than 250 global brands that were evaluated on quantitative and qualitative metrics, innovative usage, and platform adoption.
In the summer of 2023, Gabriel Pizza expanded into Atlantic Canada with their first location in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Today, Gabriel Pizza specializes in pizza and Italian food dining and delivery with franchised locations throughout Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Gabriel Pizza is passionate about delivering the ultimate guest experience with innovative new products and services. Thanks to the support of our loyal and amazing patrons, Gabriel Pizza continues to grow. We look forward to serving you with great products and services for many years to come.