How Ya Dough'n began as a backyard pop-up during the COVID-19 period and has since evolved into a multi-location pizza brand with expansion plans underway. Founder Garett Goodman explains that the concept was initially built around a limited weekly menu offered through pre-orders, allowing the team to test demand and refine its recipes. "We started as a pizza pop-up out of our backyard during COVID," he says. "What began with 25 pizzas in the first week steadily increased to dozens more, eventually reaching hundreds as community interest accelerated."
According to Goodman, within months, the backyard operation was selling out within minutes of releasing its menu. The concept was straightforward: a focused menu built around a marinara pie known as the 'O,' and the 'OG,' which were the original rotating specialty creations. The rapid growth, from Goodman's perspective, signaled something more than novelty; it suggested that the community was responding to both flavor and experience.
How Ya Dough'n is today a multi-location pizza company with stores in Florida and beyond, offering sourdough-based pizzas, scratch-made dressings, and a menu
anchored by a few standout items. Before opening its first brick-and-mortar location, the team transitioned from the backyard to pop-ups at breweries, wine bars, and local events, bringing portable ovens into spaces that had foot traffic but no food program. That phase, Goodman notes, helped sustain momentum while a permanent location was secured.
The opening of the first Florida store marked a turning point. "It's been a run ever since we opened our first brick-and-mortar store," Goodman says. Over the past five years, the brand has expanded to four locations, with additional sites preparing to launch.
Central to the company's identity is a sourdough base and a menu built largely from original recipes. The pistachio pizza, which Goodman explains as an in-house creation, has become the top seller and a defining product for the brand. According to the company, the 'OG' and a classic pepperoni on sourdough consistently lead sales, with the Caesar salad ranking among the most ordered items.
"Everything we have is our own creation," Goodman says. "Pistachio pizza is the dish that really put us on the map." He also emphasizes that the kitchen operates on a scratch-made philosophy, preparing dressings and components in-house.
From his perspective, ingredient sourcing is part of the broader brand story. Goodman explains that the company uses American flour, American tomatoes, and the highest quality ingredients, reflecting a deliberate choice to build its identity around domestic sourcing.
Goodman's background is not rooted in culinary school or restaurant management. Before launching the business, he worked in logistics and technology. The pivot into food, he suggests, was driven less by formal training and more by opportunity and curiosity. As demand for the backyard pizzas grew, the business case became increasingly clear.
Looking ahead, the company's growth strategy is measured but ambitious. "Twelve months from now, we plan to have six stores open and operating," Goodman says. "We also expect to sell between one and five franchise locations during that period. Florida is our primary focus, while we evaluate select opportunities in other states."
Expansion, however, is framed as an extension of the original ethos rather than a departure from it. "Our commitment to quality, no matter how big we grow, will never waver," he says.
For consumers, How Ya Dough'n presents itself as a modern pizza concept built on sourdough, scratch-made preparation, and a handful of distinctive menu items. For potential franchisees, it represents a brand that has evolved from grassroots experimentation to a structured, multi-unit operation.
For Goodman, the objective remains consistent regardless of scale: to deliver exceptional service and food prepared with purpose. The ovens are no longer in a backyard, yet he maintains that the same community-driven, hands-on, ingredient-focused discipline continues to define every new location.
