Armand’s Pizzeria & Grille closes its last location
At one point, the 51-year-old deep-dish pizza chain had 14 locations across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
June 18, 2026
Armand’s Pizzeria & Grille celebrated its 50th anniversary serving the Washington, D.C. area last year, and now it is bidding farewell to its guests as it shutters its last location.
Armand’s first opened in 1975 in D.C.’s Tenleytown neighborhood and eventually grew to 14 locations across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. This week, the regional, Chicago-style deep-dish pizza chain announced on its Instagram account that its last remaining location, in Rockville, Maryland, will shut its doors on June 20.
In its statement, the company’s owners Chris Sappe and Jim Hrozencik wrote:
“Saying goodbye is never easy…
For over 51 years, Armand’s Pizzeria & Grille has been more than a restaurant — it has been a gathering place, a tradition, and a second home for so many in our community. … It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Armand’s Pizzeria & Grille will permanently close …
This decision was not made lightly. While this chapter is coming to an end, we are filled with gratitude for the unwavering support you have shown us over the past five decades. Because of you, a neighborhood pizzeria became a community institution. Because of you, we were able to celebrate milestones, weather challenges, create lifelong friendships, and serve generations of families.
To every customer who walked through our doors, every employee who wore an Armand’s shirt, every family who made us part of their traditions, and every member of our community who supported local business — thank you. You are the reason our story lasted 51 incredible years …”
Sappe told Bethesda Magazine that the company made the decision because of sustained financial pressures, including food, labor, and electricity, as well as rent increases.
"The profit margin is so small it's just too much work to continue at the current pace," Sappe told the publication.
Because of the macroenvironment, several chains have experienced mass closures in the past couple of years, including Pizza Hut and Papa Johns, which are both shuttering hundreds of restaurants this year. Pizza, in particular, has had a rough go amid such stagflation, and was the only category to record negative sales overall in 2025, according to Technomic. Notably, 42% of all restaurant operators reported that they were not profitable last year, according to a survey from the National Restaurant Association.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
About the Author
Alicia Kelso
Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News
Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com, and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America, and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.
Follow her on TikTok @aliciakelso
Content Spotlight
The Technomic Top 500: Another tough year for chain restaurants
Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived
Featured
Jun 17, 2026
Jun 10, 2026
Recent News
Content Spotlight
Get to know Rick Cardenas, the Darden CEO who started there as a busser
The executive shares his advice, along with his most-binged TV show, favorite sports team, and most-used app
Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
View Original Article →