By CORTNEY PETERSEN
Last summer 5 Buck Pizza celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Ironically, its success stems from a BYU business professor’s dare to two of his students.
“A professor told two of his students they couldn’t open a pizza business in Provo and survive because of the competition from the big three — Little Caesars, Pizza Hut and Domino’s,” said Carol Fredericks, owner of Provo’s 5 Buck Pizza. “They decided to prove their professor wrong.”
Prove him wrong they did. Eight years ago, Carol and her husband Adrian bought the store from the two students; the two have made it into their own successful, family-owned and operated business.
Adrian said they have helped others open their own 5 Buck Pizza restaurants in Cedar City, Orem, Pleasant Grove and American Fork.
“We hope to provide more opportunities for families to own their own businesses,” Adrian said.
They have sold franchises to their friends, past employees and people wanting to have their own businesses. This past weekend the sixth 5 Buck Pizza — in Vernel — celebrated its grand opening.
“Our motto is to keep it simple and do it well,” Carol said. “We keep everything fresh; if we don’t use something on the day its made we throw it out.”
The Fredericks have kept costs down so that a medium pizza, with free toppings, still costs only $4.99. They make their own hand-tossed dough daily. They also use a blend of four low-fat cheeses and lean meats so the pizza is low on grease, but still tastes good.
A popular item at 5 Buck Pizza is the company’s signature homemade rootbeer. The Fredericks developed their own recipe, and in October contracted with a bottling company so they are now selling their rootbeer in 2 liter bottles.
“Before we had the rootbeer bottled it would go flat overnight,” Carol said. “Now you can purchase a bottle and take it with you on picnics or store it for later.”
Not only can ready-to-drink bottles of the rootbeer be purchased, but 5 Buck Pizza also sells the homemade rootbeer base. The base can be purchased for use at events, such as family reunions or church activities. In order to prepare the rootbeer, just add water and dry ice to the base product.
The pizza company also sells garlic bread, which they call “wacky bread,” as well as two kinds of breadsticks: cheese and cinnamon. 5 Buck Pizza is at 440 N. 200 West in Provo, and all locations are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
