Pita Pit offers customers a healthy, tasty choice
Offering customers a chance to customize their pitas, Pita Pit uses a bar where customers can choose their vegetables and sauces. (Photo by CAMERON RASMUSSON)
SANDPOINT — Those hungering for a fast food option that won’t expand waistlines and clog arteries have new recourse in the Pita Pit.
Managers Jeff and Tasha Walker celebrated their grand opening Monday after a long process of franchising, building renovations and corporate training.
“It took a while to set up between the corporate interviews and everything else,” Tasha Walker said. “Then Jeff was gone for most of the classes and training.”
Fortunately, he didn’t have to travel far. The Pita Pit’s U.S. headquarters is located in Coeur d’Alene, and that’s part of the reason the Walkers decided to pursue franchising through their brand.
“It was great to be dealing with a business that’s centralized right here in Idaho,” Walker said.
Managing the restaurant, however, is set to keep the couple very busy. The Pita Pit maintains long hours of operation, open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day except for Friday and Saturday. On those weekend nights, their hours extend to 3 a.m., capitalizing on the emerging bar crowd, making them the only sit-down restaurant available on early weekend mornings. Pita Pit also delivers orders, a service that requires a whole new set of employees to manage. To top everything off, Walker also holds a second full-time job with Coldwater Creek.
“I’ve kept my supervisor there informed of the situation, and he’s really understanding,” she said. “I’ve got plenty of vacation time built up, so I’ll probably be using a lot of that.”
The Pita Pit started its business in Canada before expanding to the U.S. in 1999. In those 10 years, they’ve built a reputation as a healthier alternative to much of their competition in the fast food industry. Their late weekend hours and delivery service also add a layer of competitive convenience to their business model. The Walkers are excited to bring their particular brand of service to Sandpoint.
“It was extremely important that we be located right here in Sandpoint,” Jeff Walker said. “We want to support the schools and sports and really become a part of the community.”