CiCi’s Pizza Opens Monday in Orland Park

Matt Eichberger and Sagar Patel have both sat in the manager’s chair of a dining establishment before.

Patel and Eichberger managed a Dunkin Donuts while attending the University of Illinois at Chicago. The two met when they were assigned as roommates upon first going to school.  

Following college, Eichberger went to work at Starcom USA, a large international ad agency and media company. But when the opportunity arose for him and Patel to start a business, Eichberger decided working in a cubicle wasn’t for him anymore.

“We always wanted to bring something to this community, with Sagar from Orland Park and I’m from Tinley,” Eichberger said. “This really is a dream come true for us. I think it’s the American dream to go from a corporate position to owning your own business.”

Owning a franchise is a lot more of a commitment than managing, but Eichberger said the two are up to the task. , a Texas-based buffet chain, is steadily expanding its 650-plus locations beyond its southern routes, with Orland Park next on their opening list. The business will be at 9218 W. 159^th St. in the Park Hill Plaza center.

The many other restaurants already established in Orland don’t intimidate the new franchisees.

“We look at Orland as being a restaurant hub and we know there’s a lot of competition,” Eichberger said. “But we feel we have niche that won’t be found anywhere else.”

CiCi’s Pizza offers a buffet of different pizzas, pasta, soups, salad and desserts. Along with staple pizza styles such as pepperoni and sausage, they also make specialty pies, including Mexican (lettuce, ground beef, cheddar), macaroni and cheese and spinach alfredo.

Eichberger said value and service will separate their restaurant from others. Adult price for the buffet is $5.49 and a 15-inch one-topping pizza for take out is $5.99.

Opening Details

• CiCi’s Pizza opens at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9.
• The first 100 people to buy a buffet will earn a free buffet each month for a year.
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