Food Fight, Inc.

Ownership

Food Fight was co-founded in 1994 by Monty Schiro with several partners, making it an independent, locally-founded operation rather than a corporate chain or franchise. While Schiro is now retired and living in Colorado, the company is privately held and Caitlin Suemnicht, who started as a maître d', became CEO in 2021, showing local leadership continuity.

Local Sourcing

Each restaurant operates independently—sourcing, staffing, etc., suggesting individual sourcing decisions. One restaurant mentions using fresh, local ingredients, but no comprehensive sourcing philosophy is documented across the group, so the overall mix is unclear.

Community Involvement

Throughout the year, restaurants donate gift cards, food, and services to local agencies and organizations, and host non-profit events, chef auctions, and month-long fundraisers. Food Fight supports Madison Public Schools Foundation through the Feed the Read program and is a Schools Make Madison sponsor. Deep community engagement is evident across multiple programs.

Local Workforce

Founder Monty Schiro had an idea to offer ownership to treat people better and make restaurant jobs a career. The company offers career development, excellent employee benefits, and ownership opportunities to outstanding individuals. Many employees have been with them for years, showing strong retention and employee loyalty.

Revenue Retention

Food Fight is a locally owned and operated restaurant group with over 15 restaurants serving Madison, Middleton, and Milwaukee, keeping revenue local through independent restaurant operations. Estimated revenue is between 50 and 100 million dollars, and as a privately-held local group, most revenue likely remains within Wisconsin and the local economy rather than flowing to external corporate investors.

Local Presence

Website displays strong corporate signals including a location selector with 13+ restaurants, franchise-style layout with 'Restaurant Group in WI' branding, and use of BentoBox template platform. Lacks personality-driven copy, owner/staff names, named local suppliers, or single-location focus despite the business being located in Monona, WI.