California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is expanding its automated retail strategy through a partnership with Ranger Group to install hundreds of pizza kiosks across U.S. military bases. The initiative will extend the casual-dining chain’s reach into military installations serving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, adding a new distribution channel beyond its traditional restaurants and grocery retail business.
The CPK military base kiosks will be deployed in phases, beginning at domestic installations. Ranger Group, a military contractor led by U.S. Army Ranger veteran Mark “Ranger” Jones, will coordinate the installations and operational support. The companies have also indicated that the program could eventually extend to military locations overseas.
The automated machines use TurboChef ovens and touchscreen ordering systems to prepare pizzas in as little as 90 seconds, according to CPK. The format is designed to offer freshly baked food in locations where a conventional restaurant may not be practical or necessary. Customers can select and order through the kiosk, with the cooking process handled by the integrated equipment.
Michael Beacham, president of California Pizza Kitchen Global, said the initiative had personal significance for him as a veteran. “As a veteran myself, I’m personally proud to bring our restaurant-quality pizzas directly to the places where our service members work and train,” he said in a statement. He described the project as both an expression of appreciation for military personnel and a step towards making the brand more accessible.
The military rollout builds on a wider expansion plan announced by CPK in August 2026. The company is targeting as many as 1,000 automated retail machines across 30 major U.S. markets over the next three years. The planned locations include airports, universities, hospitals, hotels, office complexes, residential communities and sports venues. CPK had partnered with retail services provider T-ROC Global for that broader kiosk program.
The strategy gives the brand an additional route to customers without relying exclusively on the capital and real estate requirements of traditional restaurant development. CPK currently operates around 100 domestic restaurants and also sells frozen pizzas and other branded products through grocery channels. Automated kiosks allow it to test demand in high-traffic environments and reach consumers in settings where a full-service restaurant footprint may be difficult to establish.
Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, CPK is entering this expansion phase following its acquisition by an investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners late in 2025. The new ownership had signaled plans to pursue growth, and the automated retail initiative represents one way of extending the brand beyond its established restaurant network.
