On Tuesday, June 17, Portnoy took to Instagram and TikTok to do a pizza review of the North Miami location of Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, which was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 2002 (and won New Times' Best Pizza in 2017, but that was during its glory days, ok?!). He begins the review saying, "I've done this. I know I've done this, but we couldn't find it anywhere. We looked for an hour to find it in past reviews. I remember saying, like, 'Oh, look, that's kind of like the Pepe's New Haven logo.' But here we are.'" As if his lack of memory wasn't an insult at all, it gets worse.
@stoolpresidente I’ve been on the record saying I like Anthony’s Coal Fired. I’d like to retract that statement
♬ original sound - Dave Portnoy
"If I'm On The Record Saying I Like Anthony's, I Retract That Statement"
When Portnoy opens the pizza box, he's floored. "That's not what I expected it to look like at all. They sold this place to BurgerFi for $170 million, the whole chain...They have on the billboard, 'Well Done,' which I love. Like, I'm a well-done guy. This isn't a well-done pie to me at all. 'Flop City' there.'"Just in case Portnoy ever in fact reviewed the pizza chain, this review did no service to it. "I think I'm publicly on the record as saying I like this chain. Did I say that on the podcast that I like Anthony's Coal Fire?" he questions. "Well, haven't had it in years. Maybe I've never had it, because we couldn't find the review. If I'm on the record as saying I like Anthony's Coal Fire chain, owned by BurgerFi, I retract that statement. I retract that statement. This doesn't taste well-done or New Haven or anything. This tastes like a 5.9. That's what this tastes like to me, a 5.9."
After giving Anthony's a 5.9 rating, he mentions that the chain may have gone downhill ever since it was sold to BurgerFi. However, the chain quickly responded to the review, as did longtime fans who stand by that Anthony's is still great. "Dave, we agree...that's not well done. Check your DM, we've reached out!" reads a comment left by the brand.
However, comments on Instagram read, "It was only good 15 years ago when they were family owned," and "Yeah, Anthony's Coal Fire hasn't been good in years. To a point, I prefer their wings over the pizza."
BurgerFi Troubles and Looming Financial Problems
BurgerFi, the fast-casual burger chain founded in February 2011 in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, went public via a SPAC in 2020. On November 3, 2021, it acquired Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza for $161 million.However, it has struggled post-COVID, with same-store sales falling 8 percent in 2023 and 9 percent in 2022. Then, in August 2024, BurgerFi nearly filed for bankruptcy. BurgerFi said it had just $4.4 million on hand on August 14, 2024, and expected to report a loss of $18.4 million for the quarter ending on July 1. According to the SEC filing, if BurgerFi did not receive adequate relief from its senior lender or other cash from outside providers or from selling off its assets, it would have to seek protection under applicable bankruptcy laws.
BurgerFi ended up filing for bankruptcy in early September 2024. Just two months later, on November 15, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza was sold for a dismal $40 million to a couple from Virginia, Kuljeet and Jessica Singh, who many insiders believe have only accelerated the brand’s decline since its acquisition by BurgerFi. Kuljeet is also a franchisee of Round Table Pizza.
The deal split Anthony's from its sister chain, BurgerFi. About a month after the Anthony’s deal, BurgerFi was sold to a separate group of operators for roughly $4 million.
Anthony's currently operates 51 corporate-owned casual restaurant locations across the U.S., 29 of which are in Florida. It still has devoted fans who swarm in for its charred-crust pizzas and great wings.
