Pizza Fan executives are working around the clock to restore the company’s call centre, which handles orders for outlets across Greece, as well as its software systems, in an effort to get the business gradually back up and running.

The call centre and software were seized by Greece’s Financial Police as key evidence in the investigation into an alleged €35 million tax evasion scheme involving the pizza delivery chain. The seizure has effectively prevented the company’s network of stores from accepting orders.

Although Pizza Fan has not been formally ordered to suspend operations, the confiscation of its call centre has made it practically impossible for the business to function.

Crucially, no administrative authority, including the Financial and Economic Crime Unit (SDOE) or the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), has so far ordered the company’s operations to be blocked or its premises to be sealed on tax-related grounds.

Meanwhile, informal discussions are taking place over a possible acquisition of the chain, despite the absence of a successor management team following the remand in custody of its executives.

The food service workers’ union, which held a meeting on Saturday, is demanding guarantees for the jobs of the chain’s 2,500 employees, payment of outstanding wages and the continuation of their social insurance coverage.

According to sources at the Labour Ministry, the immediate priority is to ensure that the company resumes operations and that jobs are protected, avoiding the need to introduce emergency measures to support affected workers.

Employment lawyer Giannis Karouzos explained that if a company’s inability to operate arises from circumstances attributable to the employer rather than force majeure, employment contracts remain valid and the obligation to pay wages continues.

Article 656 of the Greek Civil Code provides that employees are entitled to claim their wages if an employer is unable to accept their work for reasons attributable to the employer and not caused by force majeure.

Consequently, if a business is shut down because of tax violations committed by the company itself, there are strong legal grounds for treating the interruption as an employer-related impediment rather than force majeure that would release the employer from its obligation to pay salaries.

‘We turned up for work and learnt what had happened on television,’ employees say

Workers say they received no official information about the unfolding crisis, with many learning about developments through television and the internet.

The serious criminal charges brought in connection with the investigation have heightened fears that Pizza Fan’s outlets may never reopen.

Among those affected is Kostas, who worked as a delivery rider in the Kerameikos district of Athens for seven years and is now desperately trying to secure another source of income.

“I went to work, arrived there and they told me to leave. There’s no alternative. We’re all already looking for work,” he said.

“When are we going to get the wages we’re owed? We don’t even know that. We have families depending on us. I have three children. Every single day I’m not working is a direct financial loss for me. I simply can’t afford it.”

Workers arrived for their shifts to find police outside their stores

On Thursday morning, employees arriving at Pizza Fan outlets to prepare for the day’s business instead found police conducting searches.

Giannis, a delivery rider with six years’ experience, initially at the Zografou branch and later at the Ymittos outlet, described the confusion.

“Nothing. No information whatsoever. On Thursday, when the shop opened, police officers were waiting outside for our colleagues,” he said.

“Two employees had arrived two hours early to prepare the store. The police took them inside, carried out a search and confiscated some items.

“Our problem is that we’re now completely in limbo. We don’t know where this will lead or how it will end, and we’re still owed wages.

“Right now, I have no job. It was my only employment. If Pizza Fan reopens, we’ll work at Pizza Fan. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to look for work elsewhere.”

Magdi, another delivery rider who worked at the Ambelokipi branch, described a similar experience. He arrived at work as usual but was told he would not be completing his shift.

“On the last day I went in, there was an inspection taking place at the shop. I walked in normally with my delivery box, said good morning and they recorded my details,” he recalled.

“Then the manager told me, ‘You’ve got the day off today. There’s an inspection at the shop, so we won’t be working.’

“From the following day, we found ourselves without work. What am I supposed to do? We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

Tania, who had worked for years preparing pizzas at the Kerameikos branch, also complained about the complete lack of communication.

“We went there and learnt most of the news from television. Now we’re in a state of total uncertainty and we want to know what’s happening to us. That’s why we came here,” she said.

Employees also insist they had noticed nothing suspicious in the stores’ day-to-day transactions, as customers received receipts with their orders.

“We hadn’t seen anything at all. We were just doing our jobs normally, like everyone else,” Tania said.

Manos, another delivery rider at the Kerameikos branch, stressed that ordinary employees had no knowledge of any alleged software manipulation or instructions that might have been issued at management level.

“I got a phone call telling me not to come to work because I wasn’t scheduled for a shift. From one day to the next, I was left without a job,” he said.

“Nothing unusual had come to my attention. As far as orders were concerned, at least at our store, every single one came with a proper receipt.”

Asked whether employees had experienced pressure or received instructions from head office, he replied:

“That’s not something we could have known. Perhaps the franchise owners or supervisors knew. We’re just employees.”

Giannis echoed those remarks, pointing out that staff had enjoyed good relations with their store managers.

“We hadn’t noticed anything strange. And particularly when it came to the behaviour of the store managers, we had no complaints, no problems whatsoever. Whatever may or may not have been happening was happening at head office.”

Fears grow over October wages, insurance contributions and redundancy payments

Beyond the uncertainty over whether they will be able to return to work, Pizza Fan employees are increasingly concerned about receiving the wages they have already earned during October.

The interruption to operations came towards the end of the month, meaning workers paid on a monthly basis have yet to receive their salaries for the days they worked.

“We get paid once a month. Up until the 21st or 22nd, when the company closed, all of us had worked and earned wages. Those wages have to be paid,” Kostas said.

“How are we going to get our money? What happens to our social insurance contributions? And if they dismiss us, what redundancy payments will we receive?

“Things are already incredibly difficult out there. We have responsibilities and bills that keep coming.”

Another employee who has suddenly been left without an income is Azim, a delivery rider at the Ambelokipi branch.

He said he was informed by telephone that he should not report for work and has remained at home ever since, searching for alternative employment.

“They called me in the morning and simply said, ‘Don’t come in today, the shops are closed,'” he recalled.

“That was my only job. I don’t have any other work. Now I’m sitting at home, unemployed.

“We need to be given some kind of benefit or financial support, because what are we supposed to do? How are we going to survive? We’re looking everywhere for work.”

Manos also stressed the urgent need for a solution, pointing out that employees’ daily financial obligations have not stopped simply because their work has been interrupted.