Happy Joe’s Pizza Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

In one of the most competitive and highly saturated industries, restaurant owners and entrepreneurs have to work double time. It’s not enough to simply deliver great food — it’s about delivering an unforgettable customer experience, too. Many restaurants don’t succeed in the long term, and many will never make it to their 50th anniversary, but for Iowa-based Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream, reaching that incredible milestone was a challenge well worth fighting for. In November, the legendary pizza chain celebrated 50 years in business.

“Happy Joe’s is 50 years old and still growing because it has a brand that families value more now than at any time in our iconic past,” says Tom Sacco, President and CEO. “We are a very different type of pizza brand. We look at our pizza dough as a blank canvas and aren’t restricted by preconceived ideas of what toppings go on a pizza.”

The Happy Joe’s Formula for Success

Founded in 1972, Happy Joe’s was built on the idea of bringing America’s two favorite foods — pizza and ice cream — together under one fun roof. Founder “Happy Joe” Whitty brought a combination of inner-child creativity and business acumen together to create a restaurant concept unlike any other. With creative recipes like the first-ever taco pizza and a celebratory, family-friendly environment, Happy Joe’s quickly endeared itself to fans. Today, the quick-service chain is one of America’s most beloved eateries. Spanning across the Midwest with international locations, including the Middle East, the company has solidified its position as one of the top names in the industry. To date, it’s been recognized and named a FastCasual “Top 200” concept, a Franchise Times “Top 400” business, and a Nation’s Restaurant News “Top 500” restaurant.

Happy Joe’s fans love more than just the pizza. From the beginning, Whitty, who died in 2019, was interested in making an impact on his community. He was a strong supporter of Partners in Education and spoke to many schools and civic organizations about the important link between business leaders and schools. He believed in the ability of every child to be successful, no matter their situation. Throughout his life, much of his philanthropy was geared toward children with special needs and those whose lives needed an uplift or momentary flash of happiness. It was this commitment to community engagement that helped shape the brand into what it is today. Whitty’s legacy lives on in the company’s partnerships with Junior Achievement, Partners in Education, and The Handicapped Development Center. Additionally, the Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation hosts community events and other fundraisers to help meet the needs of kids with special needs wherever they may be.

“We support the less fortunate as part of our DNA,” Sacco says. “We require every franchisee to have an organization that supports special needs, less fortunate individuals, individuals in need, or individuals who have an unfortunate circumstance of being cast with a debilitating and/or degenerative disease.”

This year, Happy Joe’s hosted several different community engagement initiatives, bringing fun and charitable donations to the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois. On Saturday, Sept. 23, Happy Joe’s hosted its annual Kids Micro-Marathon in partnership with the TBK Quad Cities Marathon. Children and their families from across the area were invited to enjoy one of the brand’s most exciting events of the year. The micro-marathon took place in Moline, Illinois, at the Vibrant Arena. Participants could run in one of three different race options — one mile, half mile, and quarter mile — each geared to suit different ages and abilities. All participants received an official Kids Micro-Marathon medal, T-shirt, Happy Joe’s swag bag, and a free pizza after finishing their race.

“This race has been a wonderful September tradition for Happy Joe’s and all of the amazing families in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas,” said Kristel Whitty-Ersan, Happy Joe’s Vice President of Marketing. “We are so honored to be sponsoring it once again this year.”

In collaboration with the Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation, the brand also spent the fall season supporting children with special needs. On Sept. 10, founder Joe Whitty’s birthday, the company launched a program benefiting these families. The program seeks to award $50,000 to help meet the needs of children with physical and mental disabilities. Fifty families will be supported with donations of $1,000 each to help ease their financial burden. Funds will go toward supporting children’s medical expenses and mobility needs, as well as any educational and therapeutic programs in which they are enrolled.

To help fundraise and spread the celebration, Happy Joe’s is also hosting a major giveaway. As a part of this initiative, it’s gifting a 2022 Ford Explorer ST to one lucky person. The winner will also receive $17,000 to cover taxes, with all proceeds from entries benefiting children’s charities like the Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation.

On the initiative, Sacco noted, “For 50 years, Happy Joe’s has strived to create magical moments for all our guests wherever they may be. We plan to continue Joe’s legacy for as long as possible. Our hope is that each donation we make will bring smiles and welcome relief to wonderful families across our system.”

More Recognition for the Beloved Restaurant

Along with celebrating its 50-year milestone, Happy Joe’s was recognized as a QSR Magazine  “Top 50 Contender for 2022”, which highlighted 50 brands as rising stars ready for new growth. The fan-favorite pizza joint came in at No. 39 on the list, alongside 49 of the most successful and innovative fast casual restaurants in the United States. The chain is poised to continue its success in 2023.

Sacco said making the list was another great step forward for the brand. “We’re honored to be named a QSR Top 50 contender, and it’s motivation to keep working toward being the top pizza brand in the country,” he explained. “We’ve heavily invested in our digital efforts to better deliver our one-of-kind, gourmet menu to guests across the country, and we’re glad to see it paying off with this type of recognition. Fifty years of blood, sweat, and tears have gotten our brand to this point, and we aren’t stopping anytime soon as we continue to ramp up our expansion efforts in Arizona, Florida, Texas, and more. We’re on a mission to be the preeminent experiential pizza brand that creates emotional connections with families as we build our ‘Happy Places’ across our beloved country.”