“Happy Joe” Whitty’s dream to bring pizza and family-friendly fun to guests across the U.S. has been a reality for over half a century. The iconic restaurant franchise is starting the new year off with a bang after going from strength to strength in 2022. Along with celebrating a variety of milestones for the company, 2022 saw the return of one of Happy Joe’s most important annual events.
50 Years of Happy Joe’s
There’s nothing better than enjoying great food with the people you love most. That’s been the driving vision behind Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream since its grand opening in 1972. Despite this simple vision, the company has continually invested in innovation and creativity, propelling it forward and keeping its business model resilient, despite setbacks like the pandemic.
One of the many ways Happy Joe’s stands out from the competition is through its unique approach to its flagship product: pizza. Unlike other fast-casual pizza chains, Happy Joe’s doesn’t approach pizza as a commodity. Instead, each pizza and pasta recipe is seen as a unique opportunity to get creative and push the boundaries of what’s possible. That’s why Happy Joe’s menu spans breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, bringing fans exceptional, innovative dishes that can be enjoyed any time of day.
Still, a restaurant’s menu is only one part of the equation. Along with its iconic pizza, it’s the commitment to service and community-building that sets the brand apart. From the start, Happy Joe’s has held fast to its core values. The company prides itself on leading with a “servant’s heart” and working with a “warrior spirit.” Paired with the sense of childlike creativity and fun Whitty brought to the brand, these core values have shaped the company into the beloved quick-service chain it is today.
It’s an understatement to say that 2022 was an extraordinary year for the Happy Joe’s team. The company met a variety of long-term goals, bouncing back from the pandemic in a way few restaurants were able to. Along with closing out the year with seven consecutive quarters of positive sales, Happy Joe’s launched a new website design and a new loyalty app in partnership with leading loyalty and engagement platform Punchh. New locations were opened in Missouri, with international locations opening in Egypt. The company plans to expand, with Happy Joe’s locations set to open in 10 North African and Middle Eastern countries.
2022 was also a big year for philanthropy within the company. To celebrate its 50th anniversary and founder Joe Whitty’s birthday, Happy Joe’s partnered with the Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation to help local families. In September 2022, the company launched a program to distribute $50,000 to families of kids with special needs. The 50 families each received a donation of $1,000 to help pay for expenses like medical care and mobility needs. To create as big of an impact as possible, the company took a grassroots approach. Leaders asked general managers and franchise owners to nominate local families in need of financial assistance. What’s more, the company created a giveaway to thank guests for their donations. In addition to giving away $1000 to 50 special needs families, Happy Joe’s gave away a 2022 Ford Explorer ST to one lucky guest.
Honoring the Teams That Made It Possible
One of the highlights of 2022 was the return to one of Happy Joe’s most important yearly events. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the company hosted its annual conference honoring achievements made at both the company and individual levels. Despite the hiatus, chief happiness officer and CEO Tom Sacco called 2022’s event the “best conference yet.”
The company presented 24 awards over 11 categories, celebrating everything from individual franchise performance to best supplier relationship.
“The past two years presented various unprecedented challenges, and it’s admirable how this group of honorees persevered and continues to be successful. It’s a great pleasure to recognize their hard work and show our appreciation for them operating their restaurants as best-in-class,” said Sacco. Coming together after two years apart, company leadership and franchise owners alike enjoyed being a part of the distinguished ceremony. “Our dedicated and passionate team is truly the driving force behind Happy Joe’s 50 years of success.”
A quick overview of the awards given highlights those who help make Happy Joe’s the successful company it’s proud to be. For restaurants achieving the highest operations scores of 90% or higher, the company presented its Top Gun award. Iowa-based locations claimed most of the victories in this category, with locations in Bettendorf, Muscatine on Lake Park, Burlington, Urbandale, and Clinton earning the honor.
Following the Top Gun awards, Happy Joe’s was finally able to honor its 2021 and 2020 Operators of the Year. This prestigious honor went to Kari and Brandon White from Clinton, named for 2021, with Haley Lueth of Muscatine Lake Park earning the award for 2020. Additionally, franchisees Roger and Margaret Bussan from Galena, Illinois, were presented the Comeback of the Year award, while new franchisees Jeff and Suzie Reid from Urbandale, Iowa, were honored with the Outstanding Rookie of the Year award.
The company’s Highest Sales Award for both 2020 and 2021 went to a location on University Avenue in Dubuque, Iowa. This location earned over $2.38 million in 2020 and $2.24 million in 2021. Next, the company presented an award focused on its tenet of community service. This Outstanding Community Service Hero award was given to Happy Joe’s in Kewanee, Illinois, for 2021, with Green Bay, Wisconsin, for 2020.
CEO Tom Sacco honored two Iowans as Head Coach of the Year for their outstanding work in management: Stephanie Bailey of Burlington for 2021 and Judy McGill of Davenport for 2020. In addition, Hollie Matthys earned the 2021 Support Center Special Recognition accolade, with Ashley Balluff and Phil Pendleton sharing the Support Center Special Recognition honor for 2020.
Arguably the most prestigious prize of the evening was the Happy Joe’s Pioneer Lifetime Achievement award, which is given to team members who have had an outsize impact during their time with the company. Tom Sacco announced the 2020, 2021, and 2022 winners early, presenting the award to 29-year veteran Mike Post (2020), 49-year veteran Mick Mapes (2021), and 43-year veteran Ron Senger (2022), beloved figures within the company.
Happy Joe’s also recognized the following partnerships:
- 2021 Service Provider of the Year — Champion Management tied with Harrison Architect & Design
- 2021 Supplier of the Year — PFG/TPC
- 2020 Service Provider of the Year — Speedline Solutions
- 2020 Supplier of the Year — Burke
After the conference came to a successful close, Sacco announced that the next gala would take place in the panhandle of Florida. Along with announcing the 2022 winners, the company will showcase its new Happy Joe’s prototype that will be opening in Navarre, a suburb of Pensacola, Florida.
More Recognition for the Beloved Brand
Along with receiving love and acclaim from guests across the U.S., Happy Joe’s received well-deserved industry recognition in 2022. Coinciding with its 50th anniversary, the company was recognized by the QSR Top 50 as a rising star ready for new growth. The Quick Service Restaurant Top 50 has been providing valuable insight into the industry for over 25 years, making the recognition a major milestone for the brand. Happy Joe’s came in at No. 39 on the list, accompanied by 49 of the U.S.’s most famous quick-service restaurants. In the future, it’s expected that the company will be named to the Top 50 Fast-Food Chains of 2023.
CEO Tom Sacco said making the list was an exciting 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 any time 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.”
This placement on the QSR Top 50 comes after the company was also named a FastCasual Top 200 concept, a Franchise Times Top 400 business, and a Nation’s Restaurant News Top 500 restaurant.
Happy Joe’s Pizza was founded in 1972 by beloved restaurateur “Happy Joe” Whitty. Joe’s ultimate dream was to create a restaurant concept that could not only serve America’s two favorite foods, pizza and ice cream, but could do it all in a family-friendly, celebratory environment. With a focus on great service, great food, and lots of fun, the company quickly grew into an iconic destination for pizza lovers and families alike. Today, the service-oriented pizza chain boasts eight company restaurants, along with 34 franchise locations in the American Midwest and South.
