Happy Joe s doesn t hold back on its toppings.
Tom Sacco believes he’s sitting on the “best unsung restaurant story in the country today.” Heck it was news to him just a few months ago.
The 30-year industry veteran joined Dynamic Restaurant Holdings, LLC, parent company of Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream and Tony Sacco’s Coal Oven Kitchen (no relation to Tom Sacco), as CEO in November. Before DRH reached out, Sacco, who previously clocked time with Red Robin and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, had never heard of Happy Joe’s a brand founded in 1972 by Lawrence Joseph Happy Joe Whitty, a former Shakey s Pizza manager.
Happy Joe s Pizza & Ice Cream has hired Tom Sacco as CEO and president. Provided
April 21, 2021
Iowa-based Happy Joe s Pizza & Ice Cream, which hired Tom Sacco as CEO and president last year, has launched major expansion efforts, opening two franchises in Urbandale and Cascade, Iowa, with plans to add locations this summer in St. Peters, Missouri, and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. When you mention Happy Joe s to people in the Midwest, it stirs up a lot of emotion and always brings a smile, Sacco said. We want more communities in this great country to be able to experience the spirit that is Happy Joe s. Our brand has so much to offer, from the high-quality, gourmet pizza we serve to the lasting memories created in our restaurants. I m thrilled to be at the helm of such an inspiring company at such a transformational moment in time. I can t wait to see the progress we will continue to make.
Happy Joe’s Spreads Its Magic Across the Midwest Through Targeted Franchise Growth
April 21, 2021 · ·
New CEO drives popular family-centric pizza concept’s expansion with new restaurant openings, franchise incentives and conversion strategy
Driven by the passion of its new CEO,
The popular family-centric concept that counts multiple generations of families among its most loyal guests is taking its signature menu and unique business model to new markets with attractive incentives for new and existing franchisees.
In late 2020, Happy Joe’s welcomed 30-year industry veteran Tom Sacco as its new CEO, president and Chief Happiness Officer. Under Sacco’s direction, the brand has already opened two new franchise units in Urbandale and Cascade, Iowa. An existing franchisee in St. Louis signed on to expand his Happy Joe’s portfolio, with a new location set to open in St. Peters, Missouri this June. Additionally, Happy Joe’s is slated to open a company location in F
With Covid cases on the decline, many restaurants are opening back up to full capacity. Yet owners say they are struggling to hire new staff to keep up with demand.
FOX Business spoke with multiple restaurant owners across the country who say applicants, drawn by the lure of unemployment benefits and stimulus checks, have tapered off over the course of the pandemic and it remains unclear whether that trend will continue.
Tom Sacco is the CEO of Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream, a chain based in Bettendorf, Iowa – or as he calls it, “the heartland of America.”
FILE: Patrons sit outdoors for dinner separated by plastic dividers with national flags at Mel s drive-in restaurant, in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP)
A 1986 cookbook recipe from St. Anthony Catholic School in southside Des Moines offers an early glimpse of the culinary ambitions of a pair of students who have gone on to become metro dining entrepreneurs. A Collection of Favorite Recipes from the students includes contributions from Tony Lemmo, who is now owner of Aposto at The Scala House in Sherman Hill, and Emily Gross, who along with her sister Andrea Williams operates catering service Taste to Go and its signature event space, Curate, in the East Village.
Tom Sacco of Des Moines discovered the cookbook in a pile at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. Sacco said he looked through the book because he had previously coached track and field at the school and wanted to see if there were any familiar names. After recognizing the names of local dining professionals, Sacco said he d thought he d share the story with others, including the Des Moines Register.