Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

We’ve been hard at work… Coming to you on 10/25. See you soon, Surprise! ????

Lou’s is known for the best pizza on the planet; but we're much more than that. What truly makes Lou’s the best are the team members who show up every day and, for some, commit their careers to working here. We are lucky to have many examples of highly committed and loyal team members. One of those fantastic team members is Aireen Dungca, General Manager at our Lincolnwood location. Aireen joined the Lou's Family when she was 16, working in that very same Lincolnwood store. Now, nearly 28 years later, Aireen has returned to her original stomping grounds, running the store she worked in as a teenager. She has proven time and?time again to be an outstanding?and influential?leader in our company, and credits much of what she?has accomplished to the leaders she's had along the way - "I've always said Lou Malnati's is my 2nd?family, the family I got to choose. Like family, they supported me in all the pinnacle stages of my life. I had my 17th?birthday at Lincolnwood, met my son's father at Lincolnwood, had my baby shower at Lincolnwood, named my son after my dear friend and mentor: Nico Fraga Garcia (pictured in bottom left), and it's where I started my management career under the guidance of one of my closest?friends, Wendy Kolton. All the friends I've made and kept has made this place my home away from home for so many years. Now that I've been given the gift to lead Lincolnwood in a GM capacity, it is a full circle. I am home."? ? We are so proud to have Aireen represent our company as a leader who represents the best parts of who we are as a company! Her loyalty and love for those around her is what has made her such a special part of a Lou's Family for nearly three decades.

We are thrilled to partner with the Chicago Fire FC as the presenting sponsor for their highly anticipated match against Inter Miami CF on Saturday, August 31st at Soldier Field. As Chicago’s legendary deep dish pizza, we’re looking forward to bringing fans together for a memorable night. See you at Soldier Field!

A belated Happy Birthday to one of the best. Thanks for spending your birthday sharing the Malnati Magic in Milwaukee this weekend, Dennis! We appreciate you, your 39 years of working for Lou's and your love of cake.

We are thrilled to announce that Lou Malnati's has been featured in Nation's Restaurant News?"100 Under 100: Emerging Restaurant Chains"! This recognition is a testament to our team's hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support of our loyal customers. We're excited for what's next as we continue to serve the best deep-dish pizza around, including our upcoming new restaurant opening in Surprise, AZ this fall! https://lnkd.in/g7ZPzp45

Last but certainly not least, please join us in congratulating?Joseph Brown, who has been promoted to Senior Vice President of IT! Joseph?has been an incredible leader, consistently supporting our IT function and leading the team with vision and dedication. His relentless drive to improve things for our team members and guests has been a cornerstone of our growth here at Lou’s. Congratulations,?Joseph! You’ve truly earned this recognition, and we couldn’t be prouder. Join me in celebrating?Joseph's well-deserved promotion and his continued contributions to our success.?Joseph, here's to your new role and the exciting milestones ahead!

At Lou Malnati’s, we are all about growth & development. Seeing potential in those within our Lou's family is a core part of our success. We are excited to share another internal promotion with you today. R. Bryan Batson has stepped up as our new Vice President of Finance and is currently serving as Interim CFO. Bryan has built a strong and supportive team that ensures our stores are equipped with the insights they need for success. His leadership has enabled our leaders to manage their operations with greater data clarity and precision. Congratulations, Bryan! You’ve truly earned this role, and we can’t wait to see where you take us next.

At Lou Malnati’s, we are all about growth—not just as a business, but as individuals too. We hold personal and professional development close to our hearts and celebrate these journeys through internal promotions. Mindy Kaplan has been promoted to Vice President of Communications, Culture, and Customer Service. During her time with Lou’s, Mindy has been a driving force in building and nurturing our unique culture. Recently, she has also taken on the responsibilities of Catering, Sales, and Customer Service. With Mindy at the helm, our communications and guest interactions are set to soar to new heights. Congratulations, Mindy! We’re excited about the amazing things ahead with you leading the charge.

Last week, our Support Center staff had the chance to learn more about the history of our Lawndale store. Opened in 1995, this unique location set out to provide a true sit-down, dine-in experience in a community that otherwise lacked one. Spearheaded by Marc & Rick Malnati, along with former company President Stu Cohen and Lawndale community coach, Rev. and supporter, Wayne Gordon, our team of leaders envisioned a community impact that went beyond pizza. ? The store represented a partnership with the neighborhood and the goal of bettering the lives of those in it. The non-profit community store opened with the commitment that any profits received would go back to the community for youth educations and recreation programs. A rehabilitation center stood above the store and those in recovery were given the opportunity to work for Lou’s while they stayed there. One of those employees, who is still with Lou’s today, spoke at the event and credited that opportunity as a major reason for helping turn his life around. We even had former managers from the store speak about how much it meant to them to help cultivate such a strong culture in a place that needed it. ? We are so proud of this community partnership that still exists today, nearly 30 years later. Lawndale is perhaps our most unique store, and you can’t tell the story of Lou Malnati’s without it.

We're heading to the West Valley! We have officially announced the opening of our Surprise, Arizona store coming this fall. This new, full-service restaurant will be our ninth store in the Phoenix metro area and the first to open since Tempe in 2022. The new space will be located at the Village at Prasada in a free-standing building with a patio in an established retail and restaurant area. Stay tuned for more details regarding the opening!