Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

Kindness is a backbone of who we are at Lou Malnati’s. Today, on World Kindness Day, we want to take the opportunity to share some of the ways we show kindness by giving back to our communities. This includes “Kindness Rocks,” events, where our teams get together outside of work to spend some time volunteering at a charitable organization of their choosing. So far this year, our teams have participated in 21 of these events! Next week, our entire Lou’s Family will come together for our 17th Annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive, where we will pack 1,200 food baskets for underprivileged families in the area. A reminder that there’s always time to make a positive impact!

In honor of Veterans Day, Lou Malnati’s would like to take a moment to honor the men and women who have proudly served our country in the United States Armed Forces. Their courage, selflessness, and dedication to defending our freedoms merit our deepest gratitude. To our veterans here at Lou’s, and to all who have loved and supported someone in uniform—thank you. We’re deeply grateful for your sacrifices and the strength you bring to our community every day.

We’re proud to announce that Lou Malnati’s has been named a Chicago Top Workplace for the 16th consecutive year! In addition to being named a Top Workplace, we were also recognized with four Culture Awards: Top Workplace for Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Professional Development Top Workplace, and Woman-Led Top Workplace. What’s most special about these awards is they are based entirely on team member feedback! We’re thankful for our outstanding team members who constantly work to help us maintain a strong culture throughout all levels of our company. We will never stop working to improve our culture, which is made possible through their meaningful, thoughtful feedback on these surveys. Read some of their responses on the gif below!

It's been one month since we hosted our 53rd Annual Lou Malnati's Cancer Research Benefit. We are proud to announce that this was one of our most successful events to date, raising nearly $475,000! Every cent raised goes toward cancer research at the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern as well as cancer support programs at Gilda's Club Chicago and Pickles Group. Thank you to our many sponsors and supporters who allow us to continue holding this event each year in order to make a positive impact on those battling cancer. We couldn't do it without you!

Last week, Lou Malnati's Directors took part in a Kindness Rocks volunteer event at GiveNKind in Buffalo Grove! The team inspected and packed donated items that will be distributed to families in need across the Chicagoland area. GiveNKind receives new goods from companies and, through the help of volunteers, sort and inspect the donations before distributing them to over 800 nonprofits in the region. Our group worked with Stanley water bottles that will now be distributed to families and children who need them most. We're proud to continue giving back to our communities! Thank you to our directors for volunteering their time.

Throughout August and September, our entire Lou Malnati's team works together to raise money for the Lou Malnati's Cancer Research Foundation. Guests who visit Lou's during that time are asked to make a donation to the fund in the form of a Cancer Circle, which is then prominently displayed on the walls of the store. We'd like to recognize our Midway and Palatine teams for their work in raising the most money of all our stores! Thank you for your dedication and care for our cause. Together, these two stores combined to raise nearly $6,500 in circles alone! Thank you to all our guests who donated and helped us make such an impact. The connection to our communities is something we've valued since 1971!

Lou Malnati's has been recognized as the Top Pizza Chain in America by Yelp! In honor of National Pizza Month, the platform released its first-ever ranking of the nation's 25 most beloved pizza chains (60 or more locations), determined by customer ratings and reviews on the site. The full list is available at - https://lnkd.in/dhdWcFcV. You can order America's favorite pizza chain anytime, anywhere through Tastes of Chicago!

Today marks the return of our "Dessert to Donate" campaign! Now through the end of September, $1 from every dessert sold in our stores will go toward the Lou Malnati's Cancer Research Foundation, helping raise money for cancer research at the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern as well as cancer support groups at Gilda's Club Chicago and Pickles Group. Next time you order Lou's, be sure to complete your meal with one of our delicious desserts and help make an impact toward those battling cancer.

It was great to be a part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's recent trip to Chicago! We were featured on their local food segment that aired on Friday's UFC 319 Morning Weigh-In Show. The video gave a behind the scenes look at all that goes in to making our Chicago Classic deep dish pizza and the 54-year history of Lou's. Of course, we also delivered some fresh pizzas for the cast to enjoy on set. Seems we may have made a few new deep dish fans!

We are proud to be hosting our 53rd Annual Lou Malnati's Cancer Research Benefit on Saturday, September 27! 100% of funds raised go toward cancer research at the Lou and Jean Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as well as cancer support programs at Gilda's Club Chicago and Pickles Group. Last year, we were able to raise over $400,000 for these impactful organizations. Part of what makes this event so special is it's a true company-wide effort that calls upon our stores and guests alike to help make as great of impact as possible. Throughout August and September, our teams will be competing to see who can sell the most Cancer Circles amongst our stores. Each circle sold represents a donation made by a guest and will be prominently displayed on the walls of the store. Guests are also encouraged to "round up" their order to the nearest dollar when paying in store. Let's work together to help find a cure!