Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Tempe

Happy Joe's is a Mid West pizza chain with over 50 units in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota & Arizona. Happy Joe's is known as the inventor of the Taco Pizza. It is definitely their most famous pizza and their best seller! Other well-known Happy Joe's specialties are The Happy Joe's Special with Canadian Bacon and Sauerkraut, The BLT, BBQ, as well as their line of Mexican Pizzas including the Matador, Taco Supreme, and Nacho Joe.
The company was founded by Happy Joe Whitty in 1972 when he was just 34 years old. Joe Whitty started his career as a baker and later began working for a pizza company called Shakey's.
With Joe's baking experience, he had many ideas of how to make the perfect pizza dough. He also had many ideas of how to add creative and delicious new pizza recipes. When his boss at Shakey's was not interested in pursuing Joe's ideas, he decided he would try to venture out and do his own restaurant concept. With a $30,000 loan from the Small Business Association, he opened his first location in the Village of East Davenport on November 16, 1972.
During his time at Shakey's, he had seen guests travel down the street to enjoy some ice cream at a local shop, after they ate.This gave Joe the idea to add ice cream to his pizza concept.
Joe's daughter Julie named the restaurant, because she said her dad was always happy. Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Pizza Parlors are dedicated to top quality pizza and other delicious menu items and has a long-standing history of becoming a family tradition for many of the guests it serves. Birthday parties, sporting groups, family reunions, special events, and community fundraising are all part of what the company is known for.
Happy Joe Whitty also has an affection for the special needs community. Years ago a young mother came into Shakey's asking permission to allow her son with special needs to come into the restaurant. Joe asked her "Why would you need special permission? Everyone is welcome here". The mother explained that her son sometimes blurted out and may disrupt other guests, and they had been asked to leave other establishments. Joe not only invited the mother and her son in, but gave them a special table and extra-special attention. They became Happy Joe's regulars.
Joe vowed when he opened his new restaurant, that he would close one day each year to have a party for children with special needs and their families. It has been a long-standing tradition since 1972 and is actually a part of the company's franchise agreements. Happy Joe's is thrilled to be in Tempe!
For more information on Happy Joe's, you may contact the Happy Joe's Support Center at 563-332-8811 or check us out online at www.happyjoes.com.