27:
430:
222:
manager. Their United States locations are spread out across the Upper
Midwest and Florida, with a location in Egypt, which opened in October 2022. In 2022, Happy Joe's has declared an intent over 10 years to open at least 25 locations across the Middle East and North Africa, including in Bahrain,
304:
The chain was started in 1972 by
Lawrence Joseph "Happy Joe" Whitty after he was disciplined for throwing a child a birthday party while working at Shakey's Pizza. Birthday parties became a centerpoint for the restaurant as did its signature taco pizza (claimed by the chain to be the first pizza
361:
In the mid-2010s, the chain debuted a new concept alongside the traditional restaurants called Happy Joe's Pizza Grille where you can get traditional
American fare such as Rubens alongside their signature pizza and Joegurt. They also feature a small buffet featuring their pizzas as well.
383:. They have plans to open at least 25 new restaurants across Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. over the course of 10 years. The first locations the chain plans to openen in
418:, with plans to open in one of those cities before the end of 2023. This represents a milestone for the company as it will be their first minority-owned franchise in addition to being the first one in Texas.
247:(a pizza with refried bean/tomato sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato and taco chips). After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty invented the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.
295:
Joegurt is the chain's signature ice cream product that combines ice cream with yogurt. It is available at all the locations including the Pizza Grille locations. It is not currently sold in grocery stores.
287:
It also features outlandish birthday parties. He was inspired to include birthday parties in his restaurant concept after he got disciplined after hosting one at the Shakey's Pizza he managed.
887:
539:
862:
679:
568:
223:
Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. The idea for Happy Joe's came from a combination of a pizza parlor and ice cream palace.
582:
768:
847:
882:
852:
402:(their first store outside of the St. Louis Metro), an additional store in the St. Louis metro, and an as of yet determined location in the
477:
369:
with two since closed stores, however, a return to
Arizona is in the works with plans to open more restaurants in the state in the future.
837:
606:
857:
347:
443:
867:
227:
509:
728:
822:
230:, and would close several corporate-owned stores, although franchise-owned restaurants are not affected by the bankruptcy.
786:
753:
628:
308:
In the 1980s, the chain had operated a location in Cairo, Egypt that was shaped like a boat and was situated on the
842:
872:
832:
403:
703:
827:
372:
On
October 29, 2019, Happy Joe Whitty died at the age of 82 at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice Center.
151:
395:
81:
39:
614:
877:
448:
653:
407:
218:. The restaurant chain was founded in 1972 by Lawrence Joseph "Happy Joe" Whitty, a former
8:
355:
411:
399:
219:
729:"Coralville council approves new spot for Asian market | Corridor Business Journal"
435:
415:
351:
215:
92:
71:
243:
Joseph Whitty's "Happy Joe's" claimed to be the first pizza restaurant to offer a
343:
121:: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Wisconsin
569:"Happy Joe's to expand with several new locations in Middle East, North Africa"
276:
816:
390:
In addition to the aforementioned stores, they also have two restaurants in
315:
The chain has also expanded into other
Midwestern markets with locations in
255:
In 2005, Happy Joe's started offering breakfast pizzas at select locations.
384:
380:
324:
376:
309:
244:
49:
320:
316:
305:
place to offer such an item) and
Joegurt (ice cream infused yogurt).
26:
478:"The owner of Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream declares bankruptcy"
332:
328:
170:
391:
366:
754:"Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream Signs 28 Agreements in 2021"
375:
In 2022, the chain has plans to expand their operations to the
272:
654:"Sum of Your Business: "Happy" Joe Whitty - I Love Inspire(d)"
211:
165:
160:
336:
346:
was destroyed by a tornado on April 13, 2006, part of the
583:"Review: Happy Joe's Pizza keeps it fun with wacky pies"
510:"Happy Joe's Pizza Celebrates Monumental Debut in Egypt"
504:
502:
500:
498:
263:
In 2013, Happy Joe's started offering flatbread pizzas.
805:
196:
888:
Companies that filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022
495:
425:
406:. Cities floated for the proposed location include
540:"Joe Whitty recalls a life filled with happiness"
814:
629:"Happy Joe's Pizza revamps with 'Cafez' concept"
863:Regional restaurant chains in the United States
358:, but it was rebuilt and continued to operate.
769:"'Happy Joe' Whitty, 82, died Tuesday morning"
342:The Happy Joe's location on Gilbert Street in
226:On September 15, 2022, Happy Joe's filed for
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
680:"Iowa City still recovering from tornadoes"
140:Thomas Sacco (CEO & President, Dynamic)
787:"QC native plans 1st Happy Joe's in Texas"
348:Easter Week 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence
461:
444:List of pizza chains of the United States
848:Economy of the Midwestern United States
883:American companies established in 1972
853:Ice cream parlors in the United States
815:
563:
561:
559:
275:-free crusts, designed for those with
266:
766:
533:
531:
398:. They also have stores planned for
556:
282:
13:
838:Companies based in the Quad Cities
704:"Fire destroys Anamosa restaurant"
677:
537:
258:
250:
82:Lawrence Joseph "Happy Joe" Whitty
25:
14:
899:
858:Pizza chains of the United States
797:
528:
387:, where they had one previously.
365:The chain also had a presence in
20:Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream
428:
16:Pizza chain in the United States
868:Restaurants established in 1972
779:
767:Cook, Linda (29 October 2019).
760:
746:
721:
696:
335:along with their home-state of
671:
646:
621:
599:
575:
1:
454:
238:
350:. A follow-up restaurant in
7:
823:1972 establishments in Iowa
421:
404:Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
233:
187:Dynamic Restaurant Holdings
61:; 52 years ago
10:
904:
482:Restaurant Business Online
299:
290:
607:"Made in the Quad Cities"
191:
183:
144:
134:
109:
99:
87:
77:
55:
45:
35:
24:
733:www.corridorbusiness.com
633:www.pizzamarketplace.com
271:Happy Joe's also offers
152:Italian-American cuisine
843:Companies based in Iowa
773:Dispatch-Argus-QCOnline
544:Dispatch-Argus-QCOnline
396:Southern United States
214:parlor chain based in
30:
571:. September 24, 2021.
449:Quad City-style pizza
394:, their first in the
228:Chapter 11 bankruptcy
29:
873:Restaurants in Iowa
789:. 15 February 2023.
684:The Quad-City Times
101:Number of locations
21:
833:Buffet restaurants
538:Turner, Jonathan.
267:Gluten-free crusts
31:
19:
735:. 29 January 2013
658:I Love Inspire(d)
611:Visit Quad Cities
516:. October 5, 2022
205:
204:
895:
828:Bettendorf, Iowa
809:
808:
806:Official website
791:
790:
783:
777:
776:
764:
758:
757:
750:
744:
743:
741:
740:
725:
719:
718:
716:
715:
700:
694:
693:
691:
690:
678:Lemmon, Dustin.
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
650:
644:
643:
641:
640:
625:
619:
618:
613:. Archived from
603:
597:
596:
594:
593:
579:
573:
572:
565:
554:
553:
551:
550:
535:
526:
525:
523:
521:
506:
493:
492:
490:
488:
474:
438:
436:Companies portal
433:
432:
431:
283:Birthday parties
277:gluten allergies
216:Bettendorf, Iowa
201:
198:
93:Bettendorf, Iowa
72:Bettendorf, Iowa
69:
67:
62:
22:
18:
903:
902:
898:
897:
896:
894:
893:
892:
813:
812:
804:
803:
800:
795:
794:
785:
784:
780:
765:
761:
752:
751:
747:
738:
736:
727:
726:
722:
713:
711:
702:
701:
697:
688:
686:
676:
672:
663:
661:
652:
651:
647:
638:
636:
627:
626:
622:
605:
604:
600:
591:
589:
581:
580:
576:
567:
566:
557:
548:
546:
536:
529:
519:
517:
514:Restaurant News
508:
507:
496:
486:
484:
476:
475:
462:
457:
434:
429:
427:
424:
344:Iowa City, Iowa
302:
293:
285:
269:
261:
259:Flatbread pizza
253:
251:Breakfast pizza
241:
236:
210:is an American
195:
179:
176:
137:
130:
112:
102:
95:
65:
63:
60:
17:
12:
11:
5:
901:
891:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
811:
810:
799:
798:External links
796:
793:
792:
778:
759:
745:
720:
695:
670:
645:
620:
617:on 2017-08-03.
598:
574:
555:
527:
494:
459:
458:
456:
453:
452:
451:
446:
440:
439:
423:
420:
356:floods in 2008
301:
298:
292:
289:
284:
281:
268:
265:
260:
257:
252:
249:
240:
237:
235:
232:
220:Shakey's Pizza
203:
202:
193:
189:
188:
185:
181:
180:
178:
177:
175:
174:
168:
163:
156:
154:
148:
146:
142:
141:
138:
135:
132:
131:
129:
128:
122:
115:
113:
110:
107:
106:
103:
100:
97:
96:
91:
89:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
57:
53:
52:
47:
43:
42:
37:
33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
900:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
820:
818:
807:
802:
801:
788:
782:
774:
770:
763:
755:
749:
734:
730:
724:
709:
705:
699:
685:
681:
674:
659:
655:
649:
634:
630:
624:
616:
612:
608:
602:
588:
584:
578:
570:
564:
562:
560:
545:
541:
534:
532:
515:
511:
505:
503:
501:
499:
487:September 22,
483:
479:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
460:
450:
447:
445:
442:
441:
437:
426:
419:
417:
413:
409:
408:Grand Prairie
405:
401:
397:
393:
388:
386:
382:
378:
373:
370:
368:
363:
359:
357:
353:
349:
345:
340:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
313:
311:
306:
297:
288:
280:
278:
274:
264:
256:
248:
246:
231:
229:
224:
221:
217:
213:
209:
200:
194:
190:
186:
182:
172:
169:
167:
164:
162:
158:
157:
155:
153:
150:
149:
147:
143:
139:
133:
126:
123:
120:
119:United States
117:
116:
114:
108:
104:
98:
94:
90:
86:
83:
80:
76:
73:
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
41:
38:
34:
28:
23:
878:Iowa culture
781:
772:
762:
748:
737:. Retrieved
732:
723:
712:. Retrieved
710:. 2010-11-01
707:
698:
687:. Retrieved
683:
673:
662:. Retrieved
660:. 2016-03-08
657:
648:
637:. Retrieved
635:. 2005-08-21
632:
623:
615:the original
610:
601:
590:. Retrieved
586:
577:
547:. Retrieved
543:
520:November 28,
518:. Retrieved
513:
485:. Retrieved
481:
389:
385:Cairo, Egypt
381:North Africa
374:
371:
364:
360:
354:was lost to
341:
325:North Dakota
314:
307:
303:
294:
286:
270:
262:
254:
242:
225:
207:
206:
124:
118:
111:Areas served
88:Headquarters
36:Company type
377:Middle East
208:Happy Joe's
125:Middle East
817:Categories
739:2017-03-14
714:2017-03-14
708:Radio Iowa
689:2017-03-14
664:2017-03-14
639:2017-03-14
592:2017-03-14
549:2017-03-14
455:References
412:Cedar Hill
352:Coralville
310:Nile River
245:taco pizza
239:Taco pizza
136:Key people
50:Restaurant
587:azcentral
416:Arlington
321:Minnesota
317:Wisconsin
197:happyjoes
105:42 (2021)
422:See also
333:Illinois
329:Missouri
234:Products
171:desserts
145:Products
46:Industry
400:Branson
392:Florida
367:Arizona
300:History
291:Joegurt
192:Website
127:: Egypt
78:Founder
64: (
56:Founded
40:Private
414:, and
331:, and
273:gluten
212:pizza
184:Owner
166:pasta
161:pizza
522:2022
489:2022
379:and
337:Iowa
199:.com
66:1972
59:1972
70:in
819::
771:.
731:.
706:.
682:.
656:.
631:.
609:.
585:.
558:^
542:.
530:^
512:.
497:^
480:.
463:^
410:,
339:.
327:,
323:,
319:,
312:.
279:.
775:.
756:.
742:.
717:.
692:.
667:.
642:.
595:.
552:.
524:.
491:.
173:)
159:(
68:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
