Lou Malnati's pizza celebrates 55 years in business with special deal
Wednesday marked the last day to help celebrate Lou Malnati's pizzeria's 55th birthday with a special deal.
Lou's shared a fun video of Malnati family members — Gaby Malnati of the third generation in the family business; her dad, Rick; Rick's older brother, Marc; and their mother, Jean Malnati-Miller — toasting pints of beer to 55 years. But Gaby's dad is quick to point out that he was still changing her diapers about 55 seconds ago.
To celebrate Founder's Day, Lou's has offered a large deep-dish pizza or an extra-large thin-crust cheese pizza for $19.71. The offer was good on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
To get the special price, visitors should use the code LOU1971 at checkout.
The price references the year Lou's opened — 1971.
In fact, it was March 17, 1971 — St. Patrick's Day, and 55 years ago to the day on Tuesday — that the aforementioned Jean Malnati-Miller and her husband, Lou Malnati himself, opened their first pizzeria in Lincolnwood.
"Lou always thought it was funny that an Italian should open a pizzeria in a Jewish neighborhood on an Irish holiday, but that was just Lou's style," Lou's says on the pizzeria website. "He wanted his restaurant to be a model of hospitality, a place dedicated to family."
The Chicago subreddit has been quick to note that Lou Malnati bore a resemblance to Wayne Knight of "Seinfeld" and "Jurassic Park" fame, and has suggested that Knight should play Malnati if a film about Lou Malnati's is ever made.
That opening day did not exactly go off without a hitch. Lou's notes that a car crashed through the walls of the main dining room at dinner hour.
"Looking back on it, Jean says this incident made for an 'exciting' opening day, but like with all things, the Malnatis bounced back," Lou's writes.
The Malnatis were successful in Lincolnwood, and opened another pizzeria in Elk Grove Village near O'Hare International Airport in November 1971. A road construction project interfered with business, but the Elk Grove Village location proved successful after the 14-month project concluded.
A third pizzeria opened in south suburban Flossmoor in 1977. This one did not work out and ended up closing.
Lou Malnati himself died of cancer in 1978. He was only 47. His son, Marc, joined mother Jean after graduating from college, and the debts from the unsuccessful Flossmoor restaurant were paid off.
Marc joined his mother and brother in 1981, and expansion took off again. A Wilmette location opened that same year, followed by a location in Northbrook in 1981, Schaumburg in 1985, Chicago's River North district in 1986, and Buffalo Grove in 1989. For the last of these, people lined up for hours to get in, Lou's said.
Lou's also established a presence at the Taste of Chicago and other festivals.
Today, Lou Malnati's has 61 locations in Illinois — 60 in the greater Chicago area and one more in Rockford — along with six locations in Arizona, five in Wisconsin, and six in Indiana.
The original Lou Malnati's, at 6649 Lincoln Ave. in Lincolnwood, is still one of those locations.
A 61st Chicago area location will open in the fall in west suburban St. Charles.
Lou's attributes its success to its commitment to quality, with mouthwatering choices of words for its pizza: "Each pizza is handmade from scratch with the finest ingredients—California vine-ripened tomatoes, our exclusive seasoned sausage, and mozzarella from the same small dairy we've partnered with for over 40 years. The family's secret flaky, buttery crust recipe has been passed down for generations, ensuring every bite is made with care."
That pizza can also be shipped anywhere in the country.
