Creating magical memories through great pizza is at the core of what makes Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor the perfect, family-friendly place to sit down and indulge in a comfort meal.

Whether it’s tasting the iconic taco pizza, Happy Joe’s number one seller, or trying their wide range of desserts, breakfast food and pasta, the Midwest-based restaurant is one to remember and will soon be opening branches in Tucson and Phoenix.

“I love Arizona myself, but I also know how family-oriented Arizona is,” said CEO, Chief Happiness Officer and Happy Joe’s President Tom Sacco. “Whether you’re into the kids stores, or you’re going to be doing stuff up in Prescott, or going further up to the Grand Canyon, it’s got all kinds of wonderful opportunities and it’s such a great fit for Happy Joe’s.”

Happy Joe’s first started in Iowa in 1972, and since then has spread rapidly across the United States. The restaurant offers the Tucson community a different take on pizza, especially when it comes to their original taco pizza connecting with Mexican food and culture that is prevalent in the Tucson area.

Sacco himself used to live in Scottsdale and brought successful companies like BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews to Arizona and is excited about the expansion of Happy Joe’s into the Southwest.

“Happy Joe’s will make a lifelong impression and that’s what makes it really wonderful because we don’t look at the business like a lot of people do,” Sacco said. “We look at it like, what do we have to do to make magical memories for children?”

While Happy Joe’s appeals to younger generations and their families, the restaurant has the goal of creating food and an atmosphere that will foster an emotional connection with people of all ages, including college students like those at the University of Arizona, Sacco said.

Hannah Ziebell, a junior at the UA, is excited at the arrival of a new pizza location in the area.

“My family used to do pizza every Sunday, so this will be a new opportunity for me to go out and try a new restaurant,” Ziebell said.

She says the range of menu items caught her eye and Ziebell is confident the distinctness of the Happy Joe’s food will attract a lot of people.

“I’m one who likes a sweet treat and I also think that the unique pizza ideas will get college kids to come together with friends,” Ziebell said.

Ava Widener, another student at the UA, has similar feelings about Happy Joe’s and their diverse menu, especially when it comes to the college student struggle of finding different things to eat on and around campus.

“I think their menu will be really appealing to college students because it’s nice to have variety and change from the normal college food,” Widener said.

The sophomore regularly tries new food places with her friends and is excited about trying Happy Joe’s with them when it opens in Arizona.

According to Sacco, the arrival of Happy Joe’s provides Tucson with a place to enjoy “comfort food on a pizza pie” at a restaurant that will add a lot of value to the community, as the company is a big giver back to their locals.

“I can tell you in my 40 plus years in this industry, I’ve never seen a restaurant company that has such an emotional connection with a brand like people do with Happy Joe’s,” Sacco said. “We’re not out to be the biggest, we’re not even out to be the best from that standpoint. We’re out to be the best for families.”

At this time there is no set opening date for Happy Joe’s in Tucson, but the branches in Arizona are expected to open sometime in 2025.