Nancy's Pizza
Encyclopedia
Chicago Franchise Systems, Inc. operates italian-based Chicago-style restaurants in Illinois
area which specialize in Chicago-style cuisine They have operated since 1990, when they took over the popular Nancy's Pizza chain of pizzerias. Nancy's itself was started in 1971 by Nancy and Rocco Palese, a couple who claims to have invented the concept of stuffed pizza. Today, there are 36 Nancy's locations in Chicago metropolitan area, as well as two locations in the Atlanta, Georgia
area. CFS, Inc. also operates Al's Beef, a popular Italian beef
restaurant, usually annexed to a Nancy's location. There is one Al's Pizza location, which is located in Bolingbrook, Illinois
.
, Nancy and Rocco opened their first pizza parlor, Guy's Pizza, featuring a popular thin crust pizza, when friends tried to get the Palese's to experiment with pan pizza. Rather than imitate others, Rocco decided to introduce his own pizza, modeled after his family’s recipe for "scarciedda," an Easter
specialty cake.
In 1975, the pair opened the first Nancy's location in Harwood Heights, Illinois
, which could seat only 35 people. Three years later, they opened the first location in Chicago. In 1990, the Palese family sold the name Nancy’s Pizza and all development rights to Dave Howey, the president of Chicago Franchise Systems, Inc., who had been a licensee of the Palese’s since 1977. The first carry-out and delivery only location, Nancy's Express, opened in 1991.
Nancy's major competition comes from Giordano's and Lou Malnati's pizzerias for deep dish/stuffed pizza, and from Rosati's Pizza and Home Run Inn
for Chicago-style thin crust pie.
The original idea for the Italian beef sandwich was formed out of necessity. In the great depression era, meat was scarce. Chris and Al would go to family weddings and in order to make the meat go around, the family sliced it thinly and made sandwiches. The first official Al's Beef stand began as a small, curbside, outdoor, wooden neighborhood food stand with countertop service located on Laflin and Harrison Streets, in Chicago’s “Little Italy” neighborhood. The beef stand gradually grew and moved to its present location at 1079 W. Taylor Street, still in Chicago’s "Little Italy." It was here that they added Chicago hot dogs, fresh, homemade, hand-cut French fries, and Polish sausage to the menu. In 1999, Chicago Franchise Systems bought the rights to Al's #1 Italian Beef Restaurants. The first Al's franchised location opened in 2001 in Tinley Park, Illinois
.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
area which specialize in Chicago-style cuisine They have operated since 1990, when they took over the popular Nancy's Pizza chain of pizzerias. Nancy's itself was started in 1971 by Nancy and Rocco Palese, a couple who claims to have invented the concept of stuffed pizza. Today, there are 36 Nancy's locations in Chicago metropolitan area, as well as two locations in the Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
area. CFS, Inc. also operates Al's Beef, a popular Italian beef
Italian beef
An Italian beef is a sandwich of thin slices of seasoned roast beef, dripping with meat juices, on a dense, long Italian-style roll, believed to have originated in Chicago, where its history dates back at least to the 1930s...
restaurant, usually annexed to a Nancy's location. There is one Al's Pizza location, which is located in Bolingbrook, Illinois
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Bolingbrook is a large village in Will and DuPage Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2010 US Census, the population is 73,366...
.
History of Nancy's Pizza
Nancy and Rocco Palese had lived most of their adult lives in Turin, Italy before immigrating with their three children to the United States in 1969. After 18 months in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Nancy and Rocco opened their first pizza parlor, Guy's Pizza, featuring a popular thin crust pizza, when friends tried to get the Palese's to experiment with pan pizza. Rather than imitate others, Rocco decided to introduce his own pizza, modeled after his family’s recipe for "scarciedda," an Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
specialty cake.
In 1975, the pair opened the first Nancy's location in Harwood Heights, Illinois
Harwood Heights, Illinois
Harwood Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,297 at the 2000 census. The current Mayor is Arlene Jezierny...
, which could seat only 35 people. Three years later, they opened the first location in Chicago. In 1990, the Palese family sold the name Nancy’s Pizza and all development rights to Dave Howey, the president of Chicago Franchise Systems, Inc., who had been a licensee of the Palese’s since 1977. The first carry-out and delivery only location, Nancy's Express, opened in 1991.
Nancy's Menu
Although stuffed pizza (a variant of deep-dish pizza) is the trademark menu item at Nancy's they also offer a large menu of traditional Italian dishes, such as calzones, pasta, and mostacolli. Chicago Franchise Systems also operates the very popular Al's Beef in Chicago.Nancy's major competition comes from Giordano's and Lou Malnati's pizzerias for deep dish/stuffed pizza, and from Rosati's Pizza and Home Run Inn
Home Run Inn
Home Run Inn is a pizzeria chain based in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area of the United States. It has seven locations, including two in Chicago, Addison, IL, Bolingbrook, IL, Westmont, IL, Bellwood, IL, Melrose Park, IL and Darien, IL...
for Chicago-style thin crust pie.
History of Al's Beef
From its humble beginning back in 1938, brother Al Ferreri and his sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Chris Pacelli, Sr. began developing what is known today as Al's Beef.The original idea for the Italian beef sandwich was formed out of necessity. In the great depression era, meat was scarce. Chris and Al would go to family weddings and in order to make the meat go around, the family sliced it thinly and made sandwiches. The first official Al's Beef stand began as a small, curbside, outdoor, wooden neighborhood food stand with countertop service located on Laflin and Harrison Streets, in Chicago’s “Little Italy” neighborhood. The beef stand gradually grew and moved to its present location at 1079 W. Taylor Street, still in Chicago’s "Little Italy." It was here that they added Chicago hot dogs, fresh, homemade, hand-cut French fries, and Polish sausage to the menu. In 1999, Chicago Franchise Systems bought the rights to Al's #1 Italian Beef Restaurants. The first Al's franchised location opened in 2001 in Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. It is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago...
.
Awards
- 1975 - rating of Nancy’s Pizza by Chicago Magazine as "The Best Pizza in Chicago."
- 1979 - Chicago Magazine chose Nancy’s Pizza as "The Best Stuffed Pizza in Chicago."
- 1982 - ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-TV's People's Choice Poll chose Nancy’s Pizza as the maker of the "Best Pizza in Chicago." - 1984 - Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
chose Nancy’s Pizza as the "Best Stuffed Pizza in Chicago," - 1987 - Chicago Tribune chose Nancy’s Pizza as the maker of "The Best Fettuccine Alfredo in Chicago."
- 1999 - as one of the "Top 10 Sandwiches in America," a "Chicago Food Legend" and "Chicago's #1 Italian Beef Sandwich," an honor bestowed upon it by Chicago Magazine.