How does a pizzeria keep guests happy after 50 years? For the Spinato family, owners of Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen, there have been many additions to the menu over the years, design upgrades to restaurants and expanded collaborations with local partners. But the key to Spinato’s success has been a dedicated focus on providing “the Spinato’s experience” to loyal guests and families, many of whom have kept them in business for five decades.
“From the moment you walk into one of our restaurants, we want you to feel like part of a big family,” said Anthony Spinato, CEO and co-owner of Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen. “We are constantly training our team members, who do a phenomenal job of making our guests feel at home. We don’t cut corners in the kitchen and we also set our bar very high for takeout, delivery and catering services. Ultimately, we want to exceed our guests’ expectations each time they choose to dine with us.”
5 decades of growth
When Ken and Elaine Spinato opened their first pizzeria in 1974 in Scottsdale at 68th Street and McDowell Road, their sales on opening day totaled 69 cents for an iced tea. Today, Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen welcomes guests at six locations in Gilbert, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale and Phoenix. Spinato’s is also the “official pizza” of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, serving its fresh pizza at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.
Best known for its classic Chicago-style pizza with a signature sweet sauce, the popular, veteran-owned restaurant also features a diverse menu with everything from pizza and sandwiches, robust pastas and spaghetti-stuffed calzones to gluten-free and vegan options, fresh signature salads and Spinato’s famous home-made Italian desserts.
Anthony Spinato and his sister, Nicole Spinato-Kienlen, office manager and food team lead, have been working in the family business since they were teenagers. As the family expanded, their spouses took on integral roles. Jaime Spinato, Anthony’s wife, serves as brand manager and community outreach director. Chris Kienlen, Nicole’s husband, is the restaurant’s catering manager. As family patriarch, Ken Spinato continues to play an active role by visiting each restaurant, greeting guests and providing timely feedback to the Spinato’s team.
In 2018, Spinato’s moved its corporate headquarters from its small location on Smith Road into a two-story building down the street in Tempe, and then opened a restaurant near Tempe Marketplace in 2019.
“We realized we had to manage the complexities of growth, and that’s when we launched our family kitchen, where we make fresh dough and sauce every morning and experiment with recipes,” said Anthony Spinato. “We make about 40,000 pounds of dough each month and 37 proprietary items, all from fresh ingredients.”
He also gives credit to the more than 420 employees who are the heart of the Spinato’s team: “We often say we’re in the ‘people business,’ not the ‘pizza business,’ and none of our success would be possible without our incredible team members. Without them, we would just be a family with a lot of ideas."
Stay Golden Pizza to benefit Magicians on Mission
To celebrate its golden anniversary, Spinato’s will introduce new menu items this month, including a new keto crust option made from chicken. In addition, Spinato’s will expand their bar menu to include local-only breweries, with the exception of bottled beer.
Spinato’s also introduces its new 50th anniversary Stay Golden Pizza this month at all six locations, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Magicians on Mission. Founded by magician and comedian Chris Rose, the Phoenix-based nonprofit recruits the best magicians from North America to boost the morale and emotional health of American service members deployed overseas.
The pizza is built with carefully curated ingredients, and each bite is unique. It includes a fig and roasted red pepper base, mozzarella cheese, nduja sausage, cherry tomato confit, pickled red onion, ricotta cheese, lonzino salami, Stracciatella cheese, fresh basil, Saba Italian drizzle and gold flakes. The special pizza is available for dine in only. Prices: Gluten free, $20; small, $25; and large, $50.
“This extraordinary pizza celebrates our 50th anniversary, while doing our favorite thing, giving back to our community,” Jaime Spinato said. “It is a way that we can help bring the Spinato’s experience to our service members across the world. It is the most unique pizza we have ever created.”
To celebrate Spinato’s 50th anniversary, 50 lucky guests who follow their newsletter this year will have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate on their birthday in 2024.
“We’re full of gratitude for our amazing guests and our dedicated team members,” said Anthony Spinato. “We’re planning many other fun events and contests throughout the year. Giving back to our community is incredibly important to us, so stay tuned for more on how you can help us support worthy nonprofits, like Magicians on Mission, St. Vincent de Paul and Dogs 4 Vets, just to name a few.”
To learn more, visit SpinatosPizzeria.com
