Shakey's Pizza® Returns To Utah Serving Up A Slice Of Nostalgia And The World's Greatest Pizza™ Buffet

Online, April 13, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Shakeyʼs®, the legendary 55-year old restaurant chain, brings pizza back together with the parlor as it celebrates its return to Utah, after more than a decadeʼs absence. The American Fork location, scheduled to open April 27, 2011 at The Meadows Shopping Center, marks the first of two all-day pizza buffet restaurants slated to open in the greater Salt Lake region this year. Known for its trademark Worldʼs Greatest Pizza, the iconic American restaurant concept is a destination for families looking to share great food and good times at an exceptional value.

"Whether you grew up with Shakeyʼs and are rediscovering its magic or are experiencing the family dining and entertainment destination for the first time, Shakeyʼs Pizza Parlor® is the place where memories are made for team celebrations, birthday parties or a family night out," says Shakeyʼs Area Business Partner Marc Rugg. "Everyone has a story or a fond memory about Shakeyʼs. In bringing the restaurant back to Utah, we hope to preserve the heritage and inspire that same special feeling to a new generation of fans," Rugg adds.

As part of its engagement with the Utah community, Shakeyʼs has partnered with Pony Express Days Community Hero, a program that annually honors children with special needs. On April 28th, Shakeyʼs American Fork will host a fundraiser for the Eagle Mountain Cityʼs Community Hero Award, donating a percentage of all food and beverage revenue to the 2011 award recipients. The award winners will be announced during Eagle Mountain Cityʼs Pony Express Days in May.

Originally conceived in 1954 as a social gathering place where friends and families could get together for hot pizza and sing-along ragtime music, the original Shakeyʼs Pizza concept sets the stage for the Utah parlor atmosphere. The newest restaurant embraces this heritage while adding a modern spin - including an all day-buffet featuring a wide variety of gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads and Shakeyʼs famous Mojo® Potatoes and signature root beer floats; a
game room for kids of all ages; big screen TVʼs, classic American music and familiar pop-culture memorabilia.

"The brandʼs expansion into the Southwest is a further sign of Shakeyʼs expanding renaissance and successful transformation from a merely nostalgic brand to a relevant restaurant chain experiencing exponential growth," says Joe Remsa, Shakeyʼs Pizza president and CEO. "In todayʼs hectic, time-pressed schedules, itʼs the one place that invites family and friends to kick back, relax and authentically connect around the simple tradition of sharing a meal."

For special offers and information on upcoming Shakeyʼs Grand Opening events in Utah, ʻlikeʼ Shakeyʼs Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shakeyspizzautah.

Shakeyʼs Pizza Parlor is located at 496 North 900 West, The Meadows Shopping Center, American Fork, Utah.
Phone (801) 492-4082

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ABOUT SHAKEYʼS USA
Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson opened the first Shakeyʼs Pizza Parlor in a remodeled grocery store on 57th and J Street in Sacramento, California in 1954. Originally established as "ye public house" for pizza & beer, Johnson indulged his passion for Dixieland jazz and added live ragtime music to mix, featuring banjos and player pianos throughout his rapidly expanding franchise. As the concept caught on, the Shakeyʼs name became synonymous with The Worldʼs Greatest Pizza along with light-hearted slogans such as "Youʼll have fun at Shakeyʼs, also pizza," and "You can feed your face at any old place, but you can warm your heart at Shakeyʼs." Since that time, Shakeyʼs has been a pop-culture staple referenced in countless television shows, films and even by Bob Hope during an Academy Awards broadcast. And its most famous employee, actor Billy Bob Thornton, continues to share his Shakeyʼs memories in every interview he gives. Shakeyʼs USA®, Inc. is headquartered in Alhambra, CA. For more information and locations, visit www.shakeys.com.