Staying in business for 60 years is no small feat—and in the restaurant world, it’s even more remarkable. Most restaurants close during their first year of operation, and nearly three-quarters of those that make it past the first year shutter their doors in the next three to five years. So the fact that Pinocchio’s Restaurant has been pumping out pizzas and much more for 60 years is, in a word, remarkable. To discover the secret to the restaurant’s long-standing success and how it plans to celebrate this momentous milestone, I sat down with Ted, Tim and Athena Volikas.
Pinocchio’s 101
First, a history lesson. Pinocchio’s original owner opened the restaurant in 1955 and established it as the first pizza parlor in Delaware County. When his lease was up in 1965, Tom Volikas, father of current owner Ted, took over the lease, bought the business, kept the name…and then had to learn how to make pizza.
Prior to Pinocchio’s, Tom (who came to the United States from Greece at the age of 18) ran a luncheonette in Springfield, where he cooked breakfast and lunch—but not pizza. The pizza-maker from the original restaurant stayed on to teach the tricks of the trade to Tom, who was already a pro at cooking Greek specialties as well as fine food. A skilled cook, Tom mastered the art in no time, and from then on there was no looking back. Since that time the restaurant has gone forward to extend the takeout area, grow the dining room from 30 to 100 seats, expand into a second building, acquire a liquor license, add an ice cream parlor (which has since been turned into the Beer Garden), put in a party room and, a little over five years ago, open Pinocchio’s Beer Garden To Go, a mix-and-match bottle shop that puts 1,000+ specialty brews into the happy hands of local beer lovers.
At its heart, the restaurant has always been and continues to be a family business. Ted, who worked at Pinocchio’s with his siblings and other family members growing up, took over from his father as owner in 1970. His daughter Athena started 10 years ago and handles the finances and marketing. Ted’s son Tim has worked at Pinocchio’s since high school, paying his dues by filling pretty much every in-house position before opening the Beer Garden a little over five years ago.
Ingredients to Success
When asked what he felt were the secrets to the long-standing success of Pinocchio’s, Ted was quick to answer: “consistency, innovation, staff and quality at a reasonable price.”
The cheesesteak company the restaurant uses? Pinocchio’s has been a customer for decades. Same with the vendor from which the restaurant buys its cheese, and of course they’ve used Amoroso’s rolls since day one. The sauce recipe hasn’t changed either. Consistency like this means that diners can expect the same high-quality product every time they visit. “When you find something that works, you stick with it,” Ted explained.
But at the same time, the restaurant has adapted along the way to bring new items to the table and suit the changing tastes of its customers. Pinocchio’s wasn’t just the first pizza parlor in the area; it was also the the first restaurant to offer Mexican food, six-foot subs and white pizza. Pinocchio’s was even the first area eatery to accept credit cards and to go completely non-smoking (a full year before it was the law).
As far as the staff, well, let’s just say that they’re loyal. Many of them have been with the restaurant for decades; one prep cook, Jimmy “Mac” Mackin, has been with Pinocchio’s for 35 years. In a business plagued by turnover, this is a testament to the way management runs the show. It’s a tight ship for sure, but one characterized by fairness and mutual respect.
“Coming to Pinocchio’s is a big thing for some families,” Ted went on to say. “And you can come in here and don’t have to break the bank for a nice night out.” No entrees on the menu (even the seafood entrees) are over $10. Burgers are $5.49; a 12-inch cheesesteak is $7.29. Even the most expensive item (a jumbo Sicilian pizza with everything) is just a bit over $24. On Mondays and Tuesdays, the restaurant offers a special deal that Ted is particularly proud of: half off a jumbo pizza with two toppings and a pitcher of soda or beer. Now that’s something the whole family can love.
Party Like It’s 1955
What’s next? With 60 successful years under its belt, Pinocchio’s plans to continue the tradition of satisfying folks both young and old with a five-day-long bash from Tuesday, May 12, to Saturday, May 16. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
Tuesday, May 12: In honor of its sixtieth birthday, Pinocchio’s is rolling back prices to 60 cents—yes, you read that right—on select menu items. All day long (while supplies last), head in for a slice of plain pizza, mini cheesesteak sandwich, hot dog, two tacos or a soda at this lower-than-low price.
Wednesday, May 13: Celebrate Hump Day and go back in time to the 1950s with a cheeseburger, fries and a shake for $5.99 or a hot dog, fries and a shake for just $4.99. That night, Nick McIlwain from WMMR’s Preston & Steve show will be visiting the Beer Garden with the MMR van from 7–9 p.m. to try a special pizza created just for him by his listening audience; Tim also plans to have unique beers on tap while Nick’s on-site.
Thursday, May 14: In keeping with its tradition of community involvement, Pinocchio’s will also be giving back during its anniversary celebration. Join the restaurant for dinner and 15% of your bill will be donated to one of four Media charities (your choice!)—the Delaware County SPCA, CASA, Be Proud Foundation and Family & Community Service of Delaware County.
Friday, May 15: Here’s something to TGIF for—get your weekend off on the right foot and pay homage to the year Pinocchio’s was founded with a jumbo pizza with one topping, pitcher of soda and your choice of mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, large fries or a large tossed salad for $19.55. Bonus: order the special and be entered into a raffle to win one free pizza a month for a year.
Saturday, May 16: Pinocchio’s is pulling out all the stops for a Family Fun Day celebration from noon–5 p.m., rain or shine, in the restaurant parking lot. Dig into free pizza, hot dogs and water ice; groove to some live tunes by Jimmy Shoe and the Shine (remember them?); and bring the kids for face painting, a bounce house, balloon animals and loads more activities. Grown-ups can get in on the fun by enjoying specialty samples from the Beer Garden.
Congratulations to Pinocchio’s Restaurant and the Volikas family for 60 years of much-deserved success. Here’s to 60 more—and beyond!
Pinocchio’s Restaurant is located at 131 E. Baltimore Ave. in Media; phone: (610) 566-7767.
Volikas family photo credits: Michele Kornegay; Beer Garden photo credit: Nina Lea Photography; remaining photo credits: Pinocchio’s Restaurant.
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