Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream

10/13/2026

B is for bacon. L is for lettuce. T is for “take me to Happy Joe’s.” 🥓🥬🍅

Who’s in? 🙋 Order your BLT Pizza today!

10/13/2026

Since 1972, Happy Joe’s has been where families gather for birthday parties, post-game celebrations, and Friday pizza nights. ❤️🍕

Now we’re starting a new chapter! Happy Joe’s has new Iowa-based owners who grew up with Happy Joe’s, just like so many of you. Our new president, Carlos Araujo, brings 30 years of restaurant experience. Together, they’re focused on getting back to what we do best: making family memories.

New menu items and fresh looks are on the way, and the taco pizza isn’t going anywhere. 😉

Read the full story from Franchise Times:

Since surviving a bankruptcy and pursuing new plans for growth, 54-year-old Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream has remained challenged in recent years.

10/09/2026

🙌 The weekend is HERE! And this BLT pizza is calling your name.

What’s on your Happy Joe’s order this weekend? Tell us in the comments.

10/06/2026

🍕 🍝 DINNER TONIGHT. DINNER TOMORROW. DONE!

Why stop at one meal? Through October, order any large pizza at regular price and add a ready-to-bake pasta that feeds 4 for just $10!

Choose from sausage, chicken Alfredo, or spaghetti & meatballs - and save more than $20 while you’re at it!

Order in-store or online with code PASTA.

Available at participating locations.

10/02/2026

Choose any large pizza at regular price and take home a ready-to-bake pasta that feeds 4 for just $10! That’s tomorrow’s dinner handled - and you’ll save more than $20!

👉 Order in-store or online using code PASTA!

Available through Oct. 31 at participating locations.

10/01/2026

October's Pizza of the Month is the Meatworks, and it's loaded with pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, beef AND bacon pieces. 🤤

Grab a large for just $21.99 all month long at participating locations!

09/30/2026

🔥 That first bite of pizza fresh from the oven? Nothing beats it. Especially when it’s hot, melty, and headed straight to your table.

09/30/2026

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Carlos Araujo, President, [email protected]

Local Investor Group Acquires Happy Joe's; Carlos Araujo Named President

New Quad Cities ownership commits to the food, the restaurants, and the franchise owners that made the brand a Midwest tradition.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (September 30, 2026) - A group of Quad Cities investors has acquired Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream, including the brand's franchising company and its three company-owned restaurants in Bettendorf and Davenport. Carlos Araujo, an executive with the ownership group, has been named President and will lead the company.

The new ownership said it is building on what already makes Happy Joe's special, and that its early work will focus on the fundamentals guests and franchise owners care about most, with changes introduced thoughtfully over time.

“Happy Joe's has meant something to families in this region for more than fifty years, and that is not something you take lightly,” said Araujo. “This is a brand people love, and our job is to take great care of it. Great food every visit, restaurants families are proud to bring their kids to, and birthday parties that create the same memories for the next generation that so many of us grew up with. That is where the work starts.”

Areas of early focus include:
- Great food on every visit, with the same care for dough, toppings, and portions at every location.
- Menu updates that celebrate the classics, including the taco pizza, while adding new items, family bundles and lunch options.
- Investing in the company-owned restaurants to make them even more welcoming.
- Growing the birthday party experience that generations of families have loved.
- Expanded support for franchise owners, including operator training and clearer store-level reporting.

“Franchise owners are the heart of this brand. They know their markets and their guests better than anyone,” Araujo said. “Our job is to be a franchisor that is engaged, available, and in their corner, so that every Happy Joe's has what it needs to thrive.”

Kari White, who owns the Happy Joe's franchise in Clinton, Iowa, said the change is exciting news for operators.

“Our guests love this brand, and they tell us every day what Happy Joe's means to their families,” White said. “That is what I am excited about. Celebrating the original taste and the quality this brand was built on, with a team behind us that is all in. As a franchisee, I am ready to put the Happy back in Joe's.”

The ownership group said naming Araujo was its first decision after reaching agreement on the transaction. He has operated restaurants alongside members of the group for a little over a year and brings extensive operating experience across several restaurant brands.

The company will remain headquartered in the Quad Cities, where it was founded. Additional announcements regarding the menu, the restaurants, and franchise development are expected in the months ahead.

About Happy Joe's
Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream opened its first restaurant on November 16, 1972, when founder Joe Whitty combined a pizzeria and an ice cream parlor in Davenport, Iowa. Whitty introduced the taco pizza in 1974, and it remains the brand's best-selling item. Happy Joe's operates franchised and company-owned restaurants across the Midwest and is known for its pizza, its ice cream, and the birthday parties that generations of families in the region grew up with. More information is available at happyjoes.com.

09/28/2026

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out for the Happy Joe’s Kids Micro-Marathon in Downtown Moline over the weekend!

We loved seeing so many kids of all ages and abilities lace up, get moving and cross that finish line!

Thanks for running with Happy Joe’s!

09/25/2026

🌮🍕 WEEKEND PLANS? MAKE IT A TACO JOE!

The pizza that started it all is calling your name! Grab a Taco Joe this weekend and dig into the pizza that made Happy Joe’s famous.

01/20/2024

Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Branson has temporarily closed for the season! We look forward to serving up some delicious Happy Joe's pizza in the spring!

01/19/2024

Lettuce belongs on a pizza! Order up a Taco Joe or a BLT from Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Branson at https://online.happyjoes.com/?uniqueStoreIdentifier=15328 #/.

01/18/2024

Don't forget to add on a cookie! It's delicious!

01/17/2024

Happy ! Order a large 2-topping pizza for $20.24 through Jan. 20! Order here: https://online.happyjoes.com/?uniqueStoreIdentifier=15328 #/

01/16/2024

Pizza on a cauliflower crust shouldn't taste this good! Order one now at https://online.happyjoes.com/?uniqueStoreIdentifier=15328 #/

01/16/2024

Warm yourself up a little for lunch with an oven-baked pasta from Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Branson! Give us a call at +1 417-332-0210 to place your order.

01/15/2024

Make sure to try out new dessert cookie! It's one big chocolate chip cookie and we're donating $1 per cookie sold to CORE. It's an organization that helps support food and beverage employees with children when facing a qualifying medical crisis or natural disaster.

01/15/2024

Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Branson is the perfect spot for your next family night out! Join us every Monday and Tuesday from 4 p.m. to close for our amazing Family Night deal. For only $23.49, you can enjoy any large pizza and up to four drinks (2L for carryout/delivery). Bring the whole gang and create some unforgettable memories with us!

01/15/2024

Plenty of hot and fresh pizza available on the lunch buffet at Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream - Branson!

01/15/2024

Win free pizza for a year from Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream!
1. Post a favorite picture of you at Happy Joe's.
2. Use the hashtag
3. Tag your Happy Joe's restaurant

The contest is open from Jan. 15-21. We'll pick our favorite pic and announce the winner on Jan 22. The winning poster will get FREE PIZZA FOR A YEAR!!! (1 large pizza per month for 12 months)