GOODBYE JEFF!

One of the things that we are the most proud of is our long term relationship with our suppliers. We are truly fortunate to have close relationships with several companies that keep us stocked with fresh and delicious ingredients to make our pizza and various other products that we need to keep our restaurants running smoothly. In fact, when our founders, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel, decided to retire, they were keenly aware of the impact that ending a relationship with a distributor could have on the distributor’s business. A perk of Zach and Barbara’s decision to sell the company to the employees (read more about our ESOP here), was that our relationships with our distributors stayed intact!

We were reminded of the notability of our relationship with one such supplier, Mike Hudson Distributing, based in Petaluma, CA, when we learned about one of our long term delivery drivers getting a route change. Jeff has been delivering to Zachary’s for 14 years!! He learned a few weeks ago that he could have the opportunity to drive in Humboldt County. This was a good move for him, so he let us know that he was saying good bye. The management team immediately moved to put together a Zachary’s care package for him, wrapped up in one of the pizza boxes he has been delivering to us since 2003. Here is a picture of Jeff cheesin’ with Zachary’s employee owners Mario, Arturo and Hugo:
Four men are standing in a storage room filled with stacks of pizza boxes and other supplies. They are casually dressed and smiling at the camera.

Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but Jeff said he would miss us the most!

Best of luck to Jeff as he embarks on this new journey!

ZACHARY’S WINS BEST PIZZA FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN

Illustration featuring the Golden Gate Bridge and a butterfly in shades of blue and orange. Text reads SFBG 2017 Best of the Bay is here! The background has swirling orange and blue patterns.Woo-hoo! We are pleased as pie (!!) to share exciting news from Bay Area Guardian: We won Best Pizza! We feel super honored to receive this award, especially since we don’t have any locations in San Francisco… a city of amazing food and delicious pizza!

Check out all of the winners here. There are some pretty amazing spots on this list! Time to map out our dining-destination-desires for 2018! We could not be more excited.

A woman and a man smile while holding a large certificate. The certificate reads SFBG 48hills Best of the Bay 2017 and Winner for Best Pizza awarded to Zacharys Pizza. The scene is warmly lit, and the background is a dimly lit venue.

Naji and Sammi accepting our award at the Best of the Bay Winner’s Party

NEW SPECIALS: CHICKEN ALFREDO AND ROASTED POTATO!

A freshly baked pizza topped with melted cheese, bacon bits, and spinach sits on a metal tray. It has been sliced into eight pieces, with one slice slightly removed by a spatula, resting on a wooden surface near a window.We have a brand new, never-before-featured-at-Zachary’s pizza special in San Ramon and Pleasant Hill! It’s the Zachary’s Chicken Alfredo pizza! This tomato sauce-free pizza uses a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce to bind and connect the other flavors on the pizza: our free range chicken breast, fresh spinach, bacon and mozzarella cheese. It’s available as a thin crust pizza only. We are super excited to try something new; we hope that you are too. It’s only around for a limited time!

 

A deep-dish pizza topped with a chunky tomato sauce, diced potatoes, and onions. The crust is thick and golden brown, and the toppings are generously spread, giving a hearty appearance.In Oakland and Berkeley, we are bringing back the ultimate in comfort pizza… our Roasted Potato pizza. This deliciously delightful pie is made with oven roasted red potatoes, chopped onion, garlic, fresh rosemary and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s available stuffed or thin crust.

Both pizzas are only available for a limited time! Plan accordingly!

ZACHARY’S GREEK SALAD IS BACK

A fresh salad on a white plate featuring leafy greens, sliced cucumber, kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, pepperoncini peppers, and a drizzle of red dressing, placed on a wooden surface.We’ve heard your demands! The Zachary’s Greek salad is back as of TODAY at all four locations! Made with Romaine, baby spinach, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cucumbers, feta and our delightfully tangy, house-made red pepper vinaigrette, this salad is a perfect start to a meal! Or, add chicken to make the Zachary’s Greek a healthy, hearty entree.

It’s available fir a limited time only, so catch it while you can!

 

 

ZACHARY’S CELEBRATES EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP MONTH

Happy National Employee Ownership Month!

Zachary’s is an ESOP. What is an ESOP, you ask? ESOP stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan. All of Zachary’s stock is owned by the employees. ESOPs are federally governed, defined contribution plans. More info here: National Center for Employee Ownership.

When Zachary’s founders, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel, decided it was time to retire, instead of selling to a third party buyer or (gasp!) dissolving our beloved restaurants, they sold the company to the employees. Little by little, the Zachary’s crew bought more and more of the company until we became officially 100% employee owned in 2010.

A group of people seated in a classroom, attentively facing the front. The room is filled, with a variety of individuals of different ages. A whiteboard is visible in the background. The atmosphere appears to be focused and engaged.To kick off employee ownership month, we hosted our Annual ESOP Meetings. This is a chance for our whole crew to get together to learn about our business and learn about the ESOP. In the photo on the left, employee owners eagerly await the start of the meeting… and the unveiling of Zachary’s 2016 share value!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH AT ZACHARY’S

A person with curly hair smiles while flexing their arm muscles. They wear a pink shirt with Zacharys Chicago Pizza on the back. Colorful pizza-themed art is on the wall behind them.It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month! For the entire month of October, Zachary’s will be selling pink t-shirts! We started selling pink t-shirts in 2014 after a group of Zachary’s employee owners participated in the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk in San Francisco. The walk was inspirational, a great place to learn and LOTS of fun.

Since 2014, we have continued the tradition of raising money for the American Cancer Society with our pink t-shirt sales. This year, t-shirts will be sold from our Oakland location on College Avenue and our Pleasant Hill location. All proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society!

SAN RAMON & PLEASANT HILL: BUFFALO CHICKEN

A slice of pepperoni pizza with melted cheese and a drizzle of white sauce is being lifted from a pizza tray, revealing the remaining pizza. The crust is golden brown, and the toppings are generously spread.We have a new special in Pleasant Hill and San Ramon! It’s the Buffalo Chicken Pizza! This spicy special is made with our free-range chicken breast marinated in a cayenne pepper “wing sauce” with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and topped with our house-made blue cheese dressing. This pizza is available stuffed or thin crust for a limited time!

Our CEO (Kevin) grew up in Buffalo, NY and drew inspiration for this pizza from the sauce of his homeland. Kevin writes, “Growing up in Buffalo, pizza night always meant pepperoni pizza and a bucket of chicken wings with blue cheese dressing. The flavor of Buffalo wings and pepperoni pizza work really well together, so I figured why not try combining those flavors on our pizza?”

We think you will enjoy this combination just as much as Kevin did as a kid in Buffalo.

SUMMER SALAD AT ZACHARY’S: CAPRESE

A plate of caprese salad featuring slices of red and yellow tomatoes layered with mozzarella cheese. The dish is garnished with fresh basil leaves and accompanied by a few black olives, drizzled with olive oil.We are introducing a Caprese salad to our menu at all four locations for a limited time!

This tasty dish features heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella dressed with olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Perfect food to beat the end-of-summer heat! $11.95 + tax

 

ZACHARY’S CREW SUMMER PARTY

Every summer, Zachary’s likes to do something to celebrate our fantastic, fun-loving, hard-working, and oh-so-wonderful crew! This summer, we had a blast celebrating summer in Castle Rock Park!

On two separate days (we have to keep the restaurants open, so we have to have two parties… poor us, huh?!), we played basketball, cornhole, ladder golf, tossed around a football and ate way too much BBQ. We also got to enjoy the pool, which was perfect since it was HOT in Walnut Creek! For many, the highlight of the day was a relay race that culminated in Zachary’s Trivia! Major congrats to the winning teams!

Our crew is the best and getting everyone together always results in a lot of laughs, a lot of fun, and a truly joyful celebration of the best part of Zachary’s.

A person with cream on their face is smiling at the camera while bending slightly forward. They are standing in a grassy park with trees and a hilly landscape in the background. The person is wearing a sleeveless black top and orange shorts. People are participating in a three-legged race on a grassy field under a clear blue sky, with hills and trees in the background. They are running in pairs, each with their legs tied together, and spectators watch from the side. A group of people is gathered outdoors, posing for a photo under trees with a banner reading Picnic behind them. Some hold red cups, and there are balloons tied to a tree. The ground is covered in dirt and leaves. Three people are posing outdoors for a selfie, smiling and enjoying a sunny day. The woman on the left has sunglasses on her head, the woman in the middle is wearing sunglasses, and the man on the right is wearing a white T-shirt. People are outdoors on grass in a hilly area under a clear blue sky. They are engaging in a playful piggyback race. Some are crouching, while others ride on their backs. Spectators watch from the background. People are participating in a three-legged race on a grassy field, with trees and hills in the background. Participants are working together in pairs, smiling and enjoying the activity. A group of people stands outdoors in a grassy area with trees and hills in the background. A table in the foreground is set with glasses, plates, and bottles. Some individuals hold drinks, and they appear to be enjoying a casual gathering. A group of people outdoors on a sunny day, engaging in a wheelbarrow race on a grassy field. Hills and trees are in the background. Some participants are racing, while others watch and cheer. Two men play cornhole in a shaded outdoor park area. One man, wearing sunglasses and holding a bean bag, is in mid-throw. The other man is leaning over the board, adjusting a bean bag. Trees and picnic tables are in the background. A person wearing a hat, sunglasses, and athletic gear runs energetically across a grassy area with a rope on the ground. Trees and a hillside are in the background under a clear blue sky. Four people with whipped cream on their faces and wearing casual summer clothes, stand smiling and laughing in a park with grassy hills and trees in the background. One person is pointing upwards. A table with plates of food and drinks on it.

 

ZACHARY’S BOCCE SQUAD: DOUGHBALLS!

The Zachary’s Bocce team has been living it up in the Pleasant Hill Parks and Recreation Bocce League! Check out some team members/employee owners in action!

A man in a yellow shirt is playing bocce on a gravel court, throwing a ball. Two other men stand nearby, one holding a drink. Theres a chain-link fence and a small building in the background with trees around.

Luis!

Person playing bocce on a court. They are mid-throw, wearing sunglasses and casual clothes. Several bocce balls are on the ground. In the background, a group of people stands by a table with a colorful tablecloth and various decorative items.

Kate!

Three bocce balls on a sandy surface: one green, one red, and a smaller white ball clustered closely together.

A man in a black t-shirt and shorts plays bocce ball on a sandy court. Two women sit on a nearby bench with a cooler, one drinking from a cup. Trees and a grassy area are in the background.

Tyler!

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