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32 | October 6, 2016 | The Mokena Messenger Dining Out
mokenamessenger.com
The Dish
MOD Pizza finds way to make chain feel local in Orland Park
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
When MOD Pizza first
opened its doors in 2008 in
downtown Seattle, its fresh
concept was then a novel
idea: Take the already infinitely
modifiable delicacy
that is pizza, apply Chipotle-esque
fast casual counter
service and toss in an 800-degree
oven for rapidly-served,
ever-creative tastes in a family-friendly
environment.
And it worked. The chain
has continued to grow — it is
on track to hit 200 stores by
the end of the year — since
first permeating the Chicago
market with North Shore and
Western suburban locations.
But by the time MOD
Pizza arrived in Orland Park
with No. 156 this past month,
it found a market already introduced
to similar — if not
quite exact — concepts in the
likes of Wooden Paddle Pizza
and Pronto Pizza Kitchen,
one of which literally resides
just across the street. And
both boast the hometown
advantage of being Orland
Park-first restaurants.
So how does a chain like
MOD Pizza compete?
To start, it makes sure it
looks a lot more local than
the usual franchise.
“It’s very localized,” said
Peter Nielsen, MOD’s Chicago
district manager. “The
community knows we’re
here, and we know they’re
here.”
That recognition hits customers
the second they walk
through MOD’s doors, where
they are greeted by large,
three-dimensional block letters
spelling “Orland Park”
across the wall, leading up to
the counter. Across the way
is an entire wall featuring images
of area school logos and
local sites, as well as Illinois
customers and MOD Squad
(staff) members.
“It’s near and dear to my
The Wall of Fame inside MOD Pizza in Orland Park features
images of everything from school logos to area customers
to the company’s staff.
heart,” Nielsen said of what
is dubbed the Wall of Fame.
“We don’t have any pictures
of food up on the walls. We
celebrate our people.”
That is the other key ingredient
to MOD’s success.
It touts itself as a people-first
company. It sells some beer
and wine (two drafts, four
bottles, two wines in Orland
Park) along with its pizzas,
but it is first and foremost a
family spot. It plays trendy
music, but keeps it low to remain
“inviting.”
“We want people to have
conversations,” Nielsen explained.
“We want people to
talk. We want to be a family
atmosphere.”
But rather than seeking
conformity from its staff to
achieve that goal — Nielsen
said he asks that employees
try to treat every customer as
they would their grandparents
— it welcomes individuality.
“They’re all MOD in the
sense that they have personalities,”
Nielsen said. “And
they’re not afraid to show
them.”
The restaurant took another
step toward endearing
itself to the community
upon its opening Sept. 23.
The chain partners with local
causes for its grand openings,
and in Orland Park The
Bridge Teen Center was the
beneficiary of nearly $1,600
in pizza sales during MOD’s
grand opening event.
At its core, however, MOD
is a pizza place, and to succeed
it must deliver on that
front. MOD’s proven approach
is that of a menu that
is deceptively simple while
offering a wealth of options.
At the core of that menu
are pizzas and salads, both
of which pull from the same
collection of roughly 50 ingredients,
from typical items
like red sauce, pepperoni and
green peppers to more diverse
options that include a
garlic rub, dairy-free cheese,
garbanzo beans and a balsamic
fig glaze, with plenty
in between. Diners can
choose from the nine classic
pizzas — most with names
somehow tied to members
of the company — and three
salads, or start completely
from scratch.
Beyond that, customers
are simply tasked with picking
a size for the pizza. Minis
run $4.87, MODs $7.87 and
megas $10.87. Salads cost
$9.87. Beyond that, the toppings
are “unlimited.” So
while a classic like the Dillon
James — featuring red sauce,
The Dillon James — also known as the No. 7 — features red sauce, garlic, fresh chopped
basil, mozzarella, tomatoes and Asiago. It is one of the classic pies at the MOD Pizza chain,
which recently opened its first southwest suburban Chicago location in Orland Park.
Photos by Bill Jones/22nd Century Media
MOD Pizza
15139 S. LaGrange
Road in Orland Park
Hours
• 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
• 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
• 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday
For more information ...
Web: modpizza.com
Phone: (708) 737-7359
garlic, fresh chopped basil,
mozzarella, tomatoes and
Asiago — might hit the spot
on its own for some, customers
with diverging tastes are
welcome to tweak the formula
at no extra charge.
The restaurant says it is nut
free. It also offers a glutenfree
crust. And for vegan
guests, both the dough and
red sauce already are vegan,
and MOD offers vegan mozzarella
to boot. Its open view
of the ingredients and oven
also make it easy to see how
everything is put together.
“No secrets here,” Nielsen
MOD Pizza Orland Park General Manager Hakeem Bello
pieces together a pie.
said. “We’re just trying to
make good food.”
Beyond those core offerings,
the menu features garlic
and cinnamon strips (with
dip options) for $2.97 apiece,
MODshakes, fountain drinks
and floats. But the menu essentially
stops there, and that
is by design.
“We just want to keep it
simple,” Nielsen said. “We
like the idea that people can
just come in and make a pizza.”
As simple and yet openended
as that concept is the
restaurant’s name. Does
it stand for “Made on Demand”?
Modifications? A
nod to the 1960s British subculture
fashion? All of the
above?
When asked, Nielsen plays
coy regarding the answer.
“People can make MOD
whatever they want,” he said.
“That’s really what it’s about
... allow [customers] to be
themselves, show their personalities.
That’s what we’re
about.
“It’s just pizza. It’s fun. It’s
fast. It’s a good time.”