A pair of pizzerias on opposite ends of the country—Eepa’s Pizzeria in Bayfield, Colorado, and Rony’s Place Restaurant and Pizzeria in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania—have begun offering free pizza meal kits to families with children age 12 and under.
The Stir Crazy Pizza Kits aren’t just nourishing for the body. They provide entertainment for kids who are cooped up at home—and possibly driving Mom and Dad batty—during the coronavirus pandemic. Kids can prep and make the pizzas themselves, with cheese, pepperoni or pineapple options from Eepa’s Pizzeria and cheese, pepperoni or ground beef varieties from Rony’s Place.
The kits come with fun, educational booklets, which include activities, games and jokes, created by the Eepa’s Pizzeria staff and shared with Rony’s Place.
Rony’s Pizzeria also created an amusing instructional video on Facebook to help the kids through the process. It starts with an employee identified as Helga washing her hands thoroughly and cleaning the prep area. Then she demonstrates the method for pressing and stretching the dough ball and topping and cooking the pizza in a home oven.
Customers are asked to call ahead to reserve the pizza kits, which can then be picked up inside at the cash register at Eepa’s or via curbside at Rony’s Place.
Both pizzerias noted that they have limited supplies of dough and ingredients and have been accepting donations from local businesses and churches to buy additional ingredients. Pizza kits are limited to one per family.
Customers have been posting photos of their kids with the pizza kits on both pizzerias’ Facebook pages. One Eepy’s Pizzeria patron noted, “The pizza was delicious, but that is not really why I am writing. I wanted to thank you for the 30 minutes after the pizza went in the oven and then while they ate. PEACE and QUIET thanks to your activity booklets. Seriously, no arguing, no yelling, just pure nothing.”
In a March 21 post, Eepa’s reported that it was receiving about 40 calls per hour, both for standard orders and the free Stir Crazy Pizza Kits.
