(Press Release) DENVER, CO (February 7, 2013) – Old Chicago is rolling out its Tavern Thin Crust pizza, made with all-natural dough, a sweeter house made tomato sauce and a blend of mozzarella, Asiago and provolone cheeses, nationwide.

Currently, pizza accounts for half of Old Chicago’s food sales, with the bulk of those sales coming from its Chicago-Style Thick Crust. The new Tavern Thin Crust pizza, served in shareable square-cut pieces, provides an opportunity to increase the restaurant’s pizza sales by targeting new occasions – social gatherings like Happy Hour and group outings, and a new customer base that may prefer a more thin and crispy offering.

“Perfect for a gather around experience, we designed the pizza so the customer can hold a slice in one hand and a beverage in the other.” said Mike Thom, Director of Culinary Research & Development for Old Chicago Restaurants.  “We’re so excited about the taste of this pizza with its thin and crispy crust, that we’re billing it as our best pizza ever.”

Old Chicago has spent the last year testing the Tavern Thin Crust in sensory panels across the country receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback.  It will support the Tavern Thin Crust roll out with FSIs, direct mail and online and TV ad buys in select markets. The pizza offering is part of a larger brand refresh that will take place throughout 2013.

Old Chicago is a traditional, casual dining restaurant specializing in Chicago-style, made-from-scratch pizzas, pastas, calzones and salads. With more than three decades of success, Old Chicago has 96 restaurants operating in 22 states. For more information, visit www.oldchicago.com.