New Pizza Box Art: Ames Bros, Sasquatch, and an Award We’re Super Proud Of

If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound? And if you win an award that virtually none of your customers have ever heard of… does it count?

We vote yes, for what it took to earn it and what it’s helped build.

For more than a decade, we’ve used the Baldrige Excellence Framework, a standard for organizational excellence. It makes you examine how you lead, train, listen, improve, and measure results, then asks the hardest question: does any of it show up when it counts, like a Friday night at 6:30?

This fall, that work led to a recognition we’re proud of. Performance Excellence Northwest (PENW) recognized Pagliacci at the Mt. Denali Excellence Level, its highest honor, based on Baldrige. PENW serves Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and it’s the first time they’ve ever awarded the top level!

We didn’t start this journey because we wanted a trophy. We started it because we wanted to get better: tighter systems, better training, more consistency, fewer dropped balls, and a smoother operation that helps our crew do excellent work (and helps you get an excellent pizza). Along the way, Baldrige practices shaped key decisions and helped us weather hard seasons. The results have been real: fewer issues, longer manager tenure, and a steadier day-to-day.

Then came the fun part. After the celebrations and champagne, we did what we do when something matters to us. We called Ames Bros.

Ames Bros (Barry Ament and Coby Schultz) have been making iconic Northwest art since 1994, and they brought their signature wit to this one. For such a momentous occasion, we chose our biggest box. The new artwork starts rolling out next week.

Now the honest question: why should you care?

Because this recognition isn’t about us being fancy. It’s about you getting what you ordered, on time, made right, with consistency you can count on, from a company that keeps improving on purpose.

And it’s about our crew. This award reflects thousands of small things done right, day after day. We’re proud of them, grateful for them, and determined to keep earning it, one pie at a time.

So yes, it’s an award most people haven’t heard of. If it helps us keep delivering excellence and doing good every day, we’ll happily put it on a pizza box and get back to work.