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PHILADELPHIA’S FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS BAR

For those in search of the ultimate game day experience, Chickie’s and Pete’s is the place to be, offering an award-winning mix of delicious cuisine and live, watch-along sports action

Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Harry Thurlow

Sports bars serve as essential community anchors – they transform isolated digital media consumption into a collective, shared ritual, fostering social inclusion and local economic support.

As pillars of any local community, these sacred and vital spaces allow fans to share the triumphs of a win and the misery of a loss together, building social cohesion in an electric and friendly atmosphere – paired with great food and drink.

Part of this great tradition, Chickie’s and Pete’s is a sports bar and restaurant chain privately owned and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Spanning almost 50 years, Chickie’s and Pete’s has grown to become a national powerhouse, synonymous with one-of-a-kind menu items and an unmatched game day experience for sports and food fans alike.

What started out as a single corner

bar has transformed into one of the most recognizable brands in the entire food and beverage industry, receiving countless awards from both local and national media, including TV, radio, magazines, and more.

Indeed, in 2011, TV broadcaster ESPN crowned Chickie’s and Pete’s the number one sports bar in North America.

THE ORIGINAL CHICKIE’S AND PETE’S

The brand’s story started in 1977 when Pete and Henrietta Ciarrocchi purchased the Robbins Avenue taproom in the Mayfair neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia.

Pete set about making a few personal changes, adding stools to the standing-only bar, lifting the ‘men only’ rule, and naming it after himself and his wife, whom everyone called Chickie.

CHICKIE’S AND PETE’S SIGNATURE MENU

These Chickie’s and Pete’s favorites are what put the brand on the map:

• Crabfries – Come see what all the hype is about – these iconic crinkle-cut fries are hand-tossed in a secret blend of spices and served with not one but two sides of white cheese sauce. Get them to share or keep them all for yourself –a visit to Chickie’s and Pete’s is never complete without an order.

• Mussels – Served in the company’s famous red sauce or garlicky, spicy white wine sauce, the mussels come served in a heaping bowl, steaming with signature flavors and oven-baked Italian bread for dipping.

• Crustaceans – Cooked in secret seasonings and served in its famous crab juice, the delectable range includes sweet and tender snow crab legs, Dungeness crab, and, of course, blue claw hard shells. Alternatively, go all in with a Crabfeast and sample them all!

• Lisa’s blonde lobster pie – An award-winning, thin-crust, white pie topped with mouth-watering baby lobster.

Over the next few years, Pete worked on perfecting the brand’s trademark crabfries, experimenting with leftover crab seasoning until he created the perfect blend.

When Pete passed away in 1987, it was Chickie who encouraged Pete’s son, Pete Jr., to run with his own business ideas, launch his spin on crab-seasoned seasoned fries, and whatever else he wanted to try for the business.

Vowing to make sure his parents’ legacy would live on, he then became the face of Chickie’s and Pete’s with the help of his brother, Tom.

Utilizing a strong sense of community, a natural knack for hospitality, and a menu that resonated with the city, Pete Jr. tapped into what Philadelphia loves most – good food,

passionate sports, and community.

Furthermore, the company’s mantra is that it’s more fun to eat at a bar than drink at a restaurant.

Today, Chickie’s and Pete’s has

roots to include numerous locations across the country, primarily operating as large-scale sports bars, boardwalk stands, and stadium concessions.

A CULTURE OF SPORT

Philadelphia’s sports culture is defined by unparalleled passion, blue-collar grit, and deep, communal devotion to its teams across all major leagues and disciplines.

The city is notorious for its highenergy, high-intensity, ride-or-die mentality, where fandom is an extension of its people’s civic pride.

As a regional hub that hosts teams in all five major North American sports, residents view games not as casual entertainment, but as a core collective identity and way of life.

The history and prestige of Philadelphia’s teams are exceeded only by the passion and fervor of their ardent fans. This bond can best be summed up in the words of former Philadelphia Flyers ice hockey coach Fred Shero - “Win today and we walk together forever”.

Fans congregate at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, where the state’s four top major football, baseball, basketball, and ice hockey teams all play. Citizens Bank Park – a core part of the complex – is widely considered one of the most beautiful venues in baseball, while the intimidating Lincoln Financial Field stadium has sold out every game for the last 25 years.

Currently, Liscio’s Bakery supplies wholesale quantity bread products to multiple Professional Sports Venues, College Arenas and Stadiums and to nearly 200 Food Distribution Centers throughout the United States. If you’re enjoying an authentic cheesesteak in Las Vegas, LA, Dallas, Charlotte, Miami or countless other locations across the country there’s a good chance it’s on a Liscio’s Roll.

To produce the highest quality bread and baked goods and supply them everywhere and anywhere people want authentic Philadelphia Italian Bread and Rolls. There’s nothing like a sandwich, sub or cheesesteak on Philly Bread! Our Mission Statement remains the same as when we started:

Authentic, freshly baked Philadelphia Bread. Delivered Nationwide.

Liscio’s Bakery Slogan has always been, “It all starts with the bread!” but our business really starts with our families, employees, distributors and customers.

Q&A

North America Outlook (NA): Can you tell us about Liscio Bakery’s origins and slogan, ‘It all starts with the bread’?

Liscio’s Bakery (LB): Liscio’s Bakery (Liscio’s) was founded in 1994 by James Liscio, who, after working in the business for 14 years, followed his dream of owning his own bakery. To this day, Liscio’s is still a familyrun company striving every day for the same quality, consistency, and enthusiasm used to bake the very first loaf of bread.

In 2001, Chad Vilotti who was the ingredient supplier for the bakery and dear friend of James, sold his company (Vilotti Food Ingredients). Chad’s great grandfather was one of the first Italian Bread Bakers in Philadelphia and was the founder of Vilotti Bakery. Chad joined forces with James Liscio to pilot the company’s expanding future.

Today Liscio’s operates out of their state-of-the art 150,000 square foot production facility in Glassboro, NJ. They also continue the neighborhood tradition with three very popular Retail Bakery locations in South Jersey.

Liscio’s slogan is “it all starts with the bread”, but the business starts with families, friends, employees, distributors, and customers. Our goal remains the same as it was when the company began: to produce the best quality baked goods anywhere!

NA: What differentiates Liscio’s from the competition?

LB:What sets us apart from our competitors is our consistency and excellent service.

We have a background in the food distribution business and various bakeries. In the former, we encountered bakeries that lacked the quality or consistency that is brought to Liscio’s on a daily basis. We’ve developed a consistent product that’s ultimately put us ahead of the competition.

NA: Please elaborate on your partnership with Chickie’s and Pete’s.

LB:We got together with Chickie’s and Pete’s, showcased our products, and were able to convince them to partner with us for a couple of reasons. The variety of products we were able to show them expanded beyond what they were currently using, and we provided ideas on how we could work together to improve the restaurant’s burgers. We checked a lot of boxes Chickie’s and Pete’s were looking for, and developed products that helped expand their range even further. It was mutually beneficial and continues to be so.

Equally, they’ve grown substantially over the years, and we were able to grow with them and service all their locations.

We complement each other because people find out when they go into a Chickie’s and Pete’s that it’s Liscio’s bread and immediately recognize the product because it is of such high quality. From Chickie’s and Pete’s standpoint, it’s notable that they use Liscio’s products, meaning they really care about their customers and the food experience.

NA: Looking ahead, what are Liscio’s priorities for the future?

LB: We want to ensure at Liscio’s that we’re equipped and ready to go with the growth of not only our current customers, but also future ones. We want to be able to grow with our current base of customers and not get into a situation where they outgrow us. We are confident that we have the passion, capacity, and innovation to stay ahead of the curve and develop products that aren’t only delicious but ready for the next generation of the food and beverage industry.

our website to find out more: www.lisciosbakery.com

MAJOR MILESTONES

1998 – Building on an already strong relationship with Philadelphia’s sports teams, Chickie’s and Pete’s opens its first ever concession stand at Veterans Stadium, home to both the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team and Philadelphia Phillies MLB team. Fans attending both football and baseball fixtures fall in love with crabfries, which become a staple at the city’s sporting events and the number one product at Philadelphia stadiums.

1999 – Chickie’s and Pete’s open its second ever full location on Roosevelt Boulevard.

2004 – The flagship location opens in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, converting a former supermarket into a 26,000-square-foot sports bar and restaurant. This location put the brand on the national stage, hosting presidents, sports figures, and other notable celebrities.

2007 – The brand opens its first-ever airport location in Terminal C of Philadelphia International Airport, offering its signature dishes to travelers.

2010 – Chickie’s and Pete’s opens its first-ever casino location in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

2011 – The company is awarded the #1 Sports Bar in North America by ESPN.

2017 – It’s no coincidence the company becomes a proud partner of the Eagles the same year that the team become world champions for the first time in their history.

2021 – Chickie’s and Pete’s goes west and opens a full-service location in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As such, the city’s passionate fanbase makes Philadelphia the perfect location for a franchise of sports bars, as any supporters not lucky enough to be spectating live in person must find a place to watch the action.

Chickie’s and Pete’s offers a comprehensive social experience for these avid fans who can watch, eat, and drink in the ideal setting.

Such is the connection between the brand and the city’s sports teams, Chickie’s and Pete’s is now

affectionately known as the official sports bar of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team.

WORLD CUP IMPACT

After years of meticulous planning and anticipation, Philadelphia recently hosted over 400,000 fans during several electrifying 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.

Over the space of three weeks, the South Philadelphia Sports Complex hosted six games, drawing supporters from myriad countries, including five consecutive sell-out crowds at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium.

From the packed stands to joyous celebrations across the city, Philadelphia truly embraced the iconic tournament and has reaped the rewards in terms of tourism and financial upswing through hospitality and other sectors of its economy.

Capitalizing on this monumental opportunity, Chickie’s and Pete’s turned its focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup during this time, covering the local fixtures as well as other games across the tournament in its various locations.

This represented a chance to introduce the brand to the vast traveling fanbases arriving in the city, spreading awareness of its tasty offering and unrivaled sports bar atmosphere.

Ultimately, Chickie’s and Pete’s continues to expand into exciting new spaces, creating a legacy that remains true to the foundational concept behind its humble beginnings. Tel: +1 (215) 218-0500

info@chickiesandpetes.com www.chickiesandpetes.com