Helping to Build Stronger Communities One Pizza at a Time
Papa Murphy’s Take N’ Bake has been voted best pizza chain in America 7 years in a row, yet our Central Oregon Stores hardly seem like a national franchise. When we think nationwide restaurants, we think fast food, lower quality, poor service and little attention to community. Not so for Kevin and Krista Lauinger, independent owners of three Papa Murphy’s stores here in Central Oregon. (2 in Bend, 1 in Redmond). Since taking over the stores in 2005 from the previous owners, Ken & Marvie Moyer, the focus has been largely on providing great customer service, offering the freshest products, and keeping the prices low.
As parents of two young boys, the Lauingers understand the need to stick to a budget and spend less money on meals.
What is Take N’ Bake pizza? Exactly what it sounds like! With dough made each and every day, the freshest vegetables, premium meats and cheeses, Papa Murphy’s does all the work so you can go home and just pop the pizza in your oven! Quick and easy, healthy and affordable! Papa Murphy’s offers other products to complete your family’s meal… fresh salads, chocolate chip cookie dough, cinnamon wheels and Pepsi products not to mention calzones and thick or thin crust pizzas. Amazingly, you can feed an entire family for less than $20, and the pizza is piping hot out of your own oven!
Okay, so Papa Murphy’s is of course pizza…..yadee yadee….. but what makes them so special? If there was a one word mission statement for Papa Murphy’s of Central Oregon it would be “community!” The Lauingers have lived in Bend for 9 years and are active in their church, community events such as Financial Peace University and enjoy spending time at their son’s school. Not only do they consistently provide 75 jobs between their 3 stores, they also have generously donated to local organizations such as The Ronald McDonald House, Sparrow Clubs, and many more.
Another way they have given back to the community is by enabling local non-profits, groups or organizations, sporting teams and schools to fundraise through their Peel-A-Deal Fundraiser program. Groups sell cards for $5 that have a $30 value at any Papa Murphy’s. Each card sold nets the group 80% towards their fundraising goals. Because of the continued success of the stores the Lauingers are always looking for even more ways to benefit the community through their giving. One of the newest opportunities will be for schools to share in a night of “Pizza Dough.” On a selected night all the stores will host a fundraiser in which $1 cash ‘dough’ for each sale that day will be given to a designated school.
And let’s not forget, one of the best parts for kids is their 5” mini-pizzas! Starting at just $1.00, the kids LOVE the idea of indulging in their very own pizza! Plus mom and dad get to have what they really want! All kids, ages 12 and younger or 65 and older, can even sign up to receive a FREE mini pizza for their birthday! Just fill out the postcard in the store and turn it in! It’s a delightful birthday treat that any kid will love!
It’s no wonder it is such a popular place to eat! You can eat out and still stick to your budget all the while knowing that some of your dollars are being given back to the community you live in! Papa Murphy’s truly takes the chain out of pizza chain and puts community where it belongs; FIRST!
For more information regarding Papa Murphy’s fundraising ideas please contact their local Headquarters at (541)617-6164 or email to: office@pmpizza. com
This article was originally published at www.cofamilynews.com
