Center City’s &Pizza to Give Away Tattoos and Free Pizza on Opening Day

It was only a little over two months ago that &Pizza, the fast-casual pizza brand based out of Washington D.C., announced that their first shop outside of the DC-area would be in Philadelphia, on the corner of 15th and Walnut Streets. Today, Eater got word that the store will be opening next week, October 13 at 11 a.m.

When they open their doors, the first 215 (Philly!) people in line get a free pie, which, yes, is something of the norm for a fast-casual brand opening a new branch. &Pizza, however, goes one step further with an opening day tradition: for the first five people to request an ampersand tattoo — yes, a real tattoo, from a needle, like the one pictured above — the company will foot the bill and give you one free pie a week for an entire year. Sixty employees within the company — “Tribe” members as they’re called — have partaken in the ritual.

[BOX]WOOD Architects designed the interior, and local muralist Joe Boruchow spruced it up a bit with a mural depicting Philly’s “current and historic events.” Furthering their mission to keep it all local, they’re launching their first &CHARITY program on Friday and Saturday, October 14-15: a Buy One, Give One campaign which allows guests to donate a pizza (after buying a pizza) to the Attic Youth Center or Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

Menu-wise, it’s the same fast-casual model you know so well: build your own, or choose from nine signature pies, like the meat-lover’s “Maverick”, the egg-topped “Farmer’s Daughter”, or the super-garlicky “Gnarlic”.

Stay tuned for updates.