Home Run Inn - good as ever or going downhill?

Ok, I want to throw this one out there and see what bounces back. I grew up in the 'burbs (DG) and still vsisit my family there twice a year. I used to hear legendary stories about Home Run Inn (the original) from my dad...he worked at the long-gone huge Western Electric Hawthorn Works plant in Cicero for years. 15 years ago or so, Home Run Inn opened up a couple of other restaurants, including one in Darien right near my paren't home. This was thin crust pizza nirvana...the perfect blending of crust, cheese, sauce and topping (great sausage). I'd go to Costco or Sam's and get several frozen ones to take home to SoCal. Good stuff, but didn't match the restaurant, especially eating there.

The last 2 times I have been there to HRI, the pizza just seems to be good, maybe very god, but not on the level it had been at. THe question is...is it me or is it the pizza? Anyone have any thoughts on HRI. I will admiot that my last trip we only had take-out.

One other thing...HRI is quality stuff but you pay for that quality. It is certainly not going to win any price wars, and with my recent experiences, I even question where it sits on the value scale as well.

Note: This note also cross-posted to our friends at chowhound.

I went to Home Run Inn about two moths ago. I was new to the area and heard all these great things about it. I was dissapointed. Don't get me wrong, the pizza was good but not great. From all the buzz I heard and read, I was expecting to be blown away. I wasn't. The sauce was average. Sauce makes the pizza.

I don't mind paying more for something as long as it's worth it and I don't think HRI is worth it. You would be much better off at Pizano's or Grand Stand Pizza. They have awesome sauce.

Ok, I'm not familiar with Grand Stand Pizza and have not heard mention of it, but I will add it to the list of places to try. Looks like it's in Franklin Park?

As for Pizano's, that was our post-Cubs game stop last month. I wrote about it in an earlier post...I liked the pizza but was not that overwhelmed. Some in our group did NOT like it much at all. Too little sauce IMHO and it seemed like flavorless watery tomatoes. The big thing was that the crust was very tough (these were 3 thin crust pizzas).

Try Pizano's on State St. It might be different. I've been there twice and haven't been dissapointed.

I will have to add the Home Run Inn makes the BEST frozen pizza I have ever had; the Plum Tomato pizza. It is topped (basically covered) with crushed plum tomatoes and then sprinkled with a parmesean/herb seasoning. Only problem is that I have only seen this particular variety of the Home Run Inn frozen pizza at Cub Foods on Elston. Prior to this my favorite was the Home Run Inn grilled veggie pizza which I had only spotted at Cub Foods as well.
Apologies for steering towards off topic...
Jamie

In concur that Home Run is, for me, by far the best frozen pizza. I used to eat tons of it as a student (long, long ago), and now love to make a pie for nostalgia.

Jonah

Family-owned Home Run Inn enters new era with independent board (free, gift link)

Home Run Inn, the family-owned and -operated frozen pizza manufacturer and restaurant chain, will create an independent board as the company looks to continue the growth it saw during the pandemic.

The Woodridge-based company is seeking to create a five- to seven-person independent board to help guide and support its next chapter. The board will include a couple of family members, according to CEO Dan Costello, and is anticipated to be in place by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Costello said the board will allow the family to learn from different perspectives and bring new expertise into the fold. It’ll also create a “good dynamic tension” that he believes will only benefit the business.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Costello said.

The move is a significant step for any family company, according to Thomas Handler, who advises wealthy families and their businesses and has served on several boards.

“That willingness to look outside for assistance tends to preserve the family and the business and its affluence,” Handler said. “There's just all kinds of positives that can come from a move like this.”

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