Philly Pretzel Factory Celebrates National Pretzel Day with Free Pretzel Giveaway

Whoever said there is “no such thing as free” will eat their words on Sunday, April 26, when Philly Pretzel Factory gives away a free pretzel to every guest who enters the store in celebration of National Pretzel Day. Additionally, Philly Pretzel Factory locations will award the first 100 customers in line with a card redeemable for a free pretzel every day throughout the month of May.

“National Pretzel Day is our favorite holiday because it gives us a chance to show our appreciation to our loyal fans who have been enjoying our fresh baked pretzels for 17 years,” said Dan DiZio, CEO and co-founder of Philly Pretzel Factory, a 140-plus-unit pretzel chain born and raised in Philadelphia. “Our customers have helped us achieve great success over the years and it’s great that we’re able to celebrate alongside them and thank them.”

After launching its free pretzel initiative on National Pretzel Day in 2008, Philly Pretzel Factory saw thousands of fans enter its stores for a savory treat. With momentum from the success of previous years, franchisees across the nation are preparing for the big day. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have been a huge help in promoting the national holiday, and many fans have turned to these platforms to interact, connect and bond with the brand on a more personal level.

“The Philly Pretzel Factory experience goes beyond the walls of our locations – it is a lifestyle,” said DiZio. “We’ve garnered a significant following through daily promotions, giveaways and exciting announcements – and with more than 206,000 fans on Facebook – we can’t wait to see customers celebrating across the United States.”

National Pretzel Day began in 1983 when Philadelphia Rep. Robert S. Walker declared his favorite food was deserving of its own holiday. In April 2003, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26 National Pretzel Day to honor and recognize the importance of the treat to the state’s rich history of German immigrants.

During the time of the first declaration, but long before Philly Pretzel Factory was built, DiZio already had a knack for selling the knot-shaped delights. At the age of 11, DiZio would ride his bike to the corner of Southampton and Roosevelt Boulevard to sell his own pretzel creations. The young entrepreneur would sell five pretzels for $1, averaging total sales of 1,000 pretzels per day. After giving a cut to the supplier, DiZio would pocket $100 and ride home.

In order to turn his pretzel stand into something much bigger, DiZio teamed up with college buddy Len Lehman in 1998 to create the first Philly Pretzel Factory blueprint. Since then, the brand has grown from a single location in Mayfair to 148 locations across the U.S., and has moved into previously untapped states in 2014 including Virginia, Tennessee and Florida.

“Since we have added a presence in new markets over the last year, we are excited to see more families and their communities enjoy a snack on us for the special day,” said Marty Ferrill, President of Philly Pretzel Factory.

As the world’s largest Philly-style bakery, Philly Pretzel Factory bakes fresh, delicious soft pretzels delivered to customers “served hot outta the oven.” Each pretzel, made from a mix of only the finest and freshest ingredients, is hand twisted to ensure quality and authenticity.