Buddy’s Pizza Will Pay Customers $200 to Help It Find Employees for New Restaurants

Buddy’s Pizza, originator of Detroit-style pizza, will open two new locations in Clarkston and Okemos by the start of 2022. Of course, it first needs to find employees.

The company is holding a job fair on Wednesday, July 28, to fill openings of all kinds at the existing and upcoming locations. It’s also launching a new hiring initiative, Refer a Buddy, to find workers. Customers can go online and refer a friend or family member for an open position. If the person is hired and stays with the company for 90 days, the customer will receive $200 on a Buddy’s gift card.

Restaurants have been hiring like crazy since state coronavirus restrictions were lifted, but still, many have had to operate with skeleton crews or a condensed menu, and even have had to reduce operating hours or delay reopening their doors. Like many restaurants, Buddy’s has introduced a signing bonus, and says it’s offering “competitive wages”.

The restaurant is planning a new store in Clarkston (5510 Shashabaw), which is set to open late fall and have carryout only. The Okemos pizza parlor (2010 W. Grand River), will have complete service in a 7,000-square-foot, 275-seat dining room with a patio and full bar. It’s set to open early in 2022. The new restaurant will also feature a mural, paying homage to the original location at Six Mile and Conant in Detroit, which opened in 1946. Interested employees can visit the Auburn Hills restaurant at 2612 Squirrel Rd., or the Lansing location at 5924 W. Saginaw Hwy. during the hiring fair, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Detroit-style square pizza (locals call it Buddy’s pizza) has seen a nationwide explosion lately, giving New York- and Chicago-style slices a run for their money.

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