Marco’s and the pandemic: When he learned children might go hungry because of the pandemic, franchise owner Nick Morgan didn’t hesitate to act
Nick Morgan
Superheroes don’t always wear capes. Sometimes, they wear aprons. While Nick Morgan wouldn’t define himself as a hero, his actions have been nothing less than heroic. He’s feeding thousands of children for free during the coronavirus shutdown at his three Marco’s franchise locations in Arkansas. Morgan was written up in April as part of Newsweek’s Heroes of the Pandemic series.
When Morgan learned that the closure of most Arkansas schools meant thousands of children would not have access to free and reduced-price meals, which are often their only regular meals, he stepped up.
Newsweek wrote:
“There is no need to be shy or embarrassed. Just come to the register and quietly let us know you’ve either seen this post or heard about it,” Morgan wrote [on his Facebook page]. “We will make sure you and your kids get a meal. We serve the community and don’t exist without you all.”
Speaking to Newsweek, Morgan described how he shared the offer on his personal Facebook page at around 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 12. By the following morning, the post had been shared more than 12,000 times on the social network.
Since he first posted, the community has donated thousands of dollars toward his effort, which Morgan says will continue at least until June. He owns Marco’s franchises in Bentonville, Springdale and Fayetteville.
Helping during the pandemic
Morgan is one of many Marco’s franchise owners who have gone to extraordinary measures to help out in their communities since the pandemic has increasingly disrupted our everyday lives. At Marco’s, we are very proud of these efforts and we will continue to feature these stories on our blog as often as possible.
We’re also trying to take care of our consumers on a company-wide scale as well. As President Tony Libardi wrote in an open letter to customers, “Marco’s Pizza owners and their teams are stepping up across the country, helping those in need. We promise to remain open as long as we are deemed to be an essential business by the CDC during this pandemic, especially for states in “Shelter at Home” situations.”
Marco’s has amped up cleaning and sanitizing protocols and quickly implemented curbside pickup and contact-free delivery, and Libardi recently announced the return of the $6.99 medium 1-topping pizzas — a popular value-centric promotion that is especially welcome by customers now.
We’re still growing. See if we’re the right next step for you.
Right now, we’re all working hard to be good leaders, good citizens, and good people. Marco’s Pizza has served its communities for more than 40 years, and we’re committed to being a bright spot in people’s lives. We are still excited about our future, and are looking for more franchise candidates who share the same values we do.
Starting a new business is a months-long process, so people who decide to start a business today will most likely be starting their businesses in a post-pandemic world. It’s a great time to explore options. If you’d like to learn about owning a Marco’s Pizza, please fill out the form below. We’ll send you a free franchise report outlining key aspects of the business. If your heart and resolve are anything like Morgan’s, we’d love to hear from you.
