New Lenox MOD Pizza Nears Grand Opening

NEW LENOX, IL - Anticipation is building throughout the New Lenox area for high noon on Friday, Jan. 18. What's the big deal? Seattle-based MOD Pizza is opening its first restaurant in the Lincoln Way area. The new MOD Pizza is next door to the Chipotle Mexican Grill. The new building was constructed on one of the commercial out lots near the Walmart along Route 30.

Regarding the Jan. 18 grand opening event, the first 52 customers will be receiving a free pizza, MOD Pizza representatives told New Lenox Patch on Thursday.

It seems that plenty of people are excited for the new MOD Pizza coming to New Lenox.

While Patch was inside interviewing the new general manager, Sean Cunneen, an older man casually walked up to the restaurant and opened the door. The man did not realize that the new MOD Pizza did not open for another eight days.

"We probably get 20 who come in every day," Cunneen chuckled.

The New Lenox Chamber of Commerce has been spreading word of the Jan. 18 grand opening on social media in recent days.

The new MOD Pizza hopes to draw its core regular customers from New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, Joliet, Chicago Heights and Shorewood, the local general manager told Patch.

There are no MOD Pizza places in Joliet. One did open last year in Bolingbrook near The Promenade.

Anyway, Cunneen said he has already hired his crew of about 25 employees for New Lenox.

"We like that it's a new very up-and-coming suburb with lots of families," he told Patch on Thursday. "We love Route 30 and how busy it is."

The address is 651 E. Lincoln Highway. It's just down the road from Lincoln-Way Central.

"We love the high school kids ... We're very rock-n-roll," Cunneen told Patch.

For people who have never eaten at MOD Pizza, Cunneen explained it's a unique pizza dining experience like none other.

"You get to pick all your own toppings, and it's all one price," he pointed out.

He's right.

"Any toppings you want, same price," the menu reads.

The New Lenox MOD Pizza will offer dine-in or carryout, not deliveries. The phone number is 779-803-8110. The new restaurant plans to be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

MOD representatives told Patch that "100 percent of their grand opening day proceeds" are being donated to the New Lenox Education Foundation.

MOD Pizza recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. There are now more than 400 locations across the U.S. For more information, visit the MOD Pizza website here.

Images via John Ferak/Patch Editor for Joliet and New Lenox