Why is Johnny Sortino’s Pizzeria Closing After 60 Years?

Written By Matthew Brunken

The longtime Johnny Sortino’s Pizza Parlor (pictured) at 79th and L Street in Omaha will close on May 31, 2025, after 60 years in business (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). The family-owned restaurant has been an Omaha fixture since 1965, but its owners – now in their 70s – announced their retirement and decision to shut down the business (News Briefs - Grow Omaha). Behind this closure lies a convergence of internal and external business challenges that accumulated over recent years, ultimately making continued operation unsustainable.

Official Announcement and Ownership Decisions

Johnny Sortino’s Pizza Parlor confirmed in a social media post that its last day of operation will be May 31, 2025, marking the end of a 60-year run (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums) (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). In the announcement, the Sortino family thanked customers for “support, memories, love, and laughs over the years,” and noted that Sheri Sortino-Baatz (the founder’s daughter, involved since childhood) and her husband Dana Baatz feel it is a good time to retire now that they are both in their 70s (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). This indicates that the primary stated reason for closing is the owners’ personal decision to retire after decades of hard work. Importantly, no legal disputes or forced actions (such as lease termination or regulatory issues) were reported – the closure appears to be a voluntary business decision. With no third-generation successor visibly ready to take over daily operations, the owners opted to wind down the business rather than sell or continue under new management. In sum, a lack of succession and the desire of the aging owners to exit the industry is a central internal factor in the pizzeria’s closure (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums) (News Briefs - Grow Omaha).

why is johnny sortinos closing shutting down after 60 years

Financial Pressures and Rising Costs

Like many longstanding restaurants, Johnny Sortino’s Pizza likely faced mounting financial challenges in recent years. Operating costs for ingredients, utilities, and maintenance have risen substantially across the industry. Food inflation has been especially impactful – by late 2024, restaurants in Omaha were reporting dramatically higher prices for supplies. For example, one popular Omaha eatery discovered it was losing $1.24 on each burger sold until they raised menu prices, as the cost of ingredients had overtaken the 2019-era prices (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). “It’s not about making money… It’s about surviving,” said the co-owner of that restaurant when explaining the need to increase prices by over 40% on a signature item (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media) (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). This sentiment likely rang true at Sortino’s as well – any reluctance to hike prices too drastically (for fear of alienating loyal customers) could have squeezed profit margins.

Broader inflationary trends eroded the restaurant’s bottom line. Key pizza ingredients like cheese and meat saw double-digit percentage cost increases during the pandemic years. Nationwide, menu prices at restaurants were about 27% higher in 2024 than in early 2020 (Inflation | National Restaurant Association), reflecting the adjustments needed to keep up with labor and food expenses. Locally, Omaha-area restaurant owners reported paying “the highest food prices in memory” for many supplies by 2023 (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). These rising costs coincided with signs of softening revenue: industry data showed customer traffic in U.S. restaurants was down over 3% in 2024 compared to the year prior (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). Casual dining establishments in particular saw fewer visits (a 4.5% drop year-over-year) (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media), as some cost-conscious consumers cut back on eating out. For a single-unit family pizzeria like Johnny Sortino’s, such trends likely meant higher expenses on one hand and slightly lower sales on the other – a difficult combination. Operating on thinner margins, the business may have struggled to generate the revenue needed to comfortably cover its overhead, especially when running reduced hours (which limited daily sales). In short, the financial equation had grown far less favorable than in decades past, contributing to the decision to close.

Labor Shortages and Reduced Operating Hours

Another major factor was the labor shortage that hit the restaurant industry post-2020. In Nebraska – despite low unemployment – eateries have found it extremely challenging to hire and retain enough staff in all positions (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media). Zoe Olson, director of the Nebraska Restaurant Association, noted that restaurants across the state have had to periodically “close doors as soon as they don’t have a shift of workers”, illustrating how staffing woes force cutbacks in operating hours (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media). Johnny Sortino’s appears to have been a case in point. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the pizzeria significantly curtailed its hours of operation, presumably due to staffing constraints. Community members observed that in recent years the restaurant only stayed open until about 6:00 PM, which is an unusually early closing time for a pizza parlor that traditionally would do brisk business in the dinner hours (Johnny Sortino's Pizza is closing : r/Omaha - Reddit). In fact, its posted schedule in 2023 was roughly 11:00 AM to 5:30 or 6:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday (closed Sundays and Mondays).

(Johnny Sortino’s Pizza – Omaha Exploration) The marquee sign outside Johnny Sortino’s Pizza in late 2023 showed operating hours limited to 11 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m., Tuesday–Saturday. This unusually early closing time was a direct result of staffing shortages – the family could not hire enough workers to keep the pizzeria open for dinner service (Johnny Sortino's Pizza is closing : r/Omaha - Reddit). Such reduced hours, while helping manage labor constraints, also meant missing out on the typical evening “dinner rush,” illustrating how the post-pandemic labor crisis translated into lost business opportunities (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media).

With fewer workers available, the owners and a small core team (often family members) were essentially running the business themselves (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). This limited how much they could keep the dining room open. Closing before the evening not only frustrated would-be customers but also put Johnny Sortino’s at a competitive disadvantage, as most competitors offered dinner and late-night options. The labor crunch in the hospitality sector has also driven wages upward, increasing payroll costs for those employees they did have to pay (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't ...). In summary, persistent staffing difficulties forced Johnny Sortino’s to scale back its operations (short hours and likely simpler service), which in turn constrained revenue and contributed to the owners’ decision that continuing was not viable long-term.

Competition in a Changing Restaurant Market

Over 60 years, the landscape of Omaha’s restaurant market changed dramatically, and competition intensified. In the 1960s when Johnny Sortino’s opened, it was one of relatively few pizzerias in the city. By the 2020s, however, Omaha had a vibrant and crowded pizza scene, ranging from local staples to national chains. Longstanding Omaha pizza parlors such as Mama’s, Orsi’s, La Casa, Big Fred’s, and Zio’s each cultivated their own loyal followings. At the same time, big national chains like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, and others heavily marketed their convenience, online ordering, and delivery deals. This meant Johnny Sortino’s was squeezed between local competitors and corporate chains, all vying for slices of the market.

Notably, consumer expectations around convenience have shifted. John Stenson, CEO of a growing pizza chain, explained that today “consumers want something quick, easy and delivered”, and many legacy dine-in restaurants with large footprints struggle to keep up with that demand (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?). Johnny Sortino’s was a classic dine-in pizza parlor experience – including a spacious dining room (capacity over 400) and even a game room – which was great for family outings but less aligned with the prevailing trend toward fast takeout or delivery. The business did offer carry-out, but it did not have the ubiquitous app-based delivery presence that newer operators or chains have. In an era when third-party delivery services and drive-thru pickup are increasingly common, a restaurant can lose customers if it’s not as convenient. Legacy pizzerias also often face menu competition: newer entrants might offer artisan-style pizzas, gluten-free or vegan options, or other innovations that appeal to younger diners. Meanwhile, the national chains continually run promotions (like $7.99 deals or loyalty rewards) that smaller independents may find unprofitable to match.

The density of pizza choices in Omaha undoubtedly siphoned some of Johnny Sortino’s potential business. Some long-time customers may have drifted to other favorites over time, especially if those alternatives had more modern amenities or consistent hours. In online discussions, a few patrons even remarked that they felt other local pizza restaurants had surpassed Sortino’s in taste or value in recent years (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). While such opinions are subjective, they highlight the challenge of maintaining a competitive edge over decades. The increased competition from both other restaurants and giant chains put pressure on Johnny Sortino’s revenue and likely made it harder to attract new generations of customers, contributing to its closure.

Changing Customer Habits and Demographics

Shifts in consumer dining habits and local demographics also played a role in the pizzeria’s decline. The customer base that Johnny Sortino’s cultivated in its heyday has been aging. It was renowned as a family-friendly spot, and many of its loyal patrons have been coming for decades (some since childhood in the 1960s and 70s). By the 2020s, a significant portion of its regular clientele were older adults who had been patronizing the restaurant for years (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). While loyal, that cohort naturally shrinks over time. At the same time, younger residents of Omaha have far more dining options and may not share the same nostalgia that drew their parents or grandparents to Johnny Sortino’s. Capturing the attention of millennials and Gen-Z diners can be difficult for a restaurant that largely kept its old-school format and did relatively little digital marketing or social media outreach (beyond basic Facebook updates).

Moreover, consumer lifestyle patterns have changed. Americans dine out differently than they did decades ago – there’s less emphasis on large family sit-down dinners at a single local spot each week, and more interest in variety, convenience, and global flavors. The Sortino’s model of a classic red-roof pizza parlor with arcade games, while charming, might not align with what younger families seek out regularly today. Dining hours expectations have shifted as well: many people want the flexibility to eat later in the evening due to work or activities. By only offering lunch and very early dinner service in recent years, Sortino’s was out of sync with modern schedules, effectively ceding the dinnertime crowd to others. This likely changed customer habits further – even long-time fans might have developed new routines (e.g. ordering from a chain that delivers to their door at 7 PM, since Sortino’s wasn’t open then).

Economic demographics also factor in. Through 2023–2024, higher inflation meant many budget-conscious consumers cut back on restaurant visits, opting to cook at home more often or choosing cheaper fast-food options (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media) (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). A local economist observed that lower-income diners “downgrade to eating at home” or at very low-cost outlets when prices rise (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). This trend could have reduced the occasional visits from certain customer segments. Johnny Sortino’s was reasonably priced but not as cheap per meal as a fast-food pizza deal or frozen pizza at home, so some former patrons likely visited less frequently due to tighter budgets. In sum, the evolving habits and preferences of the dining public – preferring convenience, sticking to tighter budgets, and lacking the nostalgic attachment – meant that Johnny Sortino’s faced a dwindling and shifting customer base. This erosion of demand, gradual but persistent, made it harder to justify keeping the doors open.

Broader Economic and Industry Trends

Finally, Johnny Sortino’s closure must be viewed in the context of broader industry trends that have challenged local restaurants over the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the restaurant business in 2020, and its ripple effects are still being felt. For a time, dining rooms were ordered closed, forcing establishments to rely on takeout or shut down temporarily. A 60-year-old operation like Sortino’s, built around in-person dining, surely experienced hardship during those lockdown months. Even after reopening, pandemic aftershocks continued: from sporadic supply chain disruptions (making it hard to get certain foods and supplies) to new expenses for safety and sanitization, and unpredictable swings in customer turnout. While Johnny Sortino’s survived the worst of 2020, many restaurants did not. By late 2024 and early 2025, a wave of closures was sweeping through both national chains and local eateries. Several big-name restaurant chains collectively shuttered hundreds of locations across the country in 2024 (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?). In the Omaha area, “several local restaurants” announced permanent closures in the span of just a month around fall 2024 (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media). Industry analysts cite the same mix of issues – high costs, labor shortages, and changed consumer behavior – as drivers of these shutdowns.

The case of Johnny Sortino’s is emblematic of this trend. “It’s a very challenging market for all food restaurants right now,” explained John Stenson, the pizza chain CEO, emphasizing that rising food and labor costs have put a “big financial burden” on restaurants (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?) (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?). Establishments with large dining rooms and old-style service models are particularly vulnerable in this environment (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?). Many are finding that the post-pandemic customer wants quicker, off-premise dining, leading to reduced viability for legacy sit-down formats. Additionally, with Nebraska’s unemployment rate remaining low, competition for workers is fierce, and restaurants must either pay more or operate with less staff – both difficult choices for a small business (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media) (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media). The broader U.S. economy in 2023–2025 featured high inflation and then rising interest rates, which cut into consumers’ disposable income and made financing business improvements costlier. All these macro-level factors created headwinds for Johnny Sortino’s. In essence, the pizzeria was not alone in its struggles; its closure fits into a larger pattern of long-established dining institutions finding it hard to navigate the new economic reality. As a local news brief succinctly put it, the owners’ retirement ends an era, and it comes “after 60 years in business” during a time when many other beloved restaurants are also turning off their ovens for good (News Briefs - Grow Omaha).

Conclusion

Johnny Sortino’s Pizza Parlor did not close due to a single cause, but rather a confluence of business and operational challenges. Internally, an aging ownership without a succession plan meant the drive to continue had waned – retirement was well deserved after 60 years of service (Johnny Sortino's Pizza Parlor (79th & L) - CLOSING - Omaha Forums). Externally, the restaurant was beset by economic pressures: rising food and labor costs, difficulty staffing enough employees, and shrinking profit margins in the face of inflation (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media) (Nebraska Restaurants See Workforce Shortage, but Likely Aren't Alone | Nebraska Public Media). The pizzeria also faced stiff competition and changing market conditions – customers now have countless alternatives and increasingly favor convenience and value, areas where larger or more modernized competitors excel (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?). Consumer habits in Omaha have shifted away from the type of dine-in experience that Johnny Sortino’s offered, especially given its limited hours in recent times. In the broader perspective, the closure aligns with nationwide trends of legacy restaurants struggling to survive post-pandemic when confronted with a new normal of higher costs and altered dining behaviors (Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?) (As food costs rise, local restaurants — and diners who support them — adjust to paying more | Nebraska Public Media).

In summary, while the official reason for Johnny Sortino’s Pizza shutting down is the owners’ retirement, that decision was likely made easier (or even necessitated) by these accumulating business difficulties. Financial strain, labor shortages, competitive pressures, evolving customer preferences, and the lack of a next-generation operator all combined to make continuing the 60-year-old family business a daunting proposition. As a result, the iconic pizzeria is closing its doors, illustrating how even a beloved local institution can be undone by relentless economic and operational challenges. The story of Johnny Sortino’s serves as a case study in the many facets of running a restaurant and how shifts in the business environment can finally bring an era to an end.

Sources:

Matthew Brunken
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