Papa Gino’s brings back Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza for Halloween week

Papa Gino’s will sell its pumpkin-shaped Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza from Oct. 25 to Oct. 31 at more than 75 locations across New England. The limited-time menu item is designed to give families an easy Halloween meal tied to a regional brand with decades of local recognition.

Why it matters: - Papa Gino’s is leaning into Halloween with a limited-time pizza that turns a standard dinner into a seasonal event. - The promotion targets families across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut during the busiest week for Halloween celebrations. - The offer reinforces Papa Gino’s New England identity at a time when regional brands often use seasonal menus to drive traffic.

What happened: - Papa Gino’s is bringing back its Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza for Halloween Week, running Oct. 25 through Oct. 31. - The pizza will be available at all Papa Gino’s locations, including more than 75 restaurants across New England. - Customers can order the pizza for dine-in, carryout or delivery. - Orders can be placed online at papaginos.com, through the Papa Gino’s app or in person at participating locations.

The details: - The Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza is shaped like a pumpkin. - Pepperoni outlines the jack-o’-lantern face. - Black olives are used for the eyes. - The pizza is served large and uncut to preserve the design. - Hannah Suits, Papa Gino’s brand director, said the company wants to help families celebrate Halloween with an easy and delicious tradition. - Papa Gino’s says the original company was founded in 1961 in East Boston and used recipes brought over from Italy. - Papa Gino’s says the dough is made fresh daily in Walpole, Massachusetts, with five ingredients: locally milled hard winter wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and oil. - Papa Gino’s says its sauce uses vine-ripened, California-grown crushed tomatoes. - Papa Gino’s says its pizzas use a signature three-cheese blend. - Papa Gino’s says the Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza is topped in a jack-o’-lantern pattern with pepperoni.

Between the lines: - Seasonal menu items like this are a low-friction way for restaurants to create urgency because they only last a week. - Papa Gino’s is pairing nostalgia with local brand identity, which can help the chain stand out in a crowded fall food market. - The launch also plays to the company’s long-running positioning as a hometown New England pizzeria.

What's next: - The Jack-O’-Lantern Pizza is only available through Oct. 31. - Papa Gino’s says the promotion is part of its broader tradition of serving New England families with recipes it traces back to 1961. - Customers who want the Halloween item will need to order during the limited window before the offer ends.