By Bianca Benedetto a Corporate Business Leader, Marco’s Pizza
I first started at Marco’s Pizza in the driver’s seat of a delivery car. Back then, I was simply trying to make ends meet. I never even considered that this job could potentially lead to a fruitful and long-term career that would involve running multiple locations across the Toledo area. By coming into the business this way, I was given a unique perspective on community engagement that no training could ever teach me. I have learned that the brands built to scale are the ones that prioritize connection before marketing.
Marco’s Pizza has a strong foundation of corporate social responsibility via the Marco’s Pizza Foundation and builds on its principles by encouraging owners to give back at the hyper-local level. Many consumers have grown to question corporate “give back” and usually for good reason. Too many campaigns are driven as a ploy to increase foot traffic. The brands that succeed are the ones that genuinely treat community as part of operations. They don’t hesitate to jump into local community initiatives even if it isn’t a splashy marketing opportunity because those are the moments that build credibility. This is the approach I have instilled across all my locations.
- Hire and promote locally: People who already belong to the community don’t have to fake their connections.
- Listen to your team members: Build an open dialogue and listen to their ideas.
- Show up before you are needed: Build a natural presence in the community before any big activations.
How Local Roots Outrank Corporate Mission Statements
Living in the market you serve , you don’t have to manufacture relevance. I am lucky to have an ear to the ground on all the happenings or events in the Toledo area. When an event needs sponsoring or a family needs support, I am easily accessible and can step in when it is needed. That direct access to the community is the kind of engagement a top-down corporate initiative may sometimes find challenging.
For example, I saw a specific need in the community during the holidays last year, so we held a toy drive. More than 300 gifts were donated, and the event turned into such a success that it expanded across the region. These weren’t toys that would be delivered somewhere far away; these were gifts for the children in my own backyard, the kids who play up and down the street in my own community. It’s a clear reminder of what is possible when the effort is genuine and personal.
Charitable events and initiatives like this aren’t organized to make us look good. Rather, they’re meant to support the local communities and neighbors who feel more like family. Yes, showing up to events and providing certain kinds of support builds our reputation, but the giving is about far more than that. For me, it is about giving something to the community that raised me – and that’s the mentality that allows stores to make a real community impact.
Success Doesn’t Start with the Customer, It Starts with the Team
Strong community engagement begins long before a customer walks through the door. It starts with the people wearing the uniform every day.
Building meaningful relationships with our team is a top priority, and many of our most impactful community initiatives have grown directly from the passions and causes our employees care about. Creating an environment of open communication gives team members the confidence to share ideas, advocate for organizations that matter to them, and identify opportunities to make a difference locally. As the people interacting with customers and neighbors every day, they often have a pulse on community needs that leadership might otherwise miss.
When a team member is passionate about a cause, we look for ways to support it. Investing in our people beyond their role in the restaurant sends a powerful message: they are valued not just as employees, but as individuals. That level of support builds trust, strengthens morale, and creates a culture where people feel connected to something bigger than their daily responsibilities. In my experience, when team members feel genuinely supported, they bring more energy, pride, and commitment to their work and that translates directly into stronger operations.
That energy is felt by customers the moment they walk through the door. Community connections become personal when a customer recognizes a familiar face behind the counter: a neighbor, a former classmate, or someone from their child’s school. Those interactions create an immediate sense of trust and belonging. What could have been a simple transaction becomes the start of a lasting relationship.
By investing in local talent, supporting the causes our teams care about, and creating a culture where people feel seen and heard, we build stronger teams, deeper community ties, and ultimately more loyal customers.
Perfecting Unplanned Impact
Some moments that matter the most never even make it onto a calendar. Having our boots on the ground means we notice good and bad things that are happening in the world immediately around us. We see where we can step in to help – whether that it’s recovering weather damages, supporting a family in hard times, or celebrating a school success story.
Not every act has to be a full spectacle to leave a lasting mark on the community. We first sponsored Junior Achievement as a single store partnership. When it grew into a market-wide movement, we had already built the foundation of integrity with our minor participation. The quieter moments are what gives credibility to the bigger ones. Laying the groundwork and building a steady record of showing up is what makes a larger activation feel real and not staged.
Operator Takeaway
Fellow operators should understand that authentic community connection is built in steady and practical steps. In order to serve the community in a genuine way, listen to your employees to find natural ways to engage, promote and hire within the community, and show up in little ways to prove credibility.