The food safety habits of Punch Pizza employees are among the best I've observed at local restaurants.
The pizzas are as good as any I had in Italy and there are wash basins right out front. You can see the people handling your food washing their hands — and you never see the person who handles the money, which is germ-ridden, touching your food or giving you a napkin.
Thank founder, former resident of Milan, Italy, and germaphobe John Soranno, along with his business partner John Puckett. Puckett told me Soranno could make Howard Hughes seem positively grungy.
Punch is celebrating its 20th year with construction underway at its 10th metro location in Vadnais Heights. It all started in St. Paul's Highland Park, which is also the company's HQ.
That's where I interviewed Puckett during a recent party celebrating the success of the Neapolitan pizza places.
Did you know that there's a reason why you usually find Punch Pizza near a Chipotle or a Starbucks? Rather amusing considering that Puckett co-founded Caribou Coffee with his wife, Kim; they sold Caribou in 2000.
Punch has been quite a ride. It's even taken them to the White House.
Punch was recognized by President Obama in his 2014 State of the Union address. He commended Soranno for raising employees' starting pay to $10 an hour. Since then that figure has grown to $11.