Family-run businesses have oft been the subject of movies and TV shows — from Succession and The Bear to Hoboken’s very own The Cake Boss, there’s something truly fascinating about families that can withstand the pressures of business (and those that can’t… ahem, Succession). One family-owned Hoboken pizzeria, Mario’s Classic Pizza, has brought this theme to Instagram, chronicling the trials, triumphs, and trifles of working with family through weekly Instagram skits. The videos are, put plainly, hilarious, and the internet has responded accordingly: in the past month, Mario’s has gained 4,000 new Instagram followers, with one video surpassing 1 million views. We chatted with the Albunia family (who has owned Mario’s for 30+ years) to learn all about their newfound internet fame. Keep reading for the inspiration behind this Hoboken pizzeria’s viral Instagram videos (and to see what all the hype is about).
The Backstory
Mario’s Classic Pizza has been in Hoboken for over 36 years, owned and operated by Mario Albunia since opening in 1986. Over time, Mario recruited his sons Mario Jr., Michael, and Joseph into the family business, which is beloved by locals for its expansive menu (40 different pizza options) and its longstanding tradition of free Thanksgiving meals.
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Despite the pizzeria’s old-school status, though, Mario and his sons have been able to solidify its place in the new-age digital world with a comedic approach to marketing. It first started with Full-Price Fridays, a weekly promotion in which there are no discounts, and all menu items are exactly as they always are. Sounds like a steal to us.
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Mario Jr. told The Hoboken Girl that since they were kids, “Friday has always been ‘Full Price Friday,’ which is always the busiest day in a pizza place.” He continued that “every Friday, we share a video and people seem to find full price Fridays hilarious… [customers] come in screaming it and get excited.”
It was out of this subversive (read: hilarious) marketing that the idea for skits originated. “I started to notice that huge restaurants with big followings post food that looks amazing, but it never gets tons of engagement,” Mario Jr. shared. “So we were like ‘let’s just post us and be ourselves,’ and started to post a few videos.”
Each post shows different types of family-business tropes — the sibling who always shows up late; the father who cannot retire; the kids who cannot be fired. The videos have garnered love from locals and internet lurkers beyond Hoboken. The most viral video to date, captioned “Walking into work late but it’s a family business” has over 1 million views. See the video below.
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Many of the videos follow similar themes, but the real joy is seeing how much fun the family is having behind the scenes. Sometimes, the fourth wall breaks and laughter erupts from behind the camera — other times, Mario Sr. makes an appearance, which is a treat in itself. Mario Jr. shared with HG that “the process of making the videos might be funnier than the videos themselves.” At the beginning of each week, the team brainstorms ideas and investigates viral trends. Of course, none of this comes easy: “Me, my brothers, and dad argue about when to film and it’s so funny. It always gets delayed until Friday.”
Scroll to see a few of our favorites.
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Mario’s has also started selling merch every few months to create more excitement about the pizzeria. “Just like our videos, it’s cool to see customers want something from Mario’s and want to wear it,” Mario shared. “The feeling you get seeing someone wear your merch is incredible.”
We can’t wait to see what the Albunia fam has cooking, both literally in the pizza oven and on their social media page. In the meantime, be sure to follow along on Mario’s Instagram.
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