March 10th, 2025, Elmhurst, IL
When Frank and Teri DiLeo opened DiLeo’s Pizzeria and Catering, Inc. in 1991, they became the third generation of DiLeos to bring fine food to Chicago. Over the last 34 years, DiLeo’s Pizzeria and Catering has become a steadfast local favorite whose specialties are known far and wide: fresh bread baked daily, homemade pizzas, and crispy Genuine Broaster Chicken®.
On Thursday, March 6, Frank and Teri were recognized with the Golden Chicken Award for Operator Excellence by the Broaster Company. The Golden Chicken Award is a prestigious award presented by the Broaster Company to a nominated food service operator who is serving exceptional Genuine Broaster Chicken, the Broaster Company’s trademark food program brand.
“We don’t hand this award out often,” remarked Jay Cipra, President and CEO of the Broaster Company on Thursday. “When we have an operator who prepares Genuine Broaster Chicken exactly as it should be, we want to recognize them as being loyal stewards of the Genuine Broaster Chicken Brand.” With this award, the DiLeos join the top tier of Genuine Broaster Chicken operators across the US. Demetri Konstantopoulos of Wood Food Systems, Broaster Company’s Chicagoland distributor, was also recognized for his support of DiLeo’s.
Frank and Teri have been bringing Genuine Broaster Chicken to their customers since they opened, serving more than 2,000 pieces of hot, juicy chicken in an average week. During the holidays, their seasonal uptick of chicken orders sees them preparing as many as 1000 pieces per day. “We’re not even the pizza guys, we are the chicken guys,” said Frank Dileo about the popularity of their Genuine Broaster Chicken. “Just this past weekend, we delivered a 90-piece catering order to Rockford,” added Teri, proving that DiLeo’s reputation has spread beyond Elmhurst. Catering orders from all over the Chicago area, even as far away as Indiana, are not uncommon.
The daily operation of DiLeo’s Pizzeria and Catering is the culmination of generations of recipes and traditions handed down from both Frank and Teri’s families. Teri worked at her aunt’s pizzeria as a child and teenager, and her sister owns Nardi’s Pizzeria in Addison. Teri’s father taught Frank how to make his signature bread, a favorite at DiLeo’s. Frank is a third-generation restaurateur, a tradition started with Frank DiLeo’s Walnut Room in Chicago which was subsequently followed by DiLeo’s Restaurant Lounge and Banquets in Chicago and DiLeo’s Park Avenue Banquets in Franklin Park.
Frank’s day starts when he arrives at the restaurant at 6am to bake bread, make pizza crust, mix sausage and prepare the fresh, hand-breaded chicken for the day. Teri works alongside Frank, preparing food and serving customers, many who are known by name, and closing up shop at the end of the night. Throughout the years, Frank and Teri have had support from their families, including their four children who have invested nights and weekends in the family business. The namesakes of several dishes on the DiLeo’s menu, Frank and Teri’s children are Annamarie (attended Northwestern University), Rocco (attended Dartmouth), Frankie (attended Penn State), and Luca (attended Dartmouth).
Genuine Broaster Chicken lovers and pizza aficionados can stop in at the DiLeo’s Pizzeria and Catering at 193 E. Butterfield Rd in Elmhurst, order delivery from DiLeo’s directly via phone at 630.782.5700 or online at dileospizzeria.com. DiLeos’s has also partnered with Uber Eats, GrubHub and Doordash for seamless mobile ordering. DiLeo’s daily delivery is available to all the surrounding communities including Oak Brook, Hillside, Berkley, Bellwood, Maywood, Loyola, Lombard, Villa Park, Oakbrook Terrace, Orland & Western Springs. No matter the manner the order is placed, customers can expect to get a meal crafted with care from DiLeo’s. “Cooking is an art. We just want to make people happy,” said Teri. “And they love our chicken!”