JAMESTOWN — Jason Halkias, a devoted Pizza Ranch fan from Davenport, Iowa, is nearing the end of his remarkable journey to visit every Pizza Ranch restaurant in the nation. On Friday, August 16, Halkias made his 197th stop at the Jamestown, North Dakota, location.
“This one is just like any other I’ve been to,” Halkias said. “It’s excellent in every way.”
Halkias chose the Jamestown Pizza Ranch as his final stop in North Dakota. He has 27 more Pizza Ranch locations to visit across four states to complete his quest of all 221 locations. This number will ultimately rise to 224 as he plans to visit four locations that have closed.
Bryan Stromberg, owner of the Jamestown Pizza Ranch, and his staff were prepared for Halkias’ visit. They served Halkias his favorite pizza, the stuffed buffalo chicken, and made sure to have his preferred cherry dessert pizza available. Stromberg also presented Halkias with commemorative T-shirts.
The Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce also covered Halkias’ meal, a gesture he did not anticipate. “I never expect anything,” Halkias said. “The fact that a lot of locations have been gifting me things over my visits is very humbling and appreciated.”
Halkias noted that while he didn’t find anything uniquely different about the Jamestown location, he did appreciate the fireplace, which he hadn’t seen at other locations. “Every location is tied to its own community,” he said, “and that’s what makes each one stand out.”
To complete his quest, Halkias must visit 10 more Pizza Ranch locations in Iowa, 14 in Minnesota, two in Wisconsin, and one in Tennessee. His final stop is planned for Sioux Center, Iowa, where he chose to end his journey because it is the hometown of the Pizza Ranch president.
Halkias’ journey began about a decade ago after visiting his third Pizza Ranch location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His initial interest was sparked by a relationship with a fellow Pizza Ranch enthusiast. From visiting two locations, Halkias’ quest expanded to 14, and eventually, he decided to visit every Pizza Ranch in the country.
In addition to visiting Pizza Ranch locations, Halkias has explored several notable landmarks, including the geographical centers of the contiguous U.S., South Dakota, and North America, as well as the Oregon Trail Ruts in Wyoming and Monowi, Nebraska, the only U.S. town with a population of one.
Halkias plans to attend grand openings of new Pizza Ranch locations after completing his current quest.