Smiley® Cookies Named the “Coolest Thing Made in PA”
It started as a simple smile—but today, it’s an award‑winning Pennsylvania icon.
We’re incredibly proud (and more than a little excited) to share that Smiley® Cookies have been named the “Coolest Thing Made in Pennsylvania” by the PA Chamber. For us at SmileyCookie.com, this recognition celebrates everything our cookie stands for: joy, nostalgia, and a commitment to creating smiles—one cookie at a time.
More Than a Cookie
The Smiley® Cookie is so much more than a sweet treat.
For decades, it’s been a familiar, feel‑good symbol of celebration, comfort, and connection. A cookie that shows up at birthdays, thank‑yous, care packages, office celebrations, and moments that deserve a smile. This year, that legacy feels especially meaningful as we celebrate 40 years of Smiley® Cookies.
What makes the Smiley® Cookie special isn’t just how it tastes—it’s what it represents:
joy, care, and hospitality, baked into every batch.
Where the Smile Began
The Smiley® Cookie was first shared with guests at Eat’n Park Restaurants in 1986, inspired by a story rooted deeply in Pennsylvania.
Eat’n Park’s former chairman, Jim Broadhurst, grew up in Titusville, PA. On his walk home from school, he passed a small neighborhood bakery—Warner’s Bakery—where his mom would give him a few coins to buy a smiling, happy‑faced cookie. That daily ritual made a lasting impression.
Years later, Jim wanted to bring that same simple happiness to restaurant guests. With the encouragement and support of Mr. Warner, Eat’n Park introduced Smiley® Cookies in its restaurants—freshly baked and shared freely as a small but powerful gesture of hospitality.
That smile caught on in a big way.
From Restaurant Tables to Doorsteps Nationwide
What began in Eat’n Park restaurants has grown into something people across the country eagerly seek out—Smiley® Cookies delivered straight to their doors.
Today, over 7 million Smiley® Cookies are baked each year, and through SmileyCookie.com alone, about half a million cookies were shipped last year to all 50 states. Whether you grew up enjoying one at a restaurant or discovered them later as a gift or celebration staple, the connection is real—and deeply personal.
People don’t just order Smiley® Cookies because they’re delicious. They order them because they mean something.
Thank You for Sharing the Smile
This award belongs to everyone who has ever shared a Smiley® Cookie—at a celebration, in the mail, or across a table.
Thank you to our fans who hold these cookies close to their hearts, who pass on the tradition, and who continue to find meaning in something so wonderfully simple. Being named the “Coolest Thing Made in PA” is an honor we take seriously, and it reflects our responsibility to keep doing what we’ve always done best.
Creating smiles—near, far, and everywhere in between.
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