COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 27, 2025--
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the iconic restaurant brand that revolutionized casual dining with its twist on familiar foods, is marking 40 years of culinary delights with an epic celebration that’s full of surprises. From fan-favorite dishes making a glorious return to an upgraded Thank You Card promotion that rewards every guest, CPK is ushering in its next era with a little help from former employee, superfan and actor Busy Philipps.
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Former hostess Busy Philipps helps CPK turn a mid-life crisis into a celebration as the brand turns 40. (Image credit: Matt Reyes, Iris)
Relatable Take on Turning 40
Earlier this week, CPK feigned a mid-life crisis ahead of turning 40, debuting “new branding” across all digital channels. Inspired by streetwear fashion and culture to stay fresh with today’s consumers, the holistic but fake brand was brought to life through preposterous videos, graphics, and images, leaving everyone wondering what was truly going on. Today, thanks to Philipps – a perfect partner and brand fan – CPK revealed its true perspective, “We’re 40 & Fine with It!” Through this mockumentary style video, Philipps leads the brand to embrace this milestone and keep doing what they’ve always done best: combining fresh, innovative cuisine with a California-cool vibe.
“I’ve been a huge fan of CPK ever since I worked there as a hostess back in the day, so of course I was thrilled to help them celebrate this incredible anniversary,” said actor Busy Philipps. “My job was to remind CPK that at 40 years old, there’s no need for reinvention. Their legacy and continued leadership of creating incredible flavors and lasting memories is exactly what will keep people of all ages loving the brand for many years to come.”
New Seasonal Menu – Decades in the Making
Now fully embracing 40 delicious years and counting, CPK is also bringing back a limited-time menu of some of its most iconic dishes from the past four decades. These items were hand selected by CPK guests, team members, Executive Chef Paul Pszybylski, and even CPK’s founders, Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax. Now through May 19, guests can enjoy these classic flavors, whether to relive cherished memories or discover new favorites:
Thank You Card Promotion — Rewarding Every CPK Guest with More Prizes & Surprises
CPK’s most popular promotion returns better than ever, this time to thank guests for 40 years. Now through May 11, every adult guest – whether dining in restaurant or for takeout or delivery – receives a Thank You Card containing a hidden prize to be revealed at their next visit. From CPK meal discounts to gift cards at major brands and cash prizes up to $40,000, every guest is a winner. New to the program this year, CPK is offering a digital second chance to win. By scanning the QR code on their card, guests can join CPK rewards to score an instant $5 bonus and a chance to win a five-day cruise getaway.
From March 2 through June 8, guests can visit any full-service CPK location with their unopened Thank You Card to have their prize revealed by a restaurant manager. It’s an easy and exciting way to join the anniversary celebration! For more information on the Thank You Card program, visit www.cpk.com/thankyou/2025.
A 40 Year Legacy of Fan-Favorite Innovation & Flavor
CPK has spent 40 years as a trendsetter in casual dining, repeatedly giving guests of all ages craveable dishes that are fresh, flavorful and often unexpected. As the brand looks ahead, it remains committed to its innovation mastery, delivering an unmatched dining experience that continues to offer globally inspired creations reflecting California’s vibrant culinary landscape.
“The CPK future is brighter than ever,” says Jeff Warne, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at California Pizza Kitchen. “Today we celebrate our 40 year legacy thanks to the loyalty and passion of our guests, and the incredible dedication of our teams. With the strength of this lasting foundation, our ambitions have never been bigger and we are committed to serving up another epic 40 years for generations of guests.”
For more information, visit www.cpk.com and follow @ cpk on Instagram, @ calpizzakitchen on TikTok or @ calpizzakitchen on X.
About California Pizza Kitchen
Founded in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) revolutionized casual dining with its first restaurant in Beverly Hills, introducing the world to gourmet, California-inspired pizza. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, CPK is a beloved global brand, serving creative California cuisine across 27 states and in nine countries and U.S. territories. CPK continues to redefine casual dining, fueled by a passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold global flavors. From iconic hearth-baked pizzas like The Original BBQ Chicken and California Club, to inventive salads like Thai Crunch, unique pastas like Chicken Tequila Fettuccine, and industry firsts like Cauliflower Crust and Take & Bake Pizzas, CPK combines familiar foods with a fresh, imaginative California twist that guests continue to crave.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINNING A PRIZE. Must be or become a CPK Rewards member prior to entering Sweepstakes. Open only to legal residents of the states where California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) restaurants operate within the contiguous US and Hawaii, who are 18 or older, and who either live or work within a 25-mile radius of a participating CPK restaurant. Void elsewhere and where prohibited. Promotion begins on 3/1/25 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on 6/8/25. See Rules for eligible states, how to enter, prize details, odds, and restrictions at participating CPK restaurants or online at cpk.com/thankyou. Sponsor: California Pizza Kitchen, Inc., 575 Anton Blvd., Suite 100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
CPK fake rebrand "Devour the Doubters" launched nationally on March 24. (Image credit: Matt Reyes, Iris)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge on Wednesday gave the Trump administration time to respond to a request to suspend an immigration crackdown in Minnesota, while the Pentagon looked for military lawyers to join what has become a chaotic law enforcement effort in the state.
Plumes of tear gas, bursts of chemical irritants and the screech of protest whistles have become common on the streets of Minneapolis, especially since an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away.
Agents have yanked people from cars and homes and been confronted by angry bystanders who are demanding that officers pack up and leave.
“What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered," state Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter said during the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Local leaders say the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with the surge of law enforcement. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez promised to keep the case “on the front burner” and gave the U.S. Justice Department until Monday to file a response to a request for a restraining order.
The judge said these are "grave and important matters,” and that there are few legal precedents to apply to some of the key points in the case.
Justice Department attorney Andrew Warden suggested the approach set by Menendez was appropriate.
The judge is also handling a separate lawsuit challenging the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal officers when they encounter protesters and observers. A decision could be released this week.
The Department of Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December and is vowing to not back down. The Pentagon is preparing to send military lawyers to Minneapolis to assist.
CNN, citing an email circulating in the military, says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asking the branches to identify 40 lawyers known as judge advocate general officers or JAGs, and 25 of them will serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys in Minneapolis.
Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson appeared to confirm the CNN report by posting it on X with a comment that the military “is proud to support” the Justice Department.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking more details.
It’s the latest step by the Trump administration to dispatch military and civilian attorneys to areas where federal immigration operations are taking place. The Pentagon last week sent 20 lawyers to Memphis, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said.
Mark Nevitt, an associate professor at Emory University School of Law and a former Navy JAG, said there's concern that the assignments are taking lawyers away from the military justice system.
“There are not many JAGs but there are over one million members of the military, and they all need legal support,” he said.
Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who killed Good, suffered internal bleeding to his torso during the encounter, a Homeland Security official told The Associated Press.
The official spoke to AP on condition of anonymity in order to discuss Ross’ medical condition. The official did not provide details about the severity of the injuries, and the agency did not respond to questions about the extent of the bleeding, exactly how he suffered the injury, when it was diagnosed or his medical treatment.
There are many causes of internal bleeding, and they vary in severity from bruising to significant blood loss. Video from the scene showed Ross and other officers walking without obvious difficulty after Good was shot and her Honda Pilot crashed into other vehicles.
She was killed after three ICE officers surrounded her SUV on a snowy street a few blocks from her home.
Bystander video shows one officer ordering Good to open the door and grabbing the handle. As the vehicle begins to move forward, Ross, standing in front, raises his weapon and fires at least three shots at close range. He steps back as the SUV advances and turns.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said Ross was struck by the vehicle and that Good was using her SUV as a weapon — a self-defense claim that has been deeply criticized by Minnesota officials.
Chris Madel, an attorney for Ross, declined to comment on any injuries.
Good’s family, meanwhile, has hired a law firm, Romanucci & Blandin, that represented George Floyd’s family in a $27 million settlement with Minneapolis. Floyd, who was Black, died after a white police officer pinned his neck to the ground in the street in May 2020.
The firm said Good was following orders to move her car when she was shot. It said it would conduct its own investigation and publicly share what it learns.
“They do not want her used as a political pawn,” the firm said, referring to Good and her family, “but rather as an agent of peace for all.”
Waving signs reading “Love Melts ICE” and “DE-ICE MN,” hundreds of teenagers left school in St. Paul and marched in freezing temperatures to the state Capitol for a protest and rally.
The University of Minnesota, meanwhile, informed its 50,000-plus students that there could be online options for some classes when the new term starts next week. President Rebecca Cunningham noted that “violence and protests have come to our doorstep.” The campus sits next to the main Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis.
Associated Press reporters Julie Watson in San Diego, California; Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C.; Ed White in Detroit; Giovanna Dell’Orto in Minneapolis; and Graham Lee Brewer in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, contributed.
Federal immigration officers are seen Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Hundreds of protesters gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol in response to the death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Protesters gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol in response to the death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Protesters gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol in response to the death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Federal officers stand guard after detaining people outside of Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
People visits a makeshift memorial for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A person is detained by federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
