COLUMBUS, Ohio — Piada Italian Street Food, the fast-casual chain headquartered in Columbus, is putting a viral food creator’s name on its newest bowl. The company announced Nov. 10, in a release distributed by GlobeNewswire, that it has partnered with Stefan Johnson, the voice and on-screen actor known online as “Snackdaddy,” on Macdaddy’s Chicken Parm Mac, a limited-time dish available exclusively through Piada’s website and the Piada One app at participating locations from Nov. 9 through Feb. 15, 2027.
The bowl starts with Piada’s creamy mac and cheese and piles on crispy chicken, marinara, a creamy parmesan sauce and a finishing touch of parmesan cheese, according to the announcement. Piada described the dish as an Italian spin on a comfort-food favorite, delivering the flavors of chicken parmesan in every bite.
Johnson built his following as s_johnson_voiceovers across Instagram and TikTok, where, according to the announcement, his unmistakable voice, entertaining food reviews and enthusiasm for food have made him a recognizable figure in the digital food community. The collaboration was announced on social media on Instagram and TikTok, and Johnson will share exclusive content on both platforms as the launch rolls out.
“I’m all about food that’s big on flavor, and when Piada gave me the chance to create my own mac and cheese bowl, I knew we had to take it to the next level,” Johnson said in the Piada announcement. “Chicken parm and mac and cheese are two of my favorite comfort foods, so bringing them together just made sense. It’s cheesy, saucy, crispy and everything you want in one bowl. I can’t wait for everyone to try it!”
For Piada, the release said, the partnership is a way to introduce the brand to new audiences while building on a digital-first menu strategy. Rather than appearing on the regular in-store menu board, Macdaddy’s Chicken Parm Mac can be ordered only through mypiada.com and the Piada One app, giving the company a limited-time reason to steer guests toward its own ordering channels.
“At Piada, we’re always looking for new ways to bring bold flavors and creativity to our menu, and partnering with Stefan was a natural fit,” Matt Harding, Piada’s chief culinary officer, said in the announcement. “His enthusiasm for food is contagious, and we wanted to create something that reflects that energy while staying true to what we do best. Macdaddy’s Chicken Parm Mac brings together two comfort food favorites in a fun, indulgent way, and we’re excited for guests to experience it.”
The launch also comes with a loyalty tie-in. Piada One members who order the bowl will unlock a limited-time MacDaddy Badge, a digital reward in the app celebrating the collaboration, according to the announcement. Piada said it will bring the collaboration to life across its website, social media and the Piada One loyalty app.
Piada is one of several Ohio-born restaurant brands using limited-time items and partnerships to keep regulars coming back. Cincinnati favorite Pepp and Dolores is opening a second restaurant in Mason on Nov. 16, and another Cincinnati institution, Jeff Ruby’s, has moved into a larger Cincinnati headquarters beside its oldest restaurant — different concepts, but the same bet that Ohio diners will travel, and order, for a name they trust.
Founded in 2010, Piada describes itself as a premium fast-casual concept inspired by the roadside, family-run street food carts of Rimini, Italy. The chain is named for the piada, a thin Italian flatbread freshly baked on a stone grill and hand-rolled with Italian-inspired ingredients, and its menus also feature salads and pastas made with classic sauces, according to the announcement.
From its Columbus headquarters, Piada now operates 63 locations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas and North Carolina, with additional growth planned in 2027, the company said. That footprint makes the Snackdaddy collaboration a test with national reach, even though the idea, the creator partnership and the company behind it are rooted in central Ohio.
What happens next is a defined window. The bowl is available at participating locations through Feb. 15, 2027, only through Piada’s website and app, so guests who want it will need to order digitally rather than walk up to the counter and ask. Piada has not announced whether the item could return or join the regular menu after that date.
For Columbus, the announcement is a small but telling marker of where restaurant marketing is headed: a hometown chain with 63 restaurants chose a social-media creator, an app-exclusive menu item and a digital badge — not a television spot — to launch its newest dish.
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY