Tombstone's Slogans & Taglines

Tombstone is a frozen pizza brand born from the unlikely origins of a Wisconsin tavern kitchen. Founded in 1962 by brothers Pep and Ron Simek in Medford, Wisconsin, the brand took its name from the Tombstone Tap—a bar they owned across from a cemetery. Working from a cramped 6-by-6-foot kitchen, the brothers perfected their recipe after Pep broke his leg and had time to refine the spices, creating a pizza that quickly sold 2,000 units daily. The brand's iconic slogan, "What do you want on your Tombstone?" turned its macabre name into marketing gold through Western-themed commercials featuring mock executions where defendants chose pizza toppings over epitaphs. Acquired by Kraft Foods in 1988 and later by Nestlé in 2010, Tombstone became a cornerstone of the frozen pizza aisle alongside DiGiorno and Jack's. Its later tagline, "Shoulda had that Tombstone," kept the playful edge alive. Today, it remains a symbol of American frozen food ingenuity and the enduring appeal of a perfectly spiced, no-frills pizza.