PMQ Pizza Magazine August 2019

PIZZA MAGAZINE T H E W O R L D ' S A U T H O R I T Y O N P I Z Z A | P M Q . C O M | P I Z Z AT V. C O M

August 2019

the

craft

Caputo offers award-winning Italian artisan cheeses to add delicious distinction to any menu.

Join us in Atlantic City September 25-26th at the Pizza and Pasta Expo and discover how we craft distinction

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CaputoCheese.com

COMPANY OWNERS

A OF

©2019. All rights reserved. Caputo.

How an employee-owned business model is helping Johnny’s Pizza House grow into new markets PAGE 32

Grandma-Style Pizza 26

The Online Equation 40

Soft Cheeses 58

the skill To reach an intended outcome, the journey there has to be flawless.

Discover our distinct difference at the Pizza & Pasta Expo September 25-26 in Atlantic City

Tradition and Craftsmanship. At Caputo, we partner closely with you to understand your specific cheese needs. We then offer deliciously unique ideas and insights to build your business. Finally, backed by years of cheese-making experience, our craftsmen create the perfect customized solution to help you offer exceptional eating experiences to your customers.

Discover our distinctive difference; call 708-450-0074.

Š2019. All rights reserved.

CaputoCheese.com

August 2019

PIZZA MAGAZINE T H E W O R L D ' S A U T H O R I T Y O N P I Z Z A | P M Q . C O M | P I Z Z AT V. C O M

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Volume 23, Issue 6

August 2019

COMPANY OWNERS

A OF The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

How an employee-owned business model is helping Johnny’s Pizza House grow into new markets PAGE 32

Grandma-Style Pizza 26

The Online Equation 40

Soft Cheeses 58

I BELIEVE PIZZA IS AN ART. I BELIEVE IN USING NOTHING BUT THE BEST INGREDIENTS. IF YOU WANT AN AVERAGE, RUN-OF-THE-MILL PIZZA I BELIEVE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GO. What’s your declaration of independence?

Grande is championing operators who have an independent spirit and shared passion for excellence. By providing the finest all natural, authentic Italian cheeses, along with an unwavering commitment to quality, we’ll continue to advocate for independents and their love of the craft.

grandecheese.com 1-800-8-GRANDE © 2019 Grande Cheese Company

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AS SEEN ON PIZZATV.COM “BITE ME”: PIZZATV’S HEATHER CRAY GOES BEYOND THE DEEP DISH In her new PizzaTV series, “Bite Me,” Heather Cray, PMQ’s social media manager and PizzaTV personality, jets off to Chicago with Missy Green to check out three trendy pizzerias. From the famous Pizza Pot Pie at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. to the artisanal fare at Robert’s Pizza and Dough Co. and the popsicle cocktails of Paradise Park, this high-spirited debut “Bite Me” episode captures the fun and energy of the Windy City’s pizza scene.

PIZZATV.COM/VIDEO/BITEME1

If you’d like to contribute to PizzaTV.com and our Roku channel, send links to your best video content to info@PizzaTV.com.

EXCLUSIVELY ON PMQ.COM

HELL PIZZA SURPRISES CUSTOMERS WITH “FAKE MEAT” PIE

FROZEN PIZZA COMPANY USES IMPERFECT PRODUCE AS TOPPINGS

After Hell Pizza, known for its irreverent, cutting-edge marketing approach, sold thousands of its new Burger Pizzas, the New Zealand chain angered some customers by announcing the toppings were plant-based rather than actual meat.

Scraps, a frozen pizza maker, incorporates imperfect and underused vegetables—such as discarded broccoli leaves and splotchy bell peppers—into its ingredient mix. The goal: to reduce food waste while supporting local farms.

PMQ.COM/HELLPIZZA

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SCHOOL KIDS INSPIRE NEW STRAW POLICY AT UNO PIZZERIA & GRILL

THIS CHINESE PIZZERIA JUST SAYS NO TO DURIAN

When a class of fourth-graders in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, wrote the CEO of UNO Pizzeria & Grill about the environmental threat posed by plastic straws, he listened—and quickly moved the chain to a “by-request-only” policy.

Durian, the world’s stinkiest fruit, is a bewilderingly popular topping in China. Matt Slack, owner of the three-store Pizza Factory chain, explains why he is bucking the trend and staying true to pizza’s Italian-American roots.

PMQ.COM/UNOSTRAWPOLICY

6 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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NEW LOOK SAME AUTHENTIC TASTE At Bellissimo,® we know what it takes to make a menu – and a business – work.

We’ve got all the ingredients that make Italian, Italian. And all the ingredients you need to make every slice, pasta bowl and red sauce really, really good. It’s why we’re called Bellissimo. It means beautiful. And it is. Because when you get just what you need, how you need it... it’s a beautiful thing.

® Bellissimo Foods Company 2019

Look for our new packaging this fall | Bellissimo.com

IN THIS ISSUE

AUGUST FEATURES

32

ON COVTHE ER

The House That Johnny Built

How a pizza marketing legend transformed Johnny’s Pizza House into an employeeowned business that keeps growing and innovating after 50 years in business.

26

GrandmaStyle Pizza

40

The Online Equation

46 The Online Ordering Buyers Guide

52 Return to the Planet of the Apps

58 Soft Sell

66 Prep with Pep

8 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

IN THIS ISSUE

AUGUST DEPARTMENTS

14

In Lehmann’s Terms: Turning Wraps Into Pizza Skins

16

A flatbread wrap can easily be converted into a thin-crust pizza— as long as you don’t bake it directly on the oven hearth.

18

24

Tips From the Team: Lars Smith

81 Pizza Without Borders: Perils of Brexit IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online @ PMQ

76

Idea Zone

12

Editor’s Note

82

Product Spotlight

20

Moneymakers

83

The Pizza Exchange

72

SmartMarket

10 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

The Think Tank: How to Terminate An Employee

Firing a staff member brings new risks in the age of social media and crowdsourced review sites. Here are some tips for protecting yourself.

Recipe of the Month

98 Pizza Hall of Fame: Bernie’s Pizza Check out our digital and tablet editions for bonus video and multimedia content. Visit PMQ.com/digital to view the digital edition, or download our tablet app at iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Rick Hynum Editor in Chief

A FAMILY MAN WITH TWO FAMILIES Johnny Huntsman, the founder of West Monroe, Louisianaheadquartered Johnny’s Pizza House ( JPH), was a family man with more than one family. When he passed away in 2017, he left behind his wife of 30 years, two daughters and a son, plus several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But his second family was even larger—hundreds of managers and employees at the company’s more than 40 corporate-owned and franchise restaurants. Luckily for the latter, Huntsman’s own kids had little interest in the pizza business. So long before his death, he launched a plan to provide for his other “heirs”—those who worked hard to make JPH a thriving business a full 50 years after it started.

Huntsman was such a good businessman—and such a great character—that he appeared twice in PMQ’s pages. Now it’s 2019, and we’re still writing about him, because Huntsman’s longterm goal to make JPH a 100% employee-owned company was reached in 2019. In this month’s cover story, “The House That Johnny Built” (pg. 32), our cover subject, JPH President/CEO Melvin DeLacerda, explains some of the details of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) that made it possible—and why being employee-owned offers big advantages for a company like JPH.

As the “greed is good” era fades at last, we’re seeing a new generation of business owners who want to do more than make a bundle and die rich. Social entrepreneurship is one example; these for-profit businesses also have a social mission to address problems in their community, from homelessness and hunger to employing people with disabilities. Huntsman was not, strictly speaking, a social entrepreneur, but he was a business owner for whom giving back was more than a marketing strategy. When he was ready to retire, he could have sold JPH to some big national company, but he knew that many employees who had done right by him for so long would have ended up on the unemployment line. A lot of business owners wouldn’t have cared about that—they’re often blinded by dollar signs. Huntsman was different. In that respect, he was ahead of his time in my book.

It’s true that doing good is good for business, and I predict more companies will follow that path in the coming years. But Huntsman did good for its own sake. I never met him, but I wish I had. The world could use a lot more Johnny Huntsmans.

August 2019

PIZZA MAGAZINE T H E W O R L D ' S A U T H O R I T Y O N P I Z Z A | P M Q . C O M | P I Z Z AT V. C O M

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | Volume 23, Issue 6

August 2019

ON THE COVER:

COMPANY OWNERS

A OF The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

Melvin DeLacerda of Johnny’s Pizza House says sharing a slice of the company’s ownership with employees helps retain high-quality staff while offering a number of tax advantages.

How an employee-owned business model is helping Johnny’s Pizza House grow into new markets PAGE 32

Grandma-Style Pizza 26

A Publication of PMQ, Inc. 662-234-5481 Volume 23, Issue 6 August 2019 ISSN 1937-5263 Publisher Steve Green, sg@pmq.com ext. 123 Co-Publisher Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail com ext. 121 Editor in Chief Rick Hynum, rick@pmq.com Art Director Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134 Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com

Associate Editor Callie Daniels Bryant, callie@pmq.com Contributing Editor Bill DeJournett, bill@pmq.com International Correspondent Missy Green, missy@pmq.com Senior Media Producer Daniel Lee Perea, dperea@pmq.com ext. 139 Social Media Manager Heather Cray, heather@pmq.com ext. 137 Video Editor Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136 Chief Financial Officer Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com Test Chef/USPT Coordinator Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129

The Online Equation 40

Soft Cheeses 58

ADVERTISING

PMQ INTERNATIONAL

Sales Director Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail com ext. 121

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PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year.

Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047.

Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

12 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Find your Ispirazione Italiana

What's our Italian Inspiration? It’s combining

Old World tradition with modern creativity to craft everyone’s perfect pie. At Metro Pizza, we treat each pizza like an edible canvas. And we bring our customers’ visions to life using our skills as pizza makers and choosing authentic ingredients like Galbani® Fresh Mozzarella. Whether it’s our unique Stella Pizza or your own masterpiece—when it’s topped with Galbani cheese, it’s a work of art.

—JOHN ARENA (CO-FOUNDER) & CHRIS DECKER (CHEF/PARTNER), METRO PIZZA

Find more Italian Inspiration and John & Chris’s videos at GalbaniPro.com. ©2018 Lactalis American Group, Inc., Buffalo, NY 14220. Galbani is a ® of Egidio Galbani S.r.l. All Rights Reserved.

FLATOUT FLAT BREADS

IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

TURNING WRAPS INTO PIZZA SKINS Q A

We’re thinking of adding some type of pizza to the menu at our restaurant. We presently offer wraps for lunch, so we’re thinking of using our existing wraps for the pizza base/crust.

Is this doable?

To answer your question in a word: Absolutely! Wraps are not all that different from a par-baked, thin pizza crust that you might buy from any major restaurant supplier, so they should work quite well.

Before starting to build your pizza, I would suggest that you brush the wrap lightly with a little oil. As for your sauce, you can use a prepared pizza sauce, make your own, or try my favorite approach: Simply put some fresh basil and garlic on the oiled crust, then add thin slices of fresh tomato or drained tomato filets. From there, you’ll just build the pizza to order. As with any par-baked crust, you will probably find it easier to control the bake if you cook the pizzas on a seasoned pizza screen, as opposed to placing them directly on the oven hearth.

You can also make a pretty decent dessert to go with your pizzas, using the same wrap skins. In this case, brush the entire surface of the wrap with melted butter and sprinkle

14 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

A flatbread wrap can easily be converted into a thin-crust pizza—as long as you don’t bake it directly on the oven hearth. BY TOM LEHMANN

with granulated table sugar and cinnamon. Bake it on a seasoned pizza screen, just as you do the pizzas. As soon as the dessert comes out of the oven, cut it into pie wedges for serving and garnish with a drizzle of powdered sugar-andwater icing. They’ll come out crispy and sweet and make a great, light dessert after a pizza meal.

Another suggestion: Place a piece of Italian sausage (or Italian sausage crumbles) in a wrap skin, then add some sauce and cheese and two or three selected toppings. Roll the skin up like a burrito, brush it with olive oil and bake it on a screen. After baking, brush it again with garlic-flavored butter or oil, sprinkle with an Italian herb-and-cheese mixture (as you might do for breadsticks) and serve. We used to call these “pizza wraps.” As you can see, there are a lot of possibilities for you to explore!

Tom Lehmann was the longtime director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB) and is now a pizza industry consultant.

PMQ.COM/DOU GH

3

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T H E T H I N K TA N K

HOW TO TERMINATE AN EMPLOYEE WPI: I’m letting my manager go today. He has worked for me for two years. What should I be worried about? paul7979: I would change the locks and remove his alarm

code. If the person has remote access to your POS system or security cameras, make sure to change the passwords. Explain to your staff why the manager was terminated in general terms—don’t offer specifics, and don’t try to make him look terrible to the staff. If he becomes upset over being fired, keep your eye on social media and review websites like Yelp for bad or overblown stories about your restaurant. To minimize the manager’s emotional response to the situation, behave as professionally as possible.

Donatello: I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it wasn’t too hard

Firing a staff member brings new risks in the age of social media and crowdsourced review sites. Here are some tips for protecting yourself.

bodegahwy: Pay him what he is owed on his last day by check.

Don’t wait for the next payday. Include on the check any remaining vacation pay that’s coming to him. The harm that fired employees can do through social media and online review websites is not worth any satisfaction you might get from telling them off. newrestaurant: I agree with everything that has been said so far.

However, I would add the following suggestions: When you’re ready to terminate him, arrange to meet off-premise, not in the restaurant. I would also recommend including a “goodwill” bonus if he was not caught in any kind of outright criminal act or wrongdoing. You can say, “I’m sorry, but we have to part ways. Here is a little extra money to help see you through.” That might prevent the bad feelings from escalating.

a decision. I agree with paul7979. Also, if there isn’t any immediate fallout, assure him that you’ll provide him with a good reference for his next job. This will minimize the risk of retribution and help him get back on his feet more quickly.

Get answers to your most perplexing problems and swap tips and ideas with the experts in PMQ’s Think Tank, the pizza industry’s oldest and most popular online forum. Register for free at thinktank.pmq.com. (Member posts have been edited here for clarity.)

T H IN KTAN K.P MQ .C O M

16 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

TIPS FROM THE TEAM

BRIAN HERNANDEZ

A TASTE OF HOME People like what they know, so Lars Smith from State of Mind stresses the importance of providing local ingredients on your menu. BY BRIAN HERNANDEZ In an endless sea of chains and cookie-cutter pizzerias, you have to find a way to set yourself apart. One great way to do that, while giving back to your community, is to source ingredients locally whenever possible. U.S. Pizza Team member Lars Smith, owner of State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria in Los Altos, California, knew this was the way to go right from the beginning.

Known for his predominantly “California local” menu of ingredients—from meats to produce to cheeses—Smith explains how and why operators should consider sourcing and serving “local” to locals.

Hernandez: Can you define what “local” means to you?

Smith: Generally, local food is defined as “food within 100 miles of where you are.” But we founded State of Mind as a “California state of mind” establishment. Everything we do here is a reflection of the Californian culinary culture, using as many California products as possible, as well as cooking techniques, cultures and traditions defined by our great state. But more local is, well, more better [chuckles]. We do use a lot of ingredients from within 100 miles of our restaurant, but we reach out to about 200 miles maximum. It’s all California-grown.

Hernandez: What made you decide to feature local ingredients on your menu?

Smith: It’s a combination of where and how I grew up. Farm-totable and “California cuisine” got a great start here in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1970s with people like Jeremiah Tower and Alice Waters and places like Chez Panisse. And, coming from a culinary and farming family that just loved to cook, we were, of course, using local California ingredients. Also, coming of age in the early 2000s, I just happened to grow up in a time in which there was a renewed consciousness of where our food was coming from, what we were eating, and why.

Hernandez: What are the benefits of serving local ingredients? Is it a matter of customer perception or the actual quality of food?

Smith: I think it’s both. First, you can differentiate yourself in the market. Not everyone is doing this. Not all establishments care where their ingredients come from or how they were made.

Second, it’s the care—if you are buying from a local food grower, you are buying from someone who cares about what they are selling. They put in the time and effort to get it to you and want it to be the best quality it can be.

18 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Lars is known for his outspoken insistence on using locally sourced, fresh ingredients for his pies.

BRIAN HERNANDEZ

H E AT H E R C R AY

“If you can come up with just one recipe using a locally sourced ingredient, promote it as a special on a chalkboard by the cash register. You’ll be surprised at the reception you will get from your customers.”

— LARS SMITH, STATE OF MIND PUBLIC HOUSE AND PIZZERIA Hernandez: Do you think it matters that much to customers?

Smith: I do think the customers appreciate it. It gives them a choice. If they want some run-of-the-mill pizza, they can get the chain stuff, but they know if they want some ambience and great ingredients, they’ll come to your place. Here at State of Mind, we’ve created something more than just “taking a pizza to go.” If you’re looking for premium ingredients or a more special dining experience, that’s where the “local” difference comes in. Sometimes the side effect of being different is that you are actually better.

Hernandez: How do you deal with the growing seasons?

Smith: Certain things like bread don’t have a season. Other things, like produce, definitely do. But I would rather not serve my customers a product I’m not sure of. At this point, we start to rotate the menu. And it’s fun! We like to do quarterly menus to feature items while they are in season. You can get certain ingredients year-round because they have growhouses, but you will most likely have to change it up—hence the seasonal menu.

Hernandez: In places like the Midwest that have very cold winters, is it harder to do local?

Smith: For produce, yes. There are still winter greens available, but you should shift focus at that point. State of Mind partners with local breweries and wineries that are pretty much going year-round. Also, you can find local cheese or meat producers to partner with that will provide you with product during the off-season. This ties in with the menu changes. It keeps the customers interested and the staff energized.

Hernandez: Can you give us one takeaway tip for using local?

Smith: If you can come up with just one recipe using a locally sourced ingredient, promote it as a special on a chalkboard by the cash register. That’s a start. You’ll be surprised at the reception you will get from your customers. It just takes one recipe with a local ingredient to get it going.

To see the full interview and hear more about how Lars Smith and State of Mind are pushing the local envelope, visit pmq.com/ stateofmind or visit pizzaradio.com for the podcast.

Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s test chef and U.S. Pizza Team coordinator.

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

19

MONEYMAKERS

RACE TO THE CUSTOMER’S DOORSTEP A pair of entrepreneurs in Wilmington, North Carolina, aim to speed up pizza delivery via a network of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile kitchens that bake the pies en route to the customer’s doorstep. In a business model similar to that of Mountain View, California-headquartered Zume Pizza, Wheelz Pizza, founded by Joy Sprenger and Paul Parker, outfits its delivery vans with ultra-compact, Italian-made ovens that can bake pizzas in 90 seconds. When an order comes in through a mobile app (inspired by Uber’s), the driver of the van nearest the customer’s location fires up the New York/Neapolitan-style pie in the oven and can often arrive in just minutes with a fresh, hot pie.

QUICK TIP 1

CREATE A COUPON CALENDAR If couponing is important to your business, think about giving your customers a calendar with a different one-time-use coupon for each month. It’s a great way to promote new or high-profit menu items and turn occasional customers into regulars.

STARS, BARS AND MOZZ Outta Hand Pizza in Westfield, New Jersey, tried to set a world record for patriotism in June with a Sicilian-style pizza that looks like the American flag—and earned a salute from media outlets nationwide. The pizza, which measured 9’ by 4’, boasts five gallons of sauce and three loaves of mozzarella—some of it dyed blue—and cost between $500 and $600 to create, according to Burim Regjaj, the pizzeria’s owner. Regjaj rolled out the pizza at Westfield’s Summer Movie Night Kickoff event and has submitted a claim to Guinness World Records, hoping to get it verified as the world’s largest flag-shaped pie. Meanwhile, Regjaj told reporters, “It’s beautiful to see people smile and enjoy it.”

Shelly Brindle, mayor of Westfield, New Jersey, cuts slices of what Outta Hand Pizza owner Burim Regjaj hopes will be the world’s largest flag-shaped pie. Its debut at a summer event in Westfield was covered by UPI and media outlets around the country.

20 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Wheelz’s Wi-Fi-enabled mobile kitchens can carry enough ingredients for 100 pizzas and produce 30 to 40 pies per hour, according to the company’s founders.

Certified

GF Gluten-Free

MONEYMAKERS

AND CHILDREN SHALL LEAD THEM A group of fourth graders in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, proved it doesn’t take big people—just big voices—to spark social change when they convinced UNO Pizzeria & Grill to rethink its policy on plastic drinking straws. Led by their teacher, Susan Knight, the kids composed essays urging the Boston-based chain to help reduce plastic-straw usage, noting the harm plastic waste causes to oceans and marine life. Not only did the company immediately implement a request-only policy for straws, CEO Jim Ilaria even visited the school and threw a pizza party for the students in midJune to thank them. “I was impressed by the logic of their arguments and how they appealed to both my heart and my business mind,” Ilaria said in a statement. “I’m proud that I have the ability to make this change, and I’m excited to recognize the significant actions of these young students.”

UNO Pizzeria and Grill CEO Jim Ilaria (back row, third from right) personally visited this class of fourth-graders to thank them for inspiring him to rethink the chain’s policy on plastic drinking straws.

QUICK TIP 2

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Every Tom, Dick or Mary should have a chance to win free pizza. Use social media to announce a random name once a day and give away food to people with that name. This strategy will help create buzz and build your network of social media followers.

BELLY UP FOR THE BADA BING Does anyone count calories anymore? Kenny Bowers, owner of Kenny’s East Coast Pizza in Dallas, certainly does. He toted up the calories in his Bada Bing specialty pizza and arrived at 10,000, a well-rounded figure at the center of an ongoing promotion. The Bada Bing Challenge invites a team of two diners to wolf down a massive 32” pepperoni pizza. Those who succeed receive a $100 gift card, a commemorative T-shirt and a photo on the store’s Wall of Fame. Losers have to shell out $50 and see their pictures posted on the Wall of Shame. Bowers has developed promos for big appetites before—as owner of Kenny’s Burger Joint, with locations in Plano and Frisco, Texas, he created the El Jefe Grande Challenge, requiring one person to finish a seven-pound, 7,000-calorie hamburger in under an hour.

Kenny Bowers created a 10,000-calorie pie for a food-challenge promotion at his Dallas pizzeria.

22 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH

AUGUST RECIPE

SPONSORED CONTENT

FUSILLI WITH RICOTTA PRIMA DOLCE INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

4 oz. short fusilli ¼ c. onion, finely diced 3 tbsp. baby green peas ¼ c. vegetable stock 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 4 oz. Grande Ricotta Prima Dolce, cubed Grande Romano, grated, to taste 2 tbsp. fresh mint

Cook pasta until al dente. While pasta is cooking, sauté onion until translucent, then add peas and vegetable broth and allow to slightly reduce. Strain pasta, add to sauté pan and toss to coat. Add cubed cheese and gently toss to combine. Stir in mint and garnish with Romano cheese if desired.

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ABOUT THIS RECIPE: When dining out, quality of ingredients is a motivator for more than half of consumers*.

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24 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

RICOTTA PRIMA DOLCE® BRINGS RECIPES AND FOODIES TOGETHER.

Grande Ricotta Prima Dolce brings in customers who are as passionate about the food they eat as you are in creating it. And it brings the flavors in your recipes together unlike any other cheese.

As more restaurants add ricotta to their menus, more customers are happy to pay for premium ingredients in their dining experiences. And they spread the word when they find your dishes are the ones they’re looking for.

For a free sample, visit grandecheese.com or call 1-800-8-GRANDE © 2019 Grande Cheese Company

26 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Back to

NONNA’S KITCHEN Thanks to its catchy, feel-good name and crispy, saucy goodness, the grandma-style pizza has spread far and wide across America.

BY BILL DEJOURNETT

Most folks wouldn’t want to be stuck with Nonna’s old TV set or telephone, but grandma-style pizza—that’s a different story. Dating back several generations, the grandma pie didn’t become a popular style in restaurants until the mid- to late 1990s. Now it’s spreading everywhere, thanks in part to a catchy name that evokes feel-good

DANIEL LEE PEREA

nostalgia in just about every pizza fan.

Not to be confused with Sicilian-style pizza, the grandma style features a thin crust stretched onto a square pan coated in olive oil. But whereas Sicilian-style pizza dough is allowed to rise in the pan, resulting in a thicker, fluffier crust, grandma-pie dough is not allowed to proof for more than 40 minutes—if that long. The grandma style also uses less dough than Sicilian-style pizza for a thinner result. Other characteristics of the grandma pie include sauce on top of the cheese, generous use of garlic in the sauce and sparsely placed dollops of fresh mozzarella.

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

27

The Sicilian Pie at Artichoke Basille’s is pretty much the same as a grandma-style pie, says co-owner Fran Garcia.

ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S

Still, some feel that drawing distinctions between certain Sicilianstyle pizzas and the grandma style is like splitting hairs. The Sicilian-style pie served at New York-based Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, co-owned by Francis Garcia and Salvatore “Sal” Basille, fits the technical definition of grandma-style but goes by Sicilian. “Grandma pie was a name I started hearing in the late ’90s and early 2000s. For most pizzerias, it was a thin-crust Sicilian,” Garcia says.

“People started calling it grandma pizza.

We always call ours Sicilian pizza. I don’t think I have the word ‘grandma’ on any one of our menus.”

HOW IT CAME TO BE

But grandma style has become a fixture on other restaurants’ menus around the Big Apple. Like many pizza styles, grandma-style has its U.S. origins in New York City bakeries in the early 20th century. Bakers would take thin-crust focaccia-like dough, coated with olive oil, and top it minimally with anchovies or olives, originally with no cheese (deemed too expensive at the time), then serve it

by the slice to hungry workers on their lunch breaks. Cheese was added later, and the pie became what we recognize as pizza today. “My great-grandfather used to sell pizza by the slice for lunchtime in his bakery in downtown Brooklyn in the 1920s and 1930s,” Garcia says. “He didn’t take time to let the dough proof. It was just a fast bake; he cooked it well-done, using a lot of olive oil. It was salty, saucy and crispy, and that’s the way we make our pizza today at Artichoke.”

The “grandma” moniker is often used because this is the type of pie ItalianAmerican women baked as a quick and easy snack for their grandkids visiting the house, especially since it could be made in a conventional home oven. “This style was one of the first pies we learned to make growing up with our grandparents at home and in the restaurant,” Garcia notes. “We were able to keep it in the pan and put the toppings on and put it in the oven ourselves. That’s one of my favorite pizzas.”

“It’s the pizza of the home, not typically of a pizzeria,” adds Scott Wiener, founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York.

“This style was one of the first pies we learned to make growing up with our grandparents at home and in the restaurant. We were able to keep it in the pan and put the toppings on and put it in the oven ourselves. That’s one of my favorite pizzas.”

— FRAN GARCIA, ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S 28 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

“Grandma pizza has been made in homes for decades but didn’t take on the name until the early 1990s, when pizzerias on Long Island started selling it and using the name.”

NOT JUST FOR NEW YORKERS

The earliest commercially available grandma-style pizzas are attributed to Umberto’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in New Hyde Park on Long Island, and later a satellite location, King Umberto’s.

Originally served only to Umberto’s employees, at some point in the late 1980s this pie was put on the menu and eventually dubbed grandma-style, quickly gaining popularity in the region.

Although once thought to be unique to Long Island and the metro New York area, the grandma pie has since been exported far and wide. In 2005, New York-based restaurateur Peter Cinelli opened Cinelli’s in Cary, North Carolina, where the style is extremely popular. In 2017, Brooklyn-born pizzaiolo Vincent Rotolo launched Good Pie restaurant in Las Vegas, featuring the grandmastyle pizza in addition to other styles.

Grandma-style pies have also been seen in Florida and California, among other places. “There’s nothing that ties it to one region,” Wiener says. “It became popular in the New York City area first, but I have a feeling you’d find this and similar pizzas being made in bakeries and homes in lots of Italian communities.”

Bill DeJournett is a freelance writer based in Oxford, Mississippi.

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ROSEMARY SICILIAN GRANDMA PIE Courtesy of Leah Scurto, Pizza My Heart, San Francisco Dough Ingredients: • 281g high-gluten flour • 120g bread flour • 282g water • 1.5g instant yeast • 8g kosher salt • 12g extra-virgin olive oil • 2g dried rosemary Mushroom Medley Thinly slice 5 cremini mushrooms, 6 shiitake mushrooms and 3 heads of oyster mushrooms. Add EVOO to a large sauté pan and cook shallot until it turns translucent. Add mushrooms, butter and thyme. Cook on medium-high until mushrooms are tender but not overcooked. Add a pinch of salt and pepper for flavor.

Pizza Ingredients • 25-oz. dough ball • 15” x 15” grandma pan • 5 oz. crushed tomato sauce • 3 oz. whole-milk mozzarella, shredded • 1.5 oz. truffle Gouda, shredded • 2 oz. Toma cheese, shredded • 1.5 oz. mozzarella block cheese, cubed • 3-4 oz. sautéed mushroom medley

• • • •

2 oz. cup-and-char pepperoni 1 oz. pepperoni, pan-fried 5 basil leaves, chiffonade Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions: Soak the rosemary and olive oil for one hour before making dough.

Cold-ferment dough ball for 48 hours. Pull the dough ball out of refrigerator an hour before stretching. Generously oil the grandma pan. Place dough ball in the middle of the pan and gently push dough out evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for an hour.

Then push the dough out one more time so it reaches the corners of the pan. Par-bake at 500-525˚ degrees for about five minutes or until slightly browned.

Place par-baked dough on lightly oiled pan. Evenly spread out your three shredded cheeses, leaving one inch of crust around the edges. Spread half of your mushroom medley out and drizzle with sauce. Add cup-and-char pepperonis. Layer remaining mushroom medley around pepperonis. Bake the pizza at 525˚ for 7-10 minutes until crust is golden-brown.

Remove pie from the pan. Drop small diced cubes of mozzarella into the middle of the pepperoni cups and add pan-fried pepperoni on top. Return pizza to oven straight on the brick for 30-45 seconds to make the bottom of the pizza golden-brown and crispy. Finish with chiffonade of basil and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

30 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

From left: Bernie Lear, chairman of the board at Johnny’s Pizza House; company founder Johnny Huntsman; and Melvin DeLacerda, president and CEO.

32 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

How a pizza marketing legend transformed Johnny’s Pizza House into an employeeowned business that keeps growing and innovating after 50 years in business.

BY RICK HYNUM

Melvin DeLacerda reflects on the legacy of the late Johnny Huntsman.

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33

Johnny Huntsman was a “man of the people” who jokingly donned a plastic barrel and “begged” people to eat his pizza while the company was going through bankruptcy.

M

ost family-owned pizza companies stay in the family when the founder passes away.

Johnny’s Pizza House, headquartered in West Monroe, Louisiana, is no different, except that its founder, the late Johnny Huntsman, had a really big family—and we’re not just talking about kinfolks.

A lot of business owners claim to treat their employees like their own children, but the employees don’t always see it that way. That was never a problem with Huntsman, who opened the chain’s first store in 1967. Long before he died in June 2017, Huntsman started laying the groundwork to pass his company on to the hard-working, dedicated folks who helped make it a success, transforming Johnny’s into an employeeowned business and setting the stage for continued growth and innovation well into the 21st century.

“A TRUE MAN OF THE PEOPLE”

Huntsman’s face will look familiar to longtime PMQ readers. He was featured on the Spring 2000 cover and in a second article in August 2007. A true marketing innovator who worked every angle, from video poker games in his restaurants to a popular Guilt-Free Pizza made to the specifications of the Sugar Busters Diet, Huntsman was a former football coach with a fondness for trick plays and rolling the dice. “Forward-thinking is a very accurate description of Johnny,” says Johnny’s Pizza House president Melvin DeLacerda. “Johnny was never fearful of taking the first step in original or uncommon endeavors.”

Huntsman was well on his way to becoming a pizza legend even before he hit upon his plan for 100% employee ownership of the Johnny’s chain. After hitting a peak in the 1980s with

“Forward-thinking is a very accurate description of Johnny. Johnny was never fearful of taking the first step in original or uncommon endeavors.”

— MELVIN DELACERDA, JOHNNY’S PIZZA HOUSE more than 40 restaurants in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, the company fell on hard times and had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 1989. The Monroe Times ran a front-page story with a screaming headline about the move, hurting business significantly since many customers assumed Johnny’s had gone out of business. Huntsman’s savvy response: He stood out on the busiest intersection in Monroe clad in a plastic barrel ($9 from Walmart) and suspenders, holding a sign that read, “Please Eat Johnny’s Pizza.”

“The only thing I could think of was to get some free publicity,” Huntsman told PMQ in 2000. “I didn’t want to make a big stink and sound bitter, like I was whining about what the newspaper did to us.” But he did make a few calls to local media before he went out in public wearing his preposterous outfit, and they showed up in full force to cover the spectacle. Sales immediately shot back up in Monroe, so Huntsman cruised over to Shreveport and pulled the same stunt.

“It was just like a faucet had been turned back on,” he said. “I’d like to say that it had been a brilliantly thought-out plan, but in reality it was a complete act of desperation.”

The company paid its way out of bankruptcy in less than a year by closing some of its less profitable out-of-state stores.

34 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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Being an S Corporation owned by an Employee Stock Ownership Plan gives Johnny’s huge tax advantages, according to Melvin DeLacerda.

“When Johnny’s attorney and CPA mentioned a little-known employee benefit plan—an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)—that allows company stock to be purchased by the plan on behalf of the employees’ retirement, he started investigating this option.”

— MELVIN DELACERDA, JOHNNY’S PIZZA HOUSE “Without a doubt, Johnny was one of the most charismatic people you could meet,” DeLacerda says. “He easily became a local celebrity, and many of his longtime customers considered him a true friend as a result of his approachable and outgoing manner. Along with being a pillar in the community, Johnny’s relationship with his many employees throughout the years is strong evidence that he was a true man of the people. You’d be hard-pressed to find an employer who garnered as much respect and admiration from his employees as Johnny.”

CREATING AN ESOP

And Huntsman respected his employees in return. So much so that, after running the business more than 30 years, he decided to turn it over to them, especially since he didn’t trust potential buyers to take care of them. “Because the company had grown to a certain size, only larger pizza chains were in a position to purchase it, and they would certainly eliminate some of the personnel that were instrumental in helping build the company,” DeLacerda says. “When Johnny’s attorney and CPA mentioned a little-known employee benefit plan—an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)—that allows company stock to be purchased by the plan on behalf of the employees’ retirement, he started investigating this option.”

Governed by many of the same rules as a 401(k) plan, an ESOP is a defined-contribution employee retirement plan that gives workers ownership interest in the company. Essentially, the company sets up a trust fund and contributes to it shares of its own stock or cash to buy existing shares. The ESOP can also borrow money to buy new or existing shares, with the company contributing cash to the plan for repayment of the loan.

An employee becomes a participant in the ESOP after working for Johnny’s for one year and becomes fully vested after

36 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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“With the company now 100% owned by the ESOP, large S-Corp distributions [to shareholders] are no longer necessary, and the cash can now be used to open new locations and expand into new markets.”

— MELVIN DELACERDA, JOHNNY’S PIZZA HOUSE three years. Unlike a 401(k) plan, employees don’t have to pay anything into the plan.

“When Johnny started the ESOP in 2000, he did so by selling 36% of his personal stock in Johnny’s Pizza House,” DeLacerda explains. “Over the next 18 and a half years, the company, or the ESOP, steadily purchased shares from Johnny and the remaining shareholders, culminating with the December 2018 purchase of the remaining 2,750 shares held outside the company.”

In January 2019, Johnny’s Pizza House announced that it was now a 100% employee-owned organization—that is, the ESOP owns 100% of the company’s stock. “The shares are held in trust by the trustee of the ESOP,” DeLacerda says. “Being 100% employee-owned allows more flexibility for use of the company’s capital.”

THE ESOP ADVANTAGE

Johnny’s Pizza House presently has 33 corporate-owned stores and 10 franchise locations, with plans to add another corporate location and possibly two franchise operations in 2019. According to DeLacerda, the employee-owned model can spur even more growth for the company since Johnny’s is a S Corporation owned by an ESOP. With an S Corporation, liability for federal income tax is passed through to the shareholders. In a typical S Corporation, the shareholders receive distributions (similar to dividends in a C Corporation) in amounts that, at the least, cover their tax liability. As a qualified retirement plan recognized by the IRS, an ESOP doesn’t pay federal income tax either. “Instead, taxes are paid by the plan participants when their account is distributed, usually after retirement or termination,” DeLacerda explains.

A typical S Corporation has to shell out large amounts of cash in distributions to its shareholders, but that’s not the case with Johnny’s. “With the company now 100% owned by the ESOP, The first Johnny’s Pizza House was opened in 1967.

the large S-Corp distributions are no longer necessary, and the cash can now be used to open new locations and expand into new markets.”

The ESOP plan has other advantages, too, especially in terms of retaining top-quality employees who are genuinely invested in the company’s growth and success. “The most obvious positive effect on retention…is the benefit of providing employees a retirement account with no contribution from them,” DeLacerda says. “Less obvious but possibly more powerful is the ownership culture that goes along with knowing the employees are the sole owners of the company. We have a communications committee that helps explain the ESOP to employees and engages them in activities that promote that ownership culture, including informative meetings, companywide picnics, management golf tournaments and fundraising walks and cookouts.”

AN EMPLOYEE-CENTERED BUSINESS

Even before he conceived of the ESOP plan, Huntsman ran an “employee-centered business” and developed a system—still in place today—to ensure that managers feel a “sense of ownership,” DeLacerda says. “A separate income statement is prepared for each location, and managers, along with their assistant managers, are paid a meaningful portion of the profit from the restaurant where they work. This has created a culture of management seeing the big picture of what it takes to run a successful business.”

Huntsman also instituted a program that pays a portion of tuition for employees attending college, with no restriction on the courses they can take. That means many of those employees end up leaving Johnny’s to pursue careers in entirely different lines of work, but Huntsman didn’t mind that. “Johnny knew that while they were employed with the company, he had an upstanding and dedicated worker who was preparing to be a virtuous member of society,” DeLacerda says.

While many companies view employees as “human resources,” Huntsman saw them as entirely human—and that has been a key secret of the 50-plus-year success of Johnny’s Pizza House.

Valuing your people as actual people can pay off long into the future, according to DeLacerda. “Johnny gave employees the freedom to make decisions and supported their decisions even if it wasn’t the best choice,” he says. “By delegating and not micromanaging, he allowed employees to learn and grow into future leaders for the company.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

40 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

SOLVING THE ONLINE EQUATION With digital ordering consistently on the rise, experts share their top tips to ensure you’re getting the biggest piece of the online pie.

BY TRACY MORIN

Mobile apps, third-party delivery, millennials, oh my!

While many factors have contributed to the rise of online ordering, the stats don’t lie: More than onethird (34%) of consumers spend at least $50 when ordering food online, and digital ordering and delivery has grown 300% faster than dine-in traffic since 2014, according to stats published last February by Upserve.

At the same time, 70% of customers say they’d rather order directly from a restaurant than a third party.

But making sure you’re capturing those online orders requires targeted tactics. Here, experts offer their best advice for driving online ordering at your pizzeria.

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

41

SPREAD THE WORD IN-STORE

Gino Geruntino—ParTech, New Hartford, NY To draw people to your online ordering app or website, customers have to know about it first. Digital signage, either on a customerfacing display attached to a POS terminal or shown on a TV behind the counter, is a great way to entice them to take a look. These displays also work for introducing new menu items, specials and any other information you want to convey to your customers!

GO ONLINE TO GET ONLINE (ORDERS)

Ryder Meehan, Upgrow—San Francisco, CA First, list your store on Google Maps. Most of your orders will come within a three-mile radius of your location, so showing up on Google Maps is essential for generating traffic, yet most pizzerias don’t bother to even claim their location. To get started, register with Google My Business and completely fill out your profile with contact details and photos—then encourage customers to leave reviews. Additionally, build your email list and send weekly emails.

An email newsletter should be a big part of your online ordering system—and, best of all, it’s free and creates recurring sales. Add a form on your website inviting customers to join your mailing list and include an offer, such as a discount code. Then send weekly online specials, news, and menu updates to keep them coming back.

“An email newsletter should be a big part of your online ordering system. It’s free and creates recurring sales.”

— RYDER MEEHAN, UPGROW RUN LONG-TERM COMPETITIONS

Damien Buxton—Midas Creative, Mansfield, England Competitions are a great way to increase online exposure and sales—people love to get something for nothing! Have a section on your website that allows customers to enter your contest by simply providing their first name and email address. Once they have done this, allow them to easily share the contest on their social media profiles to win a chance for free pizza. For the entire duration, promote the competition throughout your social media, on leaflets and in-store. Not only will you get free exposure through people sharing the competition, you’ll also be collecting email addresses of people who are interested in your pizzeria. Once the competition is over, send a “thank you for entering” email with a discount off their next online order. It’s an easy and cost-effective way to promote your brand with the help of your audience.

42 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

“Don’t be afraid to inject humor into your ads for online ordering. The average consumer is tired of ads, so every opportunity to humanize your brand is a win.”

— MANDY KARIMI AND JAMIE SCHMELLING, THE JAMES AGENCY

TAP SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING

Jennifer Goodwin—JHG Companies, Jacksonville, FL It all comes down to the offer, and restaurants are one of the easiest industries to grow in this way—but 99% of them are doing it wrong. Post a Facebook ad (which costs only $5 per day) with a coupon or contest that leads to a landing page (not a website), which should request an email capture to receive the coupon or enter the contest. Make sure to include the Facebook tracking code on the landing page. This creates an endless flow of traffic to the establishment and grows the email list for the restaurateur to constantly market to and use as a Facebook database for lookalike audiences.

TARGET YOUR ONLINE ADS TO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES

Mandy Karimi and Jamie Schmelling—The James Agency, Scottsdale, AZ We’ve worked with Phoenix-based Spinato’s Pizzeria for more than five years, learning a lot of tricks to driving their online sales. First, when it comes to paid search ads, put a significant amount of budget behind your own brand name’s search term before branching out to general keywords. The last thing you want is for a potential customer to search for your pizzeria, only for a competitor to show up first.

Also explore a combination of brand awareness, traffic-driving and conversion-based campaigns each month. This will target each stage of your sales funnel, and with each passing month, your efforts will snowball into more and more conversions. Consumers are driven by good deals, so be sure to dedicate an entire social media ad campaign to online specials and promos.

Refresh your ads with new creative and copy every quarter to avoid becoming stale in the marketplace. Test out different target audience personas, and tailor your ad copy to each specific persona—for example, your ad copy targeting busy parents on a worknight should be different than the ones targeting latenight college students. Finally, don’t be afraid to inject humor into your ads for online ordering. The average consumer is tired of ads, so every opportunity to humanize your brand is a win.

44 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

STREAMLINE THE EXPERIENCE

Katie Borger, Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar— Dallas, TX As we look to launch our own online ordering platform, there are a few things critical to our brand to ensure a smooth experience online: •

•

“Guests need to be able to quickly order and customize their food items. A slow-loading menu or one that requires additional clicks can be frustrating and steer guests away from the platform.”

clicks can be frustrating and steer guests away from the platform.

Allowing for the platform to keep historical orders also improves the ease of ordering online.

• Offer some incentive: With the disruption of third-party delivery, there needs to be a reason to use a brand’s own online ordering platform.

We leverage MyBoston’s Rewards.

Guests can accrue points and redeem rewards with their orders online, whereas they can’t do the same when ordering from a third party.

Promote it: Obviously, guests need to know that it’s an option. Alerting your existing fans through social — KATIE BORGER, BOSTON’S PIZZA media, loyalty program RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR messaging, and in-restaurant Ultimately, our goal is to grow to-go/ promotional materials all delivery to 9% of total sales this year spread awareness within your existing database. Online and build on that momentum each year that follows, while ordering has the potential to target new audiences for creating a new occasion for guests to enjoy Boston’s. The ideal a brand, so finding a way through external media and scenario would be to reach new guests and become more promotions to bring awareness to a seamless way to enjoy flexible in off-premise use cases—without cannibalizing our our pizza is critical. in-restaurant sales and experience.

User-friendly design and navigation: Guests need to Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor. be able to quickly order and customize their food items.

A slow-loading menu or one that requires additional

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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ONLINE ORDERING BUYERS GUIDE Ready to take your digital sales to the next level? Here’s a look at some of the industry’s leading providers of online ordering services.

46 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

GODADDY

G

GoDaddy helps small businesses elevate their online presence on the platforms that matter most to consumers. Keeping up with your social media, reviews and online customer service is a full-time job. The GoDaddy Social Team does it all, so pizzeria owners can focus on their business. GODADDY.COM

REVENTION

Revention’s online ordering service provides customized, white-labeled apps enabling online orders directly to Revention POS. By integrating various ordering platforms, such as mobile apps and standard online ordering, into one seamless solution, Revention takes the guesswork out of the technology.

Supported by iOS and Android devices, Revention provides an exceptional online and mobile ordering experience that your customers will love—and that you control. Learn how Sbarro streamlines its pizza operations with integrated online ordering at REVENTION.COM/PIZZATECH.

EHUNGRY

eHungry provides a custom-branded online ordering system for your pizza restaurant. It’s big on features and low on cost—only 1.9% per order! Getting launched is fast and easy. There are no setup fees and no contracts, and you can cancel anytime. Use your own domain name and merchant account to have full control of your customer order and payment data. eHungry is trusted by thousands of restaurants to let their customers order online under their own brands. Try it free for 30 days! EHUNGRY.COM, INFO@EHUNGRY.COM

THRIVE POS

Thrive point-of-sale technology provides a comprehensive suite of restaurant business solutions designed to increase top-line sales and decrease costs. Created and supported by former restaurant owners, managers, waiters and waitresses, Thrive’s team of innovation nerds, chefs, and technology gurus have come together because they want technology that doesn’t get in the way of you getting your edible masterpieces to the masses. THRIVEPOS.COM

DIGITAL GATOR

With Digital Gator, you can automatically send SMS or email review requests to your customers, scoring new, authentic reviews for your pizzeria on Google, Facebook and other review sites. Auto-share your best reviews to your website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.

Digital Gator helps you dominate search results, beat competitors and grow your business. DIGITALGATOR.COM

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IMENUTOGO

iMenuToGo provides a branded online ordering solution for 0% commission and a flat monthly fee. Each partner is provided with a custom mobile app, beautiful modern website, and a host of 20+ helpful features, such as e-mail marketing, SEO, geo-location, multi-language support, flyers, postcards, menus and more. And the system is fully integrated with a growing list of POS systems like Harbortouch and Dinerware. IMENUTOGO.COM

SPEEDLINE SOLUTIONS

SpeedDine delivers fast, convenient, and affordable online ordering for restaurants with the SpeedLine Solutions point-of-sale system. Your customers are used to highquality online experiences. Provide one for them with an online ordering service that is quick, secure, accurate and reliable. SpeedDine offers the online experience your customers expect. SPEEDLINESOLUTIONS.COM

BEYONDMENU

BeyondMenu is a leading online ordering platform for pizza restaurants in America. The company operates in more than 2,000 cities nationwide and continues to grow aggressively. The team at BeyondMenu strives to be highly competitive in the industry by providing high quality services at low costs. List your restaurant on their website today, and you can get brand exposure to millions of hungry customers! BEYONDMENU.COM, (630) 776-3590

PDQ POS

For more 32 years, PDQ POS has been a top-rated POS system for pizzerias. With an all-in-one, all-in-house suite of products and services— including a feature-rich driver tracking app—PDQ POS can help you sell more food to more people, while saving time, effort and costs. Touted as the “fastest and easiest POS available,” PDQ will always be the key ingredient for restaurant success! PDQPOS.COM

REPEAT RETURNS

Repeat Returns helps your pizzeria attract, grow, and retain more customers in less time at lower cost, with no additional work. Designed for pizzerias and proven to convert more first-timers into regulars and to increase traffic, average ticket and customer retention while reducing unnecessary discounts, this all-in-one platform combines loyalty, email, text, mobile, surveys, fundraisers and more. REPEATRETURNS.COM 48 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

ARROW POS + POM

Arrow is the first true Pizzeria Operating System designed to meld the critical functions of your pizzeria into one comprehensive revenue-generating machine. The intent and impact is to drive your sales and keep those customers coming back. 888-378-3338, ARROWPOS.COM

MICROWORKS

Microworks Prism WebOrder v5 puts the power of a custom-branded mobile ordering app at your customer’s fingertips. Features like specialty-include lists and advanced pricing options are seamlessly transferred to the WebOrder configuration. Advanced features include Favorite Order Recall, Multiple Credit Card Recall, Store Locator and Integrated Loyalty. MICROWORKS.COM/WEBORDER

PUNCHH

Punchh is a world leader in innovative digital marketing products designed to increase customer lifetime value. Punchh offers realtime consumer information via a live dashboard, enabling brands to create and launch campaigns, target specific users and review guest feedback. Marketers can connect with customers across any channel through loyalty, offers, ordering, payments, feedback, surveys, gift cards, games, and more. PUNCHH.COM

SLICE

Slice is a one-stop shop for tech, tools and marketing expertise, founded for and by pizza people. They make local pizzerias more money by driving loyal customers and larger orders. Since 2010, Slice has built a large pizza marketplace (with millions of eaters and counting) and made over $600 million for over 11,000 independent shops. SLICELIFE.COM

ORDERSNAPP

OrderSnapp is the restaurant POS designed and built for businesses like yours. You can power your entire business with OrderSnapp POS and increase revenue, streamline operations and engage with your customers like never before. It’s integrated with online ordering, kiosk, loyalty, delivery, gift card, website, third party, and much more. ORDERSNAPP.COM

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ONLINE ORDERING IN PMQ.COM/PIZZAMARKETING

Now that consumers are ordering more pizza online than by phone, PMQ has been scouring the restaurant industry for both innovative and experienced vendor partners to help readers get wired up for technology so they can get fired up for selling more pizza. View the links and explore the videos at PMQ.com/PizzaMarketing.

TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS Adora POS Aldelo Altametrics Plum POS Arrow BPA Business Software Brygid CBS Northstar Clover DashNow Digital Dining Dinnerware ehungry

Elo Encounter AI Factory Service Co. Foodli FoodTec Solutions Future POS RDS Harbortouch Restaurant Pro iMenuToGo Infinite Peripherals InTouch POS Lavu MicroWorks Prism

NCR Aloha NCR Silver One Nuvi OpenCity Oracle Hospitality (Micros) OrderMark Ordersnapp PAR Posera Maitre D' Revel Revention Selby Soft

KIOSKS & PAY-AT-TABLE Apptizer Bear Robotics DashNow Flash Order

Foodli Wireless Waiting Zivelo

EZ Cater Foodsby Groupon GrubHub Menufy OpenTable

PAYMENT PROCESSORS First Data Heartland

Swipesum WorldPay

DATA/PHONE/PROVIDER

3RD PARTY ORDERING Beyond Menu Caviar ChowNow Delivery.com Door Dash EatStreet

ShopKeep POS Speedline Solutions Square Thrive Granbury Solutions Tillster Toast TouchBistro Tray WorldPay

Ooma Postmates Seamless Skipthedishes. com Slice

50 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

PizzaCloud

Unified Office

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MicroWorks Prism Mobilesoft Munch Ado Open Dining Network Orders2Me Patron Path Posera Maitre D’

NFORMATION CENTER PMQ.COM/PIZZAMARKETING

MARKETING PARTNERS MARKETING RESEARCH

ONLINE DIRECTORIES FourSquare Groupon Locl Sirved The Infatuation

Altametrics Plum POS Chatter Research Kickback Rewards Systems LISNR Mastercard

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PIZZA REWARDS Arrow Brygid Cheetah Digital Clover Como Digital Dining Heartland Dinnerware Heartland Encounter AI FoodTec Solutions Hyperdrive Interactive

Repeat Returns Revention Salesforce SessionM ShopKeep POS Slice Speedline Solutions Square Thrive Tillster Toast Total Loyalty Solutions

iMenuToGo InTouch POS Kickback Rewards Systems Lavu Menu Drive MicroWorks Prism Mobivity Paytronix Posera Maitre D’ Punchh

iMenuToGo Munchado OrderMark

IN-STORE MARKETING Apex Supply Chain Technologies Autonetics Bear Robotics Breeze Creative Control Play DashNow

Datavalet Embed Digital Encounter AI Eye Succeed Foodli Menuvative Wireless Waiting

Swipesum Locl DashNow Octothorpe Plus Eye Succeed Foodsby Tipzyy

SOCIAL MEDIA

WEBSITE DEVELOPERS BentoBox GoDaddy I’m Hungry Now!

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Slice StingRay

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AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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ER IC SUMMER S

52 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Could your business benefit from an app—and, if so, what features are key?

BY TRACY MORIN

By now, everyone has heard the cliché: There’s an app for that. But apps can be especially important for pizzerias—indeed, a crucial tool in overall marketing strategy. Fifty-five percent of internet usage now happens on mobile devices, according to Rafi Cohen, co-founder of Brooklyn, New Yorkbased app developer Orders2me. “Mobile devices, just like food ordering, are a matter of convenience, so we put a lot of emphasis on this aspect of online ordering,” Cohen says. “In the past five years, we’ve seen app orders increase from 5% to 10% each year for our average restaurant client.”

But is an app right for your business? Where to start? And what features are musts? Here, app experts break down the basics to demystify the process.

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APP-APPROPRIATE?

The decision to create a restaurant app often comes down to budget, says Chris Ciligot, marketing assistant at Clearbridge Mobile, an app developer in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. “It’s a costly project, and not every business will have the budget required to properly develop an app that will be useful for its customers,” he explains. “Factors like scope, complexity, feature requirements, and the firm you choose to partner with all determine the cost.” However, he adds, more cost-effective solutions do exist—such as developing a responsive website that will work on mobile, which, for smaller pizzerias, may be a better solution.

But Cohen counters that most pizzerias, regardless of size, can cash in on the power of mobile apps, which offer multiple benefits, such as allowing customers to order more quickly and easily. They also allow for direct marketing via push notifications (for example, alerts about specials), which customers are more likely to respond to than emails, he says.

One more thing to keep in mind: If big chains in your area have been sapping away more and more of your business, their ordering apps likely play a role. Even smaller chains know that, when placing and paying for a delivery or carryout order is as easy as three or four clicks on a phone screen, it’s a no-brainer for customers.

DEVELOPMENT NOTES

But Cohen warns that, because smaller businesses are likely able to afford fewer mistakes, it’s crucial to ensure they have a quality app from the get-go. Hence, seeking professional assistance to build the app can be helpful. Ciligot recommends that if a pizzeria is seriously considering app development, a planning meeting is the best place to start. “This will help set the foundation for your app by identifying your audience and their pain points, as well as establishing goals, and ultimately leave you with a better understanding of how your target audience will interact with your mobile app,” Ciligot details.

“In the past five years, we’ve seen app orders increase from 5% to 10% each year for our average restaurant client.”

— RAFI COHEN, ORDERS2ME Finally, his data shows that customers who have downloaded a pizzeria’s app are more likely to reorder than those who don’t, leading to more repeat business—whether the pizzeria has a single location or dozens. And no wonder: Those customers are faced with your app logo every time they look at their screens.

“Ordering apps are an extra feature that a restaurant offers to its customers, but they also help with convenience for the restaurant itself,” Cohen adds. “Apart from making more sales, restaurants can use apps to instantly share information and updates with their customers, increase order accuracy, raise ticket prices by suggesting add-ons, and save staff time.”

“This information is vital to thoroughly define the functionality of your product, as well as getting a better understanding of the project scope, which is necessary to write a detailed request for proposal (RFP). This is how businesses can decide which vendor is most suitable to partner with.”

And because the app development price tag can vary significantly, depending on scope and complexity, having a well-established idea of what features you want to include, and what you are ultimately trying to achieve, will give everyone involved a better understanding of your budget—leading to better, more accurate vendor bids, Ciligot adds.

54 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Cohen agrees that defining goals—what you want to accomplish with the app—is the first step. But, when choosing a development company, he recommends looking for a team that does the heavy lifting for you. “That’s building menus, submitting apps to the stores, ensuring payment is embedded so the restaurant gets paid for all orders, etc.,” he explains. “Look for a solution that’s user-friendly, but also backed by a team that offers good support.

For example, Apple and Android update their software periodically, so you want the company to constantly update and monitor the app, making sure it’s working across all platforms.”

KEY FEATURES

When it comes to selecting features for an app, Ciligot believes, decisions should always be made with the user’s needs and motivations in mind—after all, users must find the app useful or they won’t use it. He notes some key features that should always be included: •

The ability to support mobile payments. Your goal is to make the ordering process as convenient and simple as possible for the user, so allow for mobile payments—i.e., users can link their credit cards, internet banking, or mobile wallets (such as Google Pay and Apple Pay) and make payments directly from the app without needing their credit card or banking information on hand. That allows for faster transaction times and for users to choose the payment option they’re most comfortable with. (However, you should still offer the option to pay with cash upon delivery, as some users may not be comfortable with mobile payments.)

•

•

Real-time tracking. This feature shows users everything related to the status of their order: when the pizza is placed in the oven, when it’s been picked up for delivery, the location of the driver, and the estimated time it will take to reach the user’s location. This helps the user coordinate meal times with their other activities.

The option to leave feedback. Knowing what your users want is crucial, so ask for their feedback! This allows you to solve any problems before they affect future downloads while building customer relationships. Showing responsiveness and addressing any questions or concerns boosts your engagement and retention rates, encourages positive reviews, and builds long-term brand loyalty.

Cohen adds that the user should be able to view past orders, reorder them with one click, and be able to save their address and payment information for quick, easy checkout. And, once the app is built, Cohen advises using the app yourself (and enlisting staff for feedback), as if you’re a customer trying to place an order. “See it from their vantage point,” he says. “Does the customer have access to all of the options that the pizzeria offers? Is it easy to create a buildyour-own pizza?”

Finally, Cohen advises, set up a marketing plan to drive app downloads—and profits. “The average order online (including via apps) is 20% to 30% higher than a phone or in-store order, and online orderers are more likely to take advantage of extra toppings or add-ons,” he notes. “Push customers to your app so you’re in control of your marketing—and so you get access to all of that valuable customer data!”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

“Not every business will have the budget to properly develop an app that will be useful for its customers. Factors like scope, complexity, feature requirements, and the firm you choose to partner with all determine the cost.”

— CHRIS CILIGOT, CLEARBRIDGE MOBILE

56 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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58 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Soft Sell

Here’s all you need to know about six popular soft cheeses—and how they can shine across your operation’s menu in a wealth of applications.

BY TRACY MORIN

From creamy and smooth to salty and tangy, soft cheeses offer up a world of flavor and texture for your menu. Even better, pizzeria operators can widely cross-utilize them on pizzas, pastas, salads, appetizers—even soups, breakfasts and desserts. Here, we break down some of the biggest stars in the soft cheese stratosphere, from their notable characteristics and best food, beer and wine pairings to their optimal storage techniques. Why not explore new ways to use the freshest of fromage for your own operation?

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RICOTTA

According to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (formerly known as the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board), Italians first crafted ricotta to make use of their Romano cheese’s leftover whey: They cooked the whey until the curds rose, then skimmed and drained them, and ricotta was born. Ricotta’s versatility has kept it thriving today on menus here in the States. Its creamy white appearance, fine-grain texture, and mild sweetness make it an excellent complement in everything from savory to sweet applications.

Traditionally, it’s a staple of baked pasta dishes like lasagna, baked ziti or stuffed shells, as well as desserts such as cheesecake, pies, pancakes and cookies. But some operators are finding the perfect pairings on pizzas, too: At Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn, New York, owner Paul Giannone matches the mild wonder with fresh mozzarella, Canadian bacon, sweet Italian fennel sausage and fresh basil on the Ricotta Be Kiddin’ Me pie. Bonus points: Paulie Gee’s adds the ricotta in dollops after baking the pie for added contrast— and offers a cashew-based ricotta to suit his extensive vegan menu.

Beer pairing: Pilsner, Kölsch or a citrusy fruit beer Wine pairing: Think light, and preferably bubbly or effervescent— white or pink Vinho Verde, off-dry prosecco, cava or Pinot Grigio

MASCARPONE

Mascarpone is perhaps the cream puff of soft cheeses, thanks to its 70% milkfat content and flawlessly creamy texture. It’s a rich and buttery selection with a hint of sweetness—perfect for topping fresh or cooked fruit for a relatively healthy yet decadent dessert, or for filling the layers of light-as-air tiramisu.

But on the savory side, Trattoria Amici in Los Angeles has even found a way to work mascarpone into a soup, its Zuppa di Carciofi, which features pureed fresh artichoke hearts, topped with mascarpone cheese and served with Parmigiano-Reggiano dumplings.

Beer/wine pairing: Fruit ales and hard cider; avoid very hoppy beers or tannic wines Drink pairing: Sweet meal finishers like port, grappa and fruit liqueurs

TIP! Don’t overwhip or overprocess mascarpone when making frostings, dips or spreads; it will churn into butter and get lumpy.

60 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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CHÈVRE

Pioneered in France, goat cheese, or chèvre, is made from goat’s milk. Although firmer, aged types of goat cheese also exist, softer versions are generally sold in block or crumbled form; the blocks tend to balance a slightly crumbly texture with smoothness and spreadability. At Osteria Marco in Denver, goat cheese is a perfect foil for sweet, spicy and salty ingredients on two hand-tossed pizzas: the Artisan, with olive tapenade, roasted red peppers, chili and oregano; and the Fig & Goat Cheese, with black mission figs, arugula and truffle oil. And Atlanta Magazine has lauded the Fried Goat Cheese appetizer at the three-location Ecco as one of the city’s best cheese dishes, describing them as “golden orbs” featuring a “light tempura batter...glazed in honey and dusted with cracked black pepper, giving an otherwise sweet starter a spicy kick.”

The lesson: Tangy goat cheese stands up to a variety of similarly pungent flavor profiles.

Beer pairing (courtesy of the Brewers Association): German-style pilsner, Americanstyle pale ale, Belgian-style witbier or golden strong ale, tripel or saison Wine pairing: Crisp white (Sauvignon Blanc, French Sancerre, dry Chenin Blanc or Vouvray), young Chablis, dry rose, or a young, fruity red

STORAGE WARS

How should you maintain your soft cheeses for optimal longevity? Keep them fresh with these storage tips from the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (formerly known as the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board): Type: Rindless fresh cheeses (mascarpone, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, chevre, feta) Temperature: 35º to 39ºF Storage: Cover tightly in a sealed plastic container (for chèvre, wrap in parchment paper or foil before storing in the container). Feta should be stored in a brine bath, if possible, to retain moisture. To make your own brine, dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt per cup of water.

Type: Bloomy rind cheeses (Camembert, Brie, some chèvres) Temperature: 40º to 45ºF (an elevated humidity is also ideal) Storage: After cutting, apply a piece of parchment paper to any exposed areas. Store in original wrapping if it has a thin paper lining, a plastic outer, and holes to promote circulation. If not, store unwrapped in a sealed plastic container pierced with a few holes; elevate humidity with a damp paper towel on the bottom of the container.

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FRESH MOZZARELLA

Mild and milky, soft and springy, moist and delicate in flavor, fresh mozzarella has long been a staple of chefs in Italy, where they often use buffalo-milk varieties, though cow-milk versions are popular Stateside.

For consumption companions, look to fresh summer vegetables, juicy fruits, heirloom or oven-roasted tomatoes, and prosciutto. The classic caprese salad features mozzarella rounds topped with sliced tomatoes and fresh basil, then drizzled in extra-virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper; it’s an exercise in simplicity that nevertheless reaps a perfect combination of flavors. You can also serve the slices with baguette toasts and roasted red peppers, grilled eggplant or zucchini, or sundried tomatoes.

Clearly, with its neutral flavor, this staple can provide the ideal backdrop to virtually any array of tastes. PizzaHacker in San Francisco complements its mozz, hand-stretched in-house, with a rainbow of color, flavor and texture in the Rocket Man pizza, with arugula, garlic, a farm-fresh egg, lemon juice and chili paste (customers can also add a meat topping for an extra charge).

Beer pairing: Toasty, rich, dark lagers or light beers like pilsner, lager and Kölsch Wine pairing: Chilled, zesty whites, rosés and sparkling wines: Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, dry prosecco or Moscato d’A sti

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BURRATA

Don’t let burrata’s semi-soft exterior fool you; poke behind the thin, delicate shell, and a creamy, curdy interior awaits.

Though decadent enough to stand alone—simply placed on a plate with standard accompaniments like herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper, or fruits and vegetables—it has now made its way to sandwiches, pizzas and even breakfast. In New York, Gothamist.com and New York magazine alike reported with drool-worthy detail on the Burrata French Toast at Trattoria il Mulino—described by the latter as housemade burrata atop “a thick piece of sugar-and-egg-coated brioche bread,” finished with a drizzle of blueberry-orange sauce. Indeed, burrata can pair with both sweet and savory ingredients: Try it with sauteed veggies like eggplant, lemony pea or fava salads, ripe peaches, or thick-sliced heirloom tomatoes drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Beer pairing: Light beer or hard cider Wine pairing: Light-bodied Italian reds and zippy whites: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Valpolicella, Verdicchio, and Sauvignon Blanc

FETA

Tangy, salty feta can easily become a scene-stealer, but its telltale forward flavor allows operators to use it sparingly in a variety of dishes, including Greek and watermelon salads, cold and warm dips, and savory pies. Pair its crumbly intensity with olives, cured meats, dried or pickled fish, or heirloom tomatoes. Though it doesn’t melt like mozz, you can also serve it warm; bake or broil the cheese with olive oil and honey, accompanied with warm bread, breadsticks or pita. For a savory hot take, Mafiaoza’s Pizzeria & Neighborhood Pub, with three locations in Alabama and Tennessee, uses feta as a centerpiece of The Big Heat appetizer, which tops a hunk of the cheese with marinara and vodka cream sauces; the dish is then baked in a stone oven and topped with fresh basil for an indulgent, shareable starter. The cheese is normally sold in blocks or crumbles—choose the former when you’re looking for bigger chunks that need to hold up in your application.

Beer pairing: A crisp pilsner or lager Wine pairing: A Greek retsina (white or rosé), Pinot Gris or Grüner Veltliner Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

This article was written with the assistance of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (formerly known as the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board).

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HostMilano:

M A D E I N I T A LY More than 1,900 companies will exhibit at the global five-day event coming up in October.

The concepts synonymous with “made in Italy” success will all come together under one huge roof at HostMilano, to be held October 18-22 in Milan, Italy.

More than 1,900 companies have confirmed their participation in the global foodservice show, 1,127 of which are Italian and 785 from other countries, including Albania, Argentina, Colombia, Iran, Latvia, and Lebanon. The bread/pizza/pasta and professional catering sectors will have the largest representation, organizers say.

The event is, in effect, a “global kitchen” featuring a rich menu of exhibitions and cookery demonstrations, samples and tasting pathways, round tables and cook-offs between bakery maestros, award-winning chefs, baristas and designers. Visitors will enjoy a true multisensory experience, from creations by bakers and cake designers to exhibitions by some of the world’s best bartenders.

This year’s HostMilano also brings together a network of the most important associations in the industry, both Italian and international, all in search of new business and networking opportunities. Additionally, there will be more than 1,500 industry operators in attendance from 80 countries, including the United States, Canada, China, Russia, United Arab Emirates and nations in the Middle East.

There will also be ample opportunity for in-depth analysis, with a wide range of seminars providing the latest updates on market evolution and the hottest topics of the day, such as training and apprenticeships for young people entering the profession, sustainability of processes and layouts, communications and sales techniques, and innovative formats.

To learn more about HostMilano 2019, visit host.fieramilano.it.

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PREP PEP W I T H

66 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Maximize kitchen productivity with these 7 tips to ensure your layout and prep procedures are smartly executed.

BY TRACY MORIN

Whether you’re planning an entire redesign or simply thinking of minor ways to boost your kitchen productivity, changes big and small can help ensure your operation is firing on all cylinders. “The goal in the foodservice kitchen is threefold,” explains Marc Tell, CEO of The Sam Tell Companies in Farmingdale, New York. “Provide a quality product to the customer; get the product out as quickly and correctly as possible; and minimize cost to the organization in terms of human resources.” Here, experts share how you can ensure maximum efficiency in the hub of your pizzeria— the kitchen—to meet these goals, and many more.

1

THINK MINIMAL.

As Tell outlines, when it comes to the kitchen, less is more: To provide a quality product in a timely manner, you want as few people as possible moving around as little as possible. “That means not taking too many steps to obtain or cook a product, or not needing to go back to walk-in coolers too often—in other words, employees need enough storage space, located nearby, so they needn’t keep restocking, and the space has to be efficient to handle as much of a shift as possible,” Tell says. “Design your kitchen to minimize manpower and maximize the usefulness of that manpower.”

Therefore, you’ll want to limit unnecessary movement and transportation—such as the number of steps taken per day and the amount of repetitive reaching, bending or lifting—according to Heather Larivee, CEO of Sparkflo in Milford, New Hampshire.

When prep areas are smartly reconfigured, employees can spend less time walking or searching for things. “You’re eliminating waste from your system so you can deliver quality and add value for customers— but in this case, the customer is your employee,” Larivee explains.

“You want them to spend less time walking around unnecessarily.”

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2

OBSERVE AND DIAGRAM.

In order to minimize employee movement, maybe it’s better to move the prep area closer to where raw materials are stored or closer to the oven. But you won’t know unless you keep a close eye on the existing layout. “Observe the way people work around the kitchen,” Larivee says. “Are they constantly reaching up or bending down to get a tool, or walking back and forth to get supplies from the refrigeration?

Understand the physical flow of the work and take out any unnecessary movement, because that ends up making the assembly process longer.”

Larivee explains that kitchen designers often use a tool called a spaghetti diagram—they simply draw out foot traffic on a piece of paper.

“When studying an existing kitchen, it’ll often look like a mess of spaghetti, but it’ll help you analyze where motion is happening,” Larivee says. “If it’s a brandnew construction, that flow might look more like a clean triangle.” You can do the same by looking at the movement of hands, such as on a prep countertop.

Where are the chef ’s hands reaching, and where are they moving material to?

You can then design your workspace around the movement required.

3

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.

When it comes to kitchen efficiency, even small tweaks can make a difference. For example, Tell stresses the importance of providing prep employees and cooks with ergonomic tools. “Tongs, ladles and other smallwares are typically overlooked, but, for instance, a locking tong stores easier and allows you to put more equipment in a given drawer,” he notes. “Wire whips can have rubber knots to prevent slipping or reduce forearm pain; spoons can have finger grips; or frying pans can have rubber handles to prevent burns.”

Also make sure equipment is functioning properly, Tell adds, and ensure you have a reliable manufacturer for major equipment, with nearby service providers in case something goes wrong. Make sure the electricity or gas supply is working properly and allow for appropriate venting and airflow for employees to work at their peak performance.

4

INVOLVE EMPLOYEES.

Your employees live and breathe your kitchen setup every day, so it’s a good idea to solicit their opinions on any problems or barriers in the area. Larivee suggests encouraging them to think of better solutions or asking them to simply notice what they’re doing every day to help foster a spirit of continuous improvement. “The best ideas come from the people who do the work, so invest the time to understand the causes of kitchen inefficiencies and to develop and experiment with possible solutions,” Larivee recommends.

“When employees are involved in solving problems, they develop a sense of ownership and will more likely be committed to continuous improvement efforts. And, when you make those changes, it’s easier to sustain them and subsequently make additional improvements, because employees are on board and engaged; they own it.”

Finally, when employees are part of the process, it helps build culture, improves morale and lets you create the best possible solutions for optimal workflow in each employee’s role.

“Design your kitchen to minimize manpower and maximize the usefulness of that manpower.”

— MARC TELL, THE SAM TELL COMPANIES 68 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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“When employees are involved in solving problems, they develop a sense of ownership and will more likely be committed to continuous improvement efforts. And, when you make those changes, it’s easier to sustain them and subsequently make additional improvements.”

— HEATHER LARIVEE, SPARKFLO

5

MEASURE RESULTS.

If you decide to make a change, measuring both before and after allows you to determine if it’s a positive step. “The only way to know if changes in your kitchen and prep process are beneficial is to measure, then compare those results to the desired outcome,” Larivee says. “If the changes don’t support the desired outcome, dig deeper to understand why, then go back to the drawing board and try again.”

This can be as simple as installing a whiteboard in the kitchen space and tracking a single change, Larivee explains. For example, before moving the prep area, measure something trackable, like the number of steps taken per day by an employee. Once you make the change, measure the steps taken afterward. “Maybe moving the prep area forces employees to walk around an obstacle and thus adds steps,” Larivee says. “It also depends on what problem you’re trying to solve. Ask yourself, what do we measure, what unit of measurement do we use, and how long of a period are we measuring for?”

For example, it might make sense to evaluate a few different shifts, as data will change according to number of people working and time of day. Or you might measure for a continuous period, like one or two weeks, to decide if a change is positive. And, if the results aren’t what you expected, you can always change something back!

6

PLAN FOR GROWTH.

Evaluating your kitchen’s efficiency isn’t a “one and done” deal. Just because a change is working well now, it might not remain the ideal setup forever. If the business doubles its volume or new menu items enter the mix, you may have to change your workflow. Even better, this practice of constant observation can help your business grow further. “Let’s say you add on a menu item and you’re tight on floor space,” Larivee says. “Studying the movement in the kitchen, related to each type of product made, helps you understand where you have dead space in your floor plan. If there’s a shelf in the corner that no one has visited in 30 days, maybe you can put a valuable piece of equipment in that space and better maximize your real estate.”

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7

CUSTOMIZE YOUR SOLUTIONS.

Because every operation is different, Tell notes that a one-size-fits-all approach to commercial kitchens is impossible. “For a pizzeria with counter service, maybe you’d want the oven as close to the cash register as possible, especially when the same employee is working both,” Tell says. “In general, you want the prep table, oven and counter in a triangle. Or you might want employees to work in two shifts— prep and service—to increase efficiency and help product get out quicker, in a less complicated way, for both staff and customers.”

Tell adds that you can utilize a professional to help design your space and improve kitchen productivity with useful tips, like maximizing energy efficiency through equipment selection. And, he notes, many design professionals will work for free, as long as they make a sale. However, when choosing a professional, Tell advises, ask plenty of questions. Look at the company resume, call their references, and ask about aftermarket service to find the best match for your needs.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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SMART MARKET

LA NOVA WINGS STILL CLUCKING GOOD AFTER 25 YEARS SPONSORED CONTENT

Joey Todaro III, a.k.a. “The Wing King,” introduced wings to the pizza industry when he first exhibited at the International Pizza Expo in 1994 with his family. He had no game plan and not one distributor. But, due to his years of experience in the pizza industry, he had more than an instinct that pizza and wings would work together.

“My grandfather opened La Nova Pizza in 1957,” Todaro says. “We have two high-volume pizzerias, and they are still the biggest independents in Buffalo. La Nova Pizza became the testing ground for our wing innovation.” Today, wings are the No. 1 appetizer served with pizza, and since 1994 La Nova Wings has sold billions and billions of wings!

The first of their kind, La Nova Wings taste great and are fully cooked, so all you do is heat and eat! You can’t get any simpler than La Nova’s fully cooked, sauced wings, which give your customers a consistent product every time. The top seller is the Oven Roasted Wing, offering 12 different accompanying sauces, including Super Hot Sauce, Hot Sauce, Mild Sauce, BBQ, and Teriyaki. Today, La Nova’s wings are a nationwide staple used by the biggest chains and thousands of independents.

La Nova Wings is the pioneer, but that doesn’t mean the Todaro family is resting on their achievements. “My Father, along with my mother, continues that tradition and still works as do I, my sister Carla, her husband Sam and my kids - seven days a week,” says Joey.

New items are always being tested in La Nova’s professional test kitchen. Innovation keeps the company competitive among other wing companies. “We know we’re doing something right,” Todaro says. “Our first customers are still with us.”

When you decide to add wings to your menu, go with the company from Buffalo, New York, that leads the industry. “With 25 years and four generations in the business, we’re here to stay,” Todaro says.

Pizzeria owners can contact La Nova at (716) 984-5666 for a free sample. Be sure to stop by one of their award-winning booths at a local food show near you! Follow La Nova Wings (@joeylanova) on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to their La Nova Wings channel on YouTube or visit their website at lanovawings.com.

72 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

-Joey LaNova Wing King

PIZZA’S FAVORITE COUSIN

LA NOVA WINGS! CALL FOR A FREE SAMPLE* • 716-984-5666 *Samples must be sent to food service customers

www.LANOVA.com

SMART MARKET

CAPUTO: CRAFTING CUSTOMIZED DISTINCTION SPONSORED CONTENT

Every restaurant owner, chef and line cook knows that before that first bite is taken, you eat with your eyes. That is especially true in today’s Instagram-focused foodie climate. Your dish has to not only taste good on the plate, but it needs to have that ’gram-worthy appeal to bring customers in the door.

In addition to plate appeal and exceptional taste profiles, operators are also looking for multiple formats, innovative formulations and customized distinction in their ingredients.

To fulfill their needs, operators seek out manufacturers with the experience and passion to create authentic products that best fit their culinary visions.

Founded in 1978 by René and Pasquale Caputo, many industry-savvy clients are choosing Caputo Cheese, headquartered in Melrose Park, Illinois, as their manufacturer of choice.

Offering countless and diverse types of cheese from all over the world, Caputo offers its customers authentic Italian cheeses—from its award-winning Mozzarella, Ricotta and Burrata made at the Melrose Park facility to customized blends of imported and domestic Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, and the brand-new Truffle Fresh Mozzarella, made with real black truffle pieces instead of truffle salt and truffle oil, which is more commonly found. Caputo has the experience, passion, and commitment to client satisfaction to create ingredients to your specifications and to work with you on new flavors and formulas.

Caputo is an expert in formulating the perfect cheese blend for any application and is also known for its award-winning fresh Mozzarella line. Most recently, Caputo won awards at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest for its Hand-Dipped Ricotta, Burrata and Nodini.

By listening to their customers, the Caputo team considers flavor, functionality, cost and appearance when crafting their customized solutions. The Caputo team determines the best cheese for an operator without sacrificing the quality, cost or flavor of the finished result.

Leading industry cheese manufacturers like Caputo can deliver the quality, flavor and consistency that operators demand. In turn, operators are empowered to deliver exceptional and distinctive eating experiences to their guests.

Learn more about how Caputo crafts distinction with a visit to the company’s website at caputocheese.com.

74 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Crafting Distinction Creating customized culinary experiences since 1978

www.caputocheese.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

Maximize Your Online Ordering Potential When pizzeria owners design their online ordering system, they look for compatibility with their POS system, ability to work with third-party delivery services, and a reasonable cost. That’s where Revention Online Ordering Solution comes in. By integrating various ordering platforms— such as mobile apps, standard online ordering and even kiosks—into one seamless online ordering solution, Revention takes the guesswork out of this technology. “What we’re seeing in the market is everything’s converting to online ordering,” says Laura Gaudin, Revention’s director of product management. “The ‘Holy Grail,’ if you will, is the pizzeria that offers pickup, delivery, and over 75% of their orders coming from online.”

Dealing with third-party delivery services can be confusing, but in today’s market and in most cases, excluding them is just not an option.

“Restaurateurs understand the importance of being online and that offering their products through multiple channels drives business.

Revention is developing a tool to enable the Revention Online Ordering service to manage these channels,” says Gaudin. “It’s the vehicle that will allow those orders from third parties to flow through the online ordering system into the point-of-sale. So you still have that one point of communication and seamless data integration versus trying to manage numerous points of communication from all the different services.”

With the big franchises pumping huge amounts of money into product development, it can be daunting for an independent operator with one to five or so stores to keep up. Revention Online Ordering Solution helps level the playing field for independent operators. “I think the other big benefit of what Revention offers is that when you look at our customer mix, 50% of those customers are independent, and the other 50% are franchises,” says Gaudin. “What makes Revention extremely successful is that we’ve been able to take this customized online package—including a customized online ordering site, mobile application branded for that brand, branded loyalty, and order tracker—and we can create that whole technology package and provide that to an independent operator where they can be competitive with their local franchises, and we can do that at an affordable price. If an independent tried to contract this out with a custom development company or third party, they’d be managing a big, complicated technology project to get them all to integrate.”

Learn how Sbarro streamlines their pizza operations with integrated online ordering and menu management by visiting revention.com/ pizzatech.

76 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

IDEA ZONE

PizzeriaROI.com’s S.M.A.R.T. Marketing Platform Revolutionizes Pizza Marketing “Marketing doesn’t work. Marketing is a waste of money. I have no money for marketing. I never see any increase in sales long-term. Facebook doesn’t work. I don’t want to compete on price. I don’t know how to increase sales.”

Most pizzeria owners have said these words. And they’re right!

Marketing, when done the old, conventional way—with coupons, flyers, and discounts—doesn’t work. And that was the inspiration behind PizzeriaROI.com, founded by World Pizza Champion Sean Brauser. Brauser has been one of the most successful independent pizzeria owners over the last 20 years. He built up two different pizza concepts to over $20 million in annual sales each. He now has turned his passion for pizza into helping independent and small-chain pizzeria owners master their marketing, grow their sales, and increase their profits.

“PizzeriaROI.com is a culmination of 20 years of blood, sweat, tears and marketing successes and failures,” Brauser says. “I was always great at marketing. I understood early that the pizza business is actually a marketing business that sells pizza. I took all of my experience and built the S.M.A.R.T. Marketing Platform specifically for pizzeria owners.

This program is the most innovative and effective marketing system ever developed for the pizza business. It will revolutionize the business.”

The S.M.A.R.T. Marketing Platform allows pizzerias to drive in new customers, increase frequency of their existing customer base 20% to 30%, and increase their average ticket 5% to 10%. It builds databases through Facebook Messenger, the most innovative technology in the market. “We’re able to collect customers’ data in so many ways,” Brauser says. “We collect their email addresses and ask them to opt into a text program, but, more importantly, they join our VIP Messenger Club. This allows you to own your customers through data and stop renting them through coupons. You can segment your customers by demographics, likes, interests and activities. It can find people just like your current customers and send them specific ads and offers. We’ve found a way to monetize Facebook ads and can show a true ROI on every campaign.

We drive in new customers, but the real magic is increasing customer frequency and average ticket. That’s where a good pizzeria becomes a great pizzeria.”

Because the platform is so intelligent, it allows pizzeria owners to focus on what they do best—making great pizza and building customer relationships. Don’t miss out on the marketing revolution. Check out PizzeriaROI.com today!

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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IDEA ZONE

SPONSORED CONTENT

eHungry Launches Latest Version of Its Online Ordering System eHungry is launching its newest online ordering system this month with a brand-new design and dozens of new features. Redesigned from the ground up, the system is tailored for people on the go using their mobile devices, ensuring faster and more reliable ordering for customers. With just a few taps, customers can quickly and easily place orders for pickup, delivery, dine-in, curbside, or catering, depending on what the restaurant offers.

New features include AI upselling to increase attach rates, advanced pickup and delivery options, and even more ways to receive orders and notifications. In addition, the system will now integrate with over 100 payment providers so customers can pay restaurants directly for their orders. Here’s everything you need to know about the new system: How does it work?

Send over your menu, and the eHungry team will take care of the rest. Then just add the ordering link to your website and social media. Customers can browse your online menu and place their orders.

How do I receive orders?

The orders are sent to you however you choose, including via fax, email, direct-to-printer, web, app, text message, and more. You can also receive notifications via phone or text message to alert your staff about new orders.

Then simply fill the orders like you normally do. Plus, customers are paying you directly for their orders, so there’s no middleman.

What does it cost? eHungry only charges 1.9% per order. They have no setup fees, monthly fees or contracts, and you can cancel anytime without even talking to a human. eHungry has become one of the most flexible and configurable online ordering systems on the market today. Restaurants have full control of their ordering systems and can make changes anytime through the online manager that can be accessed via the web or an app. eHungry provides online ordering to thousands of restaurants under the restaurant’s own brand and domain name. This ensures a consistent experience for customers as they place their orders.

For more information and to get a 30-day free trial, visit the company’s website at ehungry.com/pmq or email hello@ehungry.com.

Online Ordering for your pizzeria

Custom Branded | Fast & Free Setup | Only 1.9% Per Order To start your free 30 day trial, visit www.ehungry.com 78 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

SEPTEMBER Q&A Interview SPONSORED BY PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE

Author and Pizza Man

NICK BOGACZ Nick’s book available at

WARM UP YOUR RESTAURANT PATIO WITH PREMIUM QUALITY

Nick is president & founder of the Caliente Pizza and Draft House in Pittsburgh, PA. In seven short years Nick has experienced a full pizza career of valuable real world pizza experience, and shares his discoveries about the business in an honest, interesting and authentic way the reader will appreciate.

PIZZA WITHOUT BORDERS

Bufala di Londra educates its customers on how to identify an authentic Neapolitan pizza. Sparse toppings, a slightly wet center and a soft crust with a variable degree of charring add up to the perfect pie, according to the pizzeria’s website.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO NOW? Rising prices, a shortage of housing, and the decision to break from the European Union are some of the biggest concerns in the United Kingdom today. As cities have gotten more crowded, competition in foodservice has gotten fiercer. Even the chains are hitting a rough spot; today’s trends in England reflect a bustling population that wants food with quality ingredients at a price that still lets them pay their soaring rent.

Ash Nouri, owner of Pizza Point in Birmingham, U.K., has been keeping a close eye on the trends for a while now.

Looking for new opportunities in the early 2000s, he moved to the U.K. after graduating from his university in Iran. When he learned his degree was not recognized in England, he looked to the Persian community for help. “I decided to open a pizzeria, because that’s what you did if you were from Iran,” he says.

“We’ve been here for about 15 years now,” Nouri adds.

“Since we opened, lots of competition came here; about 10 to 15 more food shops opened down the street. Since the competition has increased, inflation and prices have gone up, cost of energy, materials, rent rates, everything—this has killed our profit.”

Brexit’s effect on the U.K.’s pizza industry remains to be seen, but many are nervous about the future.

BY MISSY GREEN

Due to the stiff competition, Nouri hasn’t raised his prices in 10 years. “You can’t change the price if they are selling pizza for 99 pence down the street,” he says. “How can you set your price higher than this? Even if you have quality, sometimes people are stuck because they have no money.”

Although Brits love artisan pizza as much as anyone else, the need to keep it cheap makes it harder to source quality ingredients from small organic farms. For some operations, the solution is higher volume, moving customers in and out faster.

“The biggest rise we have seen is in the artisan, sourdough and Neapolitan-style pizzerias, such as small independents offering great quality and pricing,” says Clive White of U.K.-based White’s Foodservice Equipment. “They are happy to have 30 to 50 seats and turn the tables very quickly.” To speed things along, some have switched from the traditional wood-burning oven to rotating stone decks, which require less training and attention.

A London pizza chain called Franco Manca is a leader in the quick-turnover model today. A step up from your average fast-casual eatery, Franco Manca serves Neapolitan-style pizza with a sourdough starter that dates back to the 1700s.

80 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

(Above) Mozza, located in Saint Andrews, Scotland, bakes true Neapolitan pizza in just 60 seconds. These quick and trendy artisanal pizzerias create tough competition for the neighborhood mom-and-pop shops. (Left) PMQ’s Steve and Linda Green visit Pizza Point, an independent pizzeria in Birmingham, England.

Most ingredients are sourced from small farms, homemade, or sometimes even foraged in the wild by the pizza makers themselves. This approach to sourcing weaves love and storytelling opportunities into each pie. “In 2019, Franco Manca will grow from a mainly London-based chain (with 50 stores) to a national chain, with openings planned in major cities across the country,” White says. Other Neapolitan pizzerias popping up on the British scene include Mozza and Bufala di Londra.

What will the future hold for foodservice in the U.K.? Even after voting itself out of the EU in the Brexit movement, no one is sure exactly how or when the U.K. will officially take its leave. Jim Winship, director of the Pizza and Pasta Association in the U.K., says the biggest problems caused by Brexit are the economic uncertainties and difficulties in recruiting staff.

“Many of our food businesses rely substantially on recruiting

Missy Green is a pizza spinning gold medalist and PMQ’s international correspondent. She currently resides in the Netherlands.

employees from the EU,” Winship says. “Currently, we estimate over 70% of those working in foodservice businesses in London come from the EU, and the figure is about 40% across the U.K. as a whole. With full employment in the U.K. at the moment, we need these workers, but our government is determined to cut immigration by reducing the quotas of people allowed in to work. This is a big worry for many food businesses.”

As the U.K. adapts to an ever-changing economic climate, so does the pizza business. New pizza concepts that employ foolproof ovens and quick table turnover are coping with higher prices and the lack of labor, and some older neighborhood pizzerias like Pizza Point are just scraping by. It remains to be seen if things will get better or worse with Brexit.

The European Pizza Championship

Want to discover U.K. pizza firsthand? Join PMQ and the U.S. Pizza Team at the 4th annual European Pizza Championship, held November 13 to 15 in London.

The show features VIP guests and speakers from across the culinary world, including Tony Gemignani.

Contact missy@pmq.com for information on travel and accommodation booking. More information can be found at pizzapastashow.com.

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

REVENTION

Revention’s comprehensive Pizza POS is easy to manage while providing exceptional user experience. With integrated online and mobile ordering and loyalty programs, it has the functionality to support a pizzeria’s growth and scale from one location to multiple pizzerias. And its dedicated U.S.-based team offers 24/7 service.

REVENTION.COM/PIZZAPOS

HOT ROCKS PIZZA OVEN

The cutting-edge Hot Rocks Pizza Oven combines the “the old-fashioned way of cooking’’ with speed and consistency. This granite stone oven can cook any style of pizza, even pan pizzas where baking the center is a challenge. The heat from the stone offers additional cooking, allowing for an optimal bake without sogginess.

855-278-3385, HOTROCKSOVENS.COM

MENUVATIVE

Menuvative provides a superior menu experience. It’s not a kiosk, it’s not an entertainment device, and it requires no input from guests. It is simply a more visual, descriptive, informative and engaging presentation of the menu that can be changed instantly as often as a restaurant requires, all at a low fixed cost.

IMENUTECH.COM

OVATION

Ovation, a relationship platform for restaurants, engages customers with kiosks, QR codes, text messaging and POS/loyalty integrations to measure their experience. It retains happy customers and gets them to share their experience while enabling live chat with unhappy customers, ensuring fewer 1-star and more 5-star reviews and 5% to 10% more revenue.

OVATIONUP.COM

RUSSO’S GLUTEN FREE GOURMET

A crowd favorite with adults and kids alike, gluten-free mozzarella sticks from Russo’s Gluten Free Gourmet are great for parties, an afternoon snack or a side to a meal that the whole family can enjoy. Other gluten-free products include pizza crusts, Pizza Poppers, gnocchi, cannoli shells, cauliflower pizza shells and more.

RUSSOSGLUTENFREEGOURMET.COM

GRANBURY/THRIVE POS

With new monthly plans starting as low as $149, managing your pizza delivery business with Thrive tools has never been more affordable. Tired of getting nickel-and-dimed by third parties?

Go all in with the Preferred Processor Ultimate Plan for a flat rate of $349, which includes unlimited licenses and third-party integrations—and the complete suite of Thrive tools.

REQUEST A DEMO AT BIT.LY/THRIVE-PMQ

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AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

“Going Out For Business Sale”

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DOUGH BOXES

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UMB LAGS! &F 11’ 6” Outdoor Flags (with stand) 84 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

72” Patio Umbrella

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AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

ACCOUNTING

CHEESE SHAKER LIDS

BAKING STONES

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

CHEESE

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Choosing a POS: right the first time speedlinesolutions.com/PizzaPOS

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POS Integration with: Dinerware

Custom App $99 Monthly + 0% Commission imenutogo.com Online Mobile Ordering Solution (718) 554-0524 86 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

DESSERTS

Be Inspired. Be Creative. Be Original.

Red, White, and Blue Pizza with Nutella速

Breakfast Pizza with Nutella速

Fried Pizza Dough with Nutella速

For more exciting recipes and tips about Nutella速, visit www.ferrerofoodservice.com or call (800) 408-1505 for more information.

DOUGH

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To locate a distributor near you, call 734-946-7878.

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

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DESSERTS

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

The Original Dough Box

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CHICKEN WINGS

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE Scan for Demo

With AutoFry and MultiChef ventless technology you can serve hot delicious appetizers without the need for costly renovations.

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Tel: 310-366-7612 E-mail: sales@authenticfoods.com Web: www.authenticfoods.com

FLOUR

FURNITURE/FIXTURES

Exceptional pizza starts with exceptional flour.

Heat your Restaurant with SUNPAK®

Traditional Pizza Flours, Whole Grain Flours, Pizza Crust Mixes, Private Label Packaging, Proprietary Blending, Custom Development

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Heckers & Ceresota

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88 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

MAGNETS

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HOTEL ROOM KEY ADVERTISING

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MAILING LISTS

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INSURANCE

PIZZAPRO INSURANCE PROGRAM Insurance Designed for Pizza Delivery Operations HAVE YOUR AGENT CONTACT US TODAY!

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MANAGEMENT

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MARKETING IDEAS

Pizza’s Great Storyteller

Radio-style stories to bring customers in.

Let pizza’s greatest storyteller make you a local pizza hero!

• Fully-produced 1-minute pizza stories

Hear samples at PizzaTV.com/Rix

Rix Quinn

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

MARKETING IDEAS

MEAT TOPPINGS

MIXERS

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90 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

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| ordersnapp.com AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

91

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA OVENS

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Stone Deck, Pizza Dome, and Bakery

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• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

14:39

National Marketing, Inc.

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pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/ AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

he Industry ! Be y t i l a u Guara Q or i r nteed e p oisture Out and Keep u st Pricing in t

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Since 1915, The Neil Jones Food Company has been producing premium quality tomato and custom blend sauces. A family owned and operated corporation, we only pack from the freshest and finest vine-ripened California tomatoes. So whether you prefer classic #10 cans or new shelf-stable pouches, you will always get the very best in fresh packed tomato products from Neil Jones Food.

SCALES Commercial weighing scales for restaurants, catering, delis, and other retail markets.

Pizza@YamatoCorp.com 262-236-0000 94 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

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ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Come follow us, like us, and engage with us on these social media platforms!

YEAST

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

Get the latest and greatest in pizza news, recipes, videos, marketing strategies and technologies at www.pmq. com!

AUGUST 2019 | PMQ.COM

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE

TABLECLOTHS

. ed!

S e E E HE ou n R F TC as y A any W S m

You Top the Pizza, We’ll Top the Tables!

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de Or

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55 Winans Avenue | Cranford NJ 07016 | 908-272-4700

GOOD NEWS! Anacapri will now be distributing Le 5 Stagioni Products!

PIZZA HALL OF FAME

(Clockwise from top right) The original Bernie’s ovens are still in operation today; Bernie Ambrose, at far right, poses with his family; Ambrose, shown here in the ‘60s, was a business-savvy entrepreneur; a parade passes through Dallas, Pennsylvania’s main street.

Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 years or longer? If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com.

BERNIE’S PIZZA Two high school sweethearts who met at Bernie’s ended up generating the lifeline that would keep the pizzeria thriving for future generations. By Tracy Morin Not much is known about the very early days of Bernie’s Pizza, located in Dallas, Pennsylvania—only that it was started sometime in the 1950s

by Bernie Ambrose, a sharp businessman from a family of entrepreneurs.

He bought a previous pizza location, stamped his name on the building, and introduced his thin-crust, brick-oven pies to the public. “The earliest business license we can find is from 1969, and he grew to three locations in the area at some point,” recounts current owner Jill Marchakitus. “My family learned a lot from Bernie—he was very intelligent and business-minded.”

Indeed, Marchakitus’ ownership occurred through a string of chance happenings that keeps the pizzeria thriving today. Her parents met at Bernie’s as high school employees of the pizzeria, eventually marrying and starting a family. One especially busy night in the mid-’90s, Ambrose called in Jill’s father to help out, and he brought his daughter along, who also started working at the pizzeria. By 2002, Ambrose, 83 and in poor health, was ready to sell the business to the Marchakitus family—Jill and her two sisters. “After five years, one of my sisters left, and this year the other, while my dad passed in 2006,” Jill says. “Now I’m the sole owner, but my mom and boyfriend still help out with the business. Whatever needs to be done, we get it done!”

Despite a small footprint (less than 900 square feet) and offering takeout pizzas and stromboli only, the Bernie’s recipe remains a hit with locals, many of whom are longtime fans. But the younger generation has also inspired innovations: Now a homemade cauliflower crust (low-carb and gluten-free) and a keto pizza grace the menu, earning rave reviews from diners with special diets. New specialty pizzas are proudly promoted on Facebook and Instagram, while community involvement creates top-ofmind awareness for the Bernie’s brand.

But perhaps the true secret to Bernie’s longevity is the close eye Jill keeps on the business. “For better or worse, I’m there all the time to maintain that focus on quality we’ve always had—keeping true to our original recipe, while being progressive,” she explains. “When you own a pizzeria, get ready to work! But I enjoy it. There are tons of pizzerias here, and they’re all good. But we’ve been around all this time and survived through so much competition because we keep our standards so high and create that personal experience. It’s very rewarding to carry on Bernie’s tradition and create those great relationships with our customers.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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The Company that introduced Chicken Wings into the Pizza Industry!

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