PMQ Pizza Media - November 2022

What’s

BACK TO THE FUTURE

marketing has

dramatically since PMQ debuted in 1997, but customers are still looking for a sense of community

belonging.

By Rick Hynum

Jane Grote Abell: Following the Golden Rule at Donatos

Like her dad, Jim Grote, the chairwoman of Donatos Pizza says she believes in “giving more than we receive” as a foundational principle. pmq.com/jane-grote-abell-donatos

South Shore Bar Pizza Style Isn’t Famous, But It Should Be

To be authentic, this pizza must be topped with cheddar cheese and served only in “old-school dive bars,” says one Massachusetts journalist. pmq.com/south-shore-bar-pizza-style

IBIE Celebrates the Country’s Greatest Bakers in Las Vegas

Guy Frenkel of Céor took top honors in the Tiptree World Bread Awards USA for his sourdough loaf with a colorful nickname: Glorious Bastard. pmq.com/ibie-baking-awards

Jay-Z Puts His Money On Pizza Robotics With Stellar Pizza

With funding from the hip-hop icon’s venture capital firm and other investors, robot-powered Stellar Pizza plans to launch at USC this fall. pmq.com/stellar-pizza-jay-z

Why Earned Wage Access Makes Sense for Restaurants

The CEO of a leading EWA vendor offers his perspective on the advantages of on-demand pay for restaurant employees and employers alike. pmq.com/earned-wage-access-restaurants

The Pizza Palace: A Wild-West Pizzeria in the Heart of Colombia

You can get eight different flavors on a single pizza at this beloved community pizzeria in Yopal, Casanare, Colombia, reports Rudy Waldner. pmq.com/pizza-palace-yopal-colombia

A Publication of PMQ, Inc. 662-234-5481

Volume 26, Issue 9 November 2022 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

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com

DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136

TEST CHEF/USPT COORDINATOR Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129

REPORTER Chris Green, chris@pmq.com

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER David Fischer, david@pmq.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Shawn Truss, shawn@pmq.com

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS

FALL/WINTER 2022

Industry Events

Pizza Tomorrow Summit

November 9-10

PMQ is a proud sponsor of this exciting new event taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Designed to better serve the East Coast and the South, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit brings together pizza operators, suppliers, products and new initiatives, along with a cutting-edge education program. And don’t miss the U.S. Pizza Team’s Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup & Pizza Acrobatic Trials! Learn more about the Pizza Tomorrow Summit on page 46, and we can’t wait to see you there!

Learn more at pizzatomorrow.com.

The Winter Fancy Food Show

January 15-17, 2023

The Specialty Food Association’s Winter Fancy Food Show returns to Las Vegas in January. It’s the largest B2B specialty food industry event in the western U.S. It will offer three days of networking, trendspotting, education and, of course, samples of the latest specialty food and beverages in more than 40 product categories. Learn more at specialtyfood.com.

Discover all of the events impacting the pizza industry this year at PMQ.com/calendar

Hosting an event? Send your submissions to editor@pmq.com.

Promote This!

World Vegan Month

Here’s a monthlong opportunity to market your pizzeria to a fastgrowing segment of the population that loves pizza minus the meats. Vegans are famously devoted to brands that cater to their dietary preferences. And many of your customers are vegan-curious. Dedicate this month to developing new vegan pizzas and other dishes, call them out on your menu and promote them in your social media with photos and videos.

For more inspiration, visit PizzaVegan.com.

The NAFEM Show

February 1-3, 2023

The National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show, taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, features industry-leading exhibitors and groundbreaking products. It’s the one event that’s 100% dedicated to the foodservice equipment and supplies that move your restaurant business forward. Learn more at thenafemshow.org.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for pizza restaurants, but you already knew that. Did you also know that more pizzerias are plating pre-holiday Thanksgiving feasts in pizza form? Favorites include pies topped with slow-roasted turkey or chicken, a cheese blend, stuffing and gravy—maybe even a swirl of tangy cranberry sauce or a housemade pumpkin sauce.

DON’T FORGET THESE NATIONAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE DAYS IN NOVEMBER!

World Vegan Day Tuesday, November 1

National Eating Healthy Day Wednesday, November 2

National Sandwich Day Thursday, November 3

National Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies Day Saturday, November 12

National Espresso Day Wednesday, November 23

National Eat With a Friend Day Friday, November 25

PREMIUM & SPECIALITY APPETIZERS

FLAVOR IN EVERY BITE

Bellissimo Foods offers a full line of breaded and battered appetizers to suit any pizzeria or restaurant application from Onion Rings to our popular Mozzarella Sticks. Bellissimo appetizers are hand crafted to give you the consistency you count on to deliver superb taste and reliability – time and time again.

Bellissimo appetizers are a simple way to add variety and value to your menu that are easy-tocook and quick-to-serve straight from your fryer or oven. Bellissimo appetizers will consistently match your customers diverse needs and specifications.

For our full line of appetizers, including ovenable options, visit Bellissimo.com to find your local source of Bellissimo Italian products.

MYSTIC PIZZA

A little crystal healing, a little palm reading, a little bit rock ’n’ roll—Pisa Lisa’s three-day Mystical Pizza Fest, to celebrate its second location in Sedona, Arizona, was anything but your run-of-the-mill grand opening. Festivities kicked off on Friday, September 16, with an opening ceremony featuring a blessing from Havasupai medicine man Uqualla, who torched attendees’ handwritten intentions in the wood-fired pizza ovens. The event also featured a dough-ribbon cutting, a welcoming from the chamber of commerce, ginger-lime mocktails, a rabbi’s personally written blessing song, and a group drum ceremony. But the pièce de résistance was a local art piece, long retired as a Sedona landmark—a “life-size” spaceship helmed by an alien—unveiled, fully refurbished, to be enjoyed once more. On Saturday and Sunday, free food samples included pizza slices, kale salad, tomato soup, gelato, and, for pups, doggie meatball treats. Dogs could even receive pet reiki, massages and sound healing. Humans, meanwhile, enjoyed chair massages from a local spa, palm and tarot readings, and free silhouette artistry. “Our Mystical Pizza Fest gave me the chance to share my passion for pizza, family, friends and my beloved home of Sedona, while channeling energy to spread goodwill to the entire hospitality industry,” Dahl said. “If ever there was a perfect Sedona blast, this is it!”

A MIGHTY MULLET

Emmitt Bailey is only eight years old, but he knows how to rock an ’80s-style mullet. Hailing from Menomonie, Wisconsin, Bailey took first place in the kids division of the 2022 USA Mullet Championship held in late August. That win earned him $2,500, but perhaps the best prize of all was one he never expected: free pizza for a year from his hometown Toppers Pizza store, operated by Perfect 10 LLC. When Steve Repinski, owner/managing partner of Perfect 10, learned that Emmitt’s mighty mullet had garnered national acclaim, he invited the youngster to the restaurant to make his favorite pie and issued a press release about Emmitt’s visit and bonus prize. “Emmitt’s attitude is amazing, just like his mullet,” Repinski said. “He also makes a killer pizza!” Emmitt was one of 25 finalists in his category (ages 1 to 12) in the USA Mullet Championship and got nearly 9,900 votes on Facebook, which advanced him to the next round. A panel of celebrity judges also helped choose the winner. Asked for his advice to someone looking to grow their own mullet, Emmitt said, “Just be yourself and have fun.”

A Toppers Pizza location in Menomonie, Wisconsin, gave Emmitt Bailey free pizza for a year after he won a national award for his glorious mullet.

A local art icon, an alien-helmed spaceship, made a surprise debut at the event, to the delight of attendees.

Havasupai medicine man Uqualla offers a blessing on opening night of the Mystical Pizza Fest.

(Top to bottom) Employees don pizza slice outfits to promote the event; PMQ senior copy editor Tracy Morin (center) celebrates with Mary Wagstaff and Caroline McBride from Wagstaff Media & Marketing, Pisa Lisa’s PR agency.

SCOTT

A TEAM-UP OF CHICAGO GIANTS

When two iconic Chicago brands—Lou Malnati’s and Portillo’s—team up on a limited-time pizza, it’s bound to make headlines, especially when it can be ordered from anywhere in the country. The Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza, which debuted October 3, is a one-of-a-kind mashup that’s offered only through Tastes of Chicago, a nationwide shipping company specializing in Windy City food. It features Lou Malnati’s flaky, buttery pizza crust, plum tomatoes and Wisconsin cheese and comes topped with Portillo’s famous slow-roasted, thin-sliced Italian beef. Available with either Portillo’s homemade sweet peppers or hot giardiniera, each 9” pizza is made from scratch by Lou Malnati’s, then flash-frozen to preserve freshness before it’s shipped to customers. “When we tasted the Italian Beef Deep Dish for the first time, we knew we had created something special,” said Michael Osanloo, Portillo’s president and CEO. Marc Malnati, Lou Malnati’s owner, believes his company already offers the city’s best deep-dish pies. “The only way we knew to top ourselves was to top our pizzas with the famous flavors of Portillo’s,” he said.

CUTTING THE MUSTARD SLICE

When Foodigenous blogger Adam Horvath suggested building a promotion around the mustard pie, the owners of Carmine’s Pizza in Netcong, New Jersey, weren’t exactly sold on the idea. But Horvath “mustered” enough support to make it happen on September 28—and the largely unknown pizza style, which originated in Trenton, New Jersey, gained some new fans. It features spicy brown mustard swirled across the crust, plus shredded mozzarella and tomato sauce. Some folks prefer a plain mustard slice, while others crave topping combos like sausage and onions or sausage and fresh garlic. Free slices of all three versions were offered at the Carmine’s event. “More than one person came into the night thinking that mixing mustard with sauce and cheese was pizza blasphemy,” Horvath says. That included Carmine’s owners, Joe Ruocco and Sal Ruocco. “I had to twist their arm to let me do it,” Horvath says. But, he adds, “Everyone—and I mean everyone—left the evening with a newfound respect for the unlikely combo. Not one person that I spoke with said anything bad.” The event, which Horvath promoted on his blog and on the Jersey Pizza Joints group on Facebook, drew about 60 curious customers, and more than 15 mustard pies were sold, Horvath reports.

Lou Malnati’s is one of Chicago’s oldest and best-loved pizza companies specializing in the deep-dish style.

Carmine’s Pizza gave customers a chance to try the little-known mustard pie style for themselves at a late September event.

The Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza is a one-of-a-kind mashup that’s available only through Tastes of Chicago.

Adam Horvath promoted the mustard pie event on his Foodigenous blog and across various social media platforms.

loyal Ceresota Flour

PIZZA CANDY COOKIE

INGREDIENTS:

Yields: 3 pizza cookies

3 each 16-oz. frozen sugar cookie dough tubes, ready to use (RTU)

11/2 c. natural peanut butter, melted, keep warm

3 each fresh bananas, sliced

3 c. fresh strawberries, cut into cubes

11/2 c. Butterfinger®, chopped into 1/2” pieces

11/2 c. Baby Ruth®, chopped into 1/2” pieces

11/2 c. CRUNCH® whole pieces

3 c. mini marshmallows

1/2 c. strawberry sauce, RTU

DIRECTIONS:

Remove cookie dough from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator until soft and pliable. With your hands, press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of a pizza pan, making sure to press dough up the sides to the top of the pan. Spread the warmed peanut butter on the bottom of the pizza, followed by the bananas, strawberries, Butterfinger®, Baby Ruth®, CRUNCH® and mini marshmallows. Take the remaining 1/3 of the cookie dough and pinch off small pieces, making sure to flatten them between your fingers. Place flattened pieces on top of the pizza, covering the top completely. Place pizza pans on a sheet pan and bake as per instructions. Remove from the oven to cool slightly, and, with a small, sharp knife, run the tip around the sides of the pizza pan to loosen the cookie dough. To serve, cut into wedges, drizzle with strawberry sauce and lightly dust with powdered sugar.

Sponsored by:

A TOAST TO HIGHER PROFITS

When it comes to boosting your bottom line in a challenging economy, beer, wine and liquor are quicker—and you don’t have to add a bar to make it work.

BY BILLY MANZO JR.

As we all know by now, prices are out of whack in this economy. According to a recent National Restaurant Association survey, more than 80% of operators say the costs of food, labor and occupancy are higher than they were in 2019, and 85% report that profits are down.

That sucks, right? But, ladies and gentlemen, there’s one item on my menu that hasn’t increased in price. In fact, it’s gotten more competitive. And that’s booze.

If you’ve been toying with the idea of getting a liquor license (and even if you haven’t), I suggest you give it some serious thought. In the next year or two, alcohol sales might save your business, especially if you’ve got 20 to 50 seats in your restaurant and people like sitting down in them.

Your insurance costs will go up a bit with a liquor license, but the increase in business will offset that expense. A liquor license can:

• Diversify your product offerings and increase the value of your brand. The more you offer, the wider your appeal.

• Make your margins explode. Margins on alcohol can be 40% or higher, which can account for about 30% of your total sales. If you have no booze, your entire portfolio is based on food, and food costs, as we’ve mentioned, are through the roof.

• Attract new clientele. People like to drink—who wouldn’t, in this economy?—and many customers love a beer or glass of wine with their pizza.

Whatever you pay for that bottle of wine, that’s what you’re going to charge by the glass. If you pay $4 for a bottle, sell that first glass of wine for $4, and the rest of the bottle is profit.

Every state has its own process for acquiring a full liquor license, which can be costly (purchase fees, lawyer fees, filing fees, etc.). That’s why I suggest you start with a beer-and-wine license, which is a fraction of the cost. Here’s what you need to do:

1 KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Carry only a few brands—Bud, Bud Light, Coors, Coors Light and Miller. You don’t need to buy pallets. And you also don’t need to buy craft or specialty beers if you don’t want to. You can get involved in the beer-and-wine game for 300 bucks. Buy a few cases of canned beers from your local distributor. With a beer-and-wine license, you can also carry those canned vodka-and-seltzer or rum-and-cola combos. There’s a ton of that stuff out there, and you can sell so much of it! (Note: When you take on this initiative, I guarantee you that some customers will say, “Can you get this craft beer? How about this seasonal ale?” Don’t do it! Stick with the basics,

or, the next thing you know, you’ll have 30 cases in your walk-in, and you’ll be sitting on that inventory for more than three weeks.)

As for wine, you don’t have to go cuckoo. Get three bottles of Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot. And whatever you pay for that bottle of wine, that’s what you’re going to charge by the glass. If you pay $4 for a bottle, sell that first glass of wine for $4, and the rest of the bottle is profit. Not bad, right? Or you can throw those cute little 8-ounce bottles of wine on the table when a customer orders. Salute!

Another perk of a limited beer-andwine menu is that you don’t have to educate your waitstaff on the flavor profiles of every craft beer out there. A Bud’s a Bud. But you do need to train your staff to be more attentive. They can’t serve someone 10 beers, so there’s a form of responsibility there that you don’t have with mozzarella sticks.

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2

Partner with your distributor.

We’ve talked about the importance of partnerships before. I’ve gone to my liquor wholesaler and said, “Listen, every week I want a special on a product that you can’t move. What’s the best you can do?” And the distributor usually has a laundry list of different canned beers they want to get rid of. Once a distributor finds out that you’re willing to push product and move units, they’ll work with you: “Look, we’ve got a product coming in. We think it’s going to be a dog. Do you want to buy on cost?” You become highly valuable to the distributor. If you start moving product, your salesperson will bust their tail for you, especially in this economy, to help you expand your portfolio.

3 Put up a TV and call it a day.

Just because you have a beer-and-wine license doesn’t mean you need to build a bar and take on four grand of inventory. Just make space for four cases of beer in the same walk-in that holds your dough. That’s it. If you blow out one case, go buy another one. But it’s a good idea to put up a TV somewhere. People who watch TV while they eat and drink tend to eat and drink more. If you’re in an area where country music is hot, put on something country music-related. It’s football season here in the Northeast, and I’ve got nothing but the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox on my TVs. (I’m a huge Yankees fan, but I can’t show their games unless I want a pizza peel thrown at my head.) Note: Do not play the crap that your employees want to watch, which can be a big problem.

4

Make it fun.

Use your POS system to track the beers your customers order. Make every 11th beer free or offer a free slice with every 10th beer. If you do offer craft beers, create a passport. Customers can write down all of the craft beers they’ve had and rate them, or you can buy a little stamp with your restaurant’s logo on it.

5

Involve your staff.

Here’s a great money saving tip: I stock beer cans rather than bottles in my restaurant. Why? When I first started Federal Hill Pizza, I bought two gigantic commercial garbage cans. I approached my dishwasher, who was being paid minimum wage, and said, “I’m giving you first dibs. I’m going to tell you how you will make more money with me. I’ll give you the play on the cans.” He agreed. He took care of the recyclables for me (cans are lighter than bottles) and ended up making about 50 bucks a week on the deposits. Once a month, he would even buy me and the guys in the kitchen a cup of coffee. And I eliminated my garbage costs by more than 100%. Win-win!

Listen, a lot of businesses didn’t make it through COVID-19, but you did. Now is the time to make your restaurant the best it can be and as profitable as possible. And to do that, a liquor license or beer-and-wine license is not only a good idea, but a lifeline. Bottom lines up!

Billy Manzo Jr. is a veteran restaurant operator and the owner/chef of Federal Hill Pizza in Warren, Rhode Island.

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Margins on alcohol can be 40% or higher, which can account for about 30% of your total sales.

PMQ has been tracking— and helping to lead—the evolution of the pizza industry since its first issue appeared in 1997.

BY RICK HYNUM

To a time traveler from the late 1990s, the world today would look rather strange in some ways. If she was a pizza marketing professional, it might seem downright bewildering. Still no flying cars, true, and robots are, thus far, mostly just mechanical claws. But in only a couple of decades, the marketer’s tools have evolved at a breathtaking pace. Even those of us who have lived through the changes since we were young can barely keep up.

As PMQ turns 25, we reflect on how the pizza industry has evolved since 1997—and how the things that really matter have stayed the same.

Case in point: In the first-ever issue of PMQ Pizza Magazine then called Pizza Marketing Quarterly—restaurant consultant Bill York helpfully shared his top 10 promotional ideas for pizzerias. Ranked No. 5: “Using the internet.” The year was 1997. And, for York, coupon magnets, Post-it notes, direct mail and “affordable 4-color printing” were considerably more vital to marketing success than any fancy computer.

York wasn’t wrong. Twenty-five years ago, the internet was still a rather clunky system, and most Americans didn’t own a home computer, much less a modem, to access it. Your phone was for talking, not texting; even if you could carry it with you, it wouldn’t fit in your pocket or purse. And who wanted it to?

Yet PMQ publisher Steve Green—a pizza industry marketing wizard who knew his way around databases—already envisioned his magazine as a future digital powerhouse. By early 1998, he had launched PMQ.com, an online companion of sorts to the print edition.

From the get-go, Green, a former Domino’s franchisee, wanted PMQ to be “the marketing department that independents can’t afford to have.” He’d toiled for years in the stuffy, rigid corporate world while his sympathy lay with the little guys. Now, as PMQ marks its 25th anniversary, it remains a family-owned business— just like the ones most of its subscribers have. But as the times have changed, so has PMQ. And helping our readers keep up remains priority No. 1. No matter how crazy and unpredictable those changes might be.

The “Reel” Thing

For Rolf Wilkin, the first pizzeria owner featured in PMQ, marketing dollars in 1997 went to three areas: direct mail, database marketing and “electronics”—that is, TV and radio. Today, fans of Eureka Pizza, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, don’t need an antenna to tune into the latest Eureka Pizza news. Just log onto Instagram or Facebook, and there’s Wilkin, shooting videos in the kitchen with his phone, showing off his Meatza Pizza with St. Louis-style Provel cheese or the Eureka Supreme with Boom Boom Sauce.

Few technological advances have impacted pizza marketing like social media. Prior to its advent, operators had to shell out thousands of dollars just to get a TV spot produced. Getting that spot on the air cost thousands more. For Pizza Hut or Domino’s, that was no big deal. For a local independent, that could have been their kid’s college fund.

But when it comes to marketing pizza, visuals have always mattered: People see your pizza, people want your pizza. Most PMQ readers today are capitalizing on the power of video combined with social media. Instagram, for example, now teems with Reels videos that showcase pies bursting with eye appeal— most, if not all, of them shot with a smartphone.

John Arena, cofounder of Metro Pizza, visited PMQ’s test kitchen for a cover photo and met with famed blues/rock music photographer Dick Waterman.

Co-publishers Steve and Linda Green envisioned PMQ as “the marketing department that independents can’t afford to have.”

PMQ debuted in the fall of 1997 with Rolf Wilkin of Eureka Pizza on the cover.

DANNY KLIMETZ

DANIEL PEREA

DANIEL PEREA

JOHN SANTILLI

Fredi Bello, owner of Fredi the Pizzaman in Melvindale, Michigan, and a PMQ cover star in May 2019, has seen his business explode since he earned a glowing review from Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy.

Michael LaMarca, founder of Cleveland, Ohio-based Master Pizza, appeared on PMQ’s September 2017 cover, then went on to win the “Best in the Midwest” episode of Hulu’s Best in Dough.

COURTESY MICHAEL LAMARCA

In 2013, Domenico Crolla, owner of Bella Napoli (now ORO) in Glasgow, Scotland, created a special piece of pizza art for the Green family, including (from left) Steve Green, Missy Green, Linda Green, Caroline Green Felker and Chris Green.

Take Pizzaboy Pizzeria Italiano, a Chicago eatery opened by Carlo and Cristina Bertolli in late 2020. Virtually every post on their Instagram page is a Reel rather than a static photo. Maybe it’s a mouthwatering view of Pizzaboy’s Steak Fajita pizza spinning on a platter to a hip-hop beat or the Bertollis’ eight-year-old daughter gleefully introducing a pie she just sauced and cheesed. Likewise, John Arena, co-founder of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, has turned his company’s Instagram account into a one-show TV network—all pizza, all the time. One recent Reel featured a delectable pineapple-and-meat pie and a child’s voice whispering, “Shhh! I can’t do negative today. Positive vibes, positive vibes.” In another Reel, someone runs a slicer across a pie loaded with toppings. That’s it— that’s the video. Watch it, though, and you’ll want that pizza now

Metro Pizza’s videos garner thousands of views—sometimes 50,000 or more.

Think about that: Up to 50,000 Instagram users might see your video, which was shot in minutes and didn’t cost a dime to make. Who needs TV?

Pizza Princess G

Social media users may one day tire of scrolling through videos all day, but the booming popularity of TikTok and Twitch—which attract a younger crowd— suggests otherwise, at least for now.

With that in mind, Giuliana Calascibetta, district manager for Cam’s Pizzeria, with six stores in upstate New York, might be the pizzeria marketer of the future. In addition to running her family’s restaurants, Calascibetta has built a growing fan base on Twitch, where her PizzaPrincessG account has more than 40,000 followers. Throughout the week, you can log onto Twitch and watch her making pies, serving customers, chatting with employees or just goofing around, all live and close-up, for hours at a time. Her recent Twitch broadcasts have garnered more than 7,000 views each—and she’s just working at her job.

Calascibetta says she started streaming on Twitch during the pandemic. She often found herself working alone at her restaurant during the shutdown and longed for more human connection. “I didn’t really know how to use the platform and had never watched any streams before I downloaded the app,” she recalls. “I literally just swung it and pressed ‘Go Live’ and talked to whoever joined the

COURTESY

Giuliana Calascibetta, district manager for Cam’s Pizzeria in upstate New York, is known as Pizza Princess G to her Twitch fans and might be the pizzeria marketer of the future.

Beyond The Dough

Presented By

Be ThankFULL.

Thanksgiving is here. As I’ve gotten older, it’s become my favorite holiday.

I choose to live a ThankFULL life. Why?

Problems seem small when I look at how blessed that I am.

Blessings flow into a space of gratitude.

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Gratitude changes the way we view our life.

Gratitude attracts.

Gratitude makes you give with zero expectations.

Things in the world will always be crazy. How you view them is your choice.

Be ThankFULL!

To learn more about Perfect Crust’s pizza liners and other products, visit perfectcrust.com or email Eric Bam at Eric@perfectcrust.com

About Eric Bam:

A Boston native now living in Tulsa, OK, Eric Bam is VP of sales and marketing for Perfect Crust, with 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry. A powerful force in the workplace, Bam uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. He has three children and loves helping the men and women of the pizza industry grow their businesses.

stream, which wasn’t very many people. From there, I started showing my chat how I make pizza, how I make dough, ranting about customers, and pretty much everything that involved a day in my life working at Cam’s Pizzeria. I realized that the more I streamed my work days, the more I became excited about what I did while I was there. Not only did I have people to talk to now, but I could entertain a live audience!”

It certainly helps that Calascibetta has loads of personality—she grew up dancing and performing in musical theater and isn’t one bit shy. But her Twitch streams are raw and unedited; whatever she’s doing at the moment—whether it’s stretching dough or boxing a pie—that’s what you’ll see.

That makes Calascibetta the winsome face of the Cam’s Pizzeria brand in a way that a TV viewer in 1997 couldn’t fathom. “Customers order their pizzas online and can tune in to my stream and watch them be made right after placing an order,” she says. “It really is an excellent way to connect with customers. I’ve even had people venture to Rochester from all over the country just to meet me and try out our pizza!”

Move Over, QS-1000

It’s safe to say our time traveler from the 1990s never saw any of this coming. She likely also didn’t foresee the rise of Yelp. In 1999, pizzeria operators still counted on their guests to provide feedback the old-school way—with a kind (or grumpy) word to the server or manager, maybe filling out a card at the table. In PMQ’s winter edition that year, we spotlighted feedback technology that surely must have felt cutting-edge at the time: the QS-1000, an electronic device for conducting post-meal surveys. Diners tapped out their responses to preprogrammed questions, and the answers could be “reloaded into your computer” to generate “simple yet often enlightening” reports.

For 23 years, Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann guided PMQ’s readers through the complexities of making dough before he passed away in December 2020.

DANNY KLIMETZ

That sort of tech might sound like sweet relief to modern-day pizza pros who have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous Yelp reviews. Yelp has been weaponized in recent years and can do more damage to a restaurant’s reputation in a single day than a horde of rats in your dining room. Then again, smart operators who carefully manage their Yelp page can minimize the negatives of crowdsourced reviews while also showcasing the positive feedback that makes their pizzeria special.

And who among us could have imagined, 25 years ago, that pizza delivery could become so complicated? In PMQ’s Summer 2000 issue, two pizzeria owners spoke candidly about their decision to add a fee to every delivery order. After much anguish, they finally did it, but they didn’t want to. So what would our time traveler from 1997 think about corporate giants like DoorDash and Uber Eats? These companies charge both the restaurant and the customer for delivering their food. Moreover, many customers order your pizza through them when they could just as easily order it directly from you!

But, for some pizzerias, especially those that previously couldn’t deliver at all, third-party platforms have been godsends as labor costs keep soaring. Our time traveler would surely shake her head in wonderment.

Embrace the Change

OK, so the pizza marketing world has changed a lot since PMQ first hit mailboxes in 1997. Change is inevitable, after all, and it’s usually a double-edged sword. Still, as Calascibetta’s story illustrates, some things haven’t changed. Like the need for human connection, for food that nourishes the body and the soul, for meeting and learning from people who feel passionate about what they do and want to share it with you.

And that’s what the pizza industry is still about. The work you’re doing in your pizza shop, day in and day out, matters, however tedious it might sometimes feel. But now you’ve got better tools to show off the fruits of that labor, more—and much cheaper—ways to engage your customers, and, above all, more opportunities to build a community centered around your restaurant.

True, it’s not the kind of community that our time traveler would recognize. But it’s a community in which young people like Calascibetta and others in her generation—the customers who will keep your business alive for decades to come—feel right at home. No doubt the world will keep right on changing, and you’ll have to keep right on learning. So accept it. Embrace it. Keep adding to it and making it better. After all, it’s the only world we’ve got.

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

Francis Garcia and Sal Basille of Artichoke Basille’s, featured on PMQ’s JanuaryFebruary 2018 cover, capitalized on the TV foodie trend as the stars of the Cooking Channel’s Pizza Masters.

COURTESY ARTICHOKE BASILLE

Margherita and Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, the owners of V&M Bistro in Wilmington, Delaware, graced PMQ’s cover in November 2019 as the pizza world’s top “sister act.”

JESSIELYN PALUMBO

Table Talk

BY TRACY MORIN

From the self-checkout line in the grocery store to check-in kiosks at the airport, modern customers are now used to helping themselves when they interact with a variety of businesses—including a growing number of restaurants. “With self-pay technology and kiosks, companies in many industries have been teaching us all to be cashiers and putting us to work,” says Aaron Allen, chief strategist at Aaron Allen Associates in Chicago. “But today’s customers also like getting what they want, on their own terms.”

At-the-table technology frees up employees and enhances customer satisfaction—among other surprising benefits.

The resurgence of QR codes has helped make pay-at-the-table ordering easier than ever.

At the same time, Allen adds, COVID-19 has had its own influences on the state of restaurant affairs that help pave the way for wider adoption of pay-at-thetable technology: employee shortages, the resurgence of QR codes, and the acceleration of contactless payments. With all of these trends converging, it’s no wonder that these options are more attractive than ever.

Tapping Tech at the Table

Steven Higgins, CEO of Glendale, Colorado-based MobileWare, notes that IoT devices (a category that includes everything from “smart” appliances to virtual assistants) are helping make it possible for restaurants and their customers to utilize mobile technology at the table—to everyone’s benefit.

“Letting clients order at the table is a huge trend that increases convenience to the customer and alleviates the

burden of some tasks on the restaurant staff,” Higgins explains. “The ability to place an order or pay a check without waiting for busy servers provides an opportunity for waitstaff to handle additional tables without reducing the customer’s satisfaction.”

“For many restaurant concepts, orderat-the-table technology can make a better dining experience for both guests and restaurant staff,” agrees Angela Leet, CEO of QSR Automations in Louisville, Kentucky. “With order-at-the-table tech,

you’re essentially taking tasks that used to be handled by a server and putting it in the hands of the guest—which allows you to quickly reduce labor costs in the front of house.”

Leet adds that pizzerias and fastcasual restaurants are the ideal setting for order-at-the-table technology, since these guests may be popping in for a quick slice on a tight schedule, especially during lunch hours. “Being able to order directly from the table without waiting on a busy server meets

“With self-pay technology and kiosks, companies…have been teaching us all to be cashiers and putting us to work. But today’s customers also like getting what they want, on their own terms.”

— Aaron Allen, Aaron Allen Associates

YUMMINN

the guests’ needs faster and more efficiently,” she explains. “For so many restaurants that are facing a labor shortage, order-atthe-table technology reduces the need for dedicated waitstaff, so restaurants can serve more guests with less overhead. Additionally, capturing a table’s order digitally and sending it directly to the kitchen drastically reduces the possibility for human error, ensuring guests get exactly what they want, every time.”

Allen, for his part, predicts so much promise in this technology that he personally invested in a new Spain-based company called Yumminn, which shares some interesting stats on the benefits of easy pay-at-the-table options. For example, customers saved 13 minutes on average from their dining time spent, thus speeding up restaurants’ turnover, which increased by 6%. “You’d think that customers would tip less when they have to do some of the work, but they don’t—they tend to tip more,” Allen says. They may also spend more: Yumminn reports an average ticket boost of 12%, while servers saw a 55% increase in tips (note that in Europe, tipping etiquette and percentages differ greatly from the United States, but the stat still points to positive results). “This technology is very compelling, because it’s something the industry is looking for, and something consumers gravitate toward as well,” Allen says. “We’ve seen this trend grow at a triple-digit pace, and I believe that trajectory will continue.”

Eyeing the Investment

Higgins notes there are different options for making it easier to pay at the table, including solutions like mobile POS,

which connects operators to their customers via the cellular network, whether they are at an outdoor table or seated inside. Alternatively, self-service sales units for the tabletop allow guests to place their orders and pay their checks from the convenience of the table without the need for service staff to help them.

Allen, meanwhile, points to solutions that use QR codes so that owners don’t need to invest in tabletop units, customers don’t need to download yet another app, and tabletops are kept free of clunky hardware. “Nowadays, consumers want as few clicks as possible, and they also want the ability to achieve functions like splitting the bill,” Allen adds. “And restaurants know how cumbersome and difficult it can be to split checks among a large party. The best tech makes for a frictionless transaction and accepts multiple forms of payment.”

This may include digital wallets, cryptocurrency, services like Venmo and PayPal, and, of course, “old-fashioned” options like credit cards. Now there is even facial recognition technology to verify payments, so tech possibilities, as always, continue to evolve. “A lot of people have their phones with them, even when they don’t have their wallet,” Allen notes. “So many people are cashless now—92% of all transactions in restaurants are now digital payments!”

Different options will also require different levels of investment, but the industry’s most enthusiastic proponents believe it’s worth it. “Investing in technology is exactly that— an investment—but it’s important to find technology partners that integrate seamlessly with your existing tech,” Leet says. “This allows you to get exactly what you need, and nothing that

“Letting clients order at the table is a huge trend that increases convenience to the customer and alleviates the burden of some tasks on the restaurant staff.” — Steven Higgins, MobileWare

you don’t. Making an upgrade doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch.”

However, Leet adds that when a restaurant isn’t relying on servers to take orders and relay them back to the kitchen, there’s an obvious cost savings over time. “Some of our customers report that the added benefit of reducing the possibility for human error in the ordering process also reduces food waste from incorrect orders,” she says. “Increased customer satisfaction also reduces stress on restaurant employees, which can contribute to employee retention. The primary goal is to create calmer, happier kitchens, and investing in technology is a wonderful way to achieve that goal.”

Making the Shift

If you’re thinking of making the shift to order- and pay-atthe-table tech, shop around and ask questions to find the right solution for you. Leet believes that, as every restaurant is unique, your technology should be, too. “Don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all platform,” she advises. “Instead, look for a partner that will work with you and some of your existing tech partners to find creative solutions to your business problems. Also, anytime you are looking to integrate new technology, it’s

important to partner with companies that prioritize customer service, including live support for any tech issues that may arise. It’s the difference between being a software provider and a solutions provider.”

On the customer relations side of the equation, it may take a minute to shift customers from full-serve operations to partially self-serve. But old-school diners can still choose to deal directly with the server if they’re tech-averse. Plus, Allen notes that with millions of less workers now employed in the foodservice industry, while sales are returning to pre-COVID levels, something’s gotta give—and this technology can help bridge the gap. “I know a lot of pizzeria operators are tired of being hit over the head with technology, but our company did a study over a 10-year stretch and saw that the former ratio of 60% independents to 40% chains actually reversed—now to 40% mom-and-pops, but with chains doing twice the volume, on average,” Allen says. “The amount they’re making over independents is largely due to their digital programs. If you have an opportunity to make twice the revenue by using technology, it’s time to get with the program!”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

ADOBE

DIVERSIFY Your Dough!

BY TRACY MORIN

Not long after Sean Ferraro, owner of Madison Avenue Pizza in Dunedin, Florida, opened his operation, he knew he wanted to diversify his crust offerings to include options like cauliflower and glutenfree. The only problem was that he couldn’t commit to the equipment needed to do it himself from scratch.

“We looked at developing our own recipes for these crusts but, to do it right, we would need a separate mixer, which wouldn’t be feasible for us,” Ferraro says.

“Because of the risk of cross-contamination from our mixer, we decided to use premade gluten-free and cauliflower crusts instead.”

Looking to add gluten-free, cauliflower or another specialty pizza style to your lineup? Premade crusts and dough balls may be the most logical answer for your operation.

Ferraro knew that, in his area, there was a huge market for gluten-free and cauliflower pizzas, and it turned out that his instincts were spot-on. “The customer response has been incredible—we sell cases of each crust (gluten-free and cauliflower) every week,” he says. “People really enjoy them, and they love that they can get our signature items on a crust that fits with their diet.”

Premade Promise

Kim Desch, CEO, general manager and product developer for Bravadough! (by Wild Flour Bakery, its sales/distribution arm), based in Spearfish, South Dakota, says there are several benefits of buying premade gluten-free dough balls, including—as Ferraro found—no need to mix your own dough. Therefore, no separate mixer or prep space is necessary to keep pizzas gluten-free.

Though premade crusts may have been associated with lower quality in the past, manufacturers have made plenty of progress on their recipes. “Our mantra is somewhat antithetical to premade crusts—our mission is to give pizzaioli a gluten-free dough they can make into their pie, as opposed to a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach,” Desch explains. “With a full fermentation profile, just like wheat, and because we are 100% yeast-raised, with no added cauliflower or pea proteins to change the flavor as the dough ferments, you get a flavor profile that goes from fresh to full sourdough.”

With so many premade options available, Ferraro recommends doing thorough tastings. “We sampled a lot of crusts from all of the distributors that we purchase from, and we all agreed on the ones we thought tasted best,” he explains. “Customers understand that they aren’t buying a traditional yeast and flour leavened crust, and they understand that it is going to taste different, but it still needs to taste good. Do your research to find the best product, and then stick with it.”

Premade Profits

No premade crust is going to be as profitable as the dough you make in-house, but you can also realize significant profits in a variety of ways. First, Desch notes, a premade dough ball

“Our mantra is somewhat antithetical to premade crusts—our mission is to give pizzaioli a gluten-free dough they can make into their pie, as opposed to a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach.”

— Kim Desch, Bravadough!/Wild Flour Bakery

Premade gluten-free dough balls allow you to create a variety of menu items besides pizza.

allows chefs to get creative—going way beyond just pizza. “With a dough ball, the gluten-free menu items you can add are almost unlimited: calzones, stromboli, rustic flatbreads, knots, sticks, dipping breads, table breads, cinnamon rolls—the list goes on,” she says. “If you can do it with a wheat dough ball, you can do it with a gluten-free dough ball. And it allows the operator to create gluten-free pizza their way, so any style of pizza is possible: Neapolitan, Sicilian, Detroit, Chicago, Roman, Grandma. You can make pies that are oblong, thick, thin, with full cornices; any size, shape and thickness. The point is to make a gluten-free pie that represents the operator’s brand, not just a dummied-down (and more expensive) version.”

In addition, Ferraro has found that customers are happy to absorb the extra cost. While a 14” dough ball made in-house costs him less than $1 to make, a premade crust can cost more than $3. “We do pass the cost along to the customers, and they are happy to pay it,” he says. “Most people who follow a restricted diet understand the costs associated with it and are usually looking for places that accommodate them—not the cheapest price. Nobody gives us a hard time about the price.”

Plus, Ferraro has found ways to make these crusts work in other applications, like serving them as personal pies at the bar. “We have a large bar and a large crowd of bar regulars, so we suggest them to our customers looking for a smaller pizza,” he says. “Our smallest regular-crust pizza is 14”, but we offer a 10” cauliflower and 12” gluten-free, and both crusts are delicious enough to suggest to customers looking for a smaller pizza.”

You may also look around for less expensive options in the world of premade crusts. Bravadough!, for example, recently started offering its formulation as a dry mix, which allows operators to reduce their costs by about 30%; they simply add water and olive oil to a traditional two-stage Neapolitan

GLUTEN-FREE, DONE RIGHT

Kim Desch, CEO, general manager and product developer for Bravadough!, offers her top tips for adding premade gluten-free crusts to your operation:

1. Use a premade product that gives you more than just pizza. Your gluten-free customers will absolutely order gluten-free breadsticks, garlic knots, pan-style pizza, wraps and more, if you offer them! A product that gives you multiple solutions is more profitable and cost-effective, with less waste.

2. Make sure the product you choose is worthy of your brand. Gluten-free diners always do a full visual comparison when the pizza comes to the table, so it’s ideal when the gluten-free version actually looks like yours and tastes like yours—that upcharge they’re paying looks well worth it for a change!

3. Don’t assume you need a separate space for gluten-free. Diners don’t expect your restaurant to guarantee zero risk of cross-contamination if it’s a non-gluten-free restaurant. But still use the best techniques (change gloves or use clean hands, use a barrier as the pie goes down the prep line, etc.) and give them a dining experience they’ll want to return for.

The million-dollar question is: Would you want to eat that gluten-free pie or menu item, and would you come back again for it? “Good enough” doesn’t generate repeat customers—great does!

ADOBE STOCK

dough—or water and butter to a Sicilian-style dough—when using the dry mix. This can reduce costs and improve profits, while retaining that legendary gluten-free diner loyalty. “Repeat, loyal gluten-free customers are golden, and, in the long run, that far outweighs short-term product profit margins,” Desch notes.

Ferraro also finds that premade crusts keep waste to a minimum, while smart storage and prep ensure no crosscontamination. “We keep everything frozen and pull only what we need for the night, and the cauliflower crusts and gluten-free crusts are different enough not to be mistaken for each other,” he says. “We have little to no waste. We also use different cutters for the gluten-free and cauliflower crusts to reduce cross-contamination.”

To further reduce the possibility of cross-contamination in the pizzeria’s ovens, Ferraro also buys crusts that have an aluminum pan liner. “The aluminum pan keeps the pizza off the deck and off the flour in the oven,” he explains. “I highly recommend that operators look into and purchase gluten-free and cauliflower crusts if they don’t do so already. They’re very profitable and help accommodate people who love your food but might have dietary restrictions.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

“Our smallest regular-crust pizza is 14”, but we offer a 10” cauliflower and 12” gluten-free, and both crusts are delicious enough to suggest to customers looking for a smaller pizza.”

— Sean Ferraro, Madison Avenue Pizza

GETTY IMAGES

Offering gluten-free calzones can be another way to bring customers through your door.

The World of Tomorrow

Join us for the inaugural Pizza Tomorrow Summit, November 9-10, and start building a successful future for your pizzeria today.

Billy Manzo, owner of Federal Hill Pizza in Warren, Rhode Island, recently advised PMQ’s readers to hire a “restaurant whisperer,” a smart, insightful person who can offer objective feedback on your pizzeria operation. “The secret to building a successful business and brand,” Manzo wrote, “is recognizing that you’re not perfect and doing something about it.”

So what if you could consult with about a dozen restaurant whisperers, all in one place, over just two days? And what if that place also happened to be the home of Disney World, Universal Orlando and countless other entertainment hotspots your family has always wanted to visit?

The inaugural Pizza Tomorrow Summit, taking place November 9 to 10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, offers all of those opportunities for pizzeria operators, plus an exhibit hall that’s packed with the pizza industry’s leading suppliers, from Grande, Bellissimo, Galbani, Belgioiosi, Liguria Foods and Gordon Food Service to Sysco, PFG and many others.

And, yes, there will be robots. Specifically, food-running bots from Bear Robotics, the Redwood City, California-based leader behind Servi, who talks to customers, brings out their meals and otherwise stays out of everyone’s way.

The Pizza Tomorrow Summit was created for pizzeria operators across the eastern and southern United States. Of the 15 U.S. states with the most pizzerias, 13 of them are located east of the Mississippi River. We’re talking 38,099 out of a total of 50,580 pizza restaurants. That’s true pizza country.

The Pizza Tomorrow Summit gives these operators a chance to find—and

experience for themselves—all of the hottest products, technologies and services in the industry, from cuttingedge POS systems, ovens, delivery tracking systems and dough equipment to flours, cheeses, meats, desserts, plant-based toppings and more.

When you’re not sampling tasty proteins or watching cutting-edge ovens firing up pies, you’ll want to grab a chair for about 20 educational sessions featuring leading pizza industry

Nov. 8-9,

Orlando, FL

World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy. On Thursday, November 10, make way for some of the world’s greatest “pizzathletes” in the USPT Acrobatic Trials, another qualifying event for the World Pizza Championship. You’ll be mesmerized by their acrobatic, doughspinning routines set to music, along with fun contests like Fastest Pizza Maker and Largest Dough Stretch.

And don’t forget: This event takes place in Orlando, the nation’s premier

operators, consultants and experts. These seminars cover the gamut, from vegan ingredients and signature pies to getting food and labor costs under control, mastering the challenges of marketing, and maximizing your profits.

Finally, you won’t want to miss the U.S. Pizza Team’s 2022 Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup & Acrobatic Trials. The action kicks off on Wednesday, November 9, with the culinary competition, as top pizzaioli vie for the prestigious Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup and an opportunity to compete in the 2023

getaway destination for families. As winter starts creeping into your hometown or city, you can bask in the Florida sunshine with the spouse and kids at theme parks and resorts like Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando, LegoLand, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Discovery Cove.

Proudly sponsored by PMQ, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit is destined to be an industry game-changer. We can’t wait to see you there!

“The secret to building a successful business and brand is recognizing that you’re not perfect and doing something about it.”

— Billy Manzo Jr., Federal Hill Pizza

SAVE THE DATE!

2nd Annual Pizza Tomorrow Summit

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

will

held on

SCHEDULE,

Schedule: Wednesday, Nov. 9Educational Sessions:

Speaker: Dale Willerton Topic: 13 Costly Mistakes Pizza Operators Make Negotiating Their Commercial Lease or Renewal Time: 9:30 a.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Roger Beaudoin Topic: Maximize Restaurant Profit & Uplevel Your Pizza Operation Time: 10 a.m. Location: Theater 1115

Speaker: Steve Green Panel Discussion: Taking Pizza Into the Future With Technology Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: Pizza Success Stage

Speaker: David “Rev” Ciancio Topic: How to Acquire More Customers, Increase Guest Frequency and Beat the Third-Party Delivery Apps at Their Own Game Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Alex Koons Topic: Don’t be Afraid, It’s Just Vegan Time: 12 noon Location: Theater 1115

Speaker: Chef Billy Manzo Topic: From a Cigar Shop to a Multiunit Pizzeria Operator to Launching a Global Brand: Billy Manzo’s Pizza Success Story Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Pizza Success Stage

Speaker: Roger Beaudoin Topic: User-Friendly Financial Systems for Your Pizza Operation Time: 1:30 p.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: David Scott Peters Topic: How to Avoid 3 Deadly Mistakes in Labor Time: 2 p.m. Location: Theater 1115

Speaker: Chef Bruno Zachini Topic: Pizza Specials and Menus From a Chef’s Perspective Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Shane Murphy Topic: How to Use Text Message Marketing to Generate More Revenue Time: 3 p.m. Location: Theater 1115

hall floor: Theaters 315

SCHEDULE,

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

All educational sessions will be held on the exhibit hall floor: Theaters 315 and 1115 and the Pizza Success Stage.

Schedule: Thursday, Nov. 10Educational Sessions:

Speaker: David Scott Peters Topic: Your Pizzeria Is NOT Average, so Stop Using a National Average Food Cost to Run It Time: 9:30 a.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Roger Beaudoin Topic: Maximize Restaurant Profit & Uplevel Your Pizza Operation Time: 10 a.m. Location: Theater 1115

Speaker: Steve and Linda Green Topic: The Story of PMQ On Its 25th Birthday Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: Pizza Success Stage

Speaker: David “Rev” Ciancio Panel Discussion: Your Marketing Questions Answered Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Roger Beaudoin Topic: User-Friendly Financial Systems for Your Pizza Operation Time: 12 noon Location: Theater 1115

Speaker: Jaimie Oikle Panel Discussion: Top Tech Trends and Tips for Today Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Pizza Success Stage

Speaker: Chef Bruno Zachini Topic: The Pizza Bruno Story: Great Pizza, Good Tunes and Good Times Time: 1:30 p.m. Location: Theater 315

Speaker: Alex Koons Topic: The Importance of YOUR Culture in the Restaurant Time: 2 p.m. Location: Theater 1115

ALL DAY LONG Join Bruce Irving for interviews and live podcast reporting in the Smart Pizza Marketing Studio!

See PizzaTomorrow.com for updated listings of seminars

Don’t Miss: The U.S. Pizza Team Acrobatic Trials, All Day Long

AM Manufacturing Co Booth 701 ammfg.com

Premium Blend Booth 1114 premiumblend.com

Antico Casale Booth 901 anticocasalefood.com

Ardent Mills Booth 1001 ardentmills.com

Auctions by Design Booth 1207 professionalgolfevents.net

Auricchio Booth 901 auricchio.it/en

Bacio Booth 1001 baciocheese.com

Bear Robotics Booth 421 bearrobotics.ai

BelGioioso Cheese Booth 915 belgioioso.com

Bellissimo Foods Company Booth 1015 bellissimofoods.com

Boostly Booth 809 boostly.com

BoxTech Florida Booth 1020 boxtech.com

As of 10/10/22 | See PizzaTomorrow.com for updated listings of exhibitors

Brooklyn Cannoli Booth 901 brooklyncannoli.com

Burke Booth 1001 burkecorp.com

Cassano’s Dough King Booth 1107 doughking.com

Cheese Merchants Booth 1001 cheesemerchants.com

Cheney Brothers Booth 1101 cheneybrothers.com

Dolce Amore Booth 901 dolceamoreny.com

Drivosity Booth 417 drivosity.com

Edge Ovens Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

Ferraro Foods Booth 401 ferrarofoods.com

Fiero Group Booth 425 fierogroup.com

Food Truck Marketplace & Showroom Booth 100 onefatfrog.com

Foremost Farms Booth 508 foremostfarms.com

Forza Forni Booth 425 fierogroup.com

Gelarto Booth 409 gelarto.com

Gordon Foodservice Booth 301 gfs.com

Grande Cheese Company Booth 501 grandecheese.com

Holly’s Custom Print Booth 507 hollysprint.com

HTH Signs Booth 415 hthsigns.com

Hunger Rush Booth 709 hungerrush.com

Infrico Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

Innoserv Cleaning Solutions Booth 301 innoserv.com

Label King Turbo Booth 808 labelkingturbo.com

Galbani Booth 514 galbanicheese.com

Liguria Foods Booth 1010 liguriafoods.com

Manzo Food Sales Booth 919 manzofood.com

Markon Produce Booth 301 markon.com

Marra Forni Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

Message On Hold Booth 808 messageonholdservice.com

Miami Olive Oil Company Booth 301 miaoliveoil.com

Migali Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

Mike’s Hot Honey Booth 510 mikeshothoney.com

Oggi Foods Booth 509 oggifoods.com

One Fat Frog Booth 615 onefatfrog.com

Our Town America Booth 911 ourtownamerica.com

Parma Food Brokers Booth 901 parmafoodbrokers.com

Peerless Ovens Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

LISTING

EXHIBITORS

As of 10/10/22 | See PizzaTomorrow.com for updated listings of exhibitors

Perfect Crust Booth 411 perfectcrust.com

Performance Food Group (PFG) Booth 1001 performancefoodservice.com

Pizza Box Express Booth 1205 pizzaboxexpress.org

Pizza Solutions Booth 1001 pizzasolution.com

PizzaCloud Booth 609 pizzacloud.net

PMQ Booth 801 pmq.com

Precision Software Innovations Booth 921 precisionpos.com

Primo Gusto Italian Foods Booth 301 gfs.com/en-us/products/ our-brands/primo-gusto

Stephan Machinery Booth 909 proxes.com

Quantum Foodservice Booth 1208 quantumfoodservice.com

Veito Heaters / iQ Air Cooler Booth 520 redfernentus.com

Salo Innovations Booth 407 elevareskin.com

Sip Moonshine Booth 1206 sipmoonshine.com

Smart Pizza Marketing Booth 515 smartpizzamarketing.com

Sysco Booth 715 sysco.com

The Lease Coach Booth 1018 theleasecoach.com

The RMDA Booth 1116 thermda.org

The Town Dock Booth 606 towndock.com

The U.S. Pizza Team Booth 801 uspizzateam.com

Today’s Restaurant News Booth 1014 trnusa.com

Unified Office Inc. Booth 1008 unifiedoffice.com

Villa Dolce Gelato Booth 506 villadolcegelato.com

Volpi Foods Booth 901 volpifoods.com

West Rock Booth 1210 westrock.com/1114

Sweetie Pies

Who wants dessert? We gathered up recipes for some irresistible pizzas that will entice customers to indulge their sweet tooth cravings.

BY TRACY MORIN

Sure, savory pies are probably the backbone of your business, but if you’re not already tapping into the many ways in which your key staple— pizza crust—can be used for decadent desserts, you’re missing out. And if you are already offering an array of dessert pizzas, why not switch things up with a few new recipes in your arsenal? Put some of these on special, make them your own by adding seasonal ingredients, market their limitedtime-only nature, and watch them fly off the menu.

COURTESY LEE JACKSON

Christmas Danish Pizza

Recipe provided by chef Brad Kent, founder of Blaze Pizza (created for Carbon pizza ovens)

Ingredients

• 220g dough ball

• 3 tbsp. turbinado sugar

• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar

• 1 c. raspberries (or fruit of your choice)

• 1 c. pomegranate seeds

• 5 rosemary leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Filling

• 16 oz. ricotta, whole-milk

• 1 tbsp. vanilla

• 1 tbsp. lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)

• 1 c. sugar, granulated

Preheat the oven to 600°F. Add all filling ingredients to a bowl, mix to combine and set aside. Stretch the dough ball into a 12”-by-6” oblong shape. Brush the perimeter of the crust with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle the perimeter generously with turbinado sugar. Spread 100g of the sweetened ricotta on the center of the dough. Top with the fruit of your choice (try cranberries, sliced stone fruit, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) and place in the oven. Turn the pizza very consistently; watch to ensure the sugar melts without burning. Cook as long as possible to maximize the sugar caramelization before it burns. Remove the pizza and place on a rack to let cool. Cut and dust with powdered sugar. Makes 4 servings.

S’Mores Pizza

Ingredients

• 595g (21-oz.) dough ball for 18” pizza

• 256g (11/2 c.) mini milk chocolate chips

• 230g (3 c.) mini marshmallows

• 170g (about 11 double crackers) honey graham crackers

• 40g (2 oz. by volume) marshmallow topping (if prepared marshmallow topping is not available, thin out Marshmallow Fluff with hot water until pourable)

• 80g (2 oz. by volume) chocolate syrup

• 20g (1 oz. by volume) commercial liquid butter alternative or roomtemperature melted butter

Directions:

Crush graham crackers into medium-small pieces and set aside. Stretch the dough ball into an 18” pizza. Evenly pour the liquid butter onto the dough skin. Evenly spread the graham crackers across the crust. Evenly spread the marshmallows and chocolate chips on top of the graham crackers. Bake until the chocolate is melted and the marshmallows begin to brown, being careful not to burn the marshmallows or graham crackers. After the pizza is done baking, cut and drizzle the chocolate syrup and marshmallow topping over the top.

Recipe provided by Sean Ferraro, owner, Madison Avenue Pizza, Dunedin, FL

COURTESY SEAN FERRARO

CARBON

Tropical Fruit Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 (18-oz.) roll of refrigerated ready-to-slice sugar cookie dough

• 1/3 c. sugar

• 1 (8-oz.) package fat-free cream cheese

• 1 tsp. coconut extract

• 11/2 tsp. grated orange rind

• 1 c. fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 1 (26-oz.) jar mango slices, drained, or 1 fresh mango, sliced

• 1 (16-oz.) can pineapple slices, drained, or 1 fresh pineapple, sliced

• 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin orange segments, drained

• ¼ c. apricot preserves

• 1 tbsp. orange liqueur or orange juice

• 2 tbsp. coconut, toasted (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Press the cookie dough into a 12” to 14” pizza pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes and cool completely. In a medium mixing bowl, blend together the sugar, cream cheese and coconut extract until well-mixed. Stir in the orange rind and whipped topping, mixing until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled crust. Arrange mango slices around the edge of the iced pizza. Arrange a roll of pineapple slices around the edge, then arrange the mandarin orange slices in another ring to fill the center of the pizza. In a small saucepan or in a microwave, heat the apricot preserves and orange liqueur or juice just until melted. Spoon this glaze over the fruit. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Refrigerate until serving. Suggestion: Be creative and substitute your favorite fruits, or whatever is in season. Makes 12 servings.

provided by Lee Jackson, RD, The Healthy Cooking Blog and Holly Clegg cookbooks

COURTESY LEE JACKSON

Apple, Brie and Brown Sugar Pizza

Recipe provided by Lee Jackson

Ingredients:

• 1 (13.8-oz) refrigerated pizza crust

• 4 oz. Brie, rind removed, thinly sliced

• 1 large baking apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (try Granny Smith)

• 3 tbsp. chopped pecans

• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. On top of the pizza crust, arrange Brie and apple slices concentrically around the crust. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients and sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the apples are tender. Slice and serve. Makes 8 slices.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

COURTESY LEE JACKSON

THE U.S. PIZZA TEAM IS

Hulu’s Best in Dough brought together pizza-obsessed competitors from all walks of life to showcase their dough slinging skills and battle it out for a cash prize. And it’s no surprise that two members of the U.S. Pizza Team came out on top, while another nearly won, just barely edged out by her own teammate.

Ali Haider of 786 Degrees captured first place and the $10,000 grand prize in this exciting competition series’ sixth episode, “Pizza Champs.” Coming in a close second was fellow UPST member Leah Scurto of PIZZALEAH. That contest was so close that it came down to a People’s Choice tie-breaker vote!

Then, USPT Team Captain Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza joined the action and won the $10,000 prize in the ninth episode, “Best in the Midwest.”

Congratulations to all three of these USPT superstars! And be sure to check out other familiar faces and friends of PMQ, including Shealyn Brand Coniglio, Scott Weiner of Scott’s Pizza Tours and Joe Carlucci of Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, all of whom were featured in Best in Dough!

Leah Scurto – PIZZALEAH, Windsor, CA

Photos courtesy Hulu Best in Dough

Ali Haider – 786 Degrees, Sun Valley, CA

IS THE BEST IN DOUGH!

Michael LaMarca – Master Pizza, Cleveland, OH

Leah Scurto – PIZZALEAH, Windsor, CA

Michael LaMarca – Master Pizza Cleveland, OH

Ali Haider – 786 Degrees, Sun Valley, CA

Two Marketing Ideas Right Now for the Holiday Season

If you are like most busy pizzeria owners and operators who already have too much on their plate, it’s likely you find it difficult to consistently execute the right marketing at the right time.

As we head closer to the holidays and as the new year rapidly approaches, you can buck that trend. Right now is the perfect time to capitalize on the season and execute the right marketing, using two very specific direct-mail marketing pieces and tactics.

With the upcoming holidays, whether your prospective customers celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or any other holiday, it’s the perfect time to send them a gift in the mail in the form of a gift card to your restaurant. This is one of the most effective forms of marketing you can execute right now. Gift cards offer tremendous value and will be greatly appreciated by your new prospective customers.

This is easily executed by using direct-mailed plastic postcards that contain one, two or up to four pop-out gift cards. Get creative based on what your specific pizzeria offers. For example, to drive larger orders, consider offering a gift card for catering and one for dine-in, takeout and/or online ordering.

As we look toward the new year, one of the most highly effective marketing strategies is to utilize direct-mailed postcard magnets that specifically contain a 2023 calendar. With the combination of the relevant calendar along with the magnet, your prospective customers will intuitively put them on their fridge. The key is timing and getting them to your prospective customers before a competitor does.

Once you’ve got your plan in place to capitalize on the holiday season, it’s critical that you begin looking forward and planning for 2023. The crucial piece of your 2023 marketing approach is planning out and putting your marketing on a calendar. If your marketing plan is not on a calendar, you will be marginally successful, if successful at all, trying to do it on the fly. Act now and plan your 2023 marketing now. Remember, marketing is your investment in future sales and growth.

To learn more about how Mail Shark can help your pizzeria get more customers and increased sales with their unique line of direct-mail products and their weekly direct-mail marketing strategy, call 610-463-0508 or visit TheMailShark.com/PMQ-CTC.

Pizza Robotic Technology

STEVE GREEN

Moderator

ALENA TIKHOVA xRobotics

ANDREW LAMBERT Picnic

TOM KUNKEL Lab2Fab Middleby

HAFCOVAC

HafcoVac’s ATEX-certified, NRTL-approved vacuums collect and control regular and combustible materials, including flour, paper, grain, powder and more. These pneumatic vacuums have six times the suction power of an electric vacuum and an available overhead cleaning toolkit. They’re quiet, thanks to the 77dB S’HUSH Silencer, and keep the hoses and tools securely stored for added safety.

HAFCOVAC.COM

Watch the video at PMQ.com/hafcovac

G&G CLOSED CIRCUIT EVENTS

G&G Closed Circuit Events is a leader in providing content to commercial establishments nationwide. With an emphasis on customer service, they give you the tools to be successful with the content they distribute. G&G has worked with promoters such as Premier Boxing Champions, Top Rank, Golden Boy Promotions and Bellator MMA.

GGCCEVENTS.COM

Watch the video at PMQ.com/g&g

MASTER GRADE

Easy to fold and open, Master Grade’s heavy-duty, collapsible pan rack is built to save space and increase productivity in the foodservice industry. This mobile, durable rack can hold up to 20 full-size sheet pans and will support up to 500 pounds. The rack is easy to open and fold, moves quietly and smoothly on uneven surfaces, and offers a space saving of up to 85%. 800-633-9999, MASTERGRADE.NET

Watch the video at PMQ.com/mastergrade

MFG TRAY

MFG Tray offers a wide variety of products specifically for food storage, prep and merchandising. Their products are ideal for pizzerias, mom-and-pop restaurants and large commissary operations. MFG Tray products include but are not limited to dough boxes, pan extenders, cafeteria trays, proofing boards, market and supreme display trays, and food prep and storage containers. 814-683-4500, MFGTRAY.COM

Watch the video at PMQ.com/mfg-tray

PIZZA

PIZZA

PIZZA

HAPPY JOE’S PIZZA & ICE CREAM

This Quad Cities original celebrates 50 years in 2022 by honoring its heartwarming roots while shuttling the brand into the 21st century.

BY TRACY MORIN

In 1972, Lawrence “Happy Joe” Whitty, a trained baker from North Dakota who worked at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, opened the first location of Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream in Davenport, Iowa, to immediate success. “He brought to the industry an innovative way of thinking about pizza toppings,” explains Tom Sacco, chief happiness officer, CEO and president of the company, headquartered in Davenport and now with 51 locations. “I think of Joe like the Colonel Sanders of pizza.”

Whitty’s then-outlandish innovations included the taco pizza, still a No. 1 seller on the menu, and the Happy Joe’s Special, which combines Canadian bacon and sauerkraut. “No one was putting those types of toppings on pizza back then—he was pretty advanced for his time,” Sacco says. “But he was so wonderfully creative, not just following the same-old that others were doing. If you think of how an artist looks at a blank canvas, that’s how Joe looked at the pizza pie shell.”

Whitty expanded informally in the early days: offering to partner with folks who wanted their own location, teaching them the ropes, and then allowing them to buy him out as they found success. As his health declined in the 2010s, the company was sold to a third party with just under 100 locations—but, over several years, these shrank by half as the new owners clashed with its founding ethos. The company changed hands again, and Sacco was called in to resurrect, reinvigorate and rejuvenate the historic brand in 2020.

Since then, an ad agency has helped polish the Happy Joe’s image as it has expanded domestically and with international locations in Egypt; a revamped store design prototype; and a new app, new website and new online ordering system. But its most beloved traditions are decidedly old-fashioned, like over-the-top birthday celebrations in-store, complete with horns and sirens. “It’s not just about the food, but the emotional connection,” Sacco notes. “We create happy places for small-town families. It becomes part of their lives. We have really great pizza, but it’s so much more than that.”

Indeed, beyond menu experimentation and even the in-store experience, perhaps the heart of Happy Joe’s lies in its charity commitment. The Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation was founded by Whitty and his family in 2012 to benefit children with special needs, and current franchisees must adopt at least one pet cause to give back. “We want to stay true to our legacy of creativity and community involvement, while having the brand evolve as tastes evolve,” Sacco says. “When families come for birthdays or after soccer games, church or recitals, those happy family moments become Happy Joe’s moments. Happy Joe’s creates smiles, and those smiles last a lifetime. That’s what drives us every single day.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor and the editor of PizzaVegan.com.

Lawrence “Happy Joe” Whitty (shown at left and bottom right in the 1980s) fostered a family-friendly sense of whimsy at his Iowa-based operation, which grew to nearly 100 locations and is now poised to make a 21st-century comeback.