PMQ Pizza - November 2023 by PMQ Pizza Magazine

E L E VAT I N G

THE

BUSINESS

NOVEMBER 2023

PIZZA

PMQ.COM

INSIDE:

Maximizing Cheese

PAGE 26

Turning the Tide PAGE 32

Drone Delivery PAGE 41

DELTA Delights Marisol Doyle of Leña dishes out Neapolitan deliciousness (plus bagels) in Domino’s country. PA G E 1 6

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PMQ.COM DIGITAL EXCLUSIVES

ELEVATING THE BUSINESS OF PIZZA

CONTENT EDITOR IN CHIEF Rick Hynum rhynum@wtwhmedia.com

DOMI NO'S

SENIOR EDITOR Charlie Pogacar cpogacar@wtwhmedia.com COPY EDITOR Tracy Morin tmorin@wtwhmedia.com

Here’s How Domino’s Has Boosted Its Loyalty Program It’s now easier—and less expensive—for customers to earn points and get more free food with the brand’s “new and improved” Domino’s Rewards. pmq.com/dominos-rewards

Meet the Ski Bum Who Started a Flatbread Empire American Flatbread, a trailblazing Vermont brand, has grown to 11 locations and even lends its name to a successful frozen pizza line. pmq.com/american-flatbread

Chef Wesley Wows Floridians With Brazilian-Style Pizza Heavy on the toppings and loaded with catupiry cheese, chef/owner Wesley Cavalavante’s pies at My Slice Pizza are best eaten with a knife and fork.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR/USPT COORDINATOR Brian Hernandez bhernandez@wtwhmedia.com VP, ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Allison Dean adean@wtwhmedia.com VP, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Greg Sanders gsanders@wtwhmedia.com ART & PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR Eric Summers esummers@wtwhmedia.com SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Tory Bartelt tbartelt@wtwhmedia.com DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Blake Harris bharris@wtwhmedia.com

A Publication of WTWH Media, LLC 662-234-5481 Volume 27, Issue 9 November 2023 ISSN 1937-5263

BRANDED CONTENT STUDIO DIRECTOR, BRANDED CONTENT Peggy Carouthers pcarouthers@wtwhmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR, BRANDED CONTENT Kara Phelps kphelps@wtwhmedia.com SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHER Steve Green sgreen@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Linda Green lgreen@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Tom Boyles tboyles@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Ashley Cyprien acyprien@wtwhmedia.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jerry Moschella jmoschella@wtwhmedia.com NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eugene Drezner edrezner@wtwhmedia.com CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Brandy Pinion bpinion@wtwhmedia.com

pmq.com/my-slice-pizza

Mystery Shopper Study Uncovers Bad News for 5 Top Pizza Brands The study, which focused on online orders for in-store pickup, illuminated ways that independent pizzerias can better compete with major chains. pmq.com/mystery-shopper-study

PMQ PIZZA Issue 9 November 2023 (ISSN 1937-5263) is published monthly in January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December by WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave #2600, Cleveland, OH 44114-2560. Periodical postage pricing paid at Cleveland, OH. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PMQ PIZZA, PO Box 9, Cedar Rapids, IA 54406-9953.

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Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own and not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ Pizza may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

November 2023 26

Cheese Paring

Turning the Tide

Pie in the Sky

Getting the most out of your cheese will make a meaningful difference in food costs, profits and customer satisfaction.

In the wake of a devastating flood, customers of Armetta’s are repaying owner Erin McLaughlin for all her good deeds.

Drone delivery could take Seattle-based Pagliacci Pizza to new heights while expanding the brand’s delivery footprint during peak periods.

46 From Rants to Raves

Every online review, whether it be praise or a complaint, can serve your pizza shop in a positive way if you handle it wisely.

48 Dave and Kathy Conti: Planet of the Pop-Ups

The owners of Red Planet Pizza & BBQ are proving that mobile pizza units are manned by some of the best chefs in the business.

50 The Dough-Gooders

Angelo Corso, founder of Doughnate Pizza in Chicago, has partnered with some of the city’s best pizzerias to feed people in need.

22 16

Delta Delights In a small Mississippi town dominated by major chains, Marisol Doyle of Leña is helping locals rethink the possibilities of pizza. COVER PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE

BY RICK HYNUM

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 6 PMQ.com Digital Exclusives 11 Moneymakers 14 Recipe of the Month 51 Eye on the Chains 54 Idea Zone 55 Product Spotlight 56 Pizza Industry Bulletin Board 58 Resource Guide 66 Pizza Hall of Fame

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MONEYMAKERS

Six-year-old Hannah Stanfield, daughter of Mattenga’s owners Enga and Matt Stanfield, shows customers how to create a super-cute #pizzabibmoment.

MATTENGA'S PIZZA

IT’S A BOX! IT’S A BIB! IT’S THE PIZZA BIB! ENGA AND MATT STANFIELD LOVE TO CREATE Instagrammable moments for kids and grown-ups alike at Mattenga’s Pizza, with six locations in the San Antonio area. But that’s easier said than done, Enga admits. “In the past, we’ve had a hard time getting folks to share pictures of themselves and our food,” she says. The solution? Strap on a bib. But not just any bib. The Stanfields turned to Pizza Bib, a company that makes customizable pizza boxes with quirky designs and tear-away necks. Poke your

head into the slot, and you’re transformed into a Top Gun fighter pilot, Davy Crockett at the Alamo or Willie Nelson, complete with pigtails. “We’ve been encouraging our customers to share their #pizzabibmoment on social media for a chance to win a free 10” pizza,” Enga says. “A lot of people have been sharing, and this has created a lot of buzz. We get dozens of submissions weekly now and share them on email and social media.”

NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

MONEYMAKERS

BERWICK PIZZA: A LAND OF WHIMSY

550 PIZZERIA

Janet Zapata, owner of 550 Pizzeria, says she has “weird ideas at times,” but she always strives to give back to the Laredo community that supports her.

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BERWICK PIZZA

If you’ve got the only pizza shop in a town of 300 people, you can probably get by with a basic menu. But the Buckland family, owners of Berwick Pizza in Green Camp, Ohio, don’t think that way. Their Pizza of the Month special makes unsuspecting customers’ taste buds do a double take, with dessert options featuring Fruity Pebbles, Oreo Funnel Cakes, Nerds and Lucky Charms. In this land of whimsy and ingenuity, every little kid’s dream pizza comes to life. Along with promoting the pies on social media, the Bucklands hang in-store posters for each new offering, and team members use them as upsell opportunities on call-in orders. “There have absolutely been clear winners and losers,” says Austin Buckland, who manages the program. “Our most popular pizzas have been the Cosmic Brownie, Death by Chocolate and Pumpkin Donut. Fruity Pebbles was also a bestseller, although it managed to spark a small controversy over whether it belonged on pizza or not. Nobody marched at us with pitchforks or anything, but it got a few Facebook warriors quite upset. Sometimes that kind of discussion helps to promote us, though, so it’s all good.” Berwick Pizza’s thousands of social media followers can even vote for the next Pizza of the Month. “We have a lot of fun with them, and our customers do as well,” Austin says. “The exciting new ideas really help to keep us on the map and drive business!”

(Top to bottom) The Fruity Pebbles Pizza is one of the Bucklands’ top sellers; Austin Buckland (right) and his parents, Todd and Brenda, never settle for the ordinary when it comes to their specialty pizzas.

THE GAME OF THE NAME Choosing a name at random and giving away free pizza to anyone with that name—it’s not an uncommon marketing ploy in our industry. But Janet Zapata, owner of 550 Pizzeria in Laredo, Texas, has given it a twist: In a recent social media video, she wandered through her kitchen and asked each team member to choose a name, putting them on the spot—and in the spotlight—for the giveaway. Zapata also listed every name in the text of the post, and followers tagged their friends who qualified for the free 10” pepperoni pie. The employees’ enthusiasm for the promo showed in the video—they were all smiles, knowing the name they chose guaranteed free food for certain lucky customers. One particularly generous team member went with “Bob,” a name that was sure to pay off for many. “The staff gets excited,” Zapata says. “I just have weird ideas at times, and giving back to my community is important to me.”

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CARMINE’S KICKIN’ CHICKEN BBQ PIZZA About the Pizza

Carmine and Michael Testa are the father-son team that make Jersey Pizza Boys and Carmine’s Pizza Factory shine. Carmine has been making award-winning pizzas for more than three decades, and Michael is following along right in his footsteps, recently being named Young Pizza Maker of the Year. They put their first-class expertise to work in this recipe, featuring the kick of classic barbecue sauce combined with the creamy tanginess of ranch dressing for a burst of complementary flavors in every bite. The Testa signature sauce swirl is a telltale sign that customers are going to get what they’ve been craving! 14

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

Ingredients • • • • • •

16 oz. pizza dough 16 oz. boneless fried chicken breast, cooked 8 oz. Galbani® Premio Mozzarella, shredded 2 pinches Galbani® Parmesan, grated Barbecue sauce in a squeezable bottle Ranch dressing in a squeezable bottle

Give your chicken a kick with this recipe featuring Galbani cheese.

Directions 1.

Preheat oven to 550°F. Stretch pizza dough to make a 16” pie. Cut fried chicken into small pieces. Arrange on top of dough. Top evenly with mozzarella, then bake in oven until thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven and cut pie into 6 or 8 slices. Starting in the middle, squeeze barbecue sauce on pie, making a round swirl until you reach the crust. Using the same technique, apply the ranch dressing in a similar pattern, being careful not to overlap with the barbecue sauce. Sprinkle on Parmesan, serve and enjoy!

Find your Ispirazione Italiana What's our Italian Inspiration? It’s creating a pizza industry legacy. Whether it’s appearing on national talk shows, competing in international competitions, or giving customers one of the most unbelievable pies they’ve ever had—we want to be the best at what we do. That’s why we choose Galbani® cheese for our signature pies, like our BBQ Chicken Pizza. The flavor, quality, and performance help our family shine. —Carmine & Michael Testa, Carmine’s Pizza Factory & Jersey Pizza Boys

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DELTA delights •

Marisol and Rory Doyle took a big risk when they opened Leña, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria, in small-town Mississippi. Now they’re changing the way pizza is perceived in Domino’s country. BY RICK HYNUM

Photos by Rory Doyle

NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

Rory Doyle’s photography has been Leña’s secret marketing weapon, portraying Marisol’s beautiful Neapolitan pizzas with a level of artistry that’s unusual for a small independent shop just starting out.

Even so, by and large, this is—and always has OW AND THEN, BIG-CITY PIZZA SNOBS need been—chain pizza country. Until now. And Marisol, to be reminded that you can find amazing in partnership with her husband, Rory, isn’t just artisan pies in the unlikeliest places. And firing up delicious pizzas. She’s making them Marisol Doyle, who co-owns Leña in Cleveland, Neapolitan-style, a craft she learned at two different Mississippi, is only too happy to oblige. Deep in the pizza schools: the AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza heart of the largely rural, notoriously impoverished Napoletana) and the Scuola di Pizzaiolo. It’s safe Mississippi Delta, Doyle, a native of Mexico who to say there’s nothing else like it in the entire Delta has studied with top pizzaioli in Naples, is making region—or even most of the state. locals weaned on Domino’s rethink the possibilities of pizza. Discovering True Artisan Pizza Leña is a laid-back, cozy little spot situated in Growing up in Mexico, not far from the Arizona Cleveland’s historic Cotton Row, surrounded by border, Marisol learned early on that she preferred boutique shops, a small but renowned bookstore pizza to her extended family’s favorite dish for large and other restaurants. Further out of town, however, gatherings: fish soup. Sadly, the pizzas in Ciudad it’s all cotton and soybean fields crawling with Obregón were, in her words, “not so good. But it’s John Deere harvesters and combines, crop dusters the pizza I grew up with. Back then, I thought they zooming overhead and the acrid scent of pesticides. were good.” But the region is no culinary After moving with her desert by any stretch. If family north to Arizona, she Southern-style soul food’s your thing, it’s the place to found herself standing in be. The same goes for fried line one day with a group of friends at Pizzeria Bianco in catfish, steaks and tasty Phoenix. There, legendary tamales. The Delta even has In a website exclusive, Marisol pizzaiolo Chris Bianco gave a thriving Italian-American community, particularly and Rory Doyle describe the her taste buds an abrupt but welcome jolt. descendants of Old-World challenges—and triumphs—of “I think it was my first time Sicilians. And Cleveland running a Neapolitan-style going to a pizzeria that was itself is a college town—it’s pizzeria in rural Mississippi and not your typical Pizza Hut the home of Delta State how Rory’s gorgeous photography or Chuck E. Cheese dining University—that has been has set Leña apart on social media. experience,” Marisol recalls. undergoing a cultural boom in Read the Q&A online “You had to be in line at a recent years. at PMQ.com/lena-pizzeria. certain time, otherwise you

Falling in Love With Leña

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Marisol Doyle trained with Neapolitan pizza masters at the Scuola di Pizzaiolo and the AVPN before opening Leña.

wouldn’t be able to get in. You had to put your name on the list. And we waited for two or three hours until they opened. I have that memory of sitting down and getting this beautiful pizza for the first time. It was just delicious.” After she met and married Rory, a professional photographer originally from Maine, they moved to Cleveland so the latter could work on his master’s degree at Delta State. At the time, Rory, by his own admission, couldn’t cook worth a flip. “I made my way through college—and before meeting Marisol—eating ramen noodle packets and frozen pizza,” he says. Fortunately, Marisol grew up in a family of cooks. As in Italy, food and family are central to Mexico’s culture. “Rory was back in school, so we were on a budget, and I had to cook for both of us,” she remembers. “So I would look for recipes, and that’s how I started being a little more adventurous [in the kitchen].” She soon found work in Cleveland’s local restaurants and quickly rose to the managerial level at a popular burger joint called Hey Joe. From there, she helped open Mosquito Burrito, a hometown version of Chipotle, and managed it for several years. But, eventually, she’d had enough 20

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“I swore I’d never work in the restaurant business again, but here I am. I missed the customer interactions. I missed creating things myself. So now we’re back.” Marisol Doyle, Leña

of that lifestyle. “I swore I’d never work in the restaurant business again, but here I am,” she says, with a shrug and a smile. “I missed the customer interactions. I missed creating things myself. So now we’re back.” Taking a Risk But first there was another detour into largely unexplored territory, at least for the Mississippi Delta: Marisol and a close friend started Big River Bagels, first as a pop-up in Cleveland and then as a brick-and-mortar operation in nearby Clarksdale. The bagel shop was a collaboration with Meraki Roasting Company, a social enterprise that pours “coffee with soul” for locals while providing career

“I had to educate myself on how to educate the customers about [Neapolitan] pizza,” Marisol Doyle says.

training in a town where jobs are scarce. For the Doyles, it was an opportunity to make a difference in the community while honing their baking skills. “Meraki was training soon-to-be high school graduates and high school graduates who were not sure about whether they were going to college,” Rory says. “So it was like workforce development, serving the underprivileged community of Clarksdale. A lot of local youth end up in one way or another in that program. And it has a pretty big impact.” Like Neapolitan-style pizza, fresh bagels are virtually impossible to find in the Delta, and Big River Bagels quickly took off, garnering local and even statewide media coverage. Then, Marisol’s business partner had to move away, and Big River Bagels closed down. Marisol took an office job, but she missed the bagel biz. “I wanted to bring bagels back, but I realized that bagels alone wouldn’t be sustainable, especially just working by myself,” she says. “The process is so time-consuming in the traditional way we were doing it, with all the boiling and baking.” But she’d been bit by the baking bug. She was born for it, says Rory, who is Marisol’s No. 1 fan. “She’s so natural with her hands and working and

At breakfast time on Saturday mornings, Clevelanders flock to Leña for her freshly made bagels.

shaping the dough. We thought, let’s see if we can learn about something that will sell a little more easily—like pizza—particularly here, which is not a traditional bagel place. Everyone likes pizza. It kind of sells itself.” And the one type of pizza they couldn’t find anywhere in the Delta was Neapolitan. But that style is, in many respects, a far cry from chain pizzas—a bit wetter, conservative with the toppings, a pillowy, chewy crust. It’s certainly not cheap to make. Would it fly in a mostly rural market? The Doyles decided to risk it. Together, they enrolled in Scuola di Pizzaiolo in Naples in July 2020. “It was intensive, and I fell in love with dough making, the simplicity of the ingredients and how passionate the teacher was,” Marisol says. The pizza school was also a working pizzeria, Rory notes, giving the Doyles a sort of baptism by wood fire. “We had two ovens, one where the pizzaiolo was making pizzas for customers and the other where he was teaching his students. So it was a really good way to learn. However, he was also distracted by a busy line of customers, and different students spoke different languages. He was Italian, while one of the students was Polish, one was Argentine. Some of them spoke Spanish.” NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

Despite Leña’s limited hours, Marisol stays busy all week long, due to the time-intensive nature of dough making for both pizza and bagels.

That course lasted five days. Afterwards, Marisol said, “I felt like I could do it. We came back to the U.S. and started practicing at home, making dough, having friends over to test the pizzas, taking notes about which doughs worked and which ones didn’t. And that’s what made us decide we had a good product and gave us the confidence that we could open a small restaurant in Cleveland.” Rory Doyle, a freelance photographer, shoots for The New York Times, the Washington Post and other national and overseas publications when he’s not helping his wife run Leña.

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Even so, she felt there was more to learn—she wanted to take a private course through the AVPN. That course was more structured, more expensive and even more intensive, so this time Marisol went back to Naples alone. It was December 2022. A few months later, Leña (which means “firewood” in Spanish) sprung to life. Educating the Customers On a warm Thursday night in late September, Leña is doing brisk business. Rory perches in his favorite corner spot near the large windows facing the street, chatting with friends. He knows many of his customers, and they know him. They often stop by to chat with him—he calls them all by name—then proceed to the counter, where a young woman, likely a Delta State student, takes their orders with a bright smile. Marisol, meanwhile, works tirelessly at the prep station directly behind the counter, making each pizza herself before passing it on to the evervigilant oven tender. She’s a warm and welcoming presence, never too busy to say hello. Friday night will be even busier, and long lines will form. Marisol puts her famous bagels on the menu for breakfast and brunch on Saturdays only. Leña is closed on Sunday through Wednesday, but Marisol doesn’t get much of a break; between the laborious process of making bagel dough and gearing up for a weekend-long pizza rush, she’s always swamped— and she’s always still learning, she says, because there’s no end to that in this business. There’s a learning curve for her customers, too. Many have never had Neapolitan-style pizza before.

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Who would have thought a little town in the Mississippi Delta would go crazy for Neapolitan pizza? Marisol and Rory Doyle had a hunch.

And, although the Doyles don’t follow all of those strict AVPN rules to a T—certain ingredients are difficult to source in Mississippi, and local tastes must be accommodated—some guests need a little schooling of their own. “When I got back from Naples,” Marisol says, “people would ask me, ‘So what kind of pizza are you going to do?’ And I would say, ‘Well, it’s Neapolitan-style pizza.’ And they would just look at me and be, like, ‘So what is that?’ I was taken aback a little bit. After the time I’d spent in Naples, I thought surely everyone would know [about this style]. So I had to educate myself on how to educate the customers about this type of pizza. People would think that it wasn’t fully cooked, that it was raw, because of the high-moisture cheese. We had to learn how to respond to that.” A simple answer usually suffices: “This is how they do pizza in Italy.” And more and more Clevelanders—and people who drive in from surrounding counties—are acquiring a taste for it, as Leña’s small yet bustling dining room attests. “I’ve had customers tell me, ‘I used to get Domino’s every week, and now it’s maybe once a month, and that’s because of my kids,’” Marisol says. “So I think, for some people here, their expectations of pizza have changed. We also offer a different specialty pizza every week, so I know that Thursdays are going to be very, very big because of that new type of pizza. People will order it that night, then come back the next day for the regular pizza.” As Rory points out, “There really is no brick-oven, wood-fired pizzeria in the Delta. So this is also a selling point. It’s something new. We’ve brought 24

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

something here that didn’t exist before, because of our own love for pizza. Now we don’t have to travel two hours to get this style. And, hopefully, other people feel that way, too, as they learn about Leña.” So far, so good. It’s safe to say that few entrepreneurs ever once thought about opening a Neapolitan-style pizzeria in Dixie’s land of cotton. But the success of Leña—and the widespread media coverage the Doyles have earned—might change that, too. “From the beginning, it’s been go, go, go,” Marisol says. “It’s, like, nonstop, which is crazy and great at the same time.” Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

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CHEESE Experts weigh in on why maximizing your cheese is key to success—and the best ways to make it a consistent practice in your pizzeria. BY TRACY MORIN

HEESE IS BOTH A DELIGHT DRIVER and a premium ingredient in terms of cost, so maximizing its usage can make a real difference in profits and customer satisfaction. In fact, Mark “The Cheese Dude” Todd, a cheese education and promotion consultant based in Monte Rio, California, believes that cheese is the single most important ingredient on a pizza. “You want to highlight it and make it the star,” he says. “You can have a great crust and sauce, but if the cheese is awful, you won’t get repeat business.” To make the most of your cheeses in terms of inventory, profits and customer relations, we rounded up a heap of helpful suggestions from industry experts. They share, in their own words, how to do a lot with a little—from scaling and portioning to maximizing across the menu.

NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

I NH OUSE CRE AT IVE

The Importance of Maximizing Cheese Expert: Fabrizio Cercatore, maestro pizzaiolo, founder/ owner, Passione Brands and Hot Italian, Berkeley, CA Maximizing cheese profitability in the world of pizzerias is not just a business strategy; it’s become a philosophy that drives my approach to creating memorable culinary experiences. It’s important for so many reasons: •

•

Cost management: Cheese plays a starring role in the art of pizza making. It’s not just an ingredient; it’s a centerpiece. In my restaurants, where quality is non-negotiable, every ounce of cheese counts toward our financial success. Finding innovative ways to make the most of this precious ingredient has been instrumental in our cost management strategy. Pricing competitiveness: Maximizing cheese profitability allows us to maintain affordable prices without compromising on the taste and quality that our loyal customers expect. Sustainability: Reducing cheese waste isn’t just about saving money; it’s a reflection of our

commitment to minimizing our environmental footprint. We take pride in being eco-conscious. • Consistency and quality: As anyone in the pizza business knows, consistency is key. Cheese is a fundamental element of the taste we promise. Accurate portioning ensures that every pizza we serve lives up to our high standards. • Customer satisfaction: Nothing makes us happier than seeing our customers relish their pizza experience. The perfect cheese-to-topping ratio is essential for that. • Profitability: On the business side of things, maximizing cheese profitability isn’t just about financial gains; it’s about securing the future of our restaurants. It empowers us to invest in innovation and provide job stability for our dedicated staff. Investing in top-notch equipment for precise cheese portioning and scaling has been transformative for our business. It streamlines our operations, reduces labor costs and ensures consistent excellence across all of our establishments. It’s an investment in efficiency and, ultimately, in our lasting success.

“When portioning cheeses, we like to use grams vs. ounces. This helps with accuracy and accounting for variances.” Lisabet Summa, Big Time Restaurant Group GETTY IMAGES/BOZENA_FULAWKA

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“If you’re not using a scale, you’re shortchanging yourself and your customers, because you want to make the same pizza every time. ” Mark “The Cheese Dude” Todd

Weights and Measures Expert: Lisabet “LB” Summa, executive culinary director and chef partner, Big Time Restaurant Group, West Palm Beach, FL When portioning cheeses, we like to use grams vs. ounces. This helps with accuracy and accounting for variances. For instance, if you are aiming for 4 ounces and you use 3.5 ounces, that’s 25% under—or, conversely, at 4.5, you’re 25% over. If you calculate in grams, those same 4 ounces equal 112 grams. If you allow a ¼-ounce variance, that could be 105 to 112 grams as a target, which visually and numerically gives you a broader range to consider. Training Tips Expert: Dan Coudreaut, pizzaiolo/owner, Lantern Pizza Co., Downers Grove, IL For maximizing cheese and reducing waste, training is so important. Here’s what has worked for me: When training cheese portioning, we use a scale and a clean bowl to allow the team to practice and gain the feel of how much our portion size of cheese is, and then validate it with the scale. They can practice it often to get better, and they even compete to see who gets it dead-on. I then wrap one of our 12” service platters (the same size as our pizzas) with plastic wrap and let them practice placing/distributing the correct amount of cheese to get a visual understanding of how much cheese to use. Menu Maneuvers Expert: Mark Todd, “The Cheese Dude,” cheese education and promotion consultant, Monte Rio, CA The more pizza you make every day, the more critical it is to maximize profits on each one. There is less pressure to use portion control in a smallersize operation, but when Pizza Hut cuts 1/10 of an ounce of cheese per inch of pizza, that makes a huge difference. The industry standard is to use 0.45 to 0.5 ounce of cheese per square inch of pizza. 30

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Cheese needs to provide five things: coverage, color, aroma, flavor and texture. Use whatever blend gets you all five with the minimum amount needed. For example, blue cheese will give you a lot of aroma and flavor, but not much coverage. Partskim mozzarella gives color and browning but less coverage, whereas Monterey Jack, used at 10% to 20% in a blend, will add great coverage. (Monterey Jack has a higher price point, but it helps you get better coverage with less.) Also, it depends on the kind of pizza you’re making—a quattro formaggi needs a lot of cheese, while a Hawaiian is more about the other toppings. Cross-utilize your cheeses across the menu to reduce waste. If you carry blue cheese for salad, great—use it for your wings and pizza. If you use ricotta for a dessert, highlight it on your pizza and appetizers. I’ve seen pizzerias that sell nachos make pizzas with queso on top. Having more cheeses at all points of the menu—salads, appetizers, desserts—makes you stand out. Also keep in mind ways to prolong cheese. Grated Parm starts going bad the minute you open it, while a chunk of fresh Parmesan will last longer, as it’s freshly grated upon each serving. One area I see pizzeria operators failing on is the mathematics—the different areas related to sizing and diameter. A 16” ounce pie needs 75% more cheese for coverage than a 12”. I use the rule of 5-7-9-11: Use 5 ounces of cheese on a 12”, 7 on a 14”, 9 on a 16”, and 11 on an 18”. And if you’re not using a scale, you’re shortchanging yourself and your customers, because you want to make the same pizza every time. The goal is not to make the least expensive pizza, but to be the pizzeria that consistently delights your customers. Tracy Morin is PMQ’s copy editor.

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Erin McLaughlin has never turned down a request for help from the community. Now, after a devastating flood wrecked her pizzeria, locals are repaying her generosity in spades.

BY CHARLIE POGACAR

Photos by Jamie Barrese Photography

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RIN MCLAUGHLIN HAS BEEN IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS since she was old enough to work. At age 14, she got hired at a diner, where her love affair with the industry began. Ever since, she’s held at least a part-time job in the restaurant world. But, as well-versed as McLaughlin is in the industry, nothing could have prepared her for the challenges she’d face in assuming ownership of Armetta’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Chinchilla, Pennsylvania—a small Appalachian town outside of Scranton—in 2017. Since buying the restaurant, McLaughlin has endured an ongoing legal battle with the former owner. Then, in 2020, the pandemic shuttered the dining room at Armetta’s. While many restaurants experienced the same setback, McLaughlin takes pride in the fact that her restaurant didn’t close for a single day. Instead, Armetta’s continued to offer takeout and delivery through the height of the pandemic.

For McLaughlin, her Armetta’s employees are practically her family. “They’re just really special people,” she says.

“She bought the established business before COVID-19 hit,” notes Jim Mirabelli, who publishes the NEPA Pizza Review, a blog and website focused on pizzerias across northeastern Pennsylvania. “Extraordinary challenges ensued there. She pulled through. She kept getting hit with equipment breakdowns, all kinds of stuff, but she still supported every cause in the community that came her way, despite the struggles.” But McLaughlin and her team’s ability to overcome adversity was recently tested again—in a new and frightening way. On Saturday, September 9, a freak flash flood hammered the restaurant, doing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. Everything McLaughlin and her team had built over the past six years was nearly undone in the span of less than one hour. The Great Flood On the otherwise average Saturday evening, McLaughlin got a call from her go-to delivery driver. He let her know it was raining heavily and wondered if the pizzeria should pause delivery. McLaughlin emerged from the restaurant to take a look for herself. What she saw was shocking: Kneehigh water was rushing by so violently that street benches were floating away with the tide. “Within five minutes, you could hear the water rushing into our basement, coming from all angles,” 34

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“[McLaughlin] kept getting hit with equipment breakdowns, all kinds of stuff, but she still supported every cause in the community that came her way, despite the struggles.” Jim Mirabelli, NEPA Pizza Review

McLaughlin says. “Once the water in the basement was getting high enough, we literally had a brandnew ice machine floating around down there. The staff knew how much I had wanted that ice machine, and they kept saying, ‘Don’t even look, Erin—it’s too sad!’” Soon, Armetta’s team members were using 50-pound bags of flour to barricade the dining room, where guests were still sitting, growing increasingly concerned. Someone placed a call to 911, and emergency responders worked to keep diners and staff in the restaurant until it was safe enough to drive home. In the meantime, team members scurried about to save any food or equipment they could. McLaughlin has a close relationship with

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In addition to this community-led fundraiser to support Armetta’s, donations can be made to gofundme.com/f/savearmettasunicorn.

Even after the flood, McLaughlin and her team chose a positive and light-hearted message for Armetta’s outdoor sign.

everyone on her team, but even she was blown away by their commitment during a time of pure chaos. “They had a fire line going, where they were pushing water down the steps so it wouldn’t get into the dining room,” McLaughlin recalls. “It got to the point where we were all sliding and falling all over the place. I’m crazy about my staff. I don’t know if I have friends any more after being in this business— my staff practically is my family. I spend all my time with them, and they’re just really special people.” At that point, with little else to do, the staff turned to the food that had been boxed up but was unable to be delivered. They offered it to diners, some of whom had never gotten to eat —their food had been in the oven when the flooding started to disrupt operations. With little that could be done, the Armetta’s team members ate the leftovers with diners and watched as the watermark climbed higher. By 11:30 p.m., most diners had been successfully evacuated. McLaughlin and her team stayed into the wee hours of the morning, assessing the damage and salvaging anything they could. McLaughlin has flood insurance, but what she didn’t know was that it wouldn’t cover claims like lost wages or damaged food. She has since been going back and forth with the insurance company in an exhausting tug of war, trying to find ways to rebuild the restaurant.

After the Deluge In the meantime, Armetta’s had to communicate with its loyal following to let them know what had happened and when they could expect service to resume—if ever. The business tapped its outdoor road signage, long known for displaying humorous messages that help with grassroots marketing efforts. “That sign in front of the business has been famous locally for decades, as they change it with funny or uplifting words every week,” Mirabelli notes. McLaughlin decided this challenging time should be no different. As is often the case, she and her team members bounced ideas off one another.“We always try to be as creative as possible with our signs,” McLaughlin says. “We try to keep them uplifting and positive. Even during this time, I didn’t want to put up anything sad. An employee of mine, Matthew Siegler, came up with something, and it made me laugh—it felt like the first time I’d chuckled since the flooding—so we went with it.” They changed the sign. It now read: “Gone Swimming. Be Back Soon Dough.” It was an instant hit on social media, receiving thousands of likes, comments and shares. The community’s outpouring began. And no wonder—Armetta’s Restaurant & Pizzeria has become a local institution, in business in the

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Along with three major pizza styles—New York, Sicilian and Old Forge— Armetta’s offers plenty of beers on tap.

“I just want to do good in this community, and that’s all coming back to us now.” Erin McLaughlin, Armetta’s Restaurant & Pizzeria

same location since 1988. The pizzeria makes three distinct styles of pie: traditional New York, Sicilian, and the Old Forge variety that famously originated in the Scranton area. In addition to sourcing highquality ingredients, Armetta’s is also known in the area for having an unwavering dedication to the community. McLaughlin sponsors local sports teams, donates food to homeless shelters, and cooks turkeys during the holiday season for those in need—and that’s just the start of Armetta’s community service. Now, all of that volunteer work is coming back to McLaughlin and her team in spades. The town of Chinchilla organized a two-hour benefit event at the local fire department, with the proceeds donated to the flooded pizzeria. Other local residents and businesses have rallied around Armetta’s, donating time, labor and money to ensure the pizzeria can open its doors once again. Members of the community have also launched a GoFundMe campaign and a PayPal giving fund.

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

The rebuilding effort is already underway. As of September 29, McLaughlin had reopened Armetta’s with a limited carryout-only menu, and customers poured in to support her. McLaughlin considers herself lucky to even have a chance to rebuild—she credits the community support for the tailwinds that made the flood relief effort possible. She is keenly conscious of the fact that her own staff members have families to feed, so she’s determined to get Armetta’s fully operational as soon as possible. “She’s only worried about her employees, not herself,” Mirabelli says. “I’m crazy about this business, and I’m crazy about my staff,” McLaughlin adds. “I just want to do good in this community, and that’s all coming back to us now. The kindness the community has been showing tells me we’re in the right community. We belong here, and we’ll be back.” Charlie Pogacar is PMQ’s senior editor.

PIE IN THE SKY

With drone delivery, pizzas will boldly go where no pizza has gone before in a partnership between Seattle-based Pagliacci Pizza and Zipline. BY TRACY MORIN

Pagliacci Pizza’s commitment to eco-friendly business practices drove the decision to add drone deliveries. PAGLIACCI PIZZA

ITH 25 LOCATIONS IN THE SEATTLE AREA and nearly 45 years of business under its belt, Pagliacci Pizza knows its market inside and out. And it’s betting that drone delivery is going to be the next innovation to—in more than one way— take the brand to new heights. “We as a company have a long track record and interest in sustainability,” explains Matt Galvin, co-owner of Pagliacci Pizza. “We were the first restaurant chain in the city to offer composting in all of our locations. We’re the second-largest purchaser of green power (renewable energy) in the city of Seattle. We offer electric bike delivery and started purchasing electric vehicles for our drivers to use. We built a LEED-certified pizzeria about 12 years ago. We have a real commitment to using locally sourced products, compostable packaging— basically, using a variety of ways to lessen our footprint on the environment. So when the folks at Zipline contacted us, it felt like a natural fit.” NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

Flying High Sustainability is obviously important to Pagliacci, and the prospect of drone delivery offers numerous other benefits, too, especially in a crowded, trafficcongested area like Seattle. Offering drones during peak hours reduces the amount of time it takes for a pizza to get from the oven to a hungry customer’s doorstep—without the negative environmental impact. “Half of our business is delivery, and having a 4,000-pound vehicle delivering a five-pound order probably isn’t the best thing for our environment,” Galvin says. “We felt this was a real opportunity for us to lessen our carbon emissions. Plus, we see drones being wildly successful and well-received by customers who like how quickly deliveries can happen. At first, I think customers think it’s cool because of the novelty, but then it quickly becomes: ‘Wow, instant delivery.’” Pagliacci announced in May that it was partnering with Zipline, an instant logistics and delivery system using cutting-edge drone technology, to take pizza delivery to the skies. “Zipline’s technology is incredible, and I think it can change the businessto-customer distribution model,” Galvin notes. “We believe it can be transformational for our business and other businesses like us.”

Luckily, Pagliacci has not experienced the labor issues that many pizzerias have—Galvin notes that the average manager at the business has stuck around for 13-plus years, and the average active driver has lasted for six. But drones can also be a great fit for locations that struggle to find and retain reliable delivery drivers—or for those delivering to spread-out neighborhoods. “One of the general challenges for our industry’s drivers is those long deliveries, several miles away,” Galvin says. “They can be pretty inefficient for our drivers, and we think the Zipline drone deliveries can help answer that issue. In the middle of a rush, sending out a driver on a long single delivery is not efficient, and this can help alleviate that business constraint. Any business that delivers to homes knows those peak times are really challenging.” Getting Grounded Drone delivery, of course, does come with its own set of rules, regulations and potential challenges. After all, pizzas are boldly going where no pizzas have gone before. But Pagliacci execs see hurdles as the entrance fee for industry disruption. “Anytime you’re reimagining an entire system, there are going to be challenges, whether that be the FAA

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“In the middle of a rush, sending out a driver on a long single delivery is not efficient, and [drones] can help alleviate that business constraint.” Matt Galvin, Pagliacci Pizza 42

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or the municipality saying, ‘Wait, how does this work?’” Galvin says. “There’s education that needs to happen, from the FAA or municipality to consumers and employees, to get people to understand or to address unforeseen challenges. But we’ve been impressed with Zipline’s spirit of innovation and their enthusiasm for what they’re trying to accomplish. They’re terrifically smart and passionate. We’re super-excited about the partnership.” Still, you heard that right: The FAA, or the Federal Aviation Administration, is the agency that oversees drone delivery. That’s because they’re in charge of air space, whether you’re flying a plane or a pizza. Working with the FAA is just one aspect that needs to be hammered out over the long process of adding this option. Galvin notes that the company has been considering drones for a couple of years, announced its intent last spring, and hopes to have it up and running by early 2025. Fortunately, Zipline has been reportedly delivering packages via drone—to the tune of traveling more than 40 million miles—for more than a decade without an accident, and they’re the ones who handle dealing with the FAA, clearing the skies for Pagliacci’s pies. Streamlining Service How will drone delivery work from the business’ perspective? Pagliacci Pizza has a one-number order center, which takes calls for all locations— and these orders funnel through the same system as those made through its app or online. Once implemented, the drone delivery will be offered to any customer, as long as the order fits the 44

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

parameters of the drone’s capabilities, including the special delivery box used. (For example, large catering orders will be relegated to the no-fly zone.) The company is currently developing the custom packaging box that will fit the parameters of the machine. The customer can then choose drone delivery, an option that’s now being added to Pagliacci’s API (application programming interface) to be offered to customers. “Once the order prints, it will look like any other pizza order for our cooks—but at the point when it’s out of the oven, it’ll be routed to the person who handles the drone packaging instead of to a driver,” Galvin explains. “The droid will have a dock at the pizzeria location, so we’ll put it in the droid, and it’ll fly away.” Once the drones are in place, the service is likely to receive plenty of attention, both locally and nationwide. “Our hope is that Seattle will be one of the first markets for Zipline, but they have market partners all over the country, so I think you can expect to hear more from them in the coming years,” Galvin predicts. “That’s good for everybody. What they’re doing is pretty neat. “My anticipation is that there’s going to be a lot of interest in this as we go live—and a lot of education of employees and customers,” he adds. “We’ll do a whole marketing campaign based on this idea of pizza delivered by drones. It’s our goal to introduce this to our entire delivery market and potentially expand our delivery footprint. As radical as it seems at first, the more you look at it, the more you realize it’s just a logical next step.” Tracy Morin is PMQ’s copy editor.

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November? How in the WORLD is it already November? We get older, and the days, weeks and months seem to fly by. Why is that? Is it the normalcy of life? Is it the mundane days? Is it that we have nothing to look forward to? Is it that we lack child-like excitement or curiosity? One of the things I’m trying to be better at is just enjoying moments. Moments with my kids. Moments with Megan. Moments with my friends. I’m almost 54 and feel like “I’m just getting started!” But with that motto comes effort. I’ve got to be better at seeing the world like my daughters, Alayana and Ruby Doo. For me, instead of saying, “How is it already November?” I need to say, “Thank God it’s ONLY November!” and embrace the next two months!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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

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About Eric Bam:

Eric is the VP of Sales & Marketing for Perfect Crust Pizza Liners and Incrediblebags.com. Eric is a goal driven optimist that uses his positive attitude to lift up those around him. He’s a father to Nycholas, Alayna and Ruby. He’s a public speaker and show host. You can find him on all social media @TheEricBam.

HOT THOUGHTS GE T T Y I MAGE S/ C H AI NARONG PRASE RT T H AI

When dealing with online reviews, a little empathy can turn an “I’m done with your restaurant” complainer into a loyal fan. BY ALEX KOONS

ELP AND GOOGLE REVIEWS HAVE THE POWER to build up or break down a restaurant’s reputation. While they may sometimes be a source of irritation for the business owner, it’s crucial to stay on top of these reviews with the vigilance of a hawk. Any public forum where your food, your service, your brand and your business can be critiqued deserves a certain amount of care and attention.

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

It’s like peeking into the digital pulse of your restaurant and checking its health. Look, I understand: Not every review is going to lay out the raw facts, and there are certain things at my restaurant that I won’t alter or, quite frankly, can’t change. But whether it's a rave or a rant, it’s always a smart move to drop a comment or slide into those DMs and chat with them about their experience. Just taking a moment to drop a quick “thank you” after someone leaves a positive review can really go a long way. It’s like telling them, “Hey, I’m here, and I care about what you think.” Even when the review isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, showing gratitude is still key. Digging into what went wrong, why it happened, and really understanding the customer's perspective—that’s the real game-changer. Put your ego aside and just listen. In many cases, the negative reviews are even more crucial than the glowing ones. For instance, when someone complains about pricing, it gives

MATT POLIZZI

FROM RANTS TO RAVES

you an opportunity to publicly comment on that platform about the whole-grain flour you use, your top-of-the-line cheese and pepperoni, or your organic produce. But don’t make excuses. Even if you had five employees call out that day, your inventory order didn’t show up, and there was a hurricane outside, never make your problems the customers’ problems. When you show that you’re all in on making things right, it’s like a magic trick. Someone who’s super-disappointed can actually turn into a regular just by feeling like you’ve got their back. Trust me: A little empathy and the right approach can turn an “I’m done with your restaurant” complainer into a loyal fan. It’s all about that personal touch. Not long ago, I completely dismissed these review platforms and the individuals sharing their opinions. Opening up Hot Tongue really showed me how influential these platforms can be in bringing people through your doors. They’re powerful tools—tools with information that I shouldn’t take personally but can use to my advantage. And you know what I’ve figured out? People don’t want to think any more

than they have to. That’s where Yelp and Google come in, guiding or even practically pointing people to the places they should check out. Honestly, that’s one of the major reasons why you have to keep your reviews in check, no matter if they’re singing your praises or laying down some tough criticisms. The internet is like a trusty compass. If those signs aren’t pointing toward your shop, snagging new diners will be one heck of an uphill battle. Every review, whether it be praise or a complaint, still serves your shop in a positive way. Feedback, irrespective of its shade, can remain a positive force, as long as you unwrap it like a gift, not a personal attack. So, instead of looking at these sites like another pain in your neck, use them like a lighthouse for your business to cut through the fog that is the internet search. Alex Koons is a pizza industry consultant and the owner of Hot Tongue Pizza and co-owner of Purgatory Pizza, both in Los Angeles.

NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

TIPS FROM THE PIZZA TEAM

Dave and Kathy team up on The Curveball, a popular pizza featuring homemade meatballs and Galbani ricotta. BRIAN HERNANDEZ

DAVE AND KATHY CONTI: PLANET OF THE POP-UPS The party doesn’t truly start until the husband-and-wife team behind Red Planet Pizza & BBQ fires up the backyard oven. BY BRIAN HERNANDEZ

OBILE PIZZA UNITS: It sounds like an elite squad of culinary commandos that will show up and pizza the heck out of a place, under cover of darkness, leaving without a trace. While that sentence is silly in itself, it’s not wholly inaccurate. U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) members Dave and Kathy Conti, owners of Red Planet Pizza & BBQ in Ansonia, Connecticut, are proof that mobile pizza units (MPUs) and pizza pop-ups are manned by some of the best pizzaioli in the biz. They’ll bring the pizza kitchen to your house and then depart, leaving behind nothing but smiles. Along with winning first place in various barbecue competitions—as well as the 2018 Galbani Pizza Cup—the Contis have added a little extra in-home pizza flair to the ranks of the USPT. 48

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

Brian Hernandez: How did you guys get into pizza? Dave: Kathy and I really got started out in the barbecue competition world. We were Connecticut state champs in ribs, chicken and more. We had been doing that for years, and I started feeling like I wanted to expand into something else. We won first place and a $5,000 prize in a competition at the Greenwich Town Party, where I put pulled pork on a pizza. Barbecue became so hard and time-consuming, involving long weekends, that we decided to give pizza 100% of our time and started winning there as well. Kathy: I thought barbecue was more sticky than difficult. Pizza is less sticky.

Hernandez: Do you consider yourselves to be caterers or an MPU? Is there a difference? Dave: With the barbecue, we were more catering. We would make a few trays and just drop them off. With mobile pizza, we are a part of the party. We don’t use a trailer or food truck, because those will typically have to stay in the driveway or even on the street. We have a tent, a Blackstone oven and a table. It’s a lot more personal. Kathy: We also help raise money for charities like Wounded Vets and See More Pink. It’s definitely easier with mobile pizza. Plus, it’s more interactive. We can teach little kids and even fun adults how to make pizza. Hernandez: What’s the best way to market an MPU? Dave: Social media, yard signs and word-of-mouth. We put signs out that get great reactions. Also, Frank Zabski of The Pizza Gavones [in Milford, Connecticut] and the New Haven Pizza School sends me leads all the time. He has a mobile pizza truck and drops my name to people wanting something a little more personal than what he can do. Kathy: It’s all low-cost and effective. Pizza kind of sells itself. We also do local events just to get the visibility in town. Hand out some free pizza, and it is its own commercial. Hernandez: What’s the secret to getting that signature cavernous Red Planet crust from a backyard oven? Dave: Be consistent. I measure everything. I don’t go even one gram over. Also, the temperature of the water and the mixing time. Just do all the small things you are supposed to do consistently every time, and the big picture falls into place. Plus, I love it. I find it very relaxing. Hernandez: What in the industry will you guys will be watching out for in the future? Dave: Robots. Robots and plant-based meats. Not really a fan. These two things are big on the horizon, I think. Hernandez: What is one message you want to leave the industry with? Dave: Pop-ups and mobile units are a great way for people to get into the business with little risk. Test it, see if you like it before committing to something larger, like a food truck. Kathy: I think it’s a great thing to do with your partner. I mean, we like doing it together. Dave: [Winks and smiles] We do? Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s associate editor, test chef and U.S. Pizza Team coordinator.

Read the extended Q&A at PMQ.com/red-planet-pizza

2023 SPONSORS

Angelo Corso (right) enjoys a slice with Doughnate Pizza board member Frank Carioti and his daughter Carmella at Zazas Pizzeria in Chicago. ANGELO CORSO

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DOUGH-Gooders

Thanks to Angelo Corso and Doughnate Pizza, unsheltered Chicagoans get treated to some of the world’s best pies. BY RICK HYNUM

NGELO CORSO, THE FOUNDER of a Chicago nonprofit called Doughnate Pizza, knows he can’t save every person living on the streets of the city. But he can feed as many as he can find. And as the scion of the pizza making family behind Angie’s Sports Bar & Pizzeria on Chicago’s South Side, Corso chooses to nourish their bodies and lift their spirits with the world’s greatest food. Corso founded Doughnate Pizza, a 100% volunteer-based organization, in late April 2022, and it has since fed more than 6,000 people in need. At present, Doughnate Pizza has more than 50 restaurant partners, including Lou Malnati’s, Pat’s Pizzeria, Piece Brewery and Pizzeria, Robert’s Pizza and Dough Co., and Zazas Pizzeria. In other words, struggling Chicagoans get treated to some of the world’s best pies, thanks to Corso and his volunteers. “We never ask our restaurant partners for free pizza,” Corso notes. “We ask for a discount on our orders so our donors’ dollars can go further in helping fight hunger and homelessness in Chicago. When we have a meal we need to serve, we reach out to our restaurant partners to place an order. We receive anywhere from 50% to 70% off our order, and we are tax-exempt. We just ask the restaurant partners what they would like to give as a discount, and they have been so generous 50

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and accommodating. With these discounts we can provide more food for more people. The donor’s dollar truly goes so much further.” Corso grew up in the pizza business—his grandfather, Angelo, founded Angie’s in 1959. “As he was finally building his dream restaurant and building out his bar, he passed away in 1974,” Corso says. “My father, who was the eldest son, finished the project and opened up Angie’s Sports Bar & Pizzeria when he was 16. Soon after, he had four locations when he was in his 20s.” But a growing family made it harder to keep up with a multistore operation. “He married my mother and started to have way too many kids—seven, to be exact. They sold all the locations other than the original one that still is in operation today. My uncle runs Angie’s now, and it’s still a neighborhood spot with a lot of history.” Corso says pizza has always brought joy to his family and himself. “I wanted to give the same opportunity that I have to the homeless in Chicago…. Everyone loves pizza, and I am just happy I can share something that I am passionate about with those who are less fortunate.” Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

EYE ON THE CHAINS

DO M INO 'S

DOMINO’S IS HIGH ON AI HERE’S A TEAM-UP THAT LOOKS TO BE STRAIGHT OUT OF A SCI-FI parody film: Domino’s and Microsoft. In early October, the world’s largest pizza chain and the global software giant announced they’re cooking up an “AI-driven innovation alliance.” Their goal: to “create the next generation of pizza ordering and store operations with generative AI technology and cloud computing power.” Domino’s isn’t the first major pizza chain to give AI a whirl; last year, Jet’s Pizza, headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, introduced several AI tools for

its customers, including text ordering, pro-ordering and a phone bot, and hit the $100 million mark in AI orders by November 2022. For Domino’s, Microsoft will help develop an AI assistant that will “streamline day-to-day managerial tasks, such as inventory management, ingredient ordering and staff scheduling…[and] help with pizza preparation, quality control and generally freeing store managers up to dedicate more time to team members and the customer-service experience.” Domino’s will begin piloting the AI tools in about six months. NOVEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM

EYE ON THE CHAINS

MARCO’S JOINS THE DELIVERY BOT RACE

MARCO'S PI Z Z A

Currently the fifth largest pizza chain in the U.S., Marco’s Pizza wants to climb up to No. 4. Can delivery bots get it over the hump? The 1,100-unit brand has been sketching out a last-mile delivery program in a partnership with Magna, a mobility technology company specializing in self-driving electric delivery vehicles. The vehicles, which are considerably larger than a Starship delivery bot but much smaller than a typical car, can reach up to 20 miles per hour on the road. In a September announcement, Marco’s execs said they would discuss proof-of-concept with Magna over the next several months and then kick off in-market pilot projects with participating franchisees. They will compile data and insights into usage rates, customer acceptance and overall efficiency. Still, for the pizza industry at large, the race to implementation of self-driving delivery cars has moved forward at a tortoise-vs.-tortoise pace. Domino’s tested a robotic car, called R2, in Houston in 2021 but hasn’t publicly reported on the results or future plans for the technology. In September 2022, Pizza Hut Canada

tested autonomous sidewalk bots in a partnership with Serve Robotics in Vancouver. Again, no results of that program have been disclosed. But Rick Stanbridge, executive vice president and chief information officer for Marco’s Pizza, has his eye on the future, noting that the brand will continue to “invest in innovations that drive our franchisees’ businesses forward while meeting the needs of today’s modern customer.”

BEEF GOES DEEP AT LOU MALNATI’S

LO U MALNATI'S

Something told the Malnati family they were into something good when Chicago-based Lou Malnati’s collaborated with Portillo’s, a Windy City eatery renowned for its hot dogs and Italian beef, on a limited-time specialty pizza last year. They dubbed it the Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza, and, even though that name is a mouthful, it went on to become the topselling LTO pizza in the legendary chain’s 52-year history. Now it’s back on the menu again this fall at all 80 Lou Malnati’s stores. The specialty pizza features Malnati’s signature crust, plum tomatoes, mozzarella and Portillo’s slow-roasted, thinly sliced Italian beef, plus the customer’s choice of hot giardiniera or sweet peppers. “We knew the pairing of our legendary deep-dish recipe and ingredients, along with Portillo’s slow-roasted Italian beef, au jus and peppers, was a culinary hit, but we never anticipated it would take off as one of the most buzz-worthy and sought-after pizzas we’ve ever made,” said Lou Malnati's owner Marc Malnati.

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STRONG AND DURABLE MIXER capable of blending dough for every pizza served is crucial for smooth pizzeria operations. A good machine that can keep up with high order volumes while being reliable and efficient is a linchpin of the operation, while a machine that’s prone to malfunction is a recipe for disaster. Recognizing the need for durability, Precision Mixers provides a range of resilient and long-lasting mixers designed for tough environments. The brand’s HD-60, 80-Quart Pizza Mixer, a tough, streamlined machine, offers an industry-leading seven-year warranty on gears and shafts in the planetary and transmission. It is designed to tackle many mixing tasks, from dense dough to thick mixtures. In fact, HD-60 Pizza Mixer is so tough, it’s been chosen by manufacturers to mix everything from makeup to cement without any loss in performance. Though the mixer is streamlined without bells and whistles frequently seen in the industry, the mixer’s simplicity and user-friendly design is actually a bonus for restaurants, as it results in minimal downtime. Without

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RESOURCE GUIDE COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

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RESOURCE GUIDE SAUCE

TOMATO PRODUCTS

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME

(Clockwise from top left) Sabatini's Pizza opens its doors in 1958; the pizzeria's dining room has undergone significant expansion; Joe and Gino Sabatini appear on the TV show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, circa 1973; John and Joe Sabatini work at the business in 1958; the Sabatini family poses in the mid-'80s (back row: Carlo, Carol, Joe, John and Gino; front row: Lindo and Nick).

SABATINI’S PIZZA This now-sprawling northeastern Pennsylvania enterprise has expanded extensively through three generations of single-family ownership—with a fourth already learning the ropes. BY TRACY MORIN

N 1958, JOHN AND CATHERINE SABATINI opened Sabatini’s Pizza with an old family recipe in Exeter, Pennsylvania, and enlisted a few employees and neighbors to help run the small shop. The next generation, Joe and Carol Sabatini, ran the business from 1973 until 2005, when the current owners, Lindo Sabatini and his wife, Maria, took over. “I purchased the business from them,” says Lindo, grandson of the founders. “My daughter and son, at 18 and 16 years old, help out now, doing shifts when they’re available. My 11-year-old wants to help, too, so soon enough he’ll be folding pizza boxes and sweeping floors.” Breaking down Sabatini’s by the numbers reflects some impressive stats. Over 65 years, the business has grown to about 12,000 square feet and nearly 200 seats. It expanded further in 2015 with the addition of the 15,000-square-foot Sabatini’s Bottle Shop & Bar, adjacent to the restaurant, which added 120 more seats and an outdoor patio. This growing enterprise is all manned by about 45 employees, including many who have remained loyal for more than 10 years. “Our beer and spirits program really put us on the

PMQ PIZZA | PMQ.COM

map—the store has more than 3,000 offerings, and we’ve gotten recognition for our 300-plus whiskeys and very good tequilas,” Lindo notes. “But we’re known for our original Sabatini’s pizza. It’s not New York-style, not Old Forge—it’s Sabatini’s. I won’t change anything about the pizza. People aren’t looking for anything different; they’re looking for the original Sabatini’s.” True to its traditional spirit, business remains dine-in and carryout only, without online ordering or delivery, and a commitment to community involvement takes the place of typical marketing. But Lindo is also not afraid to try new things. One of these experiments has become a bestseller— the pickle pizza, often combined with the pizzeria’s signature diced pepperoni. “You have to be able to hear criticism from your staff or guests and make the necessary changes,” Lindo says. “But I still keep a lot of stuff oldschool. When I’m making a decision, I always ask myself what my grandparents or parents would have done.” Tracy Morin is PMQ’s copy editor.

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