PMQ Pizza Magazine April 2014

APRIL 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM

Sweeten Up Sales With On-Trend Desserts Page 38

How to Motivate and Inspire Your Staff Page 52

HEY, BARTENDER! 24

Page

POUR ON THE PROFITS

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PMQ Pizza Magazine

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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CONTENTS APRIL 2014

| April 2014 | Volume 18,

Raising the Bar

RAISING THE BAR Sweeten Up Sales With On-Trend Desserts

Page 38

How to Motiv ate and Inspire Your Staff

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

Customers who order an adult beverage while dining out are far more likely to be highly satisfied with their experience, research shows. Let the experts teach you the secrets of a thriving bar and a moneymaking alcoholic beverage program.

By Tracy Morin

APRIL 2014 | WWW.PM Q.COM

Issue 3

24

24

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE

ON THE COVER

Page 52

H EY, BA RT EN DE R!

Page

PO UR ON 24 TH E PROF ITS

FEATURES

34

5 Tips for Better Beverage Sales Expand your clientele of regular customers by turning your bar area into a moneymaking, guestfriendly hangout.

By Rick Hynum

38

Room for Dessert Expert chefs share the secrets of creating irresistible on-trend desserts that can be priced to generate a healthy profit.

By Liz Barrett

46

Crowd Power Love them or hate them, crowdsourced online reviews can give your pizzeria a boost. In this Q&A, a Yelp spokesperson explains how to deal with and respond to fans and critics alike.

By Rick Hynum

52

Creating Employee Satisfaction Treat your employees as internal customers rather than hired hands, and they’ll be more willing and eager to contribute to your pizzeria’s success.

By Tom Feltenstein

58

Champions of the Ozarks Nima’s Pizza & More in Gassville, Arkansas, uses its success on the pizza making competition circuit to garner media coverage and attract sponsors for their travels.

By Melanie Addington

64

The Tipping Point Two restaurant industry experts delve into the details of how new IRS rules on automatic gratuities and service charges will impact pizzeria operators.

By Michael J. Rasmussen, CPA, and Laura Hanlon, CPA KARA HOFFMAN

8

PMQ Pizza Magazine

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

CONTENTS APRIL 2014

52

38

ROOM FOR DESSERT

MELANIE ADDINGTON

LIZ BARRETT

CREATING EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

58

CHAMPIONS OF THE OZARKS

DEPARTMENTS 18

In Lehmann’s Terms: How to Freeze Pizza Dough

36

Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explains three very different techniques for freezing dough for future use.

20

New York’s Finest: Italian Quesadilla Chef Santo Bruno brings together the best of Italian and Mexican cuisines to create an easy-to-make new dish.

First imported from Italy more than 25 years ago, hazelnut spread—a decadent blend of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and cocoa—has become a trendy treat for pizzerias.

66 Meet the Tank:

David Waterman David Waterman of Pizza Pizzazz Currambine in Australia describes how the Think Tank helped him develop a guerrilla marketing campaign to beat a chain pizzeria that opened 100 meters down the road.

22 Marketing Maven:

Marketing to Bar Customers If your pizzeria’s bar area isn’t producing the financial results you want, it may be time to start creating special promotions for each night of the week.

Recipe of the Month: Red, White and Blue Pizza

90

Coming Next Month Wood- and Coal-Fired Ovens: Pizzaioli from around the country offer tips for creating perfect pies with woodand coal-fired ovens.

Chicken: Chicken gets overshadowed at times by “sexier” meats, but there are ways to bring it back into the spotlight through fresh applications and sauces.

Pairing Beers With Pizza: With an ever-expanding array of beers available, pizzeria operators have a bevy of options for creating perfect slice-and-brew combos for customers.

Time Capsule: Bill’s Pizza & Pub Since 1957, this Illinois pizzeria has been attracting new fans for its thin-crust pizzas and familyfriendly environment.

Click here to view bonus video coverage of Nima’s Pizza & More Click here to view PMQ Extra: Behind the Scenes at PMQ Click here to view PMQ’s new how-to video, The Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza.

Click here to view Pizza 360: Marketing Advice From John Arena.

10 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online at PMQ.com

12

Editor’s Note

14

Letters to the Editor

18

Pizza Press

67

Product Spotlight

68

Idea Zones

75

Advertiser Index

76

Pizza Industry Resource Guide

Anticipation

“M Y

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”

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For samples, recipes or more information: Visit www.carandopizzatoppings.com or contact a Smithfield-Farmland sales representative. Phone: 855-444-1580

© 2014 The Smithfield Packing Company, Incorporated The CARANDO name and logo are registered trademarks of SF Investments, Inc. used under license.

EDITOR’S NOTE RICK HYNUM

There’s Gold in Them Thar Bottles

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | April 2014 | Volume 18, Issue 3

APRIL 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM

Sweeten Up Sales With On-Trend Desserts Page 38

How to Motivate and Inspire Your Staff Page 52 The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

HEY, BARTENDER! 24

Page

POUR ON THE PROFITS

On the cover: Serving up both regional craft brews and trendy cocktails, bartender Stephanie Davis knows how to keep the bar rocking at The Blind Pig Pub & Deli, a popular nightspot in Oxford, Mississippi.

Photo by Kara Hoffman

I know a thing or two about bars, and not just because I was once a seedy and altogether disreputable character who drank more than I studied in college. A number of years ago, I was editor of a national magazine for the nightclub and bar industry. It would have been the perfect job for a bourbon-loving, single guy like myself if only I knew how to dance without causing physical harm to innocent bystanders. As it was, the dance floor usually cleared once I stepped onto it, and not because folks wanted to stop and admire my smooth boogie moves. Most people, in fact, covered their eyes and looked away. It must have been painful to watch. And it might explain why I’m still single.

I never did learn to look cool on the dance floor, but I learned a thing or two about bar management and profitability. A well-stocked, well-run bar can be a natural moneymaker. With the right systems in place, including controls for pour costs and consistency of product, bars and beverage programs generate much higher profit margins than restaurants and food programs. And just as many consumers are becoming more food-savvy, they’re also taking a closer look at the quality of the beer, wine and spirits that they put into their bodies. Overall, beer sales are declining in the U.S., particularly among the big brewers, but the more expensive craft beers—with their emphasis on quality ingredients and smaller batches—are enjoying a boom. Meanwhile, according to Mintel and Gallup surveys, sales of liquor and wine rose significantly last year, and consumers are willing to pay more for high-quality, top-shelf products, such as superpremium vodkas. Hard cider is another up-and-coming beverage, according to Mintel, with 18% of consumers between the ages of 22 and 24 reporting that they drank more hard cider in the past six months.

In other words, there’s gold in them thar bottles, and this month’s cover story (“Raising the Bar,” page 24), penned by Tracy Morin, delves into the details you need to consider if you want to add a bar component to your pizzeria. Granted, a bar won’t be a good fit for every pizzeria. If you run a family-themed operation that attracts kiddie birthday parties and Little League teams for post-game pies, many of your grown-up customers may not approve if you started peddling cosmos and Jägerbombs. But a bar can add an entirely new moneymaking element to pizza restaurants with the right clientele.

So check out Tracy’s story with an open mind and consider your options. Now may be the time to make that leap. And if you do, let us know about it! I promise not to drop in and embarrass you with my dance moves. You can’t do the Funky Chicken to Lady Gaga anyway. I know—I’ve tried.

Rick Hynum Editor-in-chief PMQ Pizza Magazine SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to PMQ now!

Get your print, digital or mobile edition!

12 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR RICK HYNUM Best by Far We are always happy to renew our subscription to your wonderful and informative magazine.

Of more importance, perhaps, is our impression on your latest issue (January/February 2014): It may well be the best yet by far, with so much valuable information. Thank you so much for all that you do!

Col. Robert Pyle Carlow Pizza & More Fort Myers, FL Col. Pyle, we greatly appreciate the kind words. We’re proud to have you as a subscriber!

The Subway Series Promo I wanted to share this story with Tom Feltenstein and the PMQ staff. I was born in the Bronx and am a huge New York Mets fan. In 2003, the Mets and the Yankees played a Subway Series. I placed an ad in the local newspaper stating that, if the Yankees beat the Mets in the series, I would give away free pizzas to the first 100 customers. Of course, we proofread the ad, and it checked out perfectly. If

I recall correctly, the Yankees won that series on a Thursday night. By 10 a.m. on Friday, hundreds of these coupons were rolling in, and when we reviewed the ad, we realized it didn’t specify 100 pies! I was freaking out because we were running low on dough, and I couldn’t believe the number of responses the ad was bringing in! By 2 p.m., I started telling customers that the ad contained a misprint and that the offer was supposed to be limited to 100 pies. Well, the wrong person got upset when I wouldn’t honor her coupon.

Soon, Channel 9’s news reporter shows up at my front door with the cameras rolling!

I apologized to customers and honored the lady’s coupon. But the good news was, I was so busy from the buzz this created that my sales jumped 20%! I look back now and laugh; I guess it’s true that bad publicity is better than no publicity!

Jon “Jonny Cash” Gegaj Tomasino’s Pizza Orlando, FL Wow, that sounds like a close call, Jon. We’re glad it all turned out OK and that you can laugh about it now. Everyone talks about the power of the pen, but typos are pretty potent, too. Thanks for sharing your story with us!

One Last Smile

from Pizza Paul Nylan 1943-2014 A dear friend of the pizza industry, he will be missed by all.

Photo taken at NAPICS, February 9, 2014

Share your passion!

Have a complaint, compliment or suggestion about something you’ve read in the pages of PMQ? Send your letter via email to editor@pmq.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line, or mail to PMQ, ATTN: Letters to the Editor, 605 Edison St., Oxford, MS 38655. We look forward to hearing from you!

Friend us on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/pmqpizzamagazine.

Thank You to Our PMQ Think Tank Moderators Daddio: Member since June 2006 Tom Lehmann: Member since June 2006

Rockstar Pizza: Member since June 2006 ADpizzaguy: Member since January 2007

14 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F P M Q , I N C .

Winner of 5 ASBPE Awards Winner of 4 GAMMA Awards ISSN 1937-5263

PMQ, INC. Publisher Steve Green sg@pmq.com ext. 123 Co-Publisher Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Rick Hynum rick@pmq.com ext. 130 Editor at Large Liz Barrett liz@pmq.com Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin tracy@pmq.com International Correspondent Missy Green missy@pmq.com DESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director Kara Hoffman kara@pmq.com ext. 135 Designer Eric Summers eric@pmq.com Media Producer Daniel Lee Perea dperea@pmq.com ext.139 ADVERTISING Sales Director Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 Account Executive Clifton Moody clifton@pmq.com ext. 138 Account Executive Tom Boyles tom@pmq.com ext. 122 Account Executive Anna Zemek anna@pmq.com ext 140 Sales Assistant Brandy Pinion brandy@pmq.com ext. 127 MARKETING Social Media Director Melanie Addington melanie@pmq.com ext. 133 ADMINISTRATION Chief Financial Officer Shawn Brown shawn@pmq.com Circulation Manager Sherlyn Clark sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120 Director of Operations/ Event Coordinator Brian Hernandez brian@pmq.com ext. 129 PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ China Yvonne Liu yvonne@pmq.com PMQ Australia-NZ Tom Boyles tom@pmqaustralia.com France Pizza Julien Panet jpanet@francepizza.fr Pizza e Pasta Italiana Massimo Puggina redazione@pizzaepastaitaliana.it Spain—pizzanet.es Eduard Jiménez info@pizzanet.es Brazil—Pizzas & Massas Michel Wankenne wankenne@insumos.com.br EDITORIAL ADVISORS Chef Santo Bruno Tom Feltenstein Tom Lehmann Joey Todaro Ed Zimmerman CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno Linda Duke Tom Feltenstein Laura Hanlon Tom Lehmann Michael J. Rasmussen Volume 18, Issue 3 PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax linda@pmq.com PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year. Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35.

Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047.

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

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It’s a difference you’ve got to taste—because tasting is believing. Visit escalon.net for a free sample.

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PIZZA PRESS NEWS & VIEWS

Gotta Have Heart Pizzeria operators showed their love for good causes with special Valentine’s Day events this year. Dallas-based Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar (bostons. com) got an early start, hosting its 16th annual Boston’s Cares campaign from February 3 to 23, raising money for No Kid Hungry. Select locations around the country collected guest donations and allocated proceeds from gourmet pizza sales—including heart-shaped pizzas available February 13 to 15—for the cause. “The focus on children aligns with an important part of our brand, which is family,” says Brad Bevill, vice president of marketing. “And, since we’re in the food business, it feels like the right thing to do to help end childhood hunger in America.”

Meanwhile, Ohio-based Flyers Pizza & Subs (flyerspizza.com) encouraged customers to “Give a Pizz-a Your Heart to Autism Speaks.” From January 28 to February 14, Flyers donated $1 from every heart-shaped pizza sold to the organization. The pizzeria promoted the effort through its Eclub newsletter, email reminders and 11,500 postcards sent to its best customers. Flyers also broadcast the postcard at the end of a TV commercial during the campaign’s first week and hosted a Facebook promotion asking fans to guess the number that would sell during the promotion (the winner received a free dinner). “It was an unbelievable success,” says Mark Ulrey, vice president of marketing.

“We’re writing a check to the foundation for $1,655; we sold 807 in our seven stores on Valentine’s Day alone!”

BOSTON'S RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR

Flyers Pizza & Subs and Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar both touched hearts in February by raising money for good causes with heart-shaped pizzas.

FLYERS PIZZA & SUBS

Swamp Thing Evan Daniell, owner of Evan’s Neighborhood Pizza (evansneighborhoodpizza.com) in Fort Myers, Florida, knew he had a great gimmick when he created the Everglades pie, complete with python, frog legs, alligator sausage and “swamp cabbage.”

But he didn’t know it’d go viral, leading to press coverage from the Los Angeles Times and New York Daily News. “I’ve been interviewed across the globe—even

by National Geographic—and saw Chinese reporters talking about it on a video online!” Daniell laughs. “The Huffington Post covered it about a year ago, but it’s the story that never dies; someone will pick it up and it’ll go viral again. People are coming from all over to try it, and I have orders for seven months in advance!”

EVAN'S NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA

A swamp-themed pizza at Evan’s Neighborhood Pizza keeps making headlines, thanks to its unique toppings, including python meat and frog legs.

16 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Thinking Big Big Apple Pizza (havelockpizza.com), a New York pizza-style store in Havelock, North Carolina, celebrated its 20th anniversary by giving away an extra-large one-topping pizza to Facebook followers every day during March. With a square footage of less than 1,600 square feet, Big Apple is an old-fashioned mom-and-pop shop with a modern approach to business, including online ordering and a very active social media presence.

A Dash of Pizzazz The competition—and some delectable pies—heated up at this year’s Pizza Pizzazz, held at the North America Pizza & Ice Cream Show in Columbus, Ohio, in February. In each category (Gourmet and Traditional), a panel of 30 judges evaluated more than 60 pizzas for taste, presentation, crust quality and marketability. First-, secondand third-place finishers won $6,000, $1,000 and $500, respectively.

In the Gourmet category, Best of the Midwest was awarded to Jordan Henson from Mr. Gatti’s Pizza (gattispizza.com) in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Henson’s pizza, The Italian Sub, boasts a mayonnaise dressing base, topped with pepperoni, ham, onions, tomatoes, banana peppers and mozzarella, garnished with chopped lettuce and glazed with melted garlic butter on the crust after baking. Cynthia Hamlin from Capone’s Pizzeria (caponespizzeria. org) in Parma, Ohio, claimed second place with the Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Jason Samosky from Samosky’s Homestyle Pizzeria (samoskyspizza. com) in Valley City, Ohio, earned third place with the Spinachi.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NAPICS

In the Traditional category, Shawn Dugan, executive chef at Shorty’s Pizzeria (shortyspizzeria.com) in Parkersburg, West Virginia, earned Best of the Midwest with the Manzo Primo, topped with pepperoni, capicola, house-made sausage and candied smoked bacon. Jason Hague from Bada Bing! Pizzeria (badabingpizzeria.com) in Springfield, Ohio, grabbed second for his Goombah pizza, and Hamlin registered another victory, nabbing third for her Capone Classic.

(Clockwise from top) Shawn Dugan of Shorty’s Pizzeria won the Traditional category at NAPICS; Jordan Henson of Mr. Gatti’s Pizza took top honors in the Gourmet competition; Henson and Dugan accept their cash prizes from Geoff Hetrick and Ann Reichle of the Ohio Restaurant Association.

Winning Tickets At Paisano’s Pizza (pizzapaisanos.com), with 25 locations in Virginia and Maryland, customers can snag a meal set to music—thanks to concert ticket giveaways for big acts (think One Direction, Bruno Mars and Pink) posted on the pizzeria’s Facebook page.

The rules are simple: Fans post why they should win the prize, and winners are selected according to who receives the most likes or by random selection. “By posting ticket giveaways on Facebook, we broaden our social media presence and create some extra engagement to get in front of new pizza fans online,” says Christina Lareau, Paisano’s director of marketing. “We’ve found that choosing a random winner is easiest, and in our most recent contest for Justin Timberlake tickets, we asked that customers comment with their favorite menu item to receive an entry. These posts promote the variety in our menu (more than pizza!) and inspire customers to try new items.”

Employees Only

MELLOW MUSHROOM

Atlanta-based Mellow Mushroom (mellowmushroom.com) recently put its employees to work in a new way—by asking them to create their best dishes and drinks for a special menu. The company polled servers, bartenders and prep and line cooks from more than 160 locations to curate the Homegrown Picks menu, available from February 17 to March 31. More than 85 recipes were submitted and judged on taste, presentation and originality, with seven finalists making the menu, including the Thaidal Wave Hoagie with sweet Thai chili chicken, the Blueberry Vodka Mojito and the Chicken Cordon Bleu Calzone. Why not try a similar contest by tapping into employees at your pizzeria? Bonus points: Ask customers to vote for their faves—when they become part of the process, they’ll be more likely to sample new menu items that make the cut!

April 2014

pmq.com 17

IN LEHMANN’S TERMS TOM “THE DOUGH DOCTOR” LEHMANN

How to Freeze Pizza Dough Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann offers tips and tricks for using static freezing techniques to prolong your dough’s shelf life.

By Tom Lehmann

QUESTION: Can I freeze my pizza dough?

ANSWER: Yes, pizza dough can definitely be frozen, but it cannot be frozen indefinitely. There are three very different dough freezing methods. Mechanical blast freezing employs temperatures between -20°F and -35°F, combined with an airflow of 600 to 800 linear feet per minute. Another technique, called cryogenic freezing, uses a commercial liquid cryogen, primarily liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen, to achieve a freezing temperature of -35°F to -55°F. Both of these methods are used by commercial frozen dough manufacturers and require specialized equipment. And both impart a long shelf life to the dough, between 12 and 20 weeks with the right product formulation and effective dough management protocol.

Static freezing is the most common technique in smaller operations. It employs temperatures of 0°F to -10°F with little or no airflow over the product. A walk-in, chest or reach-in freezer is typically used, and the cost is much lower since there is usually little or no additional equipment required. However, the process takes significantly longer, so production volume is decreased.

Unfortunately, the slow freezing process allows for the development of a larger, more angular ice crystal, which can puncture the yeast cell wall and allow the plasma material (glutathione) to leak out of the cell. Once released from the yeast cell, the glutathione will act like a reducing agent, such as L-cysteine or commercial compounds containing L-cysteine. Also, once the yeast cells have been damaged this way, they won’t contribute fermentation by generating carbon dioxide and other leavening gasses. The resulting product will have a relatively short shelf life. Even so, it’s a moot issue if the dough can be used within about 15 days of the initial freezing. (I’ve worked with a midsize 18 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

pizza chain that processed all of its dough through a walk-in freezer and was still able to effectively distribute the dough to its stores with a week of shelf life left in the dough once it arrived.)

With the static freezing method, you may need to increase the dough formulation’s yeast level to 1.5% or 2% (based on compressed yeast). All other ingredients can remain the same.

Additionally, the temperature of the water added to the dough may need to be adjusted (typically lowered) to achieve a finished dough temperature in the range of 65°F to 70°F. Also, because yeast doesn’t fare well in this type of freezing, you should take the dough directly from the mixer to the bench for scaling and balling, then place it onto a lightly oiled pan and immediately put it in the freezer until the core temperature of the dough ball reaches about 10°F to 15°F. (Depending on the dough’s weight, this can take between two and five hours.)

To reduce freezing time, try flattening the dough balls into a puck shape, effectively reducing their cross-section height. To use the frozen dough, thaw the dough balls overnight in the

cooler for next-day use. But be prepared to work the dough over pretty well with a dough docker to control bubbling, and keep a bubble popper handy for any bubbles that might form during baking. Or you can reduce bubbling by thawing the dough balls overnight in the cooler, then bringing the dough out first thing in the morning and allowing it to warm to 50°F at room temperature; once it hits that temperature, put it back into the cooler for later use that day or the next day. (In my experience, frozen dough won’t hold up very well beyond two days after thawing; the dough tends to become sticky and lifeless.) Even with this modified thawing procedure, the finished pizza skins

should still be docked, but they won’t need to be docked as heavily; a bubble popper should also be kept handy, but you shouldn’t need to use it nearly as much, if at all.

Tom Lehmann is the director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). Need more dough advice? Visit the Dough Information Center at PMQ.com/dough.

April 2014

pmq.com 19

NEW YORK’S FINEST CHEF BRUNO

Italian Quesadilla Chef Bruno combines two classic cuisine styles in one easy-to-make Mexican/Italian dish.

By Chef Santo Bruno

M

y son recently asked me to cook something for dinner. I was tired and didn’t feel like cooking, but he kept asking. Finally, I dug around in the refrigerator, came up with some ingredients for this Mexican/Italian dish and made it for him. He loved it! The Italian Quesadilla is a great dish to make if you get home late from work and don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

It’s quick and easy, and most of the ingredients can be found in the same aisle in your supermarket. The Italian Quesadilla also makes great leftovers, so send it with your kids to school tomorrow or save it for an afternoon snack when they get home! Mangia!

SLNY PRODUCTIONS

You’ll Need: ½ c. pizza sauce 6 7” flour tortillas 2 c. Monterey Jack Cheese (with or without peppers), shredded 1/3 c. pepperoni, finely chopped 3 tbsp. ripe black olives, sliced and pitted Directions: Spread some of the pizza sauce on half of each tortilla, then sprinkle on some of the cheese. Add more sauce on top of the cheese. Add the pepperoni and black olives.

Fold the tortilla in half and gently press the edges down.

In a large cast-iron skillet, cook two or three tortillas at a time over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Turn only once while cooking. Once they’re heated through, cut the tortillas into three triangularshaped pieces and serve.

Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with more than 40 years of international pizza experience. He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team.

SLNY PRODUCTIONS

20 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Easy Menu Additions, Perfect Crowd Pleasers

π

Quality, Selection, and Value.

That’s the beauty of Bellissimo. We offer a full line of the most popular appetizers, for a variety of different crowds and occasions. Quick to cook and easy to serve, our delicious appetizers are a profitable menu addition and the perfect preamble to any meal. start a new tradition and enjoy the beauty of Bellissimo - crowd pleasing appetizers that give your favorite meal a new beginning.

To l o c a t e y o u r l o c a l B e l l i s s i m o d i s t r i b u t o r, v i s i t B e l l i s s i m o F o o d s . c o m o r c a l l 8 0 0 - 8 1 3 - 2 9 7 4.

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© 2013 Bellissimo Foods Company

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MARKETING MAVEN LINDA DUKE

Marketing to Bar Customers Weekly promotions, such as Industry Night and Ladies Night, can fill up your bar and generate excitement.

By Linda Duke

E

very night’s a night worth promoting if your pizzeria offers bar service. If your bar marketing strategy isn’t producing the financial results you want, it may be time to create special events for each night of the week.

We’re not just talking about happy hour specials—get a little more creative with promotions such as Industry Nights and Ladies Night!

Here are some ideas to get you started, but feel free to tinker with them and make them your own: Monday—Michelob Mondays: Offer special prices on well-known national beer brands. Although handcrafted brews are becoming increasingly popular, the tried-and-true brands, such as Michelob and Miller, still have legions of loyal followers. Create a Miller Lite Monday or Michelob Monday promotion. If you’d prefer to tout a popular but lesser-known brand, try Blue Moon Monday. Or you can drop the beer theme entirely and tout Margarita Monday or Martini Monday instead.

Tuesday—Industry Night: Invite area restaurateurs, waitstaff and bartenders to drop into your restaurant for specials on pizza, 22 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

wings and/or appetizers along with discounts on beer and cocktails. Take photos of your guests having a good time and, with their permission, post them on your social media pages to spread the word for next week’s event. You can even build excitement by live-tweeting from your pizzeria as well-known local industry folks show up!

Wednesday—Wine Lover Wednesdays: More and more customers enjoy pairing pizza with wine. Offer special wine tasting events on Wednesday nights and bring in a local expert to give tips about selecting wines. Feature flights of wines or spotlight a new winery each week. Another option: Offer $10 off bottles of certain wines every Wednesday night.

Thursday—Tap Into Thursdays: Partner with area breweries to present high-quality crafts on tap to your guests every week.

Bring in an expert brewer who can speak knowledgeably about the differences between a porter and a stout, for example. This is also a great way to test new craft beer brands and get onthe-spot feedback from your customers about their likes and dislikes. Release information about each week’s featured brew

in advance on social media and use indoor signage to advertise the promo.

Friday—Becks On the Deck: If your restaurant has a patio or deck, this is a great way to draw in a flock of customers at the end of the week, especially in pleasant weather. “Becks On the Deck” has a catchy ring to it, but you can choose any brand or focus on craft brews and simply call it Beer on the Deck.

Saturday—Ladies Night: You don’t have to be a dance club or a dive with a jukebox to run a Ladies Night promo. Just serve up appletinis, mojitos, cosmos and other female-friendly cocktails, and then make sure to spread the word via social media and in-house signage. Or use social media to find local singles groups in your market and target them with a Singles Night promotion.

Sunday—Date Night: If the singles get Saturdays, reserve Sundays for couples. Create a special deal for lovebirds, such as a medium pizza with two toppings, an appetizer, a dessert and two glasses of house wine or domestic beers. Charge just $20 for the package and spread the word via Facebook, Twitter and the usual social media suspects.

In addition to weekly promos, some restaurant bars develop monthly or occasional events. Feature a different winery or brewery on First Thursday Wine or Beer Nights, and invite the winery or brewery to provide literature and giveaways for

guests. You can also market your bar to charity groups through a Guest Bartender Promotion. Invite a local charity to choose a guest bartender from its group and then invite that person’s friends, family and co-workers to the event, with a percentage of the sales from the bar going back to the cause. These charity promotions will fill up your bar on slower nights and impact your bottom line!

Linda Duke is the CEO of Duke Marketing and author of Recipes for Restaurateurs (marketing-cookbook.com), a “cookbook” of marketing ideas for restaurant owners, as well as The LSM Diet: Improve Your Bottom Line, Not Your Waistline (lsmdiet.com), a self-help guide to local store marketing. She publishes a quarterly industry resource, Restaurant Marketing Magazine, and an educational program, LSM-U, Local Store Marketing University. Find out more at dukemarketing.com.

April 2014

pmq.com 23

FEATURE STORY BUILDING A BAR

While many pizzerias offer only beer or wine, a report from research firm Technomic notes that “mixed drinks and cocktails may help operators to differentiate their concepts and drive loyalty, pointing to opportunities in crafting signature creations and expanding the selection of spirits brands in a restaurant’s bar.”

COURTESY OF THE WINE & BEERS SCHOOL OF PHILADELPHIA

Raising

24 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

GROTTO PIZZA

At Grotto Pizza’s boardwalk location, selling tropical and frozen drinks is a no-brainer.

the Bar Thanks to high margins, adding a bar to your pizzeria can generate additional profits and attract new patrons.

Here’s what you need to know to get started. By Tracy Morin

O

ffering alcohol at your pizzeria may not only boost profits—it may actually impact the customer’s view of his experience. According to foodservice research and consulting firm Technomic, consumers who ordered an adult beverage on their most recent visit to a chain restaurant were particularly likely to be highly satisfied with their experience: More than three-fifths of adult-beverage consumers gave their last visit an “excellent” rating, compared to about half of those who did not order an adult beverage. This November 2013 report, “Adult Beverage Consumption at the Leading Restaurant Chains,” also noted that alcoholic-drink consumption is associated with stronger levels of loyalty to a restaurant.

If your pizzeria offers dine-in, you might be thinking about adding a bar. But what do you need to know to equip it—and make it a success? Here, experts share their secrets for a thriving bar and a winning alcoholic beverage program.

We started wine on tap because it costs less, creates a better product because there’s no air, and leads to zero waste because the first pour is as good as the last.

—Lawrence Rudolph, Pitfire Artisan Pizza On Tap Beer and pizza make an irresistible pair for hungry—and thirsty—patrons. Michael Daley, director of operations for Grotto Pizza (grottopizza.com) in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, points out that the most cost-effective way to keep beer kegs behind the bar is with an under-bar keg fridge, which can hold one to six kegs. At some of Grotto’s sports bar locations, the beer systems have refrigerated tubes that go from backof-house walk-ins to the bar’s taps, keeping the beer cold in

April 2014

pmq.com 25

“We used to have one big-name brew on tap, but people weren’t buying it. We found they were coming more for our fast-changing selection of craft beers.”

—Stephanie Hershkovitz, Hersh’s

DANIEL PEREA

Bartender Stephanie Davis pours drinks with a smile at The Blind Pig, a popular bar, sandwich shop and live music venue in Oxford, Mississippi.

transit. “This system can be cost-prohibitive, however, for a smaller pizzeria—about $15,000 to $20,000, depending on the number of taps and the distance the beer has to travel,” he explains. “Adding a bar (without new construction) would be easier with an underbar kegerator; the tap comes from the top of the keg.”

Most commercial refrigerator companies, he adds, make keg refrigerators in single or double units, and you can install multiples if you have the space. Also, says Daley, because so many bars are selling craft brews, beer companies are now adjusting by making their kegs smaller so more can be stored behind the bar.

Keith Wallace, president and founder of The Wine & Beers Schools of Philadelphia, believes that a bar works best with five to six beer taps, allowing for reasonable pricing per keg—plus, since maintenance (such as cleaning tap lines) has to be done anyway, you’ll get your money’s worth. “It costs about the same to have two or five to six, and six can be stacked if space is an issue,” Wallace says.

But when it comes to selecting the right kinds of beers, Wallace has changed his opinion in recent years: He no longer automatically recommends carrying the big “national” brands, although it always depends on your location. Wallace notes 26 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

that after recent sellouts to international companies (and the rise in craft beers), major formerly American brands, including Budweiser and Miller, are quickly losing market share. Instead, he suggests, offer something similar to the bigger brands, such as a Yuengling, Pabst Blue Ribbon or Sam Adams. “You usually want at least one good, inexpensive choice, but the rest can be microbrews,” Wallace notes. “They sell well, and their markup is incredibly high.”

Of course, what you choose to carry on draft will depend on your customers and your pizzeria. Though Miller Lite and Coors Light are huge sellers in Grotto’s beach locations, Yuengling is also popular in the region, and craft brews from Delaware-based Dogfish Head are downright expected. Meanwhile, Baltimore-based Hersh’s (hershspizza.com) applies its made-from-scratch ethic to its bar program, too—meaning that the 10 taps feature only craft beers (although standards like Miller Lite and Peroni make the bottled list). “We used to have one big-name brew on tap, but people weren’t buying it,” says co-owner Stephanie Hershkovitz. “We found they were coming more for our fast-changing selection of craft beers.”

Similarly, at Pitfire Artisan Pizza (pitfirepizza.com), based in Los Angeles, customers have come to expect elevated quality, according to “beverage czar” Lawrence Rudolph, so in its eight locations, up to 10 taps pour almost exclusively craft beers.

“Some of the beers may be mainstream as far as taste profile, but we don’t do Bud Light—we use local beers, almost all from Southern California,” he says. That mindset extends even to his soda selection: Pitfire sells all-natural, cane-sugar sodas in lieu of traditional brands.

GROTTO PIZZA

An in-store bar, like this one at Grotto Pizza in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, can provide numerous opportunities for new revenue.

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HERSH’S PIZZA

“Having a cocktail list seems fancy, but if you have eight drinks on offer, bartenders don’t need to know how to make every drink known to man—they can be trained on those eight.

This also limits the amount of alcohol you need to have on hand.”

—Keith Wallace, The Wine and Beers Schools of Philadelphia

The 10 beers on tap at Hersh’s Pizza are all craft brews.

Finally, Pitfire also offers eight to 10 wines and a craft cocktail on tap, which requires stainless steel lines and a wine pouring system with nitrogen and CO2. “We started wine on tap because it costs less, creates a better product because there’s no air, and leads to zero waste because the first pour is as good as the last,” Rudolph says. According to Wallace, boxed wines can also offer great value and good taste—plus a shelf life of up to one month (compared with two to three days for a bottle).

High Spirits While many pizzerias offer only beer or wine, Technomic’s report notes that “mixed drinks and cocktails may help operators to differentiate their concepts and drive loyalty, pointing to opportunities in crafting signature creations and expanding the selection of spirits brands in a restaurant’s bar.”

Wallace notes another benefit of having a cocktail list: It streamlines ordering and training. “Having a cocktail list seems fancy, but if you have eight drinks on offer, bartenders don’t need to know how to make every drink known to man—they can be trained on those eight,” he observes. “This also limits the amount of alcohol you need to have on hand.” He recommends incorporating different flavor profiles, such as sweet, sour and savory, on the menu to appeal to most customers.

Hersh’s has cashed in on the craft cocktail trend by creating a drink menu with from-scratch drinks that aren’t fussy—four to five ingredients, max, says Hershkovitz. Meanwhile, smaller distilleries make up much of the bar’s selection, although familiar vodkas like Tito’s and Ketel One are on offer.

Pitfire also incorporates smaller-batch, local spirit companies, so larger brands like Stolichnaya and Belvedere might be positioned next to lesser-known Bison Grass and Hangar One. Rums run the gamut from Mount Gay to Caña Brava, though Jack Daniel’s has been shunned in favor of Bulleit, Buffalo Trace and Angel’s Envy. “We don’t do this just to be different; we feel the quality is better in smaller-batch products, and we like to support local and U.S. brands,” Rudolph says.

On the other hand, the more casual Grotto has found its sweet spot by offering major brands alongside the latest trendy 28 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

liquors, like Fireball or flavored vodkas. Rail brands offer the most profitable pours (and are the cheapest picks for nonpicky customers), but some locations might stock a high-end vodka like Belvedere or a pricey whiskey like Macallan. “We set basic minimums as a company, but managers in our 20 locations can customize for their clientele or according to requests from regulars,” Daley says. “There is no such thing as ‘basics,’ and some things are hot one month and not the next. It’s really

Additional Tips There’s more to running a bar than mixing drinks and pouring beer, our experts say. Here are some additional considerations: Accessories: “Once you put a bar in, you can get free accessories from liquor companies, wineries or beer suppliers: bottle openers, mats, plastic holders for beverage napkins and straws, etc. Don’t scrimp and save on accessories like blenders; that blender will be a workhorse for you. You can burn out a cheap blender in three weeks, while a good one might last a year. And you may need a glass rinser if you have draft or craft brews. Soap scum will kill the head on a beer, particularly craft beers, which have less carbonation.”

—Michael Daley, director of operations, Grotto Pizza, Rehoboth Beach, DE Glassware: “Keep it simple with these glass types: pint, wine, cocktail/martini, Collins and old-fashioned.

I don’t recommend having shot glasses in the bar; you lose them constantly, and they encourage a certain kind of drinking. If someone wants a whiskey neat, it’s more sophisticated in an old-fashioned glass. Plus, having too many different glass sizes leads to less efficiency when washing them, which means less money.”

—Keith Wallace, president and founder, The Wine & Beers Schools of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA Ice: “We have a big ice maker in our two-story pizzeria; staff brings ice downstairs, and there are two bins behind the bar to store it. We don’t do specialty ices, because those machines can be pricey, but for some drinks we hand-crush ice with a Lewis Bag. When you smash the ice, the bag wicks away moisture while minimizing melting.” —Stephanie Hershkovitz, coowner, Hersh’s

PIE SOCIETY

SMALL TRIM

At Pitfire Artisan Pizza in Costa Mesa, California, customers in the know enjoy the intimacy of a secret back-room cocktail bar/speakeasy called the Pie Society.

something you have to stay on top of, and a good liquor rep can help with this.”

Wallace notes that rail liquors will be the most-used, so it’s important to find a good-quality all-purpose brand in each of the main categories (rum, gin, vodka, whiskey/bourbon or tequila). Though he notes the best-selling vodka is still Grey Goose, an inexpensive vodka is ideal for well drinks. For a costeffective yet high-quality rum, Barbancourt or Cruzan work well. In addition to a fancy gin such as Hendrick’s on the back bar, stock a dry London gin like Gordon’s on the rail. Finally, instead of whiskeys, he recommends carrying bourbon. “Whiskeys are either very expensive or bad and cheap, but bourbon tends to have better quality control and is less expensive,” he explains. “I wouldn’t advise carrying Scotch; maybe a blended Scotch would work, but very few cocktails use Scotch—plus, it’s high-ticket, prone to theft and doesn’t sell much.”

As far as liqueurs, Wallace warns that some types (including vermouth) are perishable, so determine the product’s shelf life before you shell out, and buy smaller bottles. Also beware that liqueurs, with their typical sweetness, can become an operational nightmare if the bottles aren’t cleaned regularly (think fruit fly convocations).

Inventory Control If you’re taking the trouble to stock a bar, you’ll need to track inventory, since overpouring and “favors” from bartending staff can quickly eat away at your profits. Grotto Pizza works with a company called Bevchek that measures draft pours and links to the POS system to make sure all purchases are recorded.

“We also have a liquor-dispenser program, with pourers on the top of bottles that can measure from one to 2.5 ounces,” 30 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Daley says. “These are only 69 cents apiece and are reusable.”

Bartenders that free-pour can also be given pour tests once per week to make sure their eyeballing is accurate, while some pizzerias hire secret shoppers to check on bartender behavior, Daley adds.

Wallace agrees that inventory control is crucial; although you can’t prevent 100% of waste, you must put in systems to minimize it. “Inventory should be taken every morning and night, by two different people—like the day and night managers,” advises Wallace. “If you’re losing a lot—say, more than 10%— you might have a problem. Plus, if bartenders are overpouring, it affects quality; no one wants a too-strong drink.”

At Hersh’s, bartenders use jiggers and consistently take inventory to monitor waste. At Pitfire, each cocktail recipe lists the precise amount of ounces per pour, and inventory is watched closely; bottles are weighed so that the percentage used during a time period matches sales records. “Just like for food, this takes constant attention,” Rudolph says. “If something does not look quite right, we check into it further.”

Design Elements Finally, when creating a bar at your pizzeria, whether you’re utilizing an existing space or adding on to your operation, you want to ensure that the bar is designed for maximum productivity—which equates to maximum profitability. Think about the overall design before you start, and check into local regulations, which might dictate everything from the size of the aisle behind the bar to how close a hand sink needs to be, Daley notes.

Above all, keep the patron’s experience in mind. “We try to design our bars so the customer isn’t just looking at the wall, SMALL TRIM

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A restaurant bar should be designed with the customer’s experience in mind, but it also should be set up to allow proper flow and functionality for your bartenders.

so our bars are square, rectangular or circular,” Daley says. “We also have big-screen TVs behind the bar, but we make sure we place them so the customers’ view isn’t obstructed.”

Proper setup and flow for your bartenders and waitstaff also makes a big difference, especially during rushes. “Position your bar to function in concert with servers,” Rudolph says. “In a full bar, position the bartender’s station closest to where the food is made so that the servers can help with nonalcoholic beverages for customers. It’s all about economy of motion.

Also, within the bar, look at function above everything. Make sure corkscrews, scoops, shakers, garnishes, etc., are in front of each station, and make sure glassware is easily accessible.”

32 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Wallace, who has worked with numerous bar designers, recommends a simple exercise: Stand where the bartender would and see what you can get within arm’s reach, without turning around. Make sure sinks, soda guns and garnishes are at hand—and if your bar will have more than one bartender, make sure each has his own station. “Basically, wherever the water supply is, that’s where everything has to be, because it’s hard to move plumbing,” Wallace says. “The worst mistake is having everything spread too far apart. Don’t make bartenders run around—the more they run around, the less money you’re making!”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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Dano’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Felts Mills, NY

FEATURE STORY BETTER BAR SALES Specialty cocktails and bartenders such as Stephanie Davis help make the bar at The Blind Pig Pub & Deli one of Oxford, Mississippi’s most popular hangouts.

DANIEL PEREA

5 TIPS FOR BETTER BEVERAGE SALES Follow these suggestions for making your bar a guest-friendly hangout and a major profit zone.

By Rick Hynum

I

n many restaurants, the bar area is often treated as a way station for guests, a temporary stop en route to their destination: the dining area. But some patrons prefer to hang out and eat at the bar—the lively, informal atmosphere creates a more convivial experience, particularly for singles or a group of friends looking to meet up with other friends. Are you taking advantage of this opportunity by making your bar a guest-friendly hangout and profit zone? If not, here are some tips to consider: 34 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

COURTESY OF THE WINE & BEERS SCHOOL OF PHILADELPHIA

1 2 3

Create a draft beer program. Draft beer offers high profit margins, and many customers prefer it over beer from a bottle. Draft beer is also great for informal gatherings of friends or co-workers. Whenever possible, offer local or regional draft beer selections— today’s customers increasingly prefer handcrafted brews to the major national brands.

Offer pizza-and-beer pairing suggestions. At the very least, train your bartenders and wait staff to recommend the right craft brews for the right pizza. An alternative approach would be to list pairing suggestions on your menu.

4 5

Offer wines from emerging regions. Today’s wine drinkers know that wines don’t have to come from Bordeaux or Napa Valley to be good. Look for less expensive but high-quality varietals from Brazil, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa.

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Use suggestive selling. If a guest asks for a vodka and tonic, train your staff to immediately offer a suggestion for a specific premium or super-premium vodka brand, such as Grey Goose or Ketel One. If he asks about your beers on tap, steer him toward one of your higher-quality brands and emphasize the local or regional angle.

Develop signature infusions. You can transform any spirit into a sensational signature drink by infusing it with fresh fruit, such as strawberries, watermelon, kiwis or sundried tomatoes, to name a few. Create your infusions in a decorative jar and place it in a prominent spot on the bar to draw attention while the fruit marinates. Within a few days, you’ll have a signature drink that’s colorful, flavorful and, best of all, unique to your restaurant. And customers will naturally notice the jar and want to try it out!

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor-in-chief.

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pmq.com 35

RECIPE OF THE MONTH RED, WHITE, AND BLUE PIZZA

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Red, White and Blue Pizza Recipe and photo provided by Nutella Food Service Ingredients: 1 12” pizza base, pre-baked 12 oz. hazelnut spread 4 oz. mixed red berries (strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, etc.)

4 oz. mixed dark berries (blackberries, blueberries, etc.)

2.2 oz. melted or shaved white chocolate Instructions: Distribute hazelnut spread over prebaked pizza base. Place the blueberries on the outside and then place the red berries in a pile in the center. Drizzle or shave the white chocolate over the fruit. Serve warm.

36 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

The Sweet Life Leave it to the Italians to create something as irresistible as hazelnut spread. First imported from Italy to the United States more than 25 years ago, the dessert spread—a delectable blend of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and cocoa—has become a trendy treat with many uses. From cappucinos to truffles and cheesecakes, the spread has gained traction on dessert menus at restaurants around the country. It also just happens to taste delicious on a pizza crust. In fact, a hazelnut spread pizza can generate strong word-of-mouth and press coverage when introduced in your market. Here are some variations on the theme from pizzerias around the country: The dessert menu at Due Forni (dueforni.com), with locations in Las Vegas and Austin, Texas, boasts the Chocolate Pizza, a Neapolitan crust featuring hazelnut spread, Valrhona chocolate, strawberries, toasted hazelnuts and vanilla gelato.

Customers at Papi’s Pizzeria (papispizzeria.com) in downtown Los Angeles save room for Papi’s Chocolate Pizza Pie, made with a sweetened crust and a layer of chocolate chips and hazelnut spread, topped with baked marshmallows and candied almonds.

Roberto Caporuscio, the renowned pizzaiolo at Kesté Pizza & Vino (kestepizzeria.com) in New York, has earned fame for a specialty dessert pie that combines hazelnut spread, fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, ricotta, powdered sugar, a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

Located in Franklin Square, New York, Olivetto Pizzeria (olivettopizzeria.com) offers five hazelnut spread dessert pies, including a version with crumbled Oreo cookies and another with peanut butter chips.

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FEATURE STORY DESSERTS

LIZ BARRETT

38 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Room for

Dessert From Nutella brownies and monkey bread to s’more calzones, desserts generate strong profits and provide irresistible upsell opportunities.

By Liz Barrett

I

Located in Disney World, Via Napoli offers tiramisu and other desserts that are the stuff of fairy tales.

n years past, dessert was often treated as an afterthought on pizzeria menus, but thanks to the rising popularity of dessert pizzas, sweet breadsticks, calzones, gelato and traditional Italian confections, that’s beginning to change.

Pizzeria operators have come to realize that patrons usually have room (or can make room) for something sweet. Why not make sure they buy it from you instead of that sweets shop down the street? After all, desserts can be priced to generate a much bigger profit compared to an entrée. And even the most healthconscious customer can be tempted by delectable sweet treats.

When it comes to desserts, customer selection often boils down to what someone is craving. After a big meal, guests often desire a small dessert or one that can be shared with the group. In the summertime, many lean toward fruit-based desserts that feel light and healthy. In the winter months, comfort desserts—such as warm cinnamon apples or decadent chocolate cakes and brownies smothered in hot fudge and ice cream—often fit the bill.

For pizzerias, serving desserts that can typically be found in an Italian bakery is usually a good place to start. “When guests think of pizza, many think, ‘Italian,’ which is why tiramisu, gelato and other traditional Italian desserts are popular and

April 2014

pmq.com 39

CLAYSBURG PIZZA

Monkey Bread Nuggets Photo and recipe courtesy of Claysburg Pizza

LIZ BARRETT

Plating desserts in fun ways, like the Zeppoli di Caterina from Via Napoli inside Disney World, can add appeal to your offerings.

expected on a pizzeria dessert menu,” says Linda Duke, an industry consultant and owner of San Rafael, California-based Duke Marketing. “Try offering new twists on traditional Italian favorites in order to stand out.”

Other pizzerias, meanwhile, have ventured beyond traditional Italian fare, exploring options ranging from sorbet to s’more calzones. Some have even added desserts to their delivery menus: Sunset Pizzeria (sunsetpizzeriaonline.com), with three locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, offers delivery of its chocolate cake, homemade cannolis and cheesecake. The moneymaking possibilities with desserts are virtually endless—it’s just a matter of studying the trends, familiarizing yourself with your customers’ cravings and encouraging waitstaff to upsell at every opportunity.

Staying On Trend Dessert trends may come and go, but chocolate is forever.

Humorist and children’s book author Sandra Boynton once said, “Research tells us 14 out of any 10 individuals likes chocolate.” Her observation wasn’t far from the truth: Statistics from Datassential Menu Trends shows that chocolate is served in 65% of all restaurants and 59% of all pizzerias. Lorraine Platman, the owner of Sweet Lorraine’s (sweetlorraines.com), which has been serving desserts (along with pizzas, quesadillas and a broad range of other fare) for more than 30 years in Southfield and Livonia, Michigan, is quick to confirm those statistics. “Chocolate always sells best,” she says. “Apples are the runner-up.”

In addition to chocolate, Datassential lists vanilla and chocolate chip as trending dessert flavors, along with fruit flavors 40 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Ingredients: 1 dough ball, cut into ½-oz. portions Liquid margarine Cinnamon/sugar mix (8 lb. sugar and ¾ c. cinnamon) Vanilla cake frosting mix Directions: Place dough balls in liquid margarine. Remove dough balls and allow the excess margarine to run off. (Use a wire mesh scoop to remove and place balls on a wire mesh screen. Roll back and forth with the scoop a few times until excess margarine is removed.) Cover the dough balls in the cinnamon/sugar mix. Place the dough balls onto a pan and place them in a closed cabinet, allowing them to triple in size (time will vary depending on your dough recipe). Bake the dough balls for 4 minutes and 15 seconds at 555° in a deck oven. Remove them from the pan immediately, flipping them onto a plate or pan to help them keep their shape. Use vanilla cake frosting mix, adding extra water to make it easier to spread/drizzle, for the icing.

such as apple, strawberry, banana, coconut and lemon. And while quick-service and fast-casual chains are more likely to serve handheld desserts—i.e., cookies, brownies and dessert bars—independent restaurants frequently serve premium desserts, such as tiramisu, crème brulee, ice cream, cheesecake and bread pudding, according to Datassential.

Many restaurateurs deliver a bit of nostalgia on their dessert menus, serving up red velvet cake, s’mores and childhood favorites such as ice cream sandwiches. Meanwhile, artisan donuts, cupcakes and alcohol-flavored desserts for adults are also gaining popularity. And we can’t forget the salty-sweet combo, which is now accomplished using local herbs, sea salt, olive oil and, of course, bacon.

As owner of Claysburg Pizza (claysburgpizza.com) in Claysburg, Pennsylvania, Paul Medasie hit upon a signature sweet

ZOLI'S NY PIZZA

Made with mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips wrapped inside a calzone, the S'more Calzone at Zoli's NY Pizza in Dallas is a customer favorite.

that attracts local and nonlocal customers alike. “We’ve been selling a dessert called Sticky Sticks for close to 15 years,” he says. “We sell about 200 orders of them per week, and they’ve become known as a ‘must-have’ when visiting our area. We also sell about 100 orders per week of our Monkey Bread Nuggets, which we’ve been selling for almost four years. Both desserts are made from scratch at our pizzeria and are unique to our brand.

I got the inspiration for the desserts from the times when my friends and I were craving something sweet and I would whip something up. They’re each a variation on the classic bakery sweet—cinnamon rolls.”

In Dallas, Cane Rosso (ilcanerosso.com) and Zoli’s NY Pizza (zolispizza.com), a pair of concepts owned by Jay Jerrier, have become nearly as famous for their desserts as for their pizzas. Popular items include Nutella brownies, S’more Calzones, zeppole, Diavoletti (fried dough with Nutella, sea salt and caramel), tiramisu and Bella Mella (vanilla bean mascarpone, Granny Smith apples, sea salt, caramel and powdered sugar).

“I'd say the S'more Calzone is probably the most popular,” Jerrier says. “It's just mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips inside a calzone. It works because of the 900° oven, which melts the chocolate but doesn't liquefy the marshmallow because it cooks so quickly.”

Meanwhile, the Cheesecake Calzone makes guests drool at Big Daddy’s Pizza in Ochlockonee Bay, Florida. “It's nothing fancy, but it sells like hotcakes,” says co-owner Chris Miller.

“Our shop is in a very seasonal area, and we get bored in the off-season. We just play around in the kitchen, looking for new ideas. The calzone was made by placing cheesecake, graham cracker and fruit inside dough folded as a calzone.”

The Diet Plan Diet restrictions have seen some desserts heading the healthy route in recent years, with the most prevalent being gluten-free 42 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

SWEET LORRAINE'S

Strawberry Pound Cake Bruschetta Photo and recipe courtesy of Sweet Lorraine’s

Ingredients: Slices of pound cake, ¾” thick and 2½” diameter 6 oz. strawberries, trimmed, washed and dried 8 oz. fresh ricotta, lightly flattened and drained if necessary 2 tbsp. honey Basil or mint, finely julienned Chocolate sauce Directions: Combine ricotta cheese with honey and set aside.

Using a panini griddle, toast rounds of pound cake, then place on a plate and top each with 1½ tsp. ricotta. Chop approximately 1½ oz. strawberries and ½ tbsp. finely julienned basil or mint per order (try sweeter basil and mint, such as chocolate basil and pineapple mint) and mix together. Place 1 #60 scoop (level, not mounded) strawberry/basil mix on top of ricotta. Drizzle the entire plate with your preferred chocolate sauce and top with the bruschetta.

Makes 20 pieces (4 orders).

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“Philosophically, you eat with your eyes. If your server shows you something amazing, you’re more likely to order it than you would when you’re just reading about it on a menu.”

—Lorraine Platman, Sweet Lorraine’s options. “Customers used to ask me for low-fat options, but now they want gluten-free,” Platman notes. “We’re just learning how to safely integrate gluten-free items into the menu.

We offer a flourless chocolate cake and gluten-free sorbet, but I want to make sure we’re extra careful when anyone mentions they are gluten-intolerant.” More and more restaurant operators are looking into this option, as Datassential numbers show that, while the word “gluten-free” currently shows up on just 2% of all restaurant menus, this number represents a growth of 788% from 2009 to 2013.

Of course, many customers are still counting calories, so portion control continues to be as important as ever. Thus, miniature desserts are still on-trend, according to Duke. “Guests are still cutting out sugar, which means dessert sales suffer,” she adds. “Operators are looking to offer a bite or two of a sweet dessert for fewer calories.”

Additionally, Duke says that desserts like Nutella pizza gain new fans each day, along with flourless chocolate cake, gelato and unique twists on Italian favorites, such as the Broken Cannoli Bowl from Villa Enterprises—fresh-made cannoli filling with cannoli chips.

The Art of the Upsell Even diet-conscious customers can be tempted to order a dessert with a little suggestive selling, Duke notes. “There’s nothing better than servers making the suggestion to guests at the beginning of a transaction: ‘Save room for our amazing

Following the Trends According to Datassentials, here are the top five desserts/flavors featured on pizzeria menus around the United States: • • • • • •

Chocolate (59%) Cheesecake (49%) Cake (40%) Cookies (37%) Tiramisu (30%) Dessert pizzas (14%)

The fastest growing desserts/ingredients in pizzerias from 2012 to 2013 were: • • • • •

Donuts (159%) Yogurt (142%) Chocolate (107%) Cupcakes (81%) Dulce de leche (73%)

44 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

GOLDEN CANNOLI

Many customers will always demand classic Italian-style desserts, such as cannoli, on a pizzeria dessert menu, but you can always put a new twist on these favorites to keep things interesting.

desserts!’ Suggestive selling and a visual display of desserts is essential to make mouths water. However, stale, sloppy desserts that look unappetizing on display can have the exact opposite effect and turn guests off.”

Platman doesn’t actually list desserts on the Sweet Lorraine’s menu. Instead, servers bring a tray to every customer’s table, showcasing the selections—which change weekly—at the end of the meal. The stratagem works beautifully, she says, with 27% of customers purchasing desserts. “Philosophically, you eat with your eyes,” Platman says. “If your server shows you something amazing, you’re more likely to order it than you would when you’re just reading about it on a menu.”

In the summertime, Platman’s customers enjoy desserts featuring fresh Michigan produce, such as apricots, while in the winter they may find dates stuffed with almond paste and caramel. “Some of our customers come in specifically for dessert,” she adds. “We want to wow people at the end of a meal with our desserts. When our Apple Brown Betty comes out of the kitchen, people aren’t expecting it—they feel warm and fuzzy, and they want it.”

If you’ve been hesitant to add desserts to your menu, start by trying out a few specials and see how they fare. You can also build interest in your dessert menu by passing around samples after a meal and asking for customer feedback. From a business standpoint, desserts generate healthy profit margins, and many can be created using items you already have on hand (such as sweet pizzas and calzones). Test out recipes with your staff and learn which types of desserts are successful at other restaurants.

Trust your own sweet tooth, too. If you and everyone around you like a certain dessert, there’s a good chance your customers will enjoy it as well!

Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor-at-large.

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FEATURE STORY ONLINE REVIEWS

46 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Crowd Power

A Yelp spokesperson explains how pizzeria operators can better tap into the force of crowdsourced online reviews.

By Rick Hynum

W

ith the rise of websites and apps such as Yelp, Urbanspoon and Dine.com, anyone can be a food critic these days. For pizzeria and restaurant operators, these crowdsourced online reviews can be a mixed blessing—most reviews are fairly positive, but all it takes is one or two negative ones to send some restaurateurs into a tailspin, especially if they see the reviews as unfair.

Controversy has raged around these sites since they first arose to prominence, and restaurateurs are often the first to complain. But love them or hate them, these apps won’t be going away anytime soon, and operators must learn to live with them—and, whenever possible, capitalize on them.

Despite restaurateurs’ misgivings, some studies indicate that crowdsourced reviews can be a positive force. In a 2012 report, economists at the University of California Berkeley analyzed Yelp restaurant ratings and found that, on a scale of 1 to 5, a half-star rating increase translates into a 19% greater likelihood that a restaurant’s seats will be full during peak dining times.

Moreover, the study found that this increase in business was not tied to changes in price or the quality of food or service.

With this in mind, PMQ conducted an interview via email with Morgan Remmers, manager of local business outreach at San Francisco-based Yelp. Through informational sessions across the country, Remmers addresses how business owners can best approach the ever-growing world of online reviews.

She also hosts a series of webinars on subjects relevant to business owners and regularly contributes content to Yelp’s “Blog for Business Owners.”

PMQ: Tell us a little bit about the philosophy behind Yelp. What do you want pizzeria operators to know about Yelp as a company?

Remmers: Yelp is a website and mobile application that connects people with great local businesses. What sets Yelp apart from other review sites is our community of users, which is made up of engaged locals who connect online and off to share their opinions about local businesses. We had an average of 120

A 2012 UC-Berkeley report found that a half-star rating increase on Yelp translates into a 19% greater likelihood that a restaurant will be packed during peak dining times.

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million monthly unique visitors in Q4 2013 and by the end of that quarter, Yelpers had written more than 53 million reviews on the site worldwide.

Yelp provides a huge benefit to small businesses, including pizzerias. A recent Boston Consulting Group study found that small businesses with a free Yelp business owner’s account saw an average of $8,000 in annual revenue from Yelp. With the business owner’s account, there are several free tools to further optimize a business’s listing, including the ability to upload photos, create exciting offers and describe what the business specializes in. Yelp provides a two-way platform for consumers to share their experiences and for businesses to respond to their customers via free response tools, also located in the business owner’s account.

PMQ: So how should a pizzeria operator respond to a negative review on Yelp?

Remmers: Nearly 80% of the 53 million reviews on Yelp are 3 stars or higher, but every business will likely receive negative feedback at some point because it’s impossible to please 100% of the people you deal with 100% of the time. When faced with a negative review, restaurant operators can respond using either of the two free response tools located inside their business owner’s account. They can send a private message or post a public comment to connect with consumers that have written reviews about their restaurant.

Sending a private message is much like sending someone a personal email and is visible only to the reviewer. This tool is a good first step to get more information from a customer about a less-than-positive experience.

Posting a public comment can be your greatest PR tool when used properly. While you still want to address the reviewer directly, a public comment posts right underneath the review that you’re responding to, for all consumers to see. This tool is most effective when you respond promptly, thank the reviewer

“Regardless of whether you respond publicly or privately [to a negative review], remember to respond diplomatically and ask a levelheaded friend or coworker to read over your response before you hit ‘send.’”

—Morgan Remmers, Yelp 48 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

for his feedback and state your policy or clarify any inaccuracies in the consumer’s review.

Regardless of whether you respond publicly or privately, remember to respond diplomatically and ask a levelheaded friend or coworker to read over your response before you hit the “send” button. Keep in mind that consumers are looking at the big picture about your business, so don’t focus or obsess on any single review.

PMQ: What about a positive review? How should the operator respond to that?

Remmers: Yelp users love hearing from business owners who acknowledge the positive review they have written! Sending a quick private message is a great way to thank patrons for writing a positive review, and posting a public comment in response to a few positive reviews is a nice way to demonstrate the great rapport you have with customers.

PMQ: What if a Yelp reviewer posts a comment about a restaurant that simply isn’t true? What are the operator’s options? Will Yelp remove the content?

Remmers: If you feel that the review in question violates Yelp’s terms of service, you can flag the review so our operations team can take a look. It’s important to point out that Yelp does not take sides in factual disputes, so your best bet is to use Yelp’s free response tools to address that review, stating the facts and your company policy.

PMQ: You said reviews that violate Yelp’s terms of service can be flagged and your operations team will take a look. If a review is found to violate your terms of service, how long will it take to get the comment removed? Is this a lengthy process?

Remmers: The process for flagging a review takes only a few minutes. Our user support team should respond to your inquiry within three to five business days and let you know if they’ve decided to remove the review or leave it intact. Business owners should follow these steps: 1. Go to yelp.com/contact.

2. Select “Questionable Content” from the drop-down menu.

3. Identify your business.

4. Provide commentary as to why you would like the review to be evaluated.

PMQ: Should restaurant operators even solicit customer reviews on Yelp in the first place? Is this a good idea or bad idea?

Remmers: Although it may seem counterintuitive, we discourage businesses from directly asking for or soliciting reviews from their clients. Yelp has always been a community-driven

“We try not to highlight reviews written by users we don’t know much about or reviews that may be biased because they were solicited from family, friends or favored customers. We also try to weed out reviews that may have been written or purchased by businesses to help themselves or hurt a competitor.” —Morgan Remmers, Yelp review site and not a “drive-by” one, so we feel the most useful reviews are those that occur organically. Instead of asking for reviews, let customers know you’re on Yelp. Here are a few easy ways restaurant operators can bring awareness about their Yelp presence to their customers: 1. Place a badge and link to your Yelp listing on your website using Yelp’s review badges—we provide the code, and you just paste it into your website.

2. Put a “Find Us On Yelp” sign in your place of business, on the front counter or window. These signs have even been spotted on business-branded vehicles. You can find these sorts of images on our Flickr page.

3. Include a link to your Yelp business listing in your email signature with the words, “Check us out on Yelp!”

PMQ: What if an operator doesn’t want his restaurant reviewed on Yelp? Does he have any options?

Remmers: Consumers have the right to talk about what they like (and don’t like) about a meal they ate, a plumber they hired

or a car wash they visited. We don’t remove business listings, so a business’ best bet is to engage with its fans and critics alike through the free tools Yelp provides.

PMQ: What about your “recommended reviews”? How does Yelp go about selecting them?

Remmers: Every day our automated software goes through the more than 53 million reviews that have been submitted to Yelp to select the most useful and reliable content. Unlike many other sites, our stance is quality over quantity when it comes to reviews. As a result, we only recommend about 75% of the reviews that are submitted. More often than not, these reviews come from active members of the Yelp community.

We try not to highlight reviews written by users we don’t know much about or reviews that may be biased because they were solicited from family, friends or favored customers. We also try to weed out reviews that may have been written or purchased by businesses to help themselves or hurt a competitor.

And we try to avoid unhelpful rants and raves, too.

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from the same computer). But many are real reviews from real customers that we just don’t know much about and therefore can’t recommend.

PMQ: How can Yelp determine if a review was solicited from family, friends or favored customers? I mean, assuming the reviewer doesn’t identify himself as such?

Remmers: Our recommendation software is extremely sophisticated and evaluates several objective data points with regard to the reviewer and the review they’ve posted on any given business listing. Again, there are a number of reasons why a review might not be recommended, including those that have been identified as fakes or are biased (like the ones we see originating

PMQ: A while back, a pizzeria operator in Florida hugged President Obama, and the resulting backlash bled over into his pizzeria’s Yelp reviews. Many of the president’s critics reportedly gave the pizzeria one-star reviews on Yelp for political reasons, thus skewing the rating system. Can this sort of thing be prevented?

Remmers: Non-germane, media-fueled reviews typically violate our content guidelines, and, although they’re infrequent, Yelp has proven policies in place to deal with such events. Our user operations team will remove reviews determined to violate our terms of service and content guidelines, including reviews that only attack a business’s perceived political ideologies, employment practices, or other matters that don’t address the core of the consumer experience. This way, people can continue to find great local businesses—and a good slice—based on evaluations of first-hand consumer experiences, not political views.

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor-in-chief.

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FEATURE STORY EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

CREATING

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION Want a more dynamic and motivated staff?

Start treating your employees not as hired hands, but as internal customers.

By Tom Feltenstein

52 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

H

appy employees attract loyal customers. Unhappy employees can drive customers away. As a pizzeria operator, you can do all of the clever marketing in the world, but if your employees aren’t engaged, motivated and enthusiastic, the results will be unsatisfying. For this reason, I’ve always advocated a simple principle: Treat your employees not as hired hands, but as internal customers, then do your very best to make sure that your internal customers are just as satisfied with your pizzeria as your external customers.

Good pay and benefits are, of course, important to your internal customers. Beyond that, however, your internal customers also want to feel appreciated. In this article, we’ll take a look at two ways to create a rewarding experience for your internal customers that will make them eager to contribute to your pizzeria’s success every single day. After all, business is like sports—the team with the best players wins!

Ask and You Shall Receive One surefire way to make your employees feel appreciated is to listen to them. To the degree that you become masterful at conversing, you can become a star player in your business. Show them that you value their ideas, suggestions and opinions— yes, even the “negative” ones. I recommend soliciting feedback through internal customer satisfaction surveys. You should administer these surveys periodically to find out what your employees think about everything you do and how they feel about working for you. Here are some tips: 1. Ask the hard questions. Ask questions that will allow your internal customers to tell you something you may not otherwise hear from them. Be prepared for brutal honesty. How do your internal customers feel about your company as an employer? How do they feel about themselves as your employees? What do they think about your marketing efforts and your culture? What about the pay and benefits you offer? What do they really think about your food, your pricing and your atmosphere? Would they recommend your pizzeria to their friends who are looking for the best pizza in town? Would they recommend it to others as a good place to work?

Your internal customers are your greatest marketing ambassadors. Listen to all of them with an open mind and learn from them.

A workplace with high standards attracts workers with high standards and, even better, repels workers with low standards.

2. Listen to everyone. Seek input from every employee, from the managers to the bus boys. They will always find something to complain about, and that’s OK—let them vent.

You need to leave your ego at the door. Hourly employees in particular need to sense that you genuinely want their opinions and ideas about the restaurant’s strengths and weaknesses as well as potential opportunities that need to be explored. Your internal customers are your greatest marketing ambassadors. Listen to all of them with an open mind and learn.

3. Keep it anonymous and confidential. Some employees may worry they’ll get in trouble for speaking their minds, so the survey must be self-administered, anonymous and absolutely confidential. Put a staff member in charge of the process and hold a companywide meeting. Tell your employees why they’re being asked to fill out the surveys, assure them that their feedback will be taken seriously and explain that the survey will be anonymous. To ensure anonymity, you can create an online survey; companies

April 2014

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such as SurveyMonkey even offer employee survey templates written by professional survey methodologists. If you choose to go with hard copies, have your employees drop their completed surveys into a preaddressed Federal Express box that is then sealed in their presence for shipping to an independent research company or some other objective consultant for tabulation. (A number of companies offer these services for a reasonable fee.) If possible, don’t tabulate the results yourself. This will defeat the purpose, and you may not get honest answers.

4. Be prepared for criticism. At the start of this process, you may feel nervous and think, “The staff is just going to slam me!” That’s not always the case, but if they do slam you, you might deserve it. There could be important lessons to glean from their negative comments. You may even think, “My employees aren’t really all that bright,” but you could very well discover the opposite: that they are not only bright but also caring, knowledgeable and insightful about

Create special moments for your employees, reward good performances and treat everyone on your staff, not just the managers, like professionals.

your restaurant. They may have a lot to teach you—you just never asked them before. So be prepared for criticism, but also be prepared to learn something!

5. Treat problems as opportunities. Once the results are in, approach them with an open mind. Break the results down by category or employee activity, such as back-ofthe-house, front-of-the-house and management, and consider each category carefully. Use the comments to study your business from a big-picture perspective while also considering the individual smaller pictures that make up the whole. Think of “negative” comments as opportunities to solve problems and clear up misunderstandings.

Inspiring the Front Line Listening to your employees is a great start. Beyond that, there are some other things you can do to motivate and inspire them.

Here are a few suggestions: • Set high standards. Establish high workplace standards for your internal customers. A workplace with high standards attracts workers with high standards. Even better, it repels people with low standards. Mediocre employees have the largest support group because mediocre people support each other by buying into each other’s excuses and letting one another off the hook. But those who choose higher standards discover a better support group, one that challenges them to continually strive to be better—and, thus, more successful—at what they do.

54 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Make your new employee’s first day on the job or that first paycheck feel special.

•

Treat them like professionals. Give every employee his own business card. Sure, the managers already have cards, but why not the person making an hourly wage? Business cards are inexpensive, and this little gesture will make your employees feel like professionals. Better yet, customize the back of the cards with a special offer. Let your employees give away, say, five cards for free one-topping pizzas every month to anyone they choose. This will build their selfesteem and make them feel integral to your operation while also bringing in new customers to your pizzeria.

•

Create special moments. Make your new employee’s first day on the job or that first paycheck feel special.

What about treating his entire family to dinner at your pizzeria? Include an encouraging note with his first paycheck—“Thanks for doing a great job!”—and add a Payday candy bar.

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Treating your customers like internal employees may require a change of culture at your restaurant, but the results could be transformative, leading to happier staff and better service for your guests.

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56 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Celebrate milestones. Once an employee has worked for you for 90 days or six months, celebrate by treating his family to free pizza or give him a gift. Or let the employee bring in several friends for a half-price meal after a shift. Again, these little perks help build your employees’ self-esteem and can make them heroes to their friends and family members.

Treating your employees like internal customers may require a change of culture at your restaurant. At times it may be difficult or challenging. But perseverance will pay off. I’ve heard plenty of excuses for giving up on something great, such as, “Someone else is already doing that,” “This idea isn’t really new” or “Oh, no, now we’ll have competition.” (Here’s a piece of news: Competition actually makes decisions about pricing your product easier because you now have someone else to compare yourself against. There are good reasons to abandon a project, but having a little competition isn’t one of them—even if you’re up against Google!)

Above all, never give up. If Howard Schultz gave up after being turned down by banks 242 times, there would be no Starbucks. If J.K. Rowling gave up after being rejected by multiple publishers for years, there would be no Harry Potter.

Keep going and never quit. And remember: At the end of the day, it’s your internal customers that you can count on, not strategy. Make the changes necessary to improve your employees’ overall experience, and they’ll transform your business!

Tom Feltenstein is a restaurant marketing consultant and the CEO/founder of Tom Feltenstein’s Power Marketing Academy.

FEATURE STORY NIMA'S PIZZA

DANIEL PEREA

MELANIE ADDINGTON

MELANIE ADDINGTON

(Clockwise from top) A popular sweet treat at Nima's Pizza & More, this grape bread is made from pizza dough; Jane Mines shows off her Vegas Cards pizza, one of the many artistic pies served out of Nima's kitchen; Rick Mines helps his wife put the finishing touches on a specialty pizza they created for a recent media event.

58 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Exclusive video profile of Rick and Jane Mines, the pie making artists behind Nima’s Pizza & More.

Champions of the

Ozarks

Nima’s Pizza & More, a small-town Arkansas shop, has been earning top honors on the national pizza making competition circuit. By Melanie Addington

J

ane Mines wasn’t even interested in making pizza when her husband, Rick, bought the already established Nima’s Pizza & More (nimaspizza.com) in Gassville, Arkansas, 11 years ago. But, by 2013, nothing could stand in her way, not even a broken-down car on a Friday night in the middle of nowhere.

After participating in various pizza making competitions for several years, the couple loaded up their dough and pizza ingredients and began the long drive from Gassville to Las Vegas for the U.S Pizza Team’s (USPT) American Pizza Championship at the International Baking Industry Exposition last October.

But the couple hadn’t made it far when their car broke down in a small, dusty town in Oklahoma.

Unable to find a mechanic or rent a car that could be taken out of state, the Mines considered their options: Miss the pizza

making contest or spend a wad of cash on a new vehicle. For this pair of passionate pizza makers, it wasn’t a difficult decision: They took the plunge and bought a new set of wheels—a convertible, no less. They hurriedly packed up the new car and made it all the way to Vegas. Unfortunately, the dough did not thrive during the delay, but Jane competed anyway, despite the blown-out dough. “I knew we weren’t going to win with that dough, but I still wanted to compete,” she says.

A Family Atmosphere Once shy and resistant to the notion of slaving over a hot pizza oven, Jane blossomed in the family-owned pizzeria—located in the heart of the Ozark Mountains near a prime trout fishing area—and is now a force to be reckoned with on the culinary competition scene. But she doesn’t compete simply to win;

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Tips From a Competition Veteran Jane Mines, co-owner of Nima’s Pizza in Gassville, Arkansas, has been competing, along with her husband, Rick, in pizza making contests around the country since 2008. Here, she shares a few tips on how to make a positive impression and wow the judges:

BRIAN HERNANDEZ

Customers at Nima's Pizza can sit nearby and chat with the pizza makers as they work. "For us, it's about the interaction," co-owner Jane Mines says.

for her, it’s also about getting to know other pizza chefs and keeping up with the latest industry trends. Also, as a woman, Mines wants to support other female competitors, since there are so few of them, she notes.

Back home, she has the same nurturing attitude toward her pizzeria. “It’s a family atmosphere,” Jane says. “We are so close to the customers.” She waves her hand toward a seat near the cashier’s station, which faces the pizza oven and prep table.

“We’ve got the famous viewing seat here by the counter, and we just stop and chat with them. So many stores keep their cooking area and customer area separate. For us, it’s about the interaction, although it may not be a long conversation because you are trying to rotate the pizzas.”

Since the Mines make it a point to publicize their performances in pizza competitions, customers come in and inquire about the upcoming contests and make sure to try the new

• Be prepared to tweak your recipe.

• Be versatile; anything and everything can happen when competing.

• Be friendly.

• Present to the judges in a relaxed manner.

• Take your tools with you.

• Don’t rely on others to have what you need.

• Focus on presentation instead of complicated ingredients.

• Keep your pizza simple.

• Keep your local newspaper and website updated about competitive events.

pies. “They are part of it,” Rick says. “Get it out there—get your customers to be part of the competition by testing new pies with them.”

The Mines have plenty to brag about. When Rick first signed them up for a competition in 2008, he figured his wife would be mad at him. He thought the risk was worth it—even if they lost, they’d learn from other great pizza makers. By 2010, they were racking up first-place prizes as well as local and regional awards and even earned coverage on The Food Channel.

They also recently became affiliate members of the USPT, an investment that has yielded returns by drawing media attention

DANIEL PEREA

MELANIE ADDINGTON

DANIEL PEREA

(Left to right) Jane Mines competes in the American Pizza Championship at the International Baking Industry Expo; Jane has entered her Pepperoni Rose pizza in past competitions; the Mines strive to make every pizza an artistic and culinary triumph.

60 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

ing pastries and taking part in cupcake competitions. Using her grandmother’s recipes, Jane sells hundreds of pastries each day at Nima’s. The best part of adding the new baking component was the fact that the only additional equipment required was a new convection oven, she says. Her cream puffs are especially popular, and Nima’s is the only place that offers them in Gassville. “Dessert has come a long way,” she says. “People come in now just to buy pastries. It brings in new customers for us. They buy baked goods and then smell the pizza and come in again for that.”

MELANIE ADDINGTON

Jane's pastries are a new addition to the menu at Nima's Pizza.

to their store. The Mines will compete with the USPT at the World Pizza Championships in Italy this month, and, to build excitement, they teamed up with a PR firm to hold a special pizza tasting event for 25 members of the news media at their shop in Gassville a few months ago. In addition to regional newspapers and magazines, the event attracted reporters from USA Today and Entrepreneur. The journalists piled into the restaurant to taste various artisan pizzas created by the Mines and to learn more about the USPT. The Mines worked with area and state tourism offices to organize and promote the event.

Since then, customers have been stopping in to receive updates on their travel plans, offering to help sponsor their trips and generally rallying behind the couple and their pizzeria.

Jane has also made a name for herself with her desserts, bak-

A Sense of Belonging For Jane, the USPT membership is also about her devotion to the pizza making craft. She strives to make each pizza a unique—and wonderfully edible—work of art. But it was the camaraderie at the American Pizza Championship event that really won her over and persuaded her to join the USPT. Jane spent much of her time encouraging other team members, and the jovial atmosphere gave her a sense of belonging with the team. “It is unique to compete with the USPT,” she says. “The team is going to be my baby.”

Jane says she was the only female competitor in her first event in 2008 and that most people thought she was assisting her husband rather than competing alongside him. Today, her fellow pizza makers take notice when Jane enters competitions. She feels that she and Leah Scurto from the Pizza My

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Heart (pizzamyheart.com) chain in California led the way for other women to begin competing. Today, the female ranks have grown, including Heather Zook of Sinfully Gluten-Free (sinfullygf.com) in Centerville, Ohio, who recently won the American Pizza Championship for the first time.

While the Mines have won regional and national pie making competitions, they will compete in Italy this month for the first time. The World Pizza Championship will feature more than 300 pizza chefs from 32 countries in culinary and acrobatic contests. Rick says he looks forward to participating in what he describes as “the Olympics of pizza.” For her part, Jane has been preparing for the big showdown by watching footage of previous competitions and plans to observe her rivals closely— and learn from them—while in Italy. The Mines have already begun reworking their recipes, hoping to hit upon the perfect pie to win over the Italian judges. “I’m so excited to be part of the U.S. Pizza Team,” Jane says. “And I’m especially excited to get my pizzas in front of Italian judges.”

Meanwhile, Rick says he and his wife will continue to serve up the best pies they can make for their hometown customers and friends. “Our goal is to have the best food at the best value, and it is our responsibility to make that happen,” he says. “We look at everything in small numbers. If you take care of the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves.”

Melanie Addington is PMQ’s social media director.

62 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

BRIAN HERNANDEZ

Nima's Pizza & More has joined the U.S. Pizza Team as an affiliate member and will travel to Parma, Italy, with the team this month.

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FEATURE STORY TIP TAXATION

g n i p p i T Point The

Learn how the IRS’ ruling on automatic gratuities could impact your restaurant and affect your employees’ income.

By Michael J. Rasmussen, CPA, and Laura Hanlon, CPA

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s reported in the March issue of PMQ, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) now classifies an automatic gratuity—that is, any required tip added by restaurant management to customers’ bills—as a service charge instead of a tip, and these charges will constitute taxable wages for payroll tax purposes. So what does this mean for restaurant operators? In this article, we’ll look at the ruling in some detail and explain how restaurateurs can remain in good standing with the IRS and help their employees do the same.

The IRS ruling (Revenue Ruling 2012-18) on automatic gratuities isn’t exactly new—it was first issued in June 2012 in an effort to update earlier tax policies on tips, specifically Revenue Ruling 95-7. But implementation was delayed to give restaurants and other businesses more time to comply. The ruling earned a great deal of media coverage after officially taking effect in January 2014.

So what has changed? Since 1994, restaurateurs have been able to characterize mandatory automatic gratuities as “tips” for tax purposes, thus avoiding paying FICA tax on those amounts. This had an obvious advantage for both employers and employees and led to widespread use of this method of payment. The practice helped ensure that employees would receive appropriate tips when serving large parties (such as tables of six or more people) while also reducing tax-related paperwork for restaurant operators.

64 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

In 2012, however, the IRS released Revenue Ruling 201218, which stated that it would begin to consider automatic gratuities to be wages subject to normal withholding rules. The IRS applied its traditional test for determining whether a payment was a “tip,” which includes looking at whether the customer decides the amount of the payment and who receives the payment. In this case, because automatic gratuities are mandatory, the IRS will consider them to be service charges—and thus taxable wages—instead of tips. Additionally, mandatory delivery fees—such as those charged by many pizzerias—will also be considered service charges and will be taxed accordingly.

Defining a Tip In the case of restaurant employees, exactly what makes a tip a tip? The IRS uses the following criteria: qq The payment must be given by customers voluntarily and free from compulsion. qq Customers must have the unrestricted right to determine the amount of their tips. qq The payment should not be the subject of negotiation or dictated by employer policy. qq The customer has the right to determine who receives the tips.

The IRS does not consider automatic gratuities, such as a service charge of 18% on parties of six or more customers, to be tips because they don’t meet the above criteria. Therefore, the 18%

automatic gratuity is considered a service charge dictated by the restaurant, and any money disbursed to employees from this charge will be treated as wages for FICA tax purposes.

Assessing the Impact So how will this ruling affect your everyday business? If your restaurant continues to add automatic gratuities to checks, you can expect the following: qq More paperwork and record keeping to differentiate tips and service charges, including documentation to substantiate why a payment is treated as a tip or as a service charge qq An increase in payroll taxes for both restaurants and servers qq A reduction of tip credit due to payments classified as service charges, not tips Operators can take advantage of an IRS program called the Tip Rate Alternative Commitment (TRAC). Under TRAC, employers must take steps to increase tip reporting compliance by employees, and in exchange the IRS won’t demand more FICA taxes from the employer in the event of tip underreporting. If employees underreport their tip income, the IRS will examine only the employees, not the employers. Under the terms of the TRAC agreement, employees must report all tips they receive over each calendar month in written statements submitted to the employer, and procedures must be in place to ensure the tip reports’ accuracy. Operators must also maintain a quarterly educational program that trains newly hired employees about tip reporting and periodically updates existing employees about their tip reporting obligations. Operators must also comply with federal tax requirements regarding filing of returns, paying and depositing of taxes, and maintaining records related to payroll.

Tipped employees must report tips to employers using Form 4070, Employee’s Report of Tips to Employer, and Form 4070A, Employee’s Daily Record of Tips. As the employer, you will not be held responsible for verifying the accuracy of the amount of tip income your employees report to you. Rather, the burden of proof lies with the employee. If the employee fails to report tips of $20 or more per calendar quarter to the employer, the latter may be held liable only for the employer’s portion of FICA. Additionally, automatic gratuities or service charges will be subject to sales tax in many states, whereas tips will not be included in a taxable sale. While sales tax is not an employer or employee expense, it does drive up the cost to the customer to dine at your establishment.

In the final analysis, restaurant operators will have to make a decision: Will they continue adding automatic gratuities to their checks or get rid of them? Treating these gratuities as

taxable service charges could make it harder to find waitstaff willing to work large parties, and the service charges will have to go through the payroll process, meaning operators can’t cash out their servers on a daily basis. Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden and Red Lobster, has reportedly ditched automatic gratuities at many of its locations and now simply lists suggested tip amounts on a separate part of the check instead. Other chains are expected to follow suit.

With this in mind, operators will need to sit down and discuss the new ruling and its implications with their employees if they haven’t already done so. Let them know that the IRS mandated the change and that ignoring the law could have dire consequences. Seek employees’ input before you implement any changes to your restaurant’s policy, but, in the end, the decision, of course, will be yours and only yours to make.

Michael J. Rasmussen and Laura Hanlon are certified public accountants who specialize in the restaurant industry.

April 2014

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MEET THE TANK LIZ BARRETT

Meet the Tank: David Waterman

PMQ’s Think Tank (thinktank.pmq.com) is the only pizza industry forum on the Web, with 2,500 members who meet online regularly to discuss the pizza business. In this column, we’ll introduce you to some of the Tank’s seasoned members who can show you the ropes and lend insights into how the forum has benefited their businesses.

Think Tank username: wa dave Real Name: David Waterman Pizzeria: Pizza Pizzazz Currambine, Perth, Western Australia Date Joined: August 21, 2006 Number of Posts: 1,585

Can you share an example of a business tip or tips you picked up in the Tank that helped your business?

When did you first start using the Think Tank, and do you remember why you joined?

I guess the most effective tips dealt with ways to counter a national chain store opening 100 meters up the road from us about four years ago. By combining various marketing tips from Tank members and other tactics, we carried out a guerrilla marketing campaign against the chain from its opening date, with the end result being the chain has never reached its projected sales levels. Tom Boyles actually wrote an article on us in PMQ Australia covering our story in detail.

I started using the Australian version in early 2006 but was transferred to the U.S. Think Tank and have been here since.

What should a newbie know when first entering the Think Tank?

Why have you continued to return to the Think Tank over the years?

Don’t be afraid to post questions, no matter how silly they may seem. Take all information in hand, even if you feel the answer or comments seem to put you down. The responses are coming from seasoned operators who have seen and heard it all and have done the hard yards to success. They should also look through the archives for the wealth of information there.

PMQ: How many years have you been in the pizza business? wa dave (David): Eight years, since December 12, 2005.

I visit for the useful information, camaraderie, and just keeping abreast of the pizza industry. An answer to someone’s question may help him as I have been helped before.

What do you use the Think Tank for most?

Industry trends, problem solving and marketing ideas.

Connect with fellow operators in the Think Tank! Visit today at thinktank.pmq.com.

66 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT The Gourmet Difference

Don’t Forget Your Jacket!

The Small Sandwich Jacket is Bag Solutions’ best thermal delivery bag for hot or cold food.

It’s great for ice cream, sandwiches, salads, wings and other small items. Packed with poly batting thermal insulation, an easy-to-clean lining, a divider board and two large side pockets for napkins and cutlery, this bag will fit your delivery needs. 866-224-8646, pizzajacket.com

Top Fabbri Gourmet Sauces are delicious, sweet, creamy sauces available in 30 fruit, nut and classic flavors. They’re perfect for topping ice cream, gelato, pastry and confectioneries and as an ingredient in coffee drinks, cocktails, Italian sodas and smoothies. They’re also ideal for swirling into soft serve and frozen yogurt and enhancing savory dishes, dessert pizzas and more.

718-764-8311, fabbrinorthamerica.com

Mad About Meatballs Tyson Food Service introduces the new Bonici meatballs, with only the flavors pizzeria operators want at the prices they need. Bonici meatballs are perfect for pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and any other application you can think of. With more than 2,500 products, Tyson provides great quality, price points and menu options—all from one trusted place. 800-248-9766, bonici.com

Private Label Sauce Solutions Thinking about offering a premium prepared pizza sauce under your own banner? Casa Visco offers turnkey private label solutions, using their recipe or yours, with low minimums and quick turnarounds.

Varieties include Original Italian Style, Authentic Neapolitan Style, California Garlic Lover’s, Casa Kids and Gluten-Free/ Allergen-Free sauces. 518-377-8814, casavisco.com

Cuts Like a SpeedKnife The SpeedKnife is a patented heavy-duty pizza cutter with two 4” wheels. It’s a faster, easier, safer and more costeffective tool for pizza shops and features an ergonomic design that provides maximum control and ease of use.

With proper care, it could last three to five times longer than standard cutting knives.

610-269-6396, qualitybyliones.com

The Mobile Marketing Solution Innov8 Marketing’s Five-in-One Mobile Marketing Platform allows you to stand up against the chains and take back your piece of the pie.

This comprehensive custom-designed app requires zero technical knowledge for setup. Online ordering is free from transaction fees, deposits funds immediately, and works with or without a POS system. 615-669-8286, innov8mktg.com

April 2014

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IDEA ZONE GOLDEN CANNOLI

A D V E R T O R I A L

Transform Your Dessert Menu with Golden Cannoli Now is the time to spice up your menu with the hottest and most profitable dessert on the market today—cannoli! Founded in 1970 in Boston by two Italian bakers, Francesco Bono and Angelo Bresciani, Golden Cannoli offers the best hand-rolled, artisan-made cannoli in the world! Filled fresh-to-order or in pre-filled packs for the cooler case, Golden Cannoli’s products have a long shelf life with no waste, no mess and, no joke, this is an amazing option for your customers and your profit margin.

With Golden Cannoli, it only takes seconds to create an authentic cannoli dessert that will match your unbeatable pizza, appetizers and entrée selections. Using Golden Cannoli shells and fillings, you can finish off your menu with the most unique experience in desserts today. And with Golden Cannoli’s retail packs, you can serve it up in seconds—simply snip the tip of a Golden Cannoli filling bag and squeeze the filling into the shell. It’s that easy!

Whether you create an authentic cannoli filled with sweet ricotta cheese or gelato or offer trendy new fan favorites, such

as cannoli chips and dip or dessert nachos, you will find out quickly that, with very little investment and very little elbow grease, you can generate awesome profits.

To further set your pizzeria apart from competitors, use a Golden Cannoli shell and fill it with your own savory housemade sauces, meats and cheeses for a twist on the fantastic dessert. Bake in the oven for two minutes, and bam! You’ve got your own unique cannoli-tizer!

Need more ideas for incorporating cannoli into your menus?

Valerie Ann Bono at Golden Cannoli is known in the industry as the cannoli guru. Her creative spirit and nothing-is-impossible knowledge about pizzeria menus and cannoli is unparalleled. So contact Golden Cannoli today for ideas and menu options, and remember to ask about the PMQ special “Pizzeria Cannoli Kit”—everything you need to get cannoli on your menu fast! You can also order through the company’s website and use the code PMQ2014 to get 20% off! 617-868-2826, goldencannoli.com

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PROFITABLE GOURMET UNIQUE No mixing, No measuring, No clean up!

We have created the easy to use disposable pastry bag for operators. No guess work, grab a shell, snip the tip of the filling bag and fill the shell. Dust with powdered sugar and chocolate chips, nuts or candy cane! DONE.

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Consistent shells, consistent filling, consistent pricing eliminates waste and profit margin discrepancies. Start today & watch your customers fall in love!

Visit www.goldencannoli.com for our exclusive PMQ Pizzeria Cannoli Kit to start rolling in the dough!

Use 20% off with code ‘PMQ2014’ at checkout.

Golden Cannoli - 99 Crescent Avenue, Chelsea, MA 02150 - 617-868-2826 ext. 200 - www.goldencannoli.com 68 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

IDEA ZONE INFINITE CREATIVE ENTERPRISES

A D V E R T O R I A L

LED Electronic Message Centers: On-Premise Advertising That Generates Results Like the many advances in our modern world, the latest developments in advertising come through advances in technology. Through technology, LED Electronic Message Centers offer distinct advantages over traditional advertising and basic signage in three key areas: 1. Gaining Attention—In this modern era, our senses are constantly barraged, and we have become desensitized by much of what we are meant to notice. When a person is exposed to traditional signs repeatedly, he becomes immunized; the signs simply become part of the landscape. That means no one notices the business the sign was meant to promote. Gaining attention is the first step in bringing new customers in the door.

Everyone notices and reads an LED-based Electronic Message Center. Whether animated or not, flashing or still, those bright LEDs demand to be noticed!

2. Strategic Marketing—With traditional signage, your message is limited, static and quickly ignored. With an Electronic Message Center, messages can be created on the fly or timed to appear when most advantageous. Dynamic content on an Electronic Message Center isn’t just easier and more practical than what can be done on a traditional or even a changeable-letter sign; it’s also far more powerful. On average, a sign needs to be seen for seven seconds to be read.

If a commuter is exposed to a static sign for 30 seconds, they

will be exposed to the same message for the entire time. If they notice it at all, they certainly won’t spend that entire 30 seconds paying attention to it. With an Electronic Message Center, the commuter can be exposed to four different sevensecond messages, promotions and calls to action, and each message demands to be read on the spot. Equally importantly, an Electronic Message Center targets your marketing efforts directly to those who are most likely to become your customers!

Consumerism is led by convenience, and what could be more convenient than the pizza shop people pass on their way to and from work? These are the people an Electronic Message Center advertises to!

3. Generating Results—According to a U.S. Small Business Administration study, businesses that invest in Electronic Message Centers see an increase in business between 15% and 150%! It concluded that no other advertising medium comes close to Electronic Message Centers on a return-oninvestment basis. For 1,000 exposures, newspaper advertising costs more than $7, TV costs over $6, and radio costs over $5.

LED Electronic Message Centers cost less than fifteen cents for 1,000 exposures. There is no better ROI in advertising!

The future of advertising is led by the latest technology, and with the iBoard Series LED Electronic Message Centers from I.C.E. Signs, the future is NOW! 800-242-0761, icesigns.com

April 2014

pmq.com 69

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

70 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

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April 2014

pmq.com 73

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ADVERTISER INDEX APRIL 2014 Advertiser

Phone Website

Page

AM Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708-841-0959 . . . . . . ammfg.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Baron Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856-825-8989 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Bellissimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-813-2974 . . . . . . . bellissimofoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Boylan Fountain Soda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-289-7989 . . . . . . . boylanbottling.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Burke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-654-1152 . . . . . . burkecorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Delivery Bags USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-501-2247 . . . . . . deliverybagsusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Escalon Premier Brands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-ESCALON . . . . . . escalon.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 EZ Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-853-1263 . . . . . . ezdinepos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Flavor Burst Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-264-3528 . . . . . . flavorburst.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3 Fruit Fly Bar Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-282-3079 . . . . . . . fruitflybarpro.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Fontanini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-331-6370 . . . . . . . fontanini.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Grande Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-8-GRANDE . . . . . grandecheese.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hoodmart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-715-1014 . . . . . . . hoodmart.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 HTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-321-1850 . . . . . . hthsigns.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 La Nova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-881-3366 . . . . . . lanova.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4 Le 5 Stagioni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-780-2280 . . . . . . . le5stagioni.it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Liguria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-765-1452 . . . . . . . liguriafoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Lloyd Pans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-748-6251 . . . . . . . lloydpans.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 MF&B Restaurant Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-480-EDGE . . . . . edgeovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Marsal & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-226-6688 . . . . . . marsalsons.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Microworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-787-2068 . . . . . . . microworks.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Middleby Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-34-OVENS . . . . . . wowoven.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Moving Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-926-2451 . . . . . . movingtargets.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 MPP Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-889-8745 . . . . . . . mppmarketinggroup.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 NAPICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . napics.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Nutella Foodservice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nutellafoodservice.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Our Town America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-497-8360 . . . . . . ourtownamerica.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ovention Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-298-OVEN . . . . . . oventionovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Pendelton Flour Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-809-9089 . . . . . . pfmills.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Pizza Skool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517-395-4765 . . . . . . . traintogreatness.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Revel Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-584-3316 . . . . . . revelsystems.com/pizzapmq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Smithfield-Farmland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-444-1580 . . . . . . carandopizzatoppings.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Speedline Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-400-9185 . . . . . . speedlinesolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Square Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-444-1580 . . . . . . square.com/pmq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2 Stanislaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-327-7201 . . . . . . . stanislaus.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 Somerset Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-667-3355 . . . . . . . smrset.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Sunray Printing Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320-492-3017 . . . . . . sunrayprinting.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Taste It Presents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908-241-9191 . . . . . . tasteitpresents.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Tyson Foods, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-248-9766 . . . . . . . tysonfoodservice.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Univex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-258-6358 . . . . . . univexcorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 XLT Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-443-2751 . . . . . . xltovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 PMQ provides this information as a courtesy to our readers and will not be held responsible for errors or omissions. To report an error, call 662-234-5481 x127.

April 2014

pmq.com 75

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE Grab a direct weblink to every advertiser in this guide at PMQ.com

ADVERTISING

CHEESE CONT.

Redshift Backpage Ad (Draft 1).pdf

1

8/2/13

2:59 PM

APPS

Mobile Voice Recognition For Hands Free Ordering www.redshiftcompany.com (720) 884-6853 COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE BAKING SCHOOLS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BAKING..........................................................Manhattan, KS 785-537-4750.................................................................................Fax: 785-537-1493

BAKING STONES CALIFORNIA PIZZA STONES............................................. www.californiapizzastones.com Virtually indestructible and impervious to thermal shock. 100% Guarantee against cracking.

(707) 545-6528.......................................................... support@CaliforniaPizzaStones.com FIBRAMENT-D BAKING STONE.....................................................www.bakingstone.com 708-478-6032.......................................NSF approved baking stone for all ovens by AWMCO

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817.299.4500 sales@BreakawayPOS.com www.BreakawayPOS.com All The Tech Your Pizzeria Needs Tablet and Traditional Point-of-Sale • Integrated online & smartphone ordering •

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76 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Self Serve Kiosk ordering Automated customer loyalty marketing

800.750.3947 www.granburyrs.com

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

CRUSTS

MOUNTAIN HARVEST PIZZA CRUST CO.......................................................................... Billings, MT Contact: Eric LeCaptain...........................800-342-6205......................................Fax: 406-248-7336 Sheeted Dough, Prebake Crusts, Dough Balls, Freezer to Oven, Self-Rising Crusts in Standard, Wheat and Nine Grain..................................................................... eric@mountainharvestpizza.com

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

DOUGH

DeIorio Foods

@DeIorios

blog.DeIorios.com

DeIorios.com

CONSULTING

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS • Dough Trays – extremely durable and airtight!

Outlasts All Other Dough Trays • Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit!

• Plastic Dough Knives – two ergonomic designs!

• Dough Tray Dollies – heavy duty!

Excellence in Customer service since 1955!

The preferred dough tray of the largest pizza companies in the world.

Buy direct from the manufacturer with over 25 years manufacturing in dough trays.

Call 800-501-2458 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

When Dough Matters!

Eliminate racks, lids and tins with our stackable, airtight and cost effective Dough Trays.

1-502-969-2305 www.DoughTrays.com COST EFFECTIVE

STACKABLE

AIRTIGHT

DURABLE

ORDER DIRECT

4601 COMMERCE CROSSINGS DR., STE 300, LOUISVILLE, KY 40229 | p: 502-969-2305 | f: 502-810-0907

WWW.DOUGHTRAYS.COM

800.835.0606 ext. 205 | www.doughxpress.com

dough presses, dough dividers/divider rounders, dough dockers, carts and accessories

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE BAY STATE MILLING GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA MIX............................................ baystatemilling.com Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, Custom-blends and Co-Packing Dedicated production area for exceptional purity...........................................................800-55-FLOUR

FLOUR

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE FLOUR CONT.

FROZEN YOGURT

Frozen Yogurt = $ Add frozen yogurt as a profit center.

1-800-788-0808 www.nancis.com/pizza GELATO

True Artisan Gelato

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS W H O L E S O

(888) 316-1545 www.stefanosgelato.com M E

&

D E L I C I O U S ™ WHOLES

OME & DELICIOUS

™

HYGIENE

A FLY KILLER Kills all flies, cockroaches & spiders Guaranteed elimination

888-282-3079, or 631-237-1414 www.fruitflybarpro.com

INDUSTRY STATISTICS 1051 Amboy Avenue, Perth Amboy NJ

800-997-0887 or 732-346-0600 Fax:732-346-0882

Serving NY, NJ, PA, DE, CT

www.vesuviofoods.com

RESTAURANTDATA.COM Easy Access ■ Flexible Searches ■ Smart Results 1 Bridge St • PO Box 285 • Irvington NY 10533 • 914-591-4297

INSURANCE PIZZAPRO..............................................................Low cost pizza delivery insurance program Contact Julie Evans (717) 214-7616..............................................................www.pizzapro.amwins.com

FRANCHISING Should You Franchise Your Restaurant?

Call today to receive your free DVD on “How to Franchise Your Business” and learn about one of the most dynamic methods of expanding your business in today’s marketplace.

708-957-2300 • www.ifranchisegroup.com

®

FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT

MIDDLEBY MARSHALL

OVENS MIXERS

RANDELL

PREP TABLES

AMERICAN RANGE

WALK-INS

SOMERSET

PARTS SMALLWARES

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1-800-426-0323

www.northernpizza.com

IMPERIAL

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT CONT.

MANAGEMENT

keep more of your hard earned dough!

3 money saving programs:

sCheduLing • aTTendanCe • daiLy Log

FAST, PAINLESS SCHEDULING • MONITOR LABOR COSTS • REDUCE TURNOVER • NOTIFY EMPLOYEES • ELIMINATE BUDDY PUNCHING • IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS • WEB-BASED

save time and increase profits!

MAGNETS

www.timeforge.com 866.684.7191

MARKETING IDEAS LOCALGIFTCARDS.COM...........888-494-9760.....Your pizzas are mobile – why not try mobile gift cards? Sell e-gift cards and m-gift cards on your website. No upfront costs. Simple set up.

Visit LocalGiftCards.com to get started.

MAGNETS 7.9¢ ea.

• Business Card Magnet • Pizza Slice Magnet

Dine In•Carryout•Catering

• Free Design Work

2503B N. Harrison St. 6 Arlington, VA 22207-161

• 2,000 minimum

703-237-0200 www.pie-tanza.com

800-521-4773

www.magneticattracations.com/BCM MAILING SERVICES MEAT TOPPINGS

BURKE CORPORATION....................................................................................... www.BurkeCorp.com Italian, Mexican-Style and Specialty Fully Cooked Meats Contact: Liz Hertz.............................. sales_info@burkecorp.com.............................800-654-1152 SUGAR CREEK PACKING CO.,............................... Private Label Precooked Meat Topping Specialists www.sugarcreek.com.......................................800-848-8205............................sales@sugarcreek.com

MIXERS USED HOBART 60 QT. MIXER FOR SALE AT US $4980.00 PLUS SHIPPING. Call Lynn at 214-552-3218.............................................................................. or e-mail tbfm@tbfm.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MIXERS CONT.

ONLINE ORDERING

60 Quart, Heavy Duty Pizza Mixer Handles 50 lb. bag of flour • Direct gear drive transmission Rigid cast iron construction • Best warranty in its class

www.globemixers.com • 800-347-5423

Mixing, Dividing, Rounding, and Spinning www.univexcorp.com Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249

MOBILE CATERING TRUCKS/UNITS

PIZZA BOXES

MOISTURE-ABSORBENT TOPPINGS CONDITIONER KRISP-IT LTD............................................................................... 800-KRISP-IT (800-574-7748) Keep it Crisp with Krisp-It! www.krisp-it.com......................................................................................................nick@krisp-it.com

OLIVES PIZZA TRAINING

ON HOLD MARKETING

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

PIZZA OVENS CONT. EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. ................6717 San Fernando Rd....................Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915........................Fax: 818-553-1133........................... www.earthstoneovens.com All units UI listed.

Keep Your Pizza HOT & DRY

Electric Pizza Delivery Bags 888-556-2024 • www.RediHeat.com Call or Order Online

WOOD STONE CORPORATION.......................................Stone Hearth & Specialty Commercial Cooking Equipment..................................... 1801 W. Bakerview Rd.............Bellingham, WA 98226 TOLL Free 800-988-8103......................Fax: 360-650-1166............woodstone-corp.com

CUSTOMERS CARE

HOW THEIR FOOD IS DELIVERED The Electric HOTBAG™ Heated Delivery System Heats and stays at 160-175F Dry electric heat = No Moisture 1000 Denier Nylon Construction Two Heating Elements Easy to clean

Any quantity or mix of bags AC to DC power supplies Heat all bags simultaneously Quick release power connectors

www.hotbag.com 800-927-6787 Made in the USA

NO MORE COLD & SOGGY FOOD, NO MORE UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS!

PIZZA OVENS MARSAL & SONS, INC.................................................. The new standard in the Pizza Industry Brick Lined Deck Ovens • Standard Deck Ovens • Prep Table Refrigeration 631-226-6688.......................... marsalsons.com ......................... rich@marsalsons.com ROTO-FLEX OVEN CO...............................................................................Contact Richard Dunfield 135 East Cevallos, San Antonio, TX 78204 PH 800-386-2279................... www.rotoflexoven.com.........................Fax 210-222-9007

Stone Deck, Pizza Dome, and Bakery

www.univexcorp.com Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249

WWW.XLTOVENS.COM TO ORDER CALL (316) 943-2751 | TOLL-FREE: (888) 443-2751 | FAX: (316) 943-2769

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA OVENS CONT.

PIZZA PEELS

PIZZA SUPPLIES

• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

National Marketing, Inc.

www.nminc.com 800-994-4664

734-266-2222

Fax: 734-266-2121

Manufacturers’ Direct Pricing • Call or order online • We export

PIZZA PANS

Inventor of

The Quik-Disk™

The best screen replacement since 1989.

LLOYD INDU STR IES ®

100’s OF SMART PIZZA PRODUCTS ONLINE!

Buy Direct and Save $$ • www.lloydpans.com • 1-800-748-6251

AMERICAN MADE

Pizza Screens • The Ultimate in Bake Disks Pizza Pans... Round, Square, & Rectangular Sauce/Cheese Rings • Pan Covers Pizza Cutters/Knives

P.A. PRODUCTS, Inc. BAKEWARE SPECIALISTS

33709 Schoolcraft • Livonia, Michigan 48150 (734) 421-1060 • FAX: (734) 421-1208 www.paprod.com

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

Reach 50,000 Customers PIZZA BUSINESS CARD PACK Get in on our Fall 2014 mailing!

Get your message into the hands of: • Every subscriber of PMQ Pizza Magazine (a BPA audited circulation) • Top officers of the 500 largest U.S. pizza chains • Pizza industry vendors and promoters View the pizza industry’s best deals online at www.pizzacardpack.com!

Book by May 31st to get the Early Bird Special!

SPACE IS LIMITED! CALL TO RESERVE YOUR CARD NOW! Tom Boyles tom@pmq.com 662-234-5481 x122

Linda Green linda@pmq.com 662-234-5481 x121

86 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Clifton Moody clifton@pmq.com 662-234-5481 x138

Anna Zemek anna@pmq.com 662-234-5481 x140

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PRINTING

We Will Beat Any Advertised Menu Deals Full Color Glossy TakeouT Menus 11 x 17 ~ PrinTed Full Color on BoTh sides ~ 80 lB Glossy PaPer

SPECIAL # 1 (everyday)

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PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage PAID EDDM Retail

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$ 16.00

FULL SERVICE CATERING SUNDAY IS TRAY DAY AT G’s Mama PIZZA

1 tray of Reg. Pizza (28 pieces) and 1 - 2 liter of pop ALL FOR ONLY

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(pick up only)

Local Postal Customer

INGREDIENTS...

SPECIAL #2 (everyday) 14 pcs. of Reg. Pizza 1 order of Cheesy Garlic Bread and 1 - 2 liter of pop

Mama G’s Catering is a full line caterer that will come to your home, your business or you can come to us at the Greek Church ( Hellinic Steubenville where we cater. Hall ) in downtown

All food is homemade, just like Mama used to make, and we specializing in roast beef, all kinds of chicken, pork, pasta, are a full line caterer superb salads, and fantastic desserts just to name a few delicious side dishes, We can prepare anything you of our more popular items. want.

Weddings? Graduations? Baptisms?

Funerals? Business Meetings?

Parties? No matter what the Christmas occasion, let Mama do the cooking for you. From 30 over 300 people we will provide to the best of the best in food service to you at a price that can’t be beat.

G’s MamaZA PIZ

other sizes available 7-10 day turnaround Home Delivery and

$895 $1295 $2295 $3795

10,000 25,000 50,000 100,000

Full Service Catering Available

ECRWSS

Our selection of delicious Sara Lee Bistro Collection Desserts vary, please ask your server for selections. $2.75 each or 3 for $7.50

THIS GOOD

$ 16.00

...CAN MAKE A PIZZA

ALL FOR ONLY

ONLY THE FRESHEST

BEST CHOICE PRINT & MARKETING EXPERTS.................................................For over 25 Years Best Prices & Quality: .............................................................. Menus, Flyers, Door hangers, Post Cards Print & Mail, Menus or Postcards .................................................................... Includes postage 27.5 ea WWW.bcms.US ................................................................................................... or call 800-783-0990

Phone Orders are

WELCOME HOURS:

Sun—Sat 4pm—Midnight

10/2012 © designed & printed by www.takeoutprinting.com

We ship nationwide

Call now & save uP To $500...

Free Custom Design

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Please Mention this Card When You Place Your 11 x 17 Menu Order Some Restrictions may apply. While Supplies Last. Limited Time Offer. Call for Details. *Lock in today.... While supplies last

We Design & Print & You Mail Your 11 x 17 Takeout Menu locally for only

17¢

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We also offer:

Takeout Menus • Boxtoppers • Magnets Flyers • In House Menus Kid’s Menus • Custom Placemats Business Cards • Post Cards • Rack Cards Stickers • Thank You Cards • Doorhangers Banners • Gift Certificates • Table Tents Posters • Signs & More

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Read it now at www.takeoutprinting.com shading/shadow VisitNoOur Website for Our Free Reports, Photo Library & Restaurant Marketing Ideas

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REFRIGERATION

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Solid Shadow

SAUCE ARMANINO FOODS .....................................................................................................Fine Italian Sauces 30588 San Antonio Street, Haywood, CA...........................................................................866-553-5611 Email: customerservice@armaninofoods.com................................ www.armaninofoods.com

1 - 845 - 564 - 2609

SOCIAL MEDIA !

Social Media / Online Reputation

WARNING Management Requires Professionals

Don’t Risk Trying It Yourself Call the experts 800.926.2451 ext. 318 movingtargets.com

SPECIALTY FOODS CASTELLA IMPORTS, INC. ................................................................................... www.castella.com 60 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788.................................................................................866-Castella

SPICE FORMULATION, BLENDING & PACKAGING CASTELLA IMPORTS, INC. .................................................................................. www.castella.com 60 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788.................................................................................866-Castella MCCLANCY SEASONING............................................................One Spice Road, Fort Mill, SC 29707 Contact: Dominic Damore..................................................................... dominic.damore@mcclancy.com 800-843-1968..........................................................................................................info@mcclancy.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE SPICE FORMULATION, BLENDING & PACKAGING

TOMATO PRODUCTS CONT

SUPER DOUGH BOWLS

SUPER DOUGH BOWLS Non Stick • Easy to Clean • FDA Approved Plastic Heavy Weight • Last 10X longer than metal!

Replace your dented ones TODAY !

VENTILATION

MADE IN THE USA Manufacturer’s Direct Pricing Free Sample Available - $15 del/hand REBATED on first order. email us at: bhausen@aol.com

Call Sid

516-546-7744 TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES/SERVICE Specializing in voice and data communications service, repair, installation, sequencers and on-hold messaging.

VINYL REPAIR

GUARANTEED LOWEST INDUSTRY PRICE!

Restaurant Upholstery Experts

www.fidelitycom.com.........................800-683-5600 RepaiR

TOMATO PRODUCTS

Remodeling Custom Build

561.981.6200 WINGS

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www.vinylrepairmaster.com

Ovention® Matchbox® 1313

BIG MENU. BIG PROFITS. SMALL SPACE. Whether it’s pizzas or a whole lot of other profit boosters,

no other oven cooks a full and varied menu better, faster, easier.

Sure there’s new. But this is more than that.

It’s a step-change, a game changer. If you’ve been wishing for an accelerated-cooking countertop oven that does everything better than yesterday’s models, the revolutionary new Matchbox is it. It’s fast without microwaves.

Precision Impingement gives you exceptional cooking quality for everything from breakfast sandwiches and paninis to grilled vegetables, to pizza and cookies. It’s UL-certified ventless, so you can put it just about anywhere.

See the Matchbox in action at: OventionOvens.com/videos

Ovention® Matchbox® 1718

Expect the unexpected from Ovention!

• •

Accelerated cooking No microwaves

• •

UL-listed ventless Easy and programmable

The 1718 upgrades you to twin 17” x 18” cook surfaces for bigger batches, bigger pizzas, etc.

Otherwise the 1718 delivers all the features and advantages of the 1313: Twin cook surfaces alternate, matchbox-style, into and out of the cook chamber. Program controls for 1,000 menu items set times, temps, separate top and bottom blower speeds. When done, food unloads automatically. See it in action at OventionOvens.com/videos

Ovention® Shuttle™

OVENTION, INC.

635 South 28th Street • Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53215 • Call Toll Free 855.298.OVEN www.OventionOvens.com • Email: connect@OventionOvens.com

What if you want the Matchbox, but at certain hours you have rushes for particular menu items? Maybe for those times, you think you need a conveyor. Meet the Ovention Shuttle— think of it as a Matchbox with a conveyor mode, or a conveyor with a Matchbox mode.

Most of the time, you probably need a cool, quiet, energy-efficient oven. For those times, it operates as a Matchbox. But for those certain times when you want a conveyor, you’ve got it.

See the Shuttle in action at: OventionOvens.com/videos

DEPARTMENT TIME CAPSULE

Bill’s Pizza & Pub This small-town Illinois underdog has been successfully increasing its fan base since 1957.

When most teens in the ’50s were cruising around town and lining up dates, 17-year-old Bill Kwiatkowski was embarking on entrepreneurship, purchasing a tiny sandwich shack in Mundelein, Illinois. He had worked at a pizzeria outside Chicago in his high school years, and he soon introduced the little-known novelty dish to the small town. Bill’s Pizza & Pub (billspizzapub.com), operated by Bill and his wife, Pat, suffered through some slow nights at first, but divine intervention was at hand. “Nearby there was a seminary for priests in training, and after curfew they’d order 20 pizzas—that really helped keep the business afloat in the early years,” laughs Mary Ann Rouse, daughter of Bill and current owner. “My father would hide behind a tree with the pizzas until someone snuck out to get them!”

But as Mundelein grew, so did Bill’s. In 1968, the couple bought the bar next door and turned it into a pub/restaurant (to this day, pizzas are still crafted in the original building and toted next door for dine-in). The pizzeria became known for its cracker-thin, crispy crust; pork fennel sausage; and Double Decker pizza, a twocrusted wonder developed by Bill back in ’75. Today, the North Woods-themed pizzeria remains a family (and family-friendly) affair, with free peanut baskets for patrons, who toss the shells on the floor, and with Rouse’s uncle, sons and nieces on staff.

Expansion has continued thanks to a second location, opened in Third Lake, Illinois, in 1999, as well as a growing frozen pizza business that places product in local grocery stores and Whole Foods. On its 50th anniversary, Bill’s hosted a ’50s shindig, complete with poodle skirts, $2 pizzas and an Elvis impersonator (lines snaked around both buildings for more than six hours).

And the pizzeria has embraced Facebook to promote its unique events, like famed chef Norman Van Aken visiting for a book signing and whipping up Florida-inspired delicacies (think Pizza Cubano Nacho and mamey milkshakes). “In the old days, it was enough to just have an exceptional product,” Rouse says.

“Now, it’s all about marketing. But most of all, I love that we’re so involved with the community and have thrived for so many years— even in trying times!” —Tracy Morin

(Top to bottom) The original Bill’s was a tiny sandwich shack that Bill Kwiatkowski purchased at 17 years old; Pat and Bill ran the pizzeria as a family business for decades; the Bill’s sign, still standing today, was an old Rexall drugstore sign that Bill had redone for his pizzeria.

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Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 or more years?

If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com.

Links to Extra Content

Featured Video: Nima’s Pizza & More

Featured Video: PMQ Extra: Behind the Scenes at PMQ

Featured Video: Pizza 360: Marketing Advice From John Arena.

Featured Video: The Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza