PMQ Pizza Magazine September 2015

SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.PMQ.COM

GET THE

PICTURE! How to Shoot Pizza Like a Pro PAGE 36

Pizza Portraits: The Many Faces of Pizza PAGE 46

Text Appeal: Building a Mobile Fan Base PAGE 64

SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.PMQ.COM

GET THE

PICTURE!

How to Shoot Pizza Like a Pro PAGE 36

Pizza Portraits: The Many Faces of Pizza PAGE 46

Text Appeal: Building a Mobile Fan Base PAGE 64

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RECENTLY ON PIZZATV.COM COOKING WITH PMQ: THREE LITTLE PIGS Michael LaMarca, owner of Master Pizza (masterpizza. com) in Cleveland, Ohio, has a simple philosophy about creating new pizzas: Use ingredients you’ve already got on hand, give it a catchy name and make it taste good. He hit the jackpot with his Three Little Pigs pie, featuring ham, bacon, sausage and a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and provolone.

PMQ BLOGS

(THEPIZZAINSIDER.PMQ.COM)

8 WAYS TO SCORE WITH FALL FOOTBALL Football season is here, and that means lots of hungry fans that love carryout and delivery pizza. Now’s the time to gather schedules for every relevant team—including NFL, college and high school—and coordinate your plan of attack. Liz Barrett offers eight moneymaking ideas for the 2015-2016 season.

(SLICEOFLIFE.PMQ.COM)

WHEN (AND HOW) TO APOLOGIZE ON SOCIAL MEDIA For any number of reasons, it sometimes proves necessary for a pizzeria operator to issue a public apology through social media. But how do you apologize without making things worse? Melanie Addington explains what to do when “sorry” seems to be the hardest word.

INSIGHTS FROM A NEWCOMER TO THE PIZZA INDUSTRY When Andy Knef joined the PMQ staff as associate editor, he was “as clueless as a chump who eats pizza with a knife and fork.” Now the veteran journalist is ready to share his perspective on the people behind the pizzerias in his new blog at PMQ.com.

(PIZZAPERSPECTIVE.PMQ.COM)

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3 MARKETING IDEAS FROM LONDON PIZZERIAS Missy Green explores the land of fish and chips for new marketing ideas. And before you roll your eyes at the thought of British pizza, keep in mind that London’s Story Deli (storydeli.com) won the Chowzter Fast Feast award (a survey of international food bloggers) for the world’s best pizza in 2013.

FIND US ON:

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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PMQ PIZZA MAGAZIN ber 2015 E | Septem

PMQ.C 2015 | WWW.

19, Issue 7

ON THE COVER

How to Shoot

’s Busines Industry

PAGE 36

s Monthly

Get the Picture!

GET THREE! PICTU

The Pizza

36

OM

| Volume

Contents

SEPTE MBER

Pizza Like a

m | PMQ.co

: Pizza Portraits s The Many Face of Pizza PAGE 46

Pro

Text Appeal:Mobile Building a Fan Base PAGE 64

With the rise of social media, food photography has become a key element of pizzeria marketing.

Our experts offer a slew of foolproof tips to make sure your pizza shots look perfect. By Tracy Morin

FEATURES

24

Marketing Marvels: Wild West Pizza & Grill Fundraisers, giveaways and free video rentals make this California pizzeria one of the best in the west. By Liz Barrett

46

JENNIFER CHANDLER

36

State of the (Pizza) Art Innovative operators are “painting” their way to social media success with pizza art ranging from celebrity portraits to team logos. By Andy Knef

56

The Gluten-Free Gourmet With new alternative flours and premade crusts, it’s no longer enough to offer gluten-free pizza—yours has to be better than your competition’s fare. By Tracy Morin

64

Text Appeal Now’s the time to learn the art of text-based marketing, from attracting subscribers to crafting messages that sell.

By Tracy Morin

70

License to Advertise Hitch a ride to higher profits by designing a delivery vehicle that advertises your brand everywhere it goes. By Liz Barrett

46

76

The Superfan Jesse Ryan, the Mellow Mushroom #1 Superfan, has taken a step up—making pizzas at the chain’s Cartersville, Georgia, location. By Rick Hynum

82

10 Ways to Win in October Turn National Pizza Month into four straight weeks of fun and profit with these 10 promotional ideas.

By Rick Hynum

86 BIG MAMA’S & PAPA’S PIZZERIA

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

70

Dining With the Dutch Check out five clever ways a Dutch pizzeria improves efficiency and customer service.

By Missy Green Assink

DEPARTMENTS

16

In Lehmann’s Terms: Making Sure Your Dough Is Properly Mixed Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann recommends using this can’t-miss visual test to achieve the perfect mix.

16

18

New York’s Finest: Mom-and-Pop Shops Still the Real Deal Chef Bruno believes independents should stick with tried-and-true recipes rather than jump on the latest topping trends.

20

Accounting for Your Money: Get the Most From SaaS Programs Keep a close eye on your POS software subscriptions to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

30

20

Recipe of the Month: Fresh Prosciutto Gluten-Free Pizza A moneymaking gluten-free program starts with enticing recipes, such as this prosciutto-based winner from DeIorio Foods.

32

Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going From Boston to Denver, the PMQ staff hit the road this summer in our ongoing quest to discover new marketing ideas and cover key industry events.

114

Pizza Hall of Fame: Mama Cozza’s Italian Restaurant An ex-beat cop and his wife founded this classic pizzeria that has attracted celebs ranging from Rudy Vallée and Ernest Borgnine to Gwen Stefani.

30 Click here for featured video: Food stylist and cookbook author Jennifer Chandler shares tips for shooting perfect pizza photos.

Click here for featured video: Learn how to make DeIorio’s mouthwatering Fresh Prosciutto Gluten-Free pizza Click here for featured video: Stan Miller of World Famous Pie Zons Pizzeria shows how to create your very own pizza art for fun and profit.

10

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

114 IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online at PMQ.com

89

Idea Zones

12

From the Editor

92

Product Spotlight

14

From the Inbox

99

Advertiser Index

22

Moneymakers

100

Pizza Industry Resource Guide

It pays to tend to your flock.

Over the past 5 years, employee out-of-pocket expenses have risen nearly 40%.1

Aflac can help protect your employees with cash to cover their bills in the event of a covered sickness or injury. And now employees’ claims can get paid in a day with Aflac’s One Day PaySM when they submit online.2 Small businesses like how easy it is to add voluntary coverage to their benefits at no direct cost. Especially when it is from Aflac, the number one provider of worksite/voluntary insurance sales for 13 consecutive years.3 Aflac may even be a pre-tax deduction, so when we say it pays to tend to your flock, it just might.

Call your local agent and visit aflac.com/smallbiz

2014 Employer Health Benefits Survey, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, September 10, 2014. 2One Day PaySM is available for most properly documented, individual claims submitted online through Aflac SmartClaim® by 3 PM ET. Aflac SmartClaim® not available on the following: Short Term Disability (excluding Accident and Sickness Riders), Life, Vision, Dental, Medicare Supplement, Long Term Care/Home Health Care, Aflac Plus Rider and Group policies. Individual Company Statistic, 2015. 3Eastbridge Consulting Group, U.S. Worksite/Voluntary Sales Report. Carrier Results for 2002-2014. Avon, CT. Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

1

Z150001R

Worldwide Headquarters | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

3/15

FROM THE EDITOR

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

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

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 7 SEPTEMBER 2015

Welcoming Groupon to the Team

H

ere at PMQ, we talk and think and write a lot about the U.S. Pizza Team. For us, it represents everything we love about pizzaioli and the pizza industry—the energy, the big-hearted warmth and earthy humor, the flair for innovation and, paradoxically, the passion for tradition. And the pizzas themselves—mamma mia, those pizzas!

For a decade and a half, team members have spread goodwill and scrumptiousness around the world, appearing on national TV, slinging dough for Regis and Kelly, marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Little kids stop in their tracks and marvel, slack-jawed, at our dough spinners’ deft moves. Members of the press can’t get enough of their exquisitely tasty artisan pizzas prepared with black truffles, sopressata, quail eggs—I could go on and on, but I’m making myself hungry, and it’s only 10 a.m.

Over the years, many wonderful sponsors have given generously to support the team in its endeavors, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. Now we’re thrilled to welcome our first title sponsor, Groupon, whose name will heretofore grace the team’s logo and whose support, we believe, will help raise the team’s public profile and carry it to an entirely new level.

With the backing of this highly respected global brand, the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team will soon become a name that will resonate with the public. We also intend to expand our membership and attract even more talented pizza makers and dough spinning “pizzathletes” to qualifying events and international competitions.

We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Groupon to the PMQ pizza family. You’ll be hearing a lot about the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team in the next year! Come and take part in this new era, and help us make positive headlines in your town and all over the nation!

Rick Hynum Editor-in-chief PMQ Pizza Magazine

PUBLISHER Steve Green, sg@pmq.com ext. 123 CO-PUBLISHER Linda Green, linda@pmq.com ext. 121 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rick Hynum, rick@pmq.com ext. 130 ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andy Knef, andy@pmq.com ext. 136 EDITOR AT LARGE Liz Barrett, liz@pmq.com SENIOR COPY EDITOR Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Missy Green, missy@pmq.com ART DIRECTOR Kara Hoffman, kara@pmq.com ext. 135 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134 MEDIA PRODUCER Daniel Lee Perea, dperea@pmq.com ext. 139 SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Melanie Addington, melanie@pmq.com ext. 133 IT SPECIALIST Aaron Harris, aaron@pmq.com ext. 137 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Sherlyn Clark, sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120 TEST CHEF/EVENT COORDINATOR Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129 PROJECTS AND PROMOTIONS Chris Green, chris@pmq.com ext. 125

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Linda Green, linda@pmq.com ext. 121 SENIOR 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

PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ CHINA Yvonne Liu, yvonne@pmq.com PMQ AUSTRALIA-NZ Tom Boyles, tom@pmqaustralia.com PMQ RUSSIA Vladimir Davydov, vladimir@pmq.com EDITORIAL ADVISORS Chef Santo Bruno, Tom Feltenstein, Tom Lehmann, Joey Todaro, Ed Zimmerman CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno, Tom Lehmann, Michael J. Rasmussen

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | September 2015 | Volume 19, Issue 7

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE

605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax linda@pmq.com

SEPTEMBER 2015 | WWW.PMQ.COM

ON THE COVER: The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

GET THE PICTURE!

How to Shoot Pizza Like a Pro PAGE 36

Pizza Portraits: The Many Faces of Pizza PAGE 46

12

Text Appeal: Building a Mobile Fan Base PAGE 64

Follow the advice of our food styling experts, and you won’t need expensive cameras and lenses to shoot pizza photos like a pro. A simple smartphone and some natural light will do the trick.

Photo illustration by Kara Hoffman

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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.

FROM THE INBOX

A happy couple ties the knot with a kiss at LouEddie’s Pizza in Skyforest, California.

LOVE, MARRIAGE AND PIZZA You guys are great! Thank you so much for including us in your fun article on pizza weddings (“Love at First Bite,” April 2015). We so appreciate your pizza love and support. For all of our friends who love the art of pizza, may all of our dreams come true!

Thank you, folks, for sharing with us the story of how Cloverleaf—with a little help from Grandma Passalacqua—helped pioneer the Detroit-style square pizza.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 14

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

ZZ A

Marie Guerra Easterby and Jack Guerra Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant via Facebook

We’re impressed with your foresight, Louise and Eddy.

Recognizing and pursuing the pizza wedding niche was a stroke of genius. We wish you the best of luck in the future!

KI SS ED PI

THRILLED AND HUMBLED We received a special delivery recently from PMQ Pizza Magazine [notifying us that] we were inducted into the Pizza Hall of Fame! We are beyond thrilled and humbled that Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant received such a tremendous recognition!

Thank you to PMQ and to everyone who has supported and continues to support us. Our founder, Gus Guerra, the father of Detroit-style square pizza, would be honored!

Louise York and Eddie Hillary LouEddie’s Pizza Skyforest, CA

FIRO FIR E

Marie Guerra Easterby and Jack Guerra, owners of Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant in Eastpointe, Michigan, display their certificate for membership in the Pizza Hall of Fame (pizzahalloffame.com). This picture appeared on Cloverleaf’s Facebook page and garnered more than 270 likes and 26 shares.

STUFF WE

zza.com) in Kissed Pizza (firopi The folks at Firo Fire warm, tand the power of a rs de un a, om lah Ok Lawton, ign spotlights a teamthursday campa # ’s ro Fi . ile sm y dl frien l media—including every week on socia ee oy pl em nt re ffe di and a an appealing photo ith —w m ra ag st In d Facebook an sitive. accentuates the po at th n tio rip sc de xt brief te

IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

Making Sure Your Dough Is Properly Mixed A simple visual test will tell you when you’ve achieved the perfect mix.

By Tom Lehmann Tom Lehmann recently retired as the longtime director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). He is now an industry consultant dedicated to helping pizzeria operators make more money. Need more dough advice? Visit the Dough Information Center at PMQ.com/ dough.

16

Q A

Is there a surefire way to determine when my pizza dough has been properly mixed?

There are two methods to make this determination—a visual test and a physical test.

The latter is a bit complicated; it requires you to form the dough into a ball and stretch it between your thumbs to judge proper development. It’s a difficult procedure to explain, but the visual test, fortunately, is both easy to describe and to put into practice.

All you need to do is watch the dough as it develops, paying close attention to its appearance. The dough will first look to be somewhat gray in color and have a rough, almost curdled appearance. As the mixing process continues, the color will begin to brighten, looking more yellow than gray. At this point, you can stop the mixer and look at the skin on the dough.

Ideally, it should be smooth and without tears; if it still looks somewhat torn, continue mixing for another minute or so and check again. The

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

dough ball in the mixer should have a smooth, satiny appearance without tears in the skin.

When it takes on this visual characteristic, the dough has been sufficiently mixed for making your pizzas.

There is an exception, however. If the pizza dough is going to be frozen, it’s better to mix the dough until a thin gluten film can be formed when the dough is stretched between the fingers. This is known as the gluten window test. Additional mixing is needed in this case; that’s because the dough will be frozen without benefit of 24-hour cold fermentation time, which allows for additional gluten development. To visualize what I’m talking about, take some pizza dough that has sat in the cooler for 24 or more hours, cut an eggsize piece off and stretch it out to form a gluten film, which by now should be pretty well developed. The gluten film can be stretched so thin as to allow you to see fine skin details through the gluten film.

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NEW YORK’S FINEST

Exotic toppings abound at some pizzerias, but Chef Bruno advises smaller independents to stick with the classic recipes.

By Chef Santo Bruno

SLNY PRODUCTIONS

Mom-andPop Shops Still the Real Deal Tammy Aracri, co-owner of Oceans 5 Seafood Market and Eatery in Shoreham, New York, visits with Chef Bruno and chef Anna Aracri of Carnival Pizza in Port Jefferson Station, New York.

A

few months back, I attended the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, and it gave me a lot to think about. People from all over the world, including vendors from Europe, come to this event to see what’s new in the pizza industry. And the industry is definitely changing.

Wood-burning ovens, for example, are everywhere now.

I don’t have a problem with these ovens, but I’m still a big believer in American-made ovens. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s much easier to bake your pizza in a gas or electric oven, especially in New York, which is such a fast-paced city.

But what really caught my attention were the unusual pizza toppings I saw. People in this industry don’t seem to know what to put on a pizza anymore. I see these pizza

Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with more than 50 years of international pizza experience.

He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

shops trying a variety of unusual toppings. In my opinion, some things just do not belong on a pizza pie! I say, keep it simple—stick with your regular meats and vegetables.

Unusual toppings are fine now and then, but I believe that most of our customers still crave the familiar—they want good, old-fashioned comfort food. The big chains today are trying to steal customers away from the momand-pop shops with these exotic pies. But one thing’s for sure—the smaller, independent pizza shops still serve the best food, including pizzas, subs, pasta and meat dishes.

That’s because everything is made fresh and in the store every day. I should know—I grew up in a small pizza shop myself.

So take heart, all of you independent pizza operators.

You’re still the real deal, and you don’t have to get fancy to make your customers happy. Keep it simple and fresh, stick with the classic recipes, and you’ll never go wrong.

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ACCOUNTING FOR YOUR MONEY

Get the Most From SaaS Programs Software as a Service can save you money, but you should keep a close eye on your subscriptions to control expenses and maximize ROI.

By Mike Rasmussen

Q A

What is SaaS, or Software as a Service?

Software as a Service allows a pizzeria operator to rent software services from a provider on a recurring contract (usually monthly) as opposed to writing a big, fat check to purchase the product up-front. SaaS typically allows for a relatively low monthly payment, automatic updates and an easy cancellation policy if you’re not satisfied with the results. If you’re considering SaaS for your POS system, be prudent and dive into the details of the terms. Overall, this model works well when you manage it carefully, but if you’re juggling multiple subscriptions, your bank account might take an unexpected hit.

To maximize your ROI on these services, you first need to identify and make a list of all of the services to which you currently subscribe.

Review them carefully to ensure that you still need those services and that you’re getting what you pay for. Be aware of automatic price increases and penalties for early cancellation.

Finally, contact your accountant and make sure that each SaaS subscription is accounted for

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

separately on your financial statements so you can track them regularly.

To get your money’s worth from SaaS, I suggest starting out by dedicating 3% to 5% of your net revenue to these services. Mix and match them until you’ve hit upon the perfect combination of benefits for your operation. For example, most new restaurants will focus on marketing and advertising services to boost cash flow; later, as the operation matures, they might move toward operational software subscriptions, such as back-of-the-house management. Each operator will have different needs, of course, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on the services you’re paying for and determine whether they’re giving you the proper return on your investment. Remember to drop the ones that aren’t paying off—there is no reason to keep paying for a service if you’re not actually using it!

SaaS can be a beneficial tool for marketing and managing your pizzeria, but you need a way to measure these services’ impact on your operation. If you cannot measure the results, then terminate the service!

Michael J. Rasmussen is the owner of Rasmussen Tax Group (rasmussentaxgroup. com) in Conway, Arkansas. He is also the co-owner of Eyenalyze (eyenalyze. com), a company that provides real-time profit analysis for restaurant owners.

S

The

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Bellissimo distributors deliver unmatched service and product expertise.

Please visit BellissimoFoods.com or call 800-813-2974 to locate a distributor in your area.

MONEYMAKERS

Tony Boloney’s: No Más Trump!

Michael Hauke, owner of a Tony Boloney’s (tonyboloneys.com) shop located near the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, doesn’t care how rich or powerful you are—make him angry, and no pizza for you! Hauke banned Jay Leno several years ago “because he did Conan O’Brien dirty.” In July, Hauke struck again, announcing on a Facebook post that Donald Trump isn’t welcome at his shop because of the presidential candidate’s statements about Hispanic immigrants. “We have no tolerance for your ignorant rhetoric,” Hauke wrote. The post netted free publicity on local TV news stations and in Philadelphia Magazine, PhillyVoice and the Press of Atlantic City, plus 1,573 likes and 461 shares. But, like most political posts, it drew a barrage of angry retorts and disparaging comments from Trump supporters, too. Hauke also announced that Taj Mahal employees would receive a 10% discount “just for having to look at [Trump’s] name every day.”

Tony Boloney’s owner Michael Hauke, flanked by Hispanic-American employees, says Donald Trump had ordered pizza from his store in the past but won’t be allowed to do so again.

Best in the Business

Soda Creek Pizza owner Steve Hitchcock lets customers nominate their favorite local businesses and treats the companies to free pizza, creating goodwill and new fans.

Soda Creek Pizza (sodacreekpizza.com), located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has been turning fellow business owners and their employees into customers with a little help from social media—and a lot of complimentary pizza. On Soda Creek’s Facebook page, owner Steve Hitchcock asks customers to share positive stories about local businesses providing a great product or service. The pizzeria then chooses companies at random and drops in at each business with free pizza for its employees. Past winners have included Gecko Nursery, Ace Hardware, Steamboat Resorts and the Animal Healing Center, to name a few.

Quick Tip 1: Create a Kids Menu Want to attract a family crowd? Enhance your menu with a range of value-priced selections for kids, who often determine where a family will eat out.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

What the Cool Pets Are Wearing

All the cool pets in Indianapolis are wearing bandanas these days, thanks to a fundraiser at Puccini’s Smiling Teeth (puccinissmilingteeth.com), with locations in Indiana and Kentucky. The promo raised $1,395 for the Humane Society of Indianapolis. Customers purchased Puccini’s bandanas for their style-conscious pooches, kitty cats and other four-legged fashion plates, with the proceeds going to provide medical aid to pets with special needs. Puccini’s also invited its patrons to post photos of their bandana-clad pets with the hashtag #PuccinisPets on the company’s Facebook page.

Customers at Puccini’s Smiling Teeth outfitted their pets in stylish bandanas from Puccini’s Smiling Teeth to raise funds for the local Humane Society.

Quick Tip 2: The Trick-or-Treat Special For Halloween next month, invite trick-or-treaters under 12 to drop by in their costumes for a free slice. Shoot photos of the cute kiddies and post them online, choosing a winner randomly.

Boom Times in Louisiana

Tucked away in Westlake, Louisiana, Boom Boom Pizza (boomboompizzas.com) made a lot of noise on Facebook when it started offering delivery this spring. Boom Boom has built a strong reputation on its pizza sliders and unique specialty offerings, including Darrell’s Tribute Pie, featuring roast beef, ham and mozzarella cheese, all drenched in brown gravy and topped with lettuce and jalapeño mayonnaise. To spread the word of its new delivery option, Boom Boom asked its 1,500 Facebook fans to spread the word by liking and sharing a simple announcement on Facebook. In exchange, fans qualified for a chance to win a free King Kong Pizza plus a dozen cupcakes from a local bakery. The post netted 92 enthusiastic comments, 113 likes and 126 shares.

The chance to win a free pizza and 12 cupcakes prompted 126 shares for this simple but effective Facebook post from Boom Boom Pizza.

September 2015 pmq.com

23

M A R K E T I N G

M A R V E L S :

Wild West Pizza & Grill As the new sheriff in town, David Goldy transformed a struggling pizza shop with a bad rep into a Wild West mecca. By Liz Barrett

I

n 2013, David Goldy took on a 90-day challenge to convert an existing pizzeria in Lompoc, California, into a new concept. “I purchased the assets to a Westside Pizza franchise and spent several months rebranding it as Wild West Pizza & Grill (wildwestpizzaoflompoc. com),” says Goldy. Unfortunately, he faced an uphill battle against the former pizzeria’s bad reputation as well as competition from several long-standing independent and chain pizzerias in the area. Two years later, Goldy’s unique menu and strong commitment to the Lompoc community have paid off. Year-to-date sales are up 56% over last year, and the last two months have shown 79% growth over the previous year.

Goldy sat down with PMQ to share some of the creative methods he used to introduce his concept and how he continues to impress his customers.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ: HOW DID YOU INITIALLY PROMOTE THE OWNERSHIP CHANGE? Goldy: Many folks in town thought Westside simply changed its name rather than actually becoming a new pizzeria. I was not particularly well-financed, so costly marketing campaigns were out of the question. I decided that to succeed, we needed to be unique and have a strong commitment to quality and to our local community.

PMQ: WITH SO MANY OTHER PIZZERIAS IN THE AREA, HOW DID YOU SET YOURSELF APART? Goldy: We redecorated the pizzeria with a western flair and named most of the pizzas after historic Wild West people, famous western movies, etc. For example, The Magnificent 7 is our version of a supreme pizza, loaded with seven toppings. Our super supreme pizza is called For a Few Dollars More, after the [Clint Eastwood] movie

“If we see that a volunteer trash mob is picking up trash, we bring them pizza; if there’s a big fire, we take pizza to the firefighters.”

—David Goldy, Wild West Pizza & Grill of the same name. This uniqueness also carried over to pizzas you won't find at other places. Our Jalapeño Popper pizza is a top seller now, and so is the Annie Oakley, made with mashed potatoes, gravy and fried chicken.

We've done Reuben pizzas, pastrami pizzas, enchilada pizzas and chile relleno pizzas. We even have a Shanghai Cowboy pizza, which is basically Kung Pao Chicken meets pizza. We sometimes feature wild boar, venison and bison as toppings.

PMQ: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A WESTERN THEME? Goldy: My dad was a huge western fan. Lompoc is an old cowboy town, and former western actor Stuart Whitman owns the shopping center that the pizzeria is located in.

PMQ: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO SPECIFICALLY? Goldy: We changed our main meat toppings—pepperoni, ham, chicken, Italian sausage and beef—to a natural line that is made with no growth hormones, antibiotics, fillers, soy, or artificial ingredients. We roast our own jalapeños, cut fresh pineapple daily, make our own dough, shred our own cheese and use local produce whenever possible.

PMQ: YOU’VE ALSO GIVEN AWAY HUNDREDS OF PIZZAS. WHY? Goldy: My marketing for a year basically consisted of giving away pizza. I scour the local paper, local Facebook pages, etc. looking for opportunities to lend a hand. We are constantly donating to local volunteer groups, school clubs, and churches. I try to have a presence at everything going on in town. We hold FUNdraiser nights and donate a whopping 50% of the proceeds! Everything I

Former western actor Stuart Whitman (pictured here on the left, with Goldy) owns the shopping center where Wild West Pizza & Grill is located.

do is about supporting the local community and being a business with heart. If we see that a volunteer trash mob is picking up trash, we bring them pizza; if there’s a big fire, we take pizza to the firefighters. It all balances out.

I’m not worried about money today, but rather long-term growth for the future.

PMQ: YOU WERE RECENTLY NAMED THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION’S LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE YEAR. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? Goldy: We’re based in Lompoc, the home of Vandenberg Air Force Base. On Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day, we give out close to 300 free pepperoni pizzas to vets and/or

September 2015 pmq.com

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“Give it away! I want people to try my pizza. If someone tastes my pizza, they’ll become my customers. Don’t expect overnight results, but doing this will set you up for the future.� —David Goldy, Wild West Pizza & Grill

The Wild West Pizza van is a familiar sight at community events around Lompoc.

those on active duty. We also set up a free pizza program for new families stationed on VAFB and send out pizzas to all of the airmen who have to work on Christmas Eve.

gets us exclusive mentions at the games. Part of that deal involves providing a team meal to each varsity team during the year. In addition, since this is a football-crazy town, we feed the football teams free of charge after every home game. We also paid for stadium cup giveaways during homecoming; the cups featured each school’s schedule, and if you brought the cup to the restaurant, you got a free drink with a pizza purchase.

PMQ: YOU’RE ALSO THE OFFICIAL PIZZA OF THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL’S ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? Goldy: We negotiated deals to be named the official pizza of both local high schools’ athletic departments, which

PMQ: HOW DID YOU RECRUIT THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN YOUR MARKETING? Goldy: We recently launched a program with the police department where we supply them with “citations�— or what some call “positive ticketing�—to be given out

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

apply). Our free movie with pizza purchase is a popular promotion that our customers love.

With 50 different types of specialty sodas on offer, there's something for every taste.

when someone is caught doing something good. Those who receive a “citation” can redeem it for a free personal pizza at Wild West Pizza & Grill. We printed 1,000 tickets, approved by the police chief, which are meant to be given out by officers during casual stops—walking, not driving—to those who are seen wearing their bike helmets, picking up trash, etc. It makes the cops more approachable and makes them feel good.

PMQ: HOW DOES YOUR FREE MOVIE RENTAL PROMOTION WORK? Goldy: Any business can go to Redbox corporate and buy codes for movies and give them out as gifts (rental fees

PMQ: WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS YOU ATTRACT CUSTOMERS TO WILD WEST PIZZA & GRILL? Goldy: We prepare a lunch and dinner buffet with discounts for military personnel. We also carry 50 different types of specialty sodas and offer a gluten-free crust on the menu. And we stay very active online, with close to 3,000 fans on our Facebook page.

PMQ: WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR OPERATORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MARKETING THEIR PIZZA? Goldy: Give it away! I want people to try my pizza. If someone tastes my pizza, they’ll become my customers.

Don’t expect overnight results, but doing this will set you up for the future.

Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor at large and author of Pizza: A Slice of American History.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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PMQ test chef Brian Hernandez walks you through the steps of making this delicious pie at PizzaTV.com.

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RECIPE MONTH of the

INGREDIENTS: 14” gluten-free shell 1½ tsp. olive oil 1½ tsp. crushed garlic 5½ oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded 1½ oz. fresh baby spinach 3 oz. ricotta cheese 7 black olives, broken 4 slices prosciutto 6-8 roasted sweet peppers DIRECTIONS: Brush the gluten-free shell with olive oil and crushed garlic. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 550° for 6 minutes (or until cheese bubbles and begins to brown). Remove from the oven and top with spinach, dollops of ricotta cheese, black olives and slices of prosciutto. Garnish with the roasted peppers. Enjoy!

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Get the Gluten Out As more restaurants offer gluten-free options, the competition for these customers is getting stiffer. Here’s how to earn their business: Create a foolproof system. Enroll in a reputable glutenfree certification program to ensure strict standards in your kitchen. When it comes to cross-contamination, you can never let your guard down.

Show that you care. Besides gluten-free pizza, create a gluten-free dish for each part of your menu, from appetizers to desserts.

Communication is key. Make sure your waitstaff, phone staff and kitchen crew understand the needs of the glutenfree community. Train them to answer questions about your kitchen and how you prevent cross-contamination to provide a safe product.

Reach out to the community. Work with gluten-free bloggers and local celiac support groups. Invite them to a special gluten-free tasting or host a celiac awareness night.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

ON THE ROAD WITH PMQ

�

Where We've Been

DODO PIZZA

(From left) Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza, Steve Hitchcock of Soda Creek Pizza, and Richard Ames of Daddio’s Pizzeria took part in the PMQ-hosted Western Pizza Summit in Fort Lupton, Colorado, in July.

Dodo Pizza, a popular and innovative chain in Russia, has set its sights on the U.S. PMQ will follow their progress as the Dodo team works to open its first American store in Oxford, Mississippi, this year.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

DENVER—JULY 15-17 PMQ associate editor Andy Knef moderated the first Western Pizza Summit, a far-ranging panel discussion—hosted by Wholly Stromboli (whollystromboli.com) in Fort Lupton, Colorado—about industry issues with leading pizzeria operators. We’ll share what we learned and spotlight panelist Richard “Daddio” Ames in next month’s PMQ. MAY-PRESENT Dodo Pizza, Russia’s fastest-growing pizza chain, is expanding into the U.S. market, and PMQ is documenting their journey from concept to grand opening. We’ll follow Alena Tikhova and Emiliano Ananyin every step of the way as these dynamic young Russians work to open their first pizzeria in America.

KN E F

ANDY KNEF

PMQ’s Chris Green made new friends at Ramunto’s Brick Oven Pizza when the Pizzamobile rolled through Claremont, New Hampshire.

BOSTON—JUNE 5-8 PMQ has started working with Colony Foods, an independent, family-owned and operated distributor serving 200 pizza restaurants from Rhode Island to Maine. You’ll soon be reading about how Colony Foods works closely with its clients to help them sell more pizza with marketing strategies and more.

AN DY

STEVE GREEN

PMQ’s Pizzamobile is alw ays on a mission to unco ver new moneymaking milestone events in the ideas and document pizza industry. If we ha ve n’t be en to yo ur town yet, it’s only a ma time. Learn more abou t where the PMQ staff tter of has been and look out for where we’re headed next.

�

Where We're Going

SOFO FOODS

SOFO FOODS SHOW ATLANTA—OCTOBER 4 Learn how online ordering can boost your sales by up to 20% at the Wired Up Fired Up Online Ordering Fair, presented by PMQ and Sofo Foods at the Sofo Foods 2015 Food Expo in Atlanta. We’ll also hold the new season’s first qualifying event for the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team!

The Groupon U.S. Pizza Team’s Jamie Culliton is a two-time silver medalist at the World Pizza Championship.

BOCELLI

Leading industry vendors will explain how you can boost your sales up to 20% at the Wired Up Fired Up Online Ordering Fair.

GROUPON U.S. PIZZA TEAM TRIALS CLEVELAND, OHIO—OCTOBER 12 Think you’ve got what it takes to be a champion pizza chef? We’ll be looking for the best pizza makers in the Midwest as the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team hosts a qualifying trial event at Master Pizza (masterpizza.com).

Come join us, wow our judges and you could win a trip to compete on the world stage in Italy next year!

FHC CHINA 2015—NOVEMBER 9-15 We’re off to Shanghai to attend FHC China, that country’s largest domestic food and hospitality show, and the 2015 PMQ Chinese Pizza Championship presented by PMQ China. American pizza industry professionals are invited to join us on this year’s trip, which will include a cruise on the Huangpu River, a tour of arts-and-crafts enclave Tianzifang and a visit to the ancient water town of Wuzhen.

American pizza professionals can join PMQ on a journey through exotic Shanghai this fall and take part in PMQ China’s 10th annual Chinese Pizza Championship.

September 2015 pmq.com

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Cookbook author and food stylist Jennifer Chandler shot this gorgeous photo with an iPhone and natural light pouring in through her living room window.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Cookbook author Jennifer Chandler of cookwithjennifer.com shares expert tips on shooting pictureperfect pizza photos for your menu and social media at PizzaTV.com.

tv

THE

PICTURE-PERFECT

PIZZA

With the rise of social media, it’s more important than ever to wow customers with picture-perfect food photography.

Here, experts offer 6 snappy tips for nailing the shot.

By Tracy Morin

JENNIFER CHANDLER

H

ave you ever looked at a menu with poorly lit, out-offocus food photos that—rather than making your mouth water—made you want to run for the door? Ever seen obvious stock shots populating a menu that look nothing like what arrives on your plate? Photographing pizza can be a pretty complicated process, notes food stylist Rachel Sherwood of impressionsfoodstyling.com, but unattractive pics can hinder your business. “The beautiful cheese-pull images you see on packaging sometimes take a full day of very skilled people to achieve,” she says. “But if your pizza doesn’t look good [in your photos], customers think it won’t taste good.”

You know the saying: People eat with their eyes. And that’s truer than ever with the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Are your food images drawing customers in or scaring them away? Are professional food stylists and photographers too pricey for your budget? Fear not: We’ve gathered a slew of foolproof tips you can use yourself to ensure your pizza portraits are picture-perfect.

September 2015 pmq.com

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DELIGHTFUL-DELICIOUS-DELOVELY

DELIGHTFUL-DELICIOUS-DELOVELY

Master Tip: Just before shooting your photo, add fresh herbs, trimmed with a pair of sharp scissors to prevent bruising, to the pie.

As illustrated in these iPhone camera photos by Christine Elise McCarthy of Delightful-Delicious-Delovely, shooting pizza from a slight angle or directly overhead highlights quality ingredients in slightly different ways.

1.

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Set the right scene. Jennifer Morris, owner of Ajenda Public Relations in Orange, California, advises preparing for your shoot by creating a “mood board,” complete with finished photos that you like. “With pizza, you have a short window of time to get the perfect shot, so having some inspiration, along with various props at the ready—a pizza cutter, flour, chopped basil, etc.—will help you set up the photo,” she explains. “But be realistic. If you’re running a casual pizza joint, you probably shouldn’t emulate photos of artisan pizza.”

While props help set the scene, don’t go overboard with them—Sherwood recommends keeping the focus on the food. “For beginners, less is more.

It’s easy to think that the image will be better with linens, plates, condiments and shakers in the background, but if those are not done correctly, they can be distracting,” she says. Tabletops and serving ware with a lot of color and patterns also distract the eye.

Instead, shoot on a simple background, wood table surface or clean linens. Keep the pizza on the pan for a natural look, or try moving it to a white platter or wood cutting board.

Christine Elise McCarthy, Los Angeles-based owner of Delightful-Delicious-Delovely, says it’s best PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

to keep the background (especially what’s directly under the pizza) monochromatic. “Simple black or white always works, though sometimes a textured background like a rough-hewn tabletop or a rusted old cooking sheet can add depth to the image without being distracting,” she explains. “Parchment paper is kind of genius, too—it works plain, wrinkled up or parched from the oven.”

2. Use natural light. The quality of light in your shooting area makes a huge difference. Experts agree that natural light is the perfect choice for food photos. “I shoot in a window that’s bright but where no sunlight directly hits the subject,” says McCarthy, who typically shoots her food photos with her iPhone.

“Alternatively, I shoot right on my stovetop, with a clamp light pointed directly downward.”

Sherwood also recommends soft, natural light for the simplest approach. “You can have the most beautiful food, but with poor lighting you’ll never capture a quality image,” she says. “The best time is dawn or dusk near a window. You don’t want to be in direct sunlight so, if needed, use a white sheet to help diffuse the light.”

Morris adds that natural light picks up all of

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Get the Picture Give cookbook author and food stylist Jennifer Chandler an ordinary pizza and a smartphone, and she’ll give you some food shots you won’t believe. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Chandler handled the food styling for all of her books, including The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Grilling, Simply Suppers and Simply Salads. The PMQ video team crowded into Chandler’s kitchen for a PizzaTV shoot recently and gleaned the following tips:

Freshen it up with oil. After baking, lightly brush the edges of your crust with a little olive oil to create an appealing sheen and a golden-brown hue. “You can brush the vegetables, too, but don’t use olive oil,” Chandler notes. “It has a little bit of a green tint to it. Use a clear oil like canola, salad or vegetable oil. Just lightly brush it—not too much, because you don’t want it to look greasy.”

Add a little texture. Sprinkling red pepper flakes, salt and pepper on the pizza adds texture to the final product. “Use coarsely grained kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper rather than table salt and pepper,” Chandler says. “It’ll make a difference.”

Forget the flash. “Try not to use your flash if at all possible,” Chandler advises. “Your flash will not make your pizza look as good as it can look. Try to use natural light. If the light is not right, move your pizza to another area of the dining room or into your kitchen to find the perfect light.”

Keep moving. Chandler advises shooting your pizza from various angles to get the perfect shot. “Your pizza will let you know which is its pretty side as you move around,” she says.

Don’t use Instagram’s filters. These filters tend to give your food images an unnatural appearance. “Totally skip the filters and instead go to the tool bar,” Chandler says. “You can use it to do things like sharpen your pictures, add brightness if you don’t have enough light and use the tilt-shift function to adjust focus.”

Visit cookwithjennifer.com to learn more about Jennifer Chandler.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

DANIEL PEREA

Start with a par-baked crust. Using a par-baked crust reduces baking time for the final product, which in turn yields a fresher-looking pizza without overcooked or wilted toppings, Chandler says.

Food stylist and author Jennifer Chandler recommends using a par-baked crust to reduce baking time and keep the pizza looking fresh.

the nuances and bubbles on the crust; flash photography in a dark environment will not showcase the best-looking parts of the pizza.

3. Find complimentary angles. McCarthy’s two best tricks for shooting food: shoot from directly above, or shoot from very close up so that the rear part of the image is out of focus. “In general, a really short depth of field can be a very forgiving technique if every part of the composition of your photo is not perfect,” McCarthy says. “It puts the focus, literally, just where you want it.”

Because a camera sees in only one dimension, it can make your pizza appear flat, Sherwood points out. “Move the camera around and try a few different angles to see what makes the pizza look best,” she advises. “If you have a lovely artisan crust you want to feature, a lower angle may be best. If you have interesting ingredients, try overhead. Look at a few different options to find what will highlight the pizza best.” Morris notes that many photographers even stand on a ladder to get that perfect overhead shot.

4. Consider your ingredients carefully. Take your time when preparing a pizza for photography, Sherwood

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Master Tip: Provide context to your photo by adding a few background props—whole red or green peppers, a tomato, a glass of wine.

says. You want customers to easily be able to tell what toppings they’re looking at. Never make them have to guess and wonder what that brown splotch actually is. “Cut vegetables carefully to get the best shapes, especially with mushrooms,” Sherwood says. “Pick out the very best pieces and place them on top. You may consider topping it with cheese less heavily, so that the toppings can shine through.”

Sherwood also recommends limiting the sauce and greasy items on your pizza. “Sauce can change the color of the cheese and bleed,” she says. “So, for best results, put sauce only on the outer edge of the pizza and fill the middle with toppings as usual.

Also be aware of extra oil; some meat products can bleed out oil when heated. You may partially cook these items in advance to help remove some of the excess oil before topping the pizza.” At the same time, Sherwood suggests using a high-fat-content cheese for better melting properties.

When applicable, use herbs to decorate the finished pizza. For example, a Margherita pie can be sprinkled with fresh basil for a more appealing look.

“If the pizza uses herbs, don’t cook them on the pizza; they’ll lose their texture and form,” Morris notes. “Put them on afterward so you have a fresh object that can be your focal point.”

Finally, don’t overpromise. It’s easy to get heavy-handed and try to make the pizza look its best by adding more tasty-looking toppings, but Sherwood stresses remaining true to your pizza and your brand. “You don’t want your customer feeling cheated because the pizza pictured is loaded with toppings and when they get theirs, it’s not,” she says. “If your pizza has 12 pepperoni slices on it, make sure you see only 12, not 13, in the picture.”

5. Mind your time. The main challenge with pizza photography, Sherwood says, is keeping the cheese 42

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

RACHEL SHERWOOD

Rachel Sherwood recommends cutting vegetables carefully to get the perfect shape and placing the best pieces on top of the pizza.

An App for Every Need Christine Elise McCarthy, Los Angeles-based owner of Delightful-Delicious-Delovely, uses only an iPhone5 to take drool-worthy pics for her “food porn” website. She then tweaks the images in Photoshop, primarily to brighten them, increase contrast and up saturation. “There are loads of apps (Camera Plus, VSCO Cam, tadaa) that do these things if Photoshop is either too costly or too complex for you,” she notes. “Squaready puts a white border on your image to make it square for Instagram. Phonto allows you to add text to the image. Also, the HDR setting on the iPhone is nice to use sometimes because it offers two exposures of each image. Sometimes the regular image is better; sometimes the HDR improves it. But at least you get more selection.” hot and fresh-looking—it can turn gray very quickly.

She often makes a “stand-in” pizza as a placeholder to get the set right, checking lighting and the camera angle. Then she’ll make a “beauty” pizza for the actual image. “I would recommend making a standin to test out everything, then taking time to make a nice beauty pizza with pretty toppings and baking as usual—but keep an eye on it so it gets even coloring,” she says. “When it looks great, get it out of the oven and shoot it as quickly as possible. We often have large garment steamers on set to help keep the pizza ‘alive,’ using the hot, wet steam to keep the cheese soft and fresh for us to make any more adjustments if necessary. Ultimately, the food should look good.

If it doesn’t, start again!”

Master Tip: Start shooting as soon as the pizza comes out of the oven. It will look its best when it’s still fresh and hot.

Shooting from a slight angle calls attention to this pizza’s distinctive artisanal crust.

AJENDA PR

6. When in doubt, hire a pro. Does it all sound like more than you can handle? If you don’t mind paying a little extra, you can always hire a professional to orchestrate your food shots. “Quick natural images are great for social media and short-term-use items, but if you’re looking for a quality image that you can use for a long period of time and in main marketing pieces, you may consider investing in the services of a food marketing team and/or professional photographer and food stylist,” Sherwood says.

Just make sure you know exactly what you want before you bring them in. “Do your research, as this

is expensive, and take time to know what your needs are and the intended use of the image you want so you can get the most bang for your buck,” Sherwood advises. “Be prepared for the food stylist to ask questions about your vision, how the image will be used and who the consumer is. A good stylist will have your best interests in mind and will help show your products in the best way so your customer gets hungry just by looking at them!”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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圀攀 刀愀椀猀攀 琀栀攀 䈀愀爀⸀ 圀攀 匀攀琀 琀栀攀 匀琀愀渀搀愀爀搀⸀ September 2015 pmq.com

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COME TO THE ONLINE ORDERING FAIR OCTOBER 4, 2015 LEARN HOW TO GET WIRED UP AND FIRED UP WITH THE INDUSTRY’S MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADERS. Hear industry leaders discuss the trends and technologies you need to increase your sales up to 20%! Possible topics include: • Online Ordering • Customer Marketing • Facebook Ordering with Text & Email • Delivery Driver Apps • Merchant Processing

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"My sales went up 20% since wiring up for online sales 18 months ago."

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“50% of my orders come from our digital platforms, and that includes all online ordering where the actual sales DOLLARS are higher.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Stan Miller has turned simple pizza art into a lucrative enterprise at World Famous Pie Zons Pizza. See how he does it at PizzaTV.com.

tv

State of the (Pizza) Art It’s a stroke of genius—pizza portrait artists are “painting” their way to social media success and boosting sales by up to 25%. By Andy Knef

I

f art really is food for the soul, then pizza, in the hands of a skilled pizza artist, is the perfect soul food. Internationally renowned pizza artists and small-town restaurateurs in America’s heartland are telling dynamic, customer-tinted stories with their crusty canvasses. The best-known masters of the craft—pizzaioli like Domenico Crolla in artsy Glasgow, Scotland, and Wilhelm Rodriguez in the sunny beach town of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico—have earned fame for their eerily lifelike portraits of celeb-

rities using just dough, cheese and sauce. Their subjects have spanned an eclectic lineup, from Great Britain’s royal family, Beyoncé and Rihanna to Vogue editor Anna Wintour and fashion designer Tom Ford. These high-end restaurateurs are credited with pioneering pizza portraiture as a legitimate discipline that has earned enough academic credibility to be taught in Italian art schools.

But they’re not the only practitioners of the form. In somewhat less glamorous environs, pizzeria owners Trent

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WILHELM RODRIGUEZ PIE ZONS

Wilhelm Rodriguez, creator of this Miley Cyrus pie, has parlayed his pizza art skills into widespread media coverage for Papa’s Pizza.

Happy couples like these Pie Zons customers find their favorite pizzeria to be the perfect place to relax, enjoy great food and roll out a wedding proposal.

Groothius in Casey, Illinois, and Stan Miller in Fulton, Mississippi, take a more utilitarian approach. Their family-oriented creations will likely portray a prom date proposal, a high school sports team logo or the ever-popular “Happy Birthday” notice. Whatever the subject matter, pizza art is more than a medium for self-expression—it’s a marketing tool that can generate positive headlines and TV news coverage for pizza makers and their pizzerias.

TELLING SIMPLE STORIES Art is in the eye of the beholder, and Miller, owner of World Famous Pie Zons Pizzeria in Fulton, prefers working in the less nuanced medium of pure Americana, piling warm goodwill on top of his hand-tossed dough. “I’m

aware of the talented pizza makers creating portraits of famous people,” says the Groupon U.S. Pizza Team member, whose restaurant claims to offer the biggest pizza in Mississippi, a 30” monster ideal for depicting topping-scaped soccer fields and jack-o’-lanterns. “Our style is extremely personal. We cater to a customer base that’s very Mayberry-like. It’s a friendly town where everyone knows everybody, and my pizza art tells a simple story.”

Miller’s creations, which he introduced in 1999, range from seasonal symbols like snowmen, pumpkins and hearts to sports icons. But he’s partial to straightforward pepperoni-typed messages like “Happy Birthday!” or “Will You Marry Me?” Unlike Crolla, who uses a more elaborate technique involving only cheese and sauce, Miller relies on toppings to tell his stories and paint his pictures: a few pepperoni slices may represent the eyes and nose, while a half-moon of black olives form a friendly smile.

“I never give less than 100%,” says the blonde, ponytailed Tupelo, Mississippi, native who began his pizza career as a delivery driver. “I run my pizzeria like a family, and cooking is my passion.” Family values inform one of his early pizza art success stories. “We have a couple that has eaten here since they were kids,” he says. “The young man asked me to create a pizza with the words ‘Will You Marry Me?’ The couple—who had zero experience with Facebook—were shocked when I told them, ‘Y’all are a hit.’ Their photo had gone viral. Viral, in this community

“I quickly realized making pizza portraits of celebrities was an excellent way of generating buzz for my restaurants. The exposure you can get with one pizza is worth thousands of dollars of advertising.”

—Domenico Crolla, Bella Napoli 48

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

HOW TO MAKE “3 LITTLE PIGS”

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September 2015 pmq.com

49

of 3,500, is 400 to 500 likes.” In another romantic use of Pie Zons’ pizza art, a high school boy asked his dream date a burning question on top of a 30” pie: “I know this is cheesy, but will you go with me to the prom?”

Located a stone’s throw from Elvis Presley’s hometown of

Tupelo, Fulton is also home to Itawamba Community College.

Miller says he started cooking his storytelling pies largely as a way to connect with the local students. “We did coupons and door hangers like everyone does—typical marketing stuff to get college kids involved,” he says. “When I

talked to them at the restaurant, I realized they were all on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. By using pizza art to increase my social media reach, I can save the $200 that I’d spend on printing door hangers and save two days distributing fliers. I save all of that money with a couple of clicks.”

Pie Zons customers order an artistic pizza at least once a week, Miller says, and the impact on sales through social media is immediate and measurable. “Our art pizzas sold by word-of-mouth at first, but in the last few years we’ve relied heavily on social media to reach our regular customers, plus the 1,500 transient pizza lovers at the community college,” Miller says. “People comment on and share the pictures on Facebook and Instagram. Since 2009, my business has jumped 25%.”

Stan Miller places sliced pepperoni in a “Happy Birthday” formation. He says birthday pizzas are a huge hit at Pie Zons, where the goal is to build a family environment.

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ANDY KNEF

Proudly made in the

GREATHOUSE OF PIZZA

MAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM For Trent Groothius, owner of Greathouse of Pizza (greathouseofpizza.com) in Casey, Illinois—population 2,762— pizza art evolved from his years of training in the pizza kitchen. But the jumpstart from hobby to business strategy was fueled by his love of the tight-knit Midwestern community of Casey and the instant impact his picture pies had on sales through social media. “I got started in the fall of 2013,” he recalls. “At the time I was living in a tiny apartment in the back of the pizza shop, so when I would get bored I’d play around with pizza. The St. Louis Cardinals had just won a playoff game, and I was pretty excited about it, so I made the Cardinals’ famous bird-onthe-bat logo for a celebration pizza. It got a lot of likes and even got shared by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I noticed an uptick

Trent Groothius, owner of Greathouse of Pizza, is a sports fan who loves to incorporate team logos into his pizza artistry. The Cardinals-Cubs rivalry in his area of Illinois is a popular theme in his work, along with the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks hockey team.

in business, and all the Cards fans were talking about it.”

Groothius’ neighbors and customers thought his artistic pizzas were pretty cool, too, so he kept making them. “My buddy is a big Blackhawks fan, so I did a pie in their honor, and we both thought it turned out great,” Groothius says. “When I posted a photo of it on Facebook, it got hundreds of likes and shares, which is amazing when you consider the size of our town.”

A logo for the hometown high school football team—the Casey-Westfield Warriors—was next on Groothius’ palette. To show his pizzeria’s support for the Illinois Final Four-bound Warriors, the young pizza-topping painter fashioned a logo sporting the school’s colors, purple and gold, out of red onions, black olives and cheddar cheese. “This Facebook post was

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September 2015 pmq.com

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THE CELEBRITY ANGLE Domenico Crolla, who owns the upscale Bella Napoli (bellanapoliglasgow.com) in Glasgow, employs a more refined technique to create his sauce-and-cheese masterpieces. He first traces the portrait onto transparent baking paper, then transfers it to a baked cheese layer, uses a scalpel to cut away excess cheese and fills in the outline with sauce. Finally, he bakes the pizza for another minute or two to soften the edges.

Crolla says pizza art started as a way of having fun, “but I quickly realized making pizza portraits of celebrities was an excellent way of generating buzz for my restaurants.

The exposure you can get with one pizza is worth thousands of dollars of advertising.”

Crolla has generated intense marketing exposure and thousands of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter fans by topping pizzas with the likenesses of President Obama, Marilyn Monroe and Pope Francis. “It started when my wife suggested I do something on a pizza that women will respond to,” recalls Crolla, a fashion and celebrity enthusiast. “So I did a portrait of the editor of Vogue and put it on Facebook and Twitter. I was amazed when Fashionista Magazine picked up the story. My biggest

$

“By using pizza art to increase my social media reach, I can save the $200 that I’d spend on printing door hangers and save two days distributing fliers.”

—Stan Miller, World Famous Pie Zons Pizza 52

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

DOMENICO CROLLA

our most popular yet,” he says. “The Warriors pizza is probably my favorite sports pie.”

According to Groothius, anyone who has prepped thousands of pizzas like he has can probably do what he does. “I’ve been in the pizza business for about 15 years and have made pizzas at least five days a week for all those years, so I’m pretty good at topping and cheese placement.”

Domenico Crolla, the godfather of pizza art, usually features celebrities from the show business and fashion world, but even mythical figures like Medusa have made the cut.

gamble was creating a pizza portrait of the royal family, Prince William and Kate, two days before their first child, Prince George, was born. I did a montage of the royal couple holding the baby, and the social media response was fantastic.”

When celebrities come to town, Crolla quickly goes to work on a portrait. “Typically, if I do a pizza portrait of someone like Celine Dion when she tours in Glasgow, I’ll send a photo of the pizza and a little story about it to the press to generate publicity for my restaurants.” His talent even landed him on the cover of PMQ’s October 2012 issue, and his work has been featured in the New York Daily News, the Daily Mail, Paste Magazine and The Huffington Post, to name a few.

A friendly rivalry has developed between Crolla and Rodriguez, who uses pizza portraits to promote his Papa’s Pizza shop in Cabo Rojo. Rodriguez has sculpted pies into the likenesses of Family Guy character Peter Griffin, Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare On Elm Street, Miley Cyrus (complete with protruding tongue) and the Three Stooges.

Across the Atlantic, pizzaiolo Marco Fumai is considered the father of pizza art in his native Italy and fills about 20 orders for his unique pies each week at Pizzeria Friggitoria Capriccio (capricciolandia.it) in Bari. His portrait

WILHELM RODRIGUEZ

DOMENICO CROLLA

Domenico Crolla (left) has a flair for the elegant (and the expensive), while his rival pizza artist Wilhelm Rodriguez takes a more populist approach.

of Italian politician Beppe Grillo earned nearly 40,000 likes on Facebook. Last year Fumai created pizzas bearing any image requested by customers as part of a February promotion. Customers had to place the orders a full day in advance and pay 20 euros for the privilege.

A QUESTION OF EDIBILITY We know pizza art earns media coverage, but does it taste good? “We don’t eat many because there’s so much topping in one area of the pie—like a handful of black olives all in one spot,” Groothius concedes. “Nobody wants that!”

But Crolla argues that pizza art is pizza food. He says edibility is a major selling point for his pies. “Another dish wouldn’t work for this purpose,” he says. “One of the primary reasons pizza art opens doors so effectively is because it’s a fresh product meant to be eaten. How much nicer it is to make an impression with real accessible food instead of a sculpture, painting or even a decorated cake—a pizza you do for pennies. For a relatively modest price, you can bring so much pleasure to people.”

Even so, Crolla’s pizza art fetches a higher price than his regular pies. Instead of $15 to $20 for a pie off the menu, a pizza portrait will cost $100 to $150. Miller agrees that good flavor enhances the value of pizza art. “Normally, a 16” pepperoni at my store would be $10.99, but a ‘Happy Birthday’ pizza is $19.99,” he says.

Men like Crolla, Miller and Groothius may not be starving artists, but they work hard to create their masterpieces. Capturing life on dough takes time and focus— from an extra hour for a simple message to two or three for portraits and detailed logos. Whether they practice their craft in glamorous foreign cities or the dusty smalltown streets of Middle America, these dedicated pizza artists have made the planet’s favorite food an edible canvas for famous faces, sports logos and exploding market exposure. Pizzerias looking for a social media spike—and a way to generate goodwill and great fun among loyal patrons and potential customers—just might want to consider taking art lessons.

Andy Knef is PMQ’s associate editor.

September 2015 pmq.com

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Y

QUA

T I L

“Quality ingredients are essential

in today’s competitive pizza business. It’s no different with the pasta on my menu… my customers and I demand the best. That’s why I’m proud to use Barilla.”

Insist on it.

Sign Up for our Foundations quarterly e-newsletter and you could win a case of Academia Barilla 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil!*

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Yours

to

OUR KITCHEN

Johnny Brusco’s New York Style Pizza is a regional pizza chain with over 70 stores and growing in the Southeast, from Florida up to North Carolina, and as far west as Texas.

Known by its original name of Johnny’s Pizza in Georgia and franchised as Johnny Brusco’s everywhere else, the chain was founded in 1977 by Bruce Jackson and Scott Allen. Johnny’s is known for New York Style pizzas, pastas, salads and sandwiches made with high-quality ingredients and served in a casual atmosphere. We chatted with Luke Jackson, operations manager, about the brand, and why pasta works at Johnny’s: What does serving pasta do for your business?

A Operationally, many pizza toppings work great on pasta, making it easy to have a well-rounded menu with multiple options to keep regulars coming back and avoid a veto vote. Pasta is also very friendly on food cost, which is always a plus for us and for our franchisees.

Q

Q A

Is there a “pasta demographic”?

I’d say the pasta order tends to come from a higher-end customer, one that might give us a higher ticket average – you can often sell that guest a glass or bottle of wine. And of course there’s the kids – for families, having pasta on the menu is huge. In some locations, we’ll do free pasta nights for kids to bring the families in. It’s a great marketing tool, and is cost effective.

“

Pasta is also very friendly on food cost, which is always a plus for us and for our franchisees...

I understand that you tried other brands, but came back to Barilla. What is the difference?

A Right away our operators started having performance and quality issues. We’ve always focused on quality, and won’t ever sacrifice that for cost – our reputation is built on it. Barilla is top quality at a fair price, pretty much how we’d describe our brand.

Q

What advice would you give to other pizza operators looking to add pasta to the menu?

A It’s a no brainer – as long as you have the kitchen space — to accommodate pasta. It doesn’t take a lot of equipment, adds another dynamic to the menu, and can help you diversify and gain a competitive edge.

Q

Learn more in our next edition. This is the fourth in a series of six editions Barilla will share on best practices for menuing pasta in the pizza segment.

For more information and foodservice-ready pasta recipes, visit barillafoodservicerecipes.com

Pizzeria operators who add gluten-free crusts to the menu can find an entirely new and exceptionally loyal customer base.

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RAZZI’S PIZZA

Featured video: Learn how to make DeIorio’s mouthwatering Fresh Prosciutto Gluten-Free pizza

The

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Gluten Free tv

Alternative flours and high-quality premade crusts create new moneymaking opportunities for pizzeria operators targeting the gluten-free crowd. By Tracy Morin

J

ust a couple of decades ago, gluten-free (GF) folks didn’t have many choices for eating out—and when they did, they didn’t expect much in terms of quality.

My, how times have changed. With the advent of new flours, outside-the-box crust alternatives and increased competition for the GF dollar, these diners have more options than ever. In other words, it’s not enough to slap a gluten-free pizza on the menu; it has to be better than your (growing number of ) competitors’ fare.

GlutenFree.com reported last January that “although more than 25% of people in the United States follow a gluten-free diet, the foodservice industry is still falling short when it comes to accommodating their dietary needs and preferences.” In fact, the site’s recent survey of 250 consumers found that 77% felt foodservice outlets were not doing enough for GF customers. But pizzerias are a notable exception, the report stated; indeed, even the big boys, including Domino’s (dominos.com) and Pizza Hut (pizzahut.com), have hopped on the bandwagon.

The good news is, with a little creativity and experimentation, you can make flavorful crusts that meet the needs of your GF customers—and send them running to tell their friends and family. “We’ve found that

eating GF has endless possibilities if you’re willing to think outside the box,” notes Amir Razzaghi, manager/ owner of Seattle-based RAZZíS PIZZERíA (razzispizza. com). “While we specialize in making gluten-free crusts with a traditional crispy, chewy, breadlike consistency and flavor, there are many other delicious options.” Read on to explore some ways you can start thinking outside the (traditional) crust.

CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVES According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, many grains and other starch-containing foods are naturally GF, including rice, corn, soy, potato, tapioca, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, nuts and certain oats. Any of these may be used in GF pizza recipes via alternative flours, which have become increasingly available in recent years.

Razzaghi has experimented with many of them. Years ago, when he first started developing the GF crust that’s so popular at his pizzeria today, he sampled amaranth, rice, millet, quinoa and corn flour. Amaranth made the dough heavier and a bit soggy, he learned, while rice made it a little too crispy. Millet didn’t hold together well. Quinoa

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Perfect Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

For added crunch, sprinkle the oiled baking sheet with a little cornmeal before adding the dough.

For dough that’s slightly flaky and Dissolve yeast in a cup or small doesn’t rise as much, use oat flour bowl with ½ c. warm water and instead of the brown rice/ honey; the mixture should bubble tapioca flour combination. up and foam within 1 minute or so.

Transfer the dissolved yeast to a large mixing bowl, along with the remaining warm water, oil, Italian seasoning blend and salt.

Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Add 1 c. brown rice flour and stir well. Continue to stir created a wet, heavy dough and added a slightly unpleaswhile adding remaining brown rice flour and tapioca ant flavor (as did amaranth). Corn was an allergen for flour. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir and some of his longtime customers, so it was out, too. starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl, knead Ultimately, he decided to keep it simple, using only the dough. Turn the dough (it will be sticky) onto a two flours in his “very allergy-friendly” pizza crust: clean surface that has been sprinkled with rice flour. organic sorghum and tapioca. “Sorghum is a godsend for Knead it for 4 to 5 minutes, while continuing to sprinkle us GF folks; it creates a white flour dough with a similar with flour, until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Place texture to all-purpose flour,” he explains. “Tapioca helps the dough in a large, well-oiled bowl, then turn it over bind and adds a crispiness to the crust, as well as a hint so the top is coated with oil (to keep it from drying of sweetness.” Some of his crusts are prepared with fresh out). Cover the bowl with a clean, damp dishtowel yeast, while some are yeast- and sugar-free. or plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot for about 30 Seeking a heartier style? Recently, at America’s Test minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

Kitchen in Brookline, Massachusetts, recipes have been Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and carefully tweaked for its new cookbook, The How Can set aside. Punch down the risen dough, fold it over a It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook Volume 2. Its Classic Cheese few times, then let rest 1 minute. Divide the dough into Pan Pizza recipe uses a generous amount of oil in the 4 equal pieces and shape into balls. Place each ball bedough, as well as in the pan, to give the crust extra richtween sheets of waxed paper and roll out to 10” circles ness while crisping the bottom, notes Susan Hershberg, about 1/8” thick. Pinch the edges to create a slightly associate director of publicity at America’s Test Kitchen. raised border. Place the rounds on the prepared baking “We decreased the amount of yeast slightly,” she adds. sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the “Although we usually add the sauce and toppings before oven, add desired toppings, then return to the oven for baking the pizza, we found that they weighed down our an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom of gluten-free crust and made it soggy, so we bake the crust the crust is browned. Makes 4 thin crusts (8” rounds). first and let it cool before topping it.” The recipe uses a

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RAZZI’S PIZZA

Provided by The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook 2¼ tsp. active dry yeast (¼-oz. packet) 1½ c. warm (not hot) water 1 tsp. honey 2 tbsp. olive oil 1½ tsp. dried Italian seasoning blend 1 tsp. sea salt 2 c. brown rice flour 1½ c. tapioca flour

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When catering to gluten-free diners, look beyond the crust; add beer, salads and desserts to the menu to give them the full experience.

“Sorghum is a godsend for us GF folks—it creates a white flour dough with a similar texture to all-purpose flour.

Tapioca helps bind and adds a crispiness to the crust, as well as a hint of sweetness.”

—Amir Razzaghi, RAZZíS PIZZERíA

specially developed all-purpose GF flour blend, consisting of white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch and nonfat milk powder.

Carol Kicinski, editor-in-chief of Simply Gluten-Free Magazine in Dunedin, Florida, also created her own GF flour blend, a combo of white rice flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch, with xantham gum to bind the dough. To obtain extra springiness and texture, she adds unflavored gelatin to her dough recipe. Just be aware, however, that gelatin, is forbidden for vegan or vegetarian diners.

PREMADE PERFECTION As a GF diet devotee for 20 years, Kicinski views pizza from the customer perspective. “Some pizzerias do it 60

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

At RAZZíS PIZZERíA, operator Amir Razzaghi creates housemade breadlike gluten-free crusts with organic sorghum and tapioca flours, which he also sells to local pizzerias.

better than others, but I’ve noticed that many successful ones receive their dough from a supplier specializing in GF pizza dough or crusts—we gluten-intolerant consumers will always ask about their protocol,” she says.

Hence, if you do buy dough that needs to be rolled out, keep in mind GF customers will be wary of crosscontamination. “One pizzeria I know rolls out its GF and traditional dough with rice flour so that no traditional flour floats in the air, and they found it made no difference in their gluten-containing pizzas while making the GF pizzas safe,” Kicinski notes. “This makes good sense, unless you’re a dedicated GF pizza restaurant.”

To avoid cross-contamination, high-quality premade crusts are also available. Kicinski points out these can be beneficial for alerting kitchen staff; when an employee has to unwrap a special crust, he’s more apt to proceed with caution. “Premade crusts can be just as good as homemade,” she says. “When you purchase dough, it has that fresher quality, but there are excellent premade crust options now, such as Udi’s or Smart Flour Foods, which combines grains (sorghum, amaranth and teff) for its premade crusts.”

Though Razzaghi uses housemade crusts for his own operation, he does supply other restaurants with his premade crusts. “They go through them fairly quickly,” he says, “so I think using premade is fine when you source it well.” If you’re not sure about which premade crust or dough to stock, why not invite in a local gluten-free

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September 2015 pmq.com

61

RAZZI’S PIZZA

RAZZíS PIZZERíA has built up a large following thanks to its gluten-free options, with diners traveling from other states to taste its unique recipes for gluten-free pizzas and breads.

support group for a free blind taste test in exchange for their feedback? You’ll make a more informed decision and build buzz with this very loyal group of customers.

THE POWER OF CAULIFLOWER At Isabella Gourmet Foods, a boutique artisan grocery in downtown Santa Barbara, California, one locally made new product is flying off the shelves: Outer Aisle Gourmet’s GF cauliflower pizza crust. Can people really be that excited about a veggie-based crust? “Our customers have been obsessed with it for its texture, flavor, and ability to hold together pre- and post-bake,” raves Amy Isabella Chalker, owner of Isabella Gourmet Foods. “Many cauliflower pizza crusts are crumbly and fall apart easily, but this one has structural integrity; it’s bound together with egg whites, cottage cheese and Parmesan, and cauliflower makes up 80% of the ingredient content.” In fact, a nearby pizzeria, Gino’s Sicilian Express (ginospizzapies.com), noting its popularity, now allows customers to bring in these purchased crusts for custom GF pizzas.

Razzaghi has also made pizzas from cauliflower/cheese blend crusts, zucchini and roasted eggplant and has found they offer a variety of tastes and textures. His personal favorites: cauliflower/cheese and eggplant. “With the cauliflower and cheese, you get a chewy, cheesy texture that perfectly complements most pizza toppings; adding garlic 62

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

and herbs gives it a burst of flavor,” he says. “When the eggplant ‘crust’ is done right, it’s also a great complement to various pizza sauces and toppings. It’s nothing like a traditional crust, but it would make a fantastic appetizer or party hors d’oeuvre. And a zucchini crust reminds me of Okonomiyaki, a Japanese pancake.”

Kacinski enjoys making vegetable-crust pizzas at home, but she prefers pizzas that are as close to the “real thing” while dining out. However, she notes that these kinds of pizzas can be a big hit with Paleo dieters, who shun grains of any kind. “These pizzas are tasty, but they’re not like regular pizza,” she says. “For those who go grain-free, you can do an almond flour-based crust, which comes a little closer to traditional pizza.” Kacinski has also experimented with thinly sliced eggplant, crisped in a frying pan, topped with pizza toppings.

Exploring and experimenting with GF alternatives may take some time and effort, but pizzerias that pull it off have enjoyed impressive revenue increases and die-hard loyalty. “We’ve been quite successful with our crusts, calzones, baguettes, focaccia, dinner rolls and more,” Razzaghi concludes. “Some customers drive from British Columbia and surrounding states just to have dinner or celebrate their occasions at our pizzeria. That is incredibly special to us.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

Pizza restaurant marketing is an art.

And we’re the masters.

At PMQ Pizza Magazine, the M stands for Marketing. Always has, always will. For 17 years, PMQ has focused first and foremost on helping you sell more pizzas through innovative marketing strategies and creative promotions. We show you how to drive more traffic on slow nights, earn positive news coverage, develop a large and loyal social media following, and build solid, lasting relationships with community leaders and organizations. Every issue of PMQ is jam-packed with moneymaking ideas, products and solutions. And it’s absolutely free!

Subscribe to PMQ online today at www.pmq.com/Subscribe

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TEXTAppeal Text-based marketing is virtually guaranteed to get customers’ attention. Here’s how to build your mobile fan base and craft messages that keep followers hooked. By Tracy Morin

M

obile marketing via text message has become a no-brainer for pizzerias large and small in recent years, and no wonder: In a world of instant gratification, operators have taken notice of studies that show 95% of text messages are read by consumers within four minutes of receipt.

And with nearly everyone nowadays toting cell phones, chances are, most of your customers have the ability to hop on your mobile marketing bandwagon.

It’s an astonishing opportunity for restaurateurs—textbased (or SMS) marketing is virtually guaranteed to get eyeballs. And because customers have to opt in to receive the messages, you know you’re targeting the right people

with your message. “Leveraging mobile allows you to target customers within the vicinity of your restaurant instead of broader advertising that might reach those outside your immediate area,” notes Dan Bejmuk, CEO of Dreambox Creations in Los Angeles.

“Additionally, people using mobile devices are often looking for something particular—such as a pizzeria— and cell phones provide location awareness.”

Sounds straightforward enough, but there’s actually an art to text-based marketing, from attracting subscribers to sending messages that will ensure engagement and redemption. Here, experts share how you can ensure success through cell phone-savvy marketing.

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Giuseppe’s Pizza: How often should I send texts to my customers?

PMQ: Don’t overdo it or they’ll opt out! Most studies show that 1 or 2 texts per week is about right.

Consumers read 95% of their text messages within four minutes of receipt, studies show, making text marketing a can’t-miss strategy.

BUILDING MOMENTUM When initiating a text-based mobile marketing program, pizzeria owners often opt for the simplest, quickest path with the fewest hurdles, and many companies offer Webbased mobile marketing software that an independent operator can get up and running in about 30 minutes, according to Jacob Weiss, client success manager at CallFire in Santa Monica, California. “Small businesses can sign up, purchase credits either on a plan or pay-as-you-go basis, upload a list of contacts, and start sending messages to their audiences,” he explains.

Chef Anthony Russo, Houston-based founder and CEO of Russo’s Restaurants, with 44 locations of Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen (nypizzeria.com), agrees that those with fewer locations can keep it simple. Instead of going with a pricier custom-made app, smaller operators can use a third-party vendor, then streamline the program through their POS systems. “Building your database takes time, but once the traffic starts increasing, you’ll want to combine all of your databases, such as with your POS, online ordering 66

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customer info, or third-party plug-ins on your site,” Russo says. “Since we launched our new website in October 2014, we’ve had great success with a pop-up banner advertising our mobile program, which generates about 250 to 300 subscribers per week.”

Keep in mind you must obtain permission from customers to send them coupons and special offers via text message. “One approach we’ve seen work with great success is renting a keyword and printing posters, fliers and tabletop signs with calls to action, such as ‘Text SLICE [the pizzeria’s rented keyword] to 313131, and you’ll be enrolled in our VIP program,’” says Weiss. “Promote the keyword campaign on social media websites—the more often a customer sees a message, the more likely it will sink in—or you can place an iPad at the cash register with a simple online form for folks to type their phone number and check a box indicating they want to receive coupons via text message.”

SCORING THE SIGN-UP Of course, bribery is also a great motivator to snag subscribers. Bejmuk points to a study done by his marketing partner, Fishbowl, that found incentives like freebies or discounts drive significant increases in sign-ups for mobile marketing lists. At Papa’s Pizza (papaspizza.net), based in Eugene, Oregon, with five locations, co-office manager Dori Kelty recalls being one of the first in the market to text specials to customers, back in 2008; the company attracted subscribers with $5 off a future order, while in-store banners and e-newsletters announced the program. Today, the company boasts more than 13,000 valid phone numbers on its list. “We started with really valuable offers for customers who signed up, such as ‘buy

Giuseppe’s Pizza: What’s an example of an effective discount text?

Get The Message!

What people would rather give up for a week than their smartphone:

Alcohol 70%

PMQ: Craving pizza tonight? Show this text to your server and get 20% off any large pizza! Good for tonight only!

Chocolate 63% Sex 33% Toothbrush 22%

TELENAV

Mobile offers most likely to trigger a consumer action:

Pricing-based 66% Time-sensitive 52% Location-based 50% IPSOS OBSERVER SURVEY

$

400 billion

Predicted revenue generated by mobile marketing in 2015 (WebDAM)

Mobile is the new TV Users spent more time on mobile devices (2 hours, 57 minutes daily) than watching TV (2 hours and 48 minutes) in Q3 2014. (Flurry) By 2018, video will represent 69% of all mobile traffic, up from 53% in 2013. (Forbes)

one, get one free’ deals, but now we’ve scaled back,” Kelty notes. “We now often promote our lunch buffet special, offer discounts, and promote new menu items, like our recently introduced flatbreads. Every time I check the numbers of subscribers, they’re up.”

Getting waitstaff on board helped boost interest at Sports Fans Pizza (sportsfanspizza.com) in Bettendorf, Iowa, according to manager Matt Trumbo. “The database took a while to build up, but many mobile companies’

sales reps can offer help by suggesting messages to send,” he says. “And even if a customer doesn’t redeem an offer, keeping in touch through text keeps your name front and center.”

Robert Speckert, owner of Pizza Tower (pizzatower. com), with two locations in Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky, thinks of text coupons as another weapon in his technological arsenal, and he’s aggressive about spreading the word. “We put info about our text program on our website, pizza boxes, and the fliers that we hand out with every order. It’s even on our online ordering page when customers place an order and on our on-hold message system,” he says. “We offer a free dessert for subscribing, which really entices customers.”

ON-THE-MARK MESSAGES Before you begin texting with abandon, though, Bejmuk advises identifying your target customer according to daypart. Are you trying to reach the lunchtime, weekend or dinner crowd? Also nail down your brand message or story, then make sure every text communication reinforces it. “Some pizzerias are perennial discounters, so they’ll attract guests based on special offers,” Bejmuk says. “If you never discount, you must provide something else of value to the customer, something they’d read no matter who sent it, like a quirky bit of news or educational info that’s related to what your brand offers.”

The ultimate result: You’ll educate customers to become brand ambassadors, but with a soft-sell approach.

Weiss agrees pizzerias must offer something of value to their given demographic, but the concept of value will vary from market to market. “For example, a college-town pizzeria would benefit from sending hungry students

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Giuseppe’s Pizza: I want to make my mobile customers feel involved. How do I start?

PMQ: Ask them to vote via text on their favorite pizzas or desserts. You’ll get valuable market research, and they’ll feel more connected to your pizzeria.

Texting out “kids eat free” and “buy one, get one free” coupons are a great way to build a slow Tuesday night.

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Chef Anthony Russo wisely uses text-based marketing to monitor customers’ clicking and buying habits, while increasing sales at his restaurants.

’S R ESTA U RANTS

TIMING AND TRACKING Russo also shares a tip to determine the ideal timing of your messages: Research your Web traffic through Google Analytics. “For us, the most traffic occurs 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., so we like to send our messages around 3 p.m.,” Russo says. His company sends info on weekly specials on Monday and Friday, while messages about special events are sent twice (four days before the event and one

day before the event). “Based on our experience—and everyone is different—one or two messages per week has kept us happy,” Russo adds. “Ultimately, we’re able to gauge our impact by the number of users canceling their subscriptions. That’s when you know you should ease up!”

You should freely experiment to find your sweet spot when timing your text messages. Bejmuk notes that customer trends can differ for each brand, so there’s no “one size fits all” solution. “Just because you saw great response to a message sent at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, don’t limit your messages to that time frame,” he advises. “You may find a surprising time of success—plus, we’ve found that content, both verbal and visual, is more important than timing.”

However, make sure you’re not an oversharer—sometimes there’s a fine line between delivering value and spamming your most loyal customers, notes Weiss. “Historically, we’ve observed that sending text messages to local pizzeria patrons before lunchtime, once or twice per week, has been a key driver of increased foot traffic,” he says. “Then, any opt-in list should be sliced and diced for maximum return. Keep track of customer preferences and send them a valuable offer that relates to those desires.

R USSO

offers such as two-for-one slices or a free medium pizza with the purchase of a pitcher of beer to drive foot traffic on nights when a local band is playing,” he explains. “It’s important to think of the offer as well as the time of day it’s sent; if it’s a meal offer, send it in the hours leading up to lunch or dinner. A family special may require a little more planning so parents can get the family on the road and in your pizzeria by 6 p.m.”

In addition, text messaging is a great way to fill your pizzeria on slow nights, even at the last minute. Weiss notes some popular examples: “kids eat free” coupons, meal specials for late-night snackers, or a “buy one, get one free” offer on a slow Tuesday. Speckert, indeed, finds that “buy one, get one free” offers work best with his customer base.

Russo suggests featuring weekly specials, happy hours and new items in your text messages. Additionally, think about highlighting holiday specials or major events like the Super Bowl, Halloween and National Pizza Day. “But you can also have fun with the messages,” he adds. “For example, in addition to reaching out on a customer’s birthday, why not send a message on his half-birthday as a nice surprise? This builds a loyal following.”

Giuseppe’s Pizza: How do I boost response to my texts?

On each offer, set a deadline; make it clear that he has a fixed window to redeem the offer.”

Tracking results for your mobile marketing program is a must. You can experiment in the beginning, but, eventually, you’ll want to get it down to a science. Tracking his program’s success has become second nature for Russo.

He suggests sending a code with every message, so the customer can mention the code upon ordering and your employees can easily enter the code into the system, which is then logged and tracked in its online database. “They say redemption rates around 2.5% to 3% are good,” Russo says. “You should be able to monitor your redemption rates through a report via your app or POS. This allows

PMQ: Offer something of immediate value. The message should explain the benefits of acting NOW! you to view the number of downloads, messages sent, delivered, opened, clicked and unsubscribes. You can also view the customer’s contact information, location and, with some programs, frequency.”

For Russo, this type of reporting opened his eyes to a new level of targeting, enabling him to tailor specific messages to his fan base. In other words, mobile marketing isn’t just a tool to attract customers; it’s a way to keep them coming back, engage them with your brand, track their buying habits and better serve their needs. For savvy operators, connecting through text reaps a bevy of benefits. Are you ready to go mobile?

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria makes a big statement—and garners a ton of attention—by placing huge pizza boxes on top of tiny cars.

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LICENSE TO ADVERTISE Discover the marketing power of your delivery vehicles and ride them all the way to higher profits.

By Liz Barrett

W

ith more than 73,000 pizzerias in the United States and roughly 60% of those pizzerias offering delivery, we can estimate that, at bare minimum, there are at least 43,800 pizza delivery vehicles driving around America’s neighborhoods on a busy Saturday night. So why don’t we see more independent pizzerias sporting car swag? What’s holding you back from fully utilizing vehicle advertising to increase orders and build your brand? It’s a proven fact that pizzeria orders increase when a delivery vehicle with advertising pulls into a neighborhood.

Richard Ames, owner of Daddio’s Pizzeria (daddios. ca) in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada, has been using vehicle advertising since he opened Daddio’s in 2005. “If

you look at the cost of vehicle advertising compared to a static billboard, you’ll likely find the costs per month to be lower for the vehicle,” Ames says. “The advantage of a vehicle is that it’s going where your customers are, as opposed to being part of the background clutter or ‘visual noise’ on the side of the road.”

“Our wrapped cars make us unique and provide great brand recognition,” says Aro Agakhanyan, CEO of Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria (bigmamaspizza.com), with 20 locations in Los Angeles and two planned for Dubai at the end of the year. “We have a special warmer inside the giant pizza box atop our small cars that keeps our record-holding 54”-by-54” giant Sicilian pizzas hot during delivery.”

But some operators avoid vehicle advertising for very

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Daddio’s Pizzeria stands out through the use of reflective decals and carefully planned placement of its vehicle for maximum exposure to passersby.

specific reasons, notes Lawrence Joy, vice president of marketing for Domino’s Team New Mexico (dominosnm. com), a franchisee with 36 locations in New Mexico and two in southern Colorado. “We bought 11 stores last year from a franchisee who refused to use car toppers because he thought they made drivers a target,” Joy says. “Since we took over and installed toppers on all of the delivery vehicles, sales have increased in every store.”

Your delivery vehicles—company- or driver-owned— may currently be an untapped source of free advertising, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Low-cost options can be up and running in a matter of days, paying for themselves thanks to increased local brand recognition and new pizza orders.

If you’re just beginning to experiment with car advertising, experts suggest that you start small, with magnets, decals and/or car toppers, and move up to the more costly car wraps or special hybrid/electric cars as your sales increase. Let’s take a look at some of the options.

MAGNETS AND DECALS Magnetic signs and vinyl decals are the most cost-effective car advertising options, with prices starting at under 72

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“Try not to be a ‘me too’ person. Find a way to attract attention to your vehicle that nobody else is using, and do it.” —Richard Ames, Daddio’s Pizzeria

$50 per set. When purchasing car magnets, research your options and ask for referrals to avoid low-quality versions that will end up on the side of the road. “I’ve used magnets, car toppers and decals for vehicle advertising over the years,” Ames says. “I’m currently using reflective decals, because most of the time my vehicle is on the road when it’s dark.”

When Ames isn’t making deliveries, he parks his vehicle in a highly visible location of the parking lot to make sure the signage can be seen from all angles. “There is no angle in the lot from which you will not see the car,” he says.

“With the reflective decals, it’s in your face.”

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Hosted by: Brian Hernandez & Daniel Perea September 2015 pmq.com

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“Car toppers advertise your product and your brand, and they tell customers that your pizzeria is in the neighborhood. We require every delivery driver to use a working car top.”

—Lawrence Joy, Domino’s Team New Mexico

neighborhood. We require every delivery driver to use a working car top.”

Even large chains such as Domino’s benefit from the added exposure gained from vehicle advertising.

CAR TOPPERS If you’re considering taking the car topper route, invest in a topper that lights up, since most pizza deliveries occur at night. Additionally, keep your logo and message simple and readable, including your phone number and website.

Those who see your car driving by may have mere seconds to read your name and contact information, so make it easy for them to reach you.

“When deciding on what type of vehicle advertising you want, look at what’s unique,” Ames advises. “Try not to be a ‘me too’ person. Find a way to attract attention to your vehicle that nobody else is using, and do it. But don’t be too complicated with details. There’s only so much a person will remember about the vehicle, so make a good, simple impression.”

Seek out fellow operators to inquire about reliable car toppers that don’t slip, slide or fly off of vehicles. There are a variety of car toppers that attach to the top of a car via strong magnets or even mount to a passenger window—both plug into the car’s cigarette lighter for illumination, while some are available with rechargeable LED lights. “I started in the pizza business more than 30 years ago, and the first thing I did was purchase car toppers,” Joy says. “Car toppers advertise your product and your brand, and they tell customers that your pizzeria is in the 74

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WRAPPED AND COMPANY-OWNED When it comes to company-owned and wrapped delivery cars, there are a number of pros and cons to consider. On the pro side, a company-owned delivery car allows you to hire drivers who don’t own reliable vehicles of their own. They also provide consistency in your branding and attract greater attention than the typical car topper or magnetic sign. The cons to owning and insuring your own vehicles, of course, include the maintenance and insurance costs, but most operators find that the costs equal out in the end.

In April 2015, Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria began using smart cars wrapped with pizzeria information and topped with giant 54”-by-54” pizza boxes. “For our concept, it was almost like we had to have this,” Agakhanyan says. “The big box on the small car looks neat and helps to connect all of our marketing efforts.” At the time of publication, Big Mama’s & Papa’s had a total of nine cars on the street in three of its 20 locations, with future plans to outfit every store. “People are always taking photos of our vehicles,” Agakhanyan says. “Eventually we want to start running promotions for those who upload photos and use our hashtag.”

While Big Mama’s & Papa’s franchisees plan to provide wrapped cars for all of their delivery drivers, some companies reserve the wrapped cars for company executives.

“Our executive team drives a fleet of nine wrapped company cars, mostly Toyota Priuses,” Joy says. “Everywhere I go, everyone knows that Domino’s is there, because my

company car is wrapped with logos, phone numbers and even employment information, from bumper to bumper and side to side.”

The cars pay for themselves through the marketing boost, but Agakhanyan doesn’t deny that the cost can be prohibitive for those operators just starting out. “Each of our wrapped vehicles costs the franchisee $25,000, plus insurance,” he says. “Do the math and make sure you can justify the costs associated with a wrapped company car before you jump in.”

In an industry with more than 70,000 competitors, you have to find a point of differentiation. Could car advertising be the marketing tactic that gets you there? “You have to always be thinking outside the box and asking yourself, ‘How am I different?’” Agakhanyan says. “If you don’t know the answer, there’s something wrong.”

Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor at large and author of Pizza: A Slice of American History.

Orders automatically increase when delivery cars with various forms of vehicle advertising enter neighborhoods, so make yours easy to read.

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DANIEL PEREA

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PMQ takes a road trip to Cartersville, Georgia, for a “mellow” chat with Jesse Ryan in this exclusive video at PizzaTV.com.

THE SUPERFAN tv

Jesse Ryan went from being Mellow Mushroom’s most loyal customer to its happiest employee.

By Rick Hynum | Reported by Melanie Addington

Call it love at first bite. Jesse Ryan’s first taste of a pie from Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers (mellowmushroom.com) changed his life forever—and that’s no exaggeration. Now he’s making pizzas for a franchisee in Cartersville, Georgia, passing on his love for the neo-hippie chain to others. It’s no wonder they call him the Mellow Mushroom #1 Superfan.

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DANIEL PEREA

A hippie theme and offbeat decor distinguish Mellow Mushroom stores from competitors whenever they enter new markets, but locals in Cartersville, Georgia, weren’t crazy about the shop’s far-out vibe at first. Now the Cartersville store ranks in the company’s overall top 25.

A native of Naples, Florida, Ryan and his wife were in Athens, Georgia, for a concert when Ryan made his fateful discovery. “I’d always get the phone book out and start looking at all of the pizza places, trying to find one I’d never heard of or eaten at,” he recalls. The Mellow Mushroom name quickly caught his attention. “It was so eye-catching and different and weird. Then the [delivery] guy came with long hair and no shoes and brought us our food. From that moment on, I was hooked. From the moment we opened the box, I knew I had to eat [their pizza] all the time.”

A FATEFUL ENCOUNTER Headquartered in Atlanta, Mellow Mushroom has earned renown for its trippy, tie-dyed vibe, groovy craft brews and shroom-heavy specialty pizzas such as the pesto-based Magical Mystery Tour (made with button and portobello mushrooms, feta and mozzarella cheeses, spinach and jalapeños) and the Holy Shiitake Pie (a white pizza featuring shiitake, button and portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella and Montamoré cheeses, garlic aioli 78

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and black truffle oil). In keeping with its flower-child philosophy, the company’s pizza boxes are made from 100% recycled material, as are its napkins, paper towels and tissues.

Founded in 1974, Mellow Mushroom has grown to more than 200 locations around the country. For his part, Ryan has eaten at 89 of them since placing his first order in Athens. In fact, he and his wife soon became fixtures at store openings. At one such event, he started up a conversation with a man who turned out to be one of the company’s founders. It was a fateful encounter, Ryan says. “He was impressed with my story—he thought I was a little weird, but he loved it.” He was so impressed, in fact, that he dubbed Ryan the company’s “No. 1 superfan” on the spot.

With that official designation, the next step seemed obvious for Ryan. A self-taught amateur pizza chef, he applied for a pizza maker’s position at the Mellow store that opened last year in Cartersville. “We were all really nervous about hiring him,” admits Angie Pointer, the shop’s assistant general manager. “You’ve got the No. 1

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Visit

www.PizzaHallofFame.com for more information.

DANIEL PEREA

Jesse Ryan, known companywide as the Mellow Mushroom #1 Superfan, is now also known as the Cartersville store’s assistant kitchen manager.

superfan—we’d gone through a few issues, trying to get things right, and you don’t want to ruin it for the poor boy. But we brought him on, and he’s done nothing but keep us happy and in stitches. There is passion there. He brought a whole different aspect to the store that kind of completed us.”

FROM ROCK BOTTOM The store initially struggled for acceptance in Cartersville, with a population of about 20,000. Not everyone was thrilled with its psychedelic theme and bohemian decor, such as the brightly sparkling mosaic sculpture depicting a female figure seated in a birdcage and the stylized portraits of rock stars like Joan Jett and Slash of Guns N’ Roses.

“The town was very resistant,” Pointer says, candidly. “It’s a very small town. Things have been the same here for a very long time.”

In its first several months of operation, the store languished at the bottom of the company’s overall rankings nationwide but has since moved into the top 25, Pointer notes. “There were a lot of things we needed to improve on,” she adds. “It isn’t easy to learn how to make pizza.

It’s hard to get that ticket time right when you’ve got to stretch the dough, know the toppings that go on it, know exactly when to pull it out of the oven. It takes some time to perfect that. But I think we’ve finally got it on 80

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Employees at Mellow Mushroom in Cartersville go the extra mile to keep their local clientele happy.

track now. We’ve made sure to make the locals happy as possible, and I feel like it’s catching on.”

The learning curve was sharp for Ryan, too. “It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but it was so much fun,” he says. “Making pizza and getting paid to do it—there’s nothing more satisfying than watching this gorgeous pizza go out and watching people eat it, people giving you the thumbs-up and the OK as you put them in pizza zen.”

Ryan’s passion for Mellow Mushroom’s menu rubs off on the entire staff, Pointer says. “He’s great at taking direction, and he just loves [what he’s doing]. You can’t go wrong with having too much passion. If he messes up a pie, he is seriously shaken because he’s wasted it, and he doesn’t want to do that. It makes me happy to see him happy and to see the love he puts into his product. I’m glad to have Jesse here.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s managing editor. Melanie Addington is PMQ’s social media director.

TOP 5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH! Partner with a local charity 1 to help a great cause!

Make a National Pizza Month 2 specialty pizza for your menu Give customers 3 temporary pizza tattoos Offer month-long discounts 4 and social media contests Treat yourself with a FREE SUBSCRIPTION 5 to PMQ Pizza Magazine!

Go to www.PMQ.com/subscribe TODAY! Download FREE National Pizza Month artwork for your advertising campaign at www.pmq.com/freedownload!

10 Ways to WIN Win back lost customers and generate goodwill with these National Pizza Month promotions. By Rick Hynum

E

very month is pizza month for most of us, but October is the one that’s officially recognized nationwide. Here are some promotional ideas to help you turn National Pizza Month into four straight weeks of fun and profit:

2

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Show your love for animals—Devote the entire month to raising funds for a local animal shelter and encouraging pet adoptions.

Post photos of dogs, cats and other critters in need of adoption on your social media.

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1 3

“Have a Free Slice Day”—Create a “Have a Free Slice Day” coupon. Let customers download and print it from your website and redeem it on a given day in October.

Create weekly social media contests—Ask customers to comment on, tweet about or post Instagram photos of their favorite menu items with a designated hashtag. Award a $25 gift certificate to a random winner each week.

Ramp up your online orders— Offer delivery/carryout specials exclusively for online orders throughout October. If you have a smartphone app, offer special immediate deals to customers who download it.

in OCTOBER

5 7

Host a pizza box art contest—Invite kids to turn your pizza boxes into works of art all month long. Give away a free pizza party to the winner and create an in-house gallery featuring all entries.

6 8

Throw pop-up pizza lunches—Choose local businesses or nonprofits making a difference in the community and “pop up” at their offices bearing free pizza and drinks. Post photos of the lunch parties on social media.

Win back lost customers—Use your loyalty software to create a list of customers who haven’t been in for a while. Send them bounce-back certificates—redeemable in October only—to regain their business.

Partner with the police—Let police officers hand out “tickets”—good for free pizza at your store—to citizens for good behavior (i.e., using crosswalks or wearing helmets while riding bikes).

9

Host a Halloween costume party—All kids in costume get free slices of pizza—plus candy for trick-or-treating—from 6 to 7 p.m. With parents’ permission, shoot and post photos of the kiddies on social media.

10

Hold a “Pitch a Pizza” contest— Ask customers to submit their own “dream pizza” recipes on Facebook.

Followers vote on their favorites, and your staff chooses a winner at the end of the month. The winning entry earns a spot on your menu in November and a $100 gift certificate to your store.

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PMQ China Pizza Magazine

invites you to

Experience China Explore the Beauty of Shanghai Exchange Ideas at the FHC Food Show Exalt in the thrill of Competition at the Chinese Pizza Championship Accompany PMQ on a

journey through China We will be returning to Shanghai China for the FHC Food Show, China’s largest domestic food and hospitality show, And PMQ China’s 10th Chinese Pizza Championship International Competition

November 9th-15th Travel includes Hotel, Tour Bus Transportation, most meals

Cost is $1215 per person

Tour Excursions: Tianzifang Visit- Nostalgic brick walls pieced together with elaborately paved brick pedestrian roads, leave you wondering if you are really in cosmopolitan Shanghai.

Huangpu River Cruise- Old world colonial China meets the modern advanced powerhouse of today’s China as the Nanpu Bridge and Yangpu Bridge appear to arch over the Oriental Pearl Tv Tower, resembling “two dragons playing with a ball”.

Wuzhen Travel- Wind down after the competition and relax your mind in Wuzhen. Here you can enjoy the slow-paced life and classic beauty of China in this plain simple water town in southern China.

Shop for ingredients in local Chinese markets, enjoy a free day to explore China’s beauty on your own. After dinner one evening visit Shanghai Chenghuanmiao or Shanghai Old City God Temple, popular tourist shopping centers.

FHC (Food Hotel China)

China’s Largest Domestic Food and Hospitality Show www.fhcchina.com/eng Meet the PMQ China staff and learn about international opportunities for Pizza Operators and Pizza Suppliers.

Join us in the world’s first truly international competition as PMQ China Presents: The Triple Panel Pizza Challenge.

3 Culinary Worlds collide in this unique competition. One pizza is judged by 3 panels: American, Italian and Chinese. Can you take top billing in all three categories? Four possible awards: Highest score in each of the three panels or International Favorite, highest score from all three.

Competition Entry Fee $250

• The exhibition of choice for exporters and importers of food and beverages.

• More international companies participate than any food exhibition in China.

• 34,761 attendees in 2014, 46% from Shanghai, 41% from other regions in China.87% of all attendees are from China, making this event the largest domestic food forum in China.

Call Caroline (662)234-5481 ext 150 today to book this

Exciting Excursion to China!

Dining Dutch with the

Missy Green Assink considers five smart techniques used by Dutch pizzeria Da Portare Via to improve efficiency and customer service. By Missy Green Assink

T

he people of the Netherlands—where I now live (in the city of Utrecht) with my Dutch husband Jelle—never fail to impress me. And why wouldn’t they? They’ve been renowned traders and businessmen for centuries, yet they’re so humble, you would never know it. When the Dutch find a good concept, they take it and make it more efficient, practical and generally adorable.

As PMQ’s international correspondent and blogger for Pizza Without Borders (pizzawithoutborders.pmq.com), I recently visited an impressive up-and-coming Utrecht pizza chain called Da Portare Via (daportarevia.nl), which translates to “take away” in Italian. In the Netherlands, Italian-style pizza is still regarded as the most desirable style, although the American model dominates when it comes to actually running a pizza business. During my visit, I noted several ways in which Da Portare Via excelled in efficiency and customer service:

1

Longer hours. I first heard John Arena, co-owner of Las Vegas’ Metro Pizza, propose the idea of keeping your pizzeria open all day. That’s easy for him to say—he has mastered the art of baking, so he manages to maximize the use of his kitchen and space to make baked goods for morning customers. Da Portare Via offers its own unique twist on breakfast, including eggs

86

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

baked in the oven as well as the classic Dutch breakfast of yogurt and muesli. And customers are drawn into the store at all hours of the day by the storefront window, which prominently features the words, “Espresso—1 Euro.”

2

Going cash-free. Debit cards are much more prevalent in the Netherlands than credit cards.

Some Dutch people don’t even have credit cards, entirely by choice. On top of that, public transport in Utrecht has officially gone cashless; you can pay by text message or with your transport card, but not with actual money. There are certain advantages to eschewing cash, including reduced risk of card theft and a clear paper trail.

In the Netherlands—and most of Europe, plus nearly every other country I’ve traveled to—paying your bill by At Da Portare Via in Utrecht, the Netherlands, kids’ pizzas come in their own specially illustrated boxes featuring animated characters like Scooby Doo and Shaggy.

Debit cards (called PIN cards in the Netherlands) are more widely used than credit cards in Europe, and some pizzerias no longer accept cash at all.

card means that the waiter will come to your table with an electronic device and swipe it in front of you. The United States is one of the few countries where it’s still standard to hand your card off to a waiter, who then takes your card out of sight to process your payment. Now, when I visit the U.S., I feel nervous when a server takes my card away.

3

Desserts to go. The Netherlands has never been much of a “to-go box” type of culture. In fact, most Europeans will tell you that doggy bags are an American thing, and we just need to get over it and clear our plates. But times are a’changing in the lowlands, where restaurant owners are taking note that customers actually appreciate being able to take their leftover food home. Da Portare Via actually serves its desserts in to-go containers, just in case customers eat their fill but still can’t resist a creamy, chocolaty after-dinner treat.

4

Appealing to kids. Just like American kids, European young’uns love their pizza, too, and they also love a good cartoon. That’s why Da Portare Via has created two different branded boxes—one for adults and one designed specifically to appeal to kids.

The kid-sized pizzas come with fun cartoon designs featuring beloved characters like Scooby Doo and Shaggy.

After Dutch cartoonist Theo van den Boogard created a commissioned illustration depicting a crowded and colorful scene outside Da Portare Via (top), the pizzeria recreated the scene with real people the next year. The original illustration hangs on the restaurant’s bathroom wall today.

5

Creating that artistic touch. Employees wear pink bandanas, which raise the cuteness level several notches, while fresh-cut flowers adorn the tables and live basil plants line the window that separates the dining area from the kitchen. Meanwhile, artwork by popular Dutch artist Theo van den Boogard can be found on the pizzeria’s walls and on its website.

Missy Green Assink is PMQ’s international correspondent. Learn more about the weird, wild, wonderful world of pizza by following Missy’s blog at pizzawithoutborders.pmq.com.

September 2015 pmq.com

87

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IDEA ZONE ORDERSNAPP

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Another Hand in Your Pocket?

E

ver feel like too many people have their hands in your pockets? You’re not alone. Thousands of pizzerias are literally giving their profits away to third-party online and mobile ordering sites. Although applications such as GrubHub and Eat24 are popular with customers, many restaurants aren’t faring as well, thanks to high commissions, hidden costs and cross-promotion to their customers.

“We’re hearing from a number of pizza shop owners who are really frustrated with the high commissions they have to pay on each sale,” said Ron Resnick, president and CEO of OrderSnapp, Inc. “They’re even finding that some of their loyal customers are beginning to order through these sites versus dealing directly with their business, which cannibalizes sales.”

Commission-Free Ordering

One option perfectly suited for pizzerias is OrderSnapp—a commission-free, all-in-one digital ordering system that helps pizzerias increase profits while providing the ease and convenience of online and mobile ordering to customers.

The OrderSnapp team helps restaurants establish or improve their online presence by offering their own ordering site—or link off of their existing site—so customers can easily order on any device (smartphone, tablet, or monitor).

OrderSnapp also gives restaurants their own customized mobile application in the Apple and Android app stores.

Take Back Your Customers Today

OrderSnapp will develop a strategic plan to convert your customers to use your online ordering site and not high-commission sites. That’s what the team did with Palermo Pizzeria in upstate New York. Owner Anthony (Tony) Randazzo estimates OrderSnapp technology has saved the business over $10,000 in third-party commission payments over the last 12 months. “Since restaurant owners already deal with very tight margins, OrderSnapp helps them connect directly with customers so they can maximize online orders,” Resnick said. “We don’t charge commission on any orders. What we do is provide restaurants with a service so they can grow their own business.”

Simplify and Save

With OrderSnapp’s all-in-one service, pizzeria owners have one place where they can manage all their digital assets—website, online ordering, social media, domain names, customer relations, coupons, and e-mail campaigns.

They can promote their own domain name and have access to all of the customer data that is collected. The team also provides social media support, search engine optimization, couponing, print marketing, reputation management and 24-hour customer service.

For more info, call 888-402-6863 or visit ordersnapp.com.

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| 888-402-6863 September 2015 pmq.com

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Solve Your Table Space Problem with Pizza Butler

A

big problem with dine-in pizza is the table space it consumes. Customers and waitstaff are often playing a game of Tetris to try and fit drinks, plates and pizza all on the table. And as pizza is a shared food, when you have a large group dining together there is the problem of passing the pizza up and down the table. There have been many creative attempts to solve the table space problem, such as using an empty tomato sauce can as a pizza stand, but is this really the look you want for your restaurant? The Pizza Butler solves the table space issue and several other problems that comes with serving pizza.

With Pizza Butler’s unique “Z” pattern design, the amount of space needed for the pizza is cut in half. The Pizza Butler is made of 18-gauge stainless steel and will absolutely never tip over. The 300 series stainless steel is dishwasher-safe and will never rust. In addition to saving table space, the raised bumps allow air flow beneath the pizza to prevent soggy slices, and the raised lip prevents pizza from sliding and oils from dripping off the pan, all while creating a sleek look.

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the customer, and the pizza will never fall off.

“Because the Pizza Butler takes up less space on tabletops, we were able to add five more tables in our dining room,” says Donna Caruso of Formaggio’s (formaggiospizzeria.com) in Tampa, Florida. “Our guests can now enjoy their meals with comfort and convenience, and I can capture more business with more tables.”

The Pizza Butler solves another problem, too: It allows you to place two pizza halves on each butler so large groups can have two different options at each end of the table without having to pass hot pizza pans back and forth. No matter what sizes you offer, the Pizza Butler can fit your needs or can be custom-created to any size you need. It comes in both round and square models and can even be personalized with engraved logos.

Sleek and customizable, Pizza Butler offers a space-saving footprint, easy stackable storage and versatility, allowing you to serve pizza, appetizers, miniature desserts and more.

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Before 90

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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For Pizzerias, Vacuum Performance and Durability Are Crucial

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ince 1985, the restaurant franchise CiCi’s Pizza has grown from one location in Plano, Texas, to nearly 500 restaurants in 34 states. In Liberty, Missouri, the CiCi’s Pizza location sees more than 350 customers come through their doors each day. Owner Ray Downey has searched for the best ways to keep his restaurant clean and inviting while serving a demographic of sometimes-messy customers. “We have a high volume of people come through, mostly families with kids,” Downey said. “The flooring takes a beating.

There are a lot of spills. Pizza sauce gets on the carpet.”

Of the location’s 3,700 square feet, 2,200 square feet are carpeted. Every employee shares the responsibility of cleaning as needed during the day, then the closers tackle deep cleaning after hours. Like many restaurants, Downey’s staff is predominantly young high school students, who are unlikely to observe cleaning equipment for performance issues or do preventative maintenance on a vacuum cleaner.

“They will keep cleaning until the vacuum stops sucking completely,” said Downey, who, until recently, was buying unreliable, bargain backpack vacuums to clean the restaurant. “I can’t count the number of times I was stopped during

a shift to fix a problem with a vacuum,” Downey added.

“A motor burned out, or a hose had a hole. It was always something, even with a unit that was only a few months old.”

That’s why he decided to switch to the ProVac FS 6 backpack vacuum from ProTeam. Designed specifically for foodservice, the ProVac is reliable, durable, and easy to use for teenage employees. “I look for reliable performance in a vacuum: suck it up, get it clean. Those are the things that are critical for me,” said Downey. “We like the ProVac. It’s been very sturdy. We use it seven days a week for about an hour a day. It holds up well under heavy use.”

With more than 15 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Downey has learned that sometimes the greatest benefit from a piece of equipment is not having to think about it. “I have enough things to worry about in my business. The last thing I need to worry about is my vacuum,” said Downey. “The ProVac is a stress reliever, because I know that it’s going to work well for me. It lets me focus on other things.”

Learn more at pro-team.com or call Frank Baldwin at 678653-7233.

A BACKPACK VACUUM

Designed for Restaurants Stop sweeping & start cleaning

DURABLE Withstands heavy-duty use

COMFORTABLE Quickly adjusts to fit a wide range of body types

PRODUCTIVE Cleans 3x faster than a broom and 2x faster than an upright

AVAILABLE AT:

webstaurantstore.com

don.com

wasserstrom.com

For information 866.888.2168

September 2015 pmq.com

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Perfect Gluten-Free Shells Reaching New Customers Our Town America helps pizzerias reach their target neighborhood demographic while sticking to a budget. Operators can put a cap on the number of new movers they wish to reach monthly while still enjoying category exclusivity (locking out local competitors), reaching a new set of new movers every month and tracking ROI. 800-497-8360, ourtownamerica.com

DeIorio’s new Home Style Gluten Free Par Baked Shells make perfect pizzas for all customers, including those with a sensitivity to gluten. In addition to meeting the guidelines set forth by the Celiac Spruce Association, the hearty gluten-free shells come in a variety of sizes between 10” and 14”. 800-649-7612, deiorios.com

Spreadable Bacon

Scribbles for Nibbles Want more customers nibbling on your pizza? AudioMenu Creative Group can produce an effective animation video for your website, social media or for a TV spot. AudioMenu Creative Group is a provider of ScribbleVoice Videos, On Hold 123 telephone marketing programs and other services.

800-571-2499, ext. 301, pizzamakermarketing.com

Bacon Jams offers endless menu possibilities with its spreadable bacon.

Use it on subs and hoagies, toss wings in it for a unique experience, add it to pastas for a bacon burst or put it straight on your pizza bases. The jam is available in Original, Black Pepper, and Red Chili & Garlic flavors. 856-222-2000, thebaconjams.com

Increase Table Space Charging On the Go Cell phone power banks are quickly becoming a necessity for restaurants. New from BohoTronics, this charging station charges 10 Personal Power Banks at the same time. Pizzerias can sell individual Power Banks to their customers, allowing them to charge their phones when needed, enjoy their meal and spend more money. 877-304-5810, bohotronics.com

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Create more room on your tables by serving pizza on the Pizza Butler. Available in custom sizes, the Pizza Butler can be personalized with engraved logos. For large tables, you can place separate pizza halves on a Pizza Butler at each end of the table so customers don’t have to pass pizza back and forth.

718-894-1212, thepizzabutler.com

YOUR ONE-STOP BAG SHOP • UNBEATABLE BAGS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES

CALL US TOLL FREE

1-844-HOT-BAGS BAGS

n o i t c a f s Saartianteed! gu MON-SAT: 9am-5pm

LARGE PIZZA HOT BAG (Holds Two 16” or Two 18” Pizzas)

Try our bags for 30 days and if you are not 100% satisfied return them and we will refund the purchase price of the bags.

$A1T R0ATE

PRICES AS LOW AS

$13.49

FL ING SHIPP

MONSTER PIZZA HOT BAG (Holds Four 16” or Three 18” Pizzas)

AVAILABLE COLORS

24/7 SECURE ONLINE ORDERING

CATERING HOT BAG (Holds up to Two or Three Full Pans)

Order online at www.deliverybagsdepot.com Now Serving

CUSTOM PRINTED T-SHIRTS & CUSTOM EMBROIDERED HATS 11x17 FULL COLOR MENUS Designed, Printed and Folded on 70lb. Gloss Paper

10K

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$

25K

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Full Color Custom Printing

LET THE NEIGHBORS KNOW YOUR BUSINESS Ask About Our Direct Mail Services or EDDM The Most Affordable Mail Program Ever!

Call Us Today! 877-250-2819

Designed and Printed Fresh Daily

Menus • Flyers • Box Toppers • Postcards • Inserts • Door Hangers • Magnets • Banners • Lawn Signs September 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

Are you a pizza-making genius?

Authentic Foods New Gluten-Free Flours for All Types of Pizza

Call Now for a Free Sample

PROVE IT!

Tel: 310-366-7612

Share your best recipes with PMQ - and the entire pizza-loving world in the Recipe Bank.

• Pizzas • Wings • Appetizers • Flatbreads • Entrees • Salads

Traditional Taste & Texture Kosher Pareve All-Natural Non-GMO Manufactured in a Dedicated Gluten Free Facility

• Desserts • and More!

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Submit your recipes TODAY at PMQ.com/recipebank!

E-mail: sales@authenticfoods.com www.authenticfoods.com

JANUARY 24-25, 2016

Greater Columbus Convention Center | Columbus, Ohio

www.NAPICS.com

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

OHIO STATE LEGEND

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Columbus native and two-time Heisman Trophy winner, Archie Griffin, will present the Sunday morning keynote at NAPICS ‘16. The most decorated football player in the history of The Ohio State University will give an inspiring presentation on motivating your team in 2016.

A packed house is expected, so all seats are first come, first served.

REGISTER AT NAPICS.COM TODAY TO SAVE BIG ON ADMISSION. FREE WITH

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NAPICS ’16 LEARN. EARN. SUCCEED. EVERYTHING YOU NEED.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Most reliable POS systems in the country built on proven technologies.

For less than $5,000 or $99 per month Based on a 5 year lease, $1 B/O. Price does not include installation and charge card integration

Why Pay More? Buy Direct!

Complete System

All licensed packages include:

EZ DineTM POS software 2 All in one 15” touch LCD with Mag Reader 2 Epson thermal printers 1 Epson Kitchen printer drawer 1 MS cash dr

• Delivery Module • Pick up • Mapping • Robust Reporting • Loyalty/Gift Card Internal Programs • Time Sheet Management • Reservations • Inventory Control • Custom menu build • Custom Floor plan layouts • CC integration • Enterprise software for multiple locations

30 Day Money Back Guarantee Customers in 35 States

Call for a Demo Today!

Integrated with MenuDrive’s robust powerful and easy-to-use online and mobile ordering

The EZ Dine™ POS is rapidly becoming the system of choice for Pizzerias, Casual and Fine Dining, Delis, Bakeries, Bars and Nightclubs

877-853-1263 EZDINEPOS.COM

Software Solutions LLC

Home office: Indianapolis, IN

San Diego, CA

Davenport, IA

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

Restaurant for Sale STONE PONY PIZZA

Clarksdale, MS For information, please contact:

Law Office of Craig Geno, PLLC

601-427-0048

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

If you’ve ever considered producing TRAINING PROGRAMS specific to your operations,

the time is now!

Over 25 years of experience in producing training programs specific to the pizza industry, at a cost well below our competitors.

pizzaskool .com

On-line | Testable | Trackable | Reportable Visit pizzaskooldemo.com or call 517.395.4765 September 2015 pmq.com

97

O N LY 1 5 S P O T S A V A I L A B L E !

Join us in welcoming as Title Sponsor for the 2016 U.S. Pizza Team!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! SLICE OF AMERICANA:

AN INTIMATE CULINARY COMPETITION FOR THE AGES. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP FOR A COMPETITOR SPOT, PLEASE VISIT WWW.PMQ.COM/SLICE

USPizzaTeam.com

SLICE OF

July 4th | Oxford, MS For spectator tickets, visit http://sliceofamericana.bpt.me/ For more information or to sign up to compete please contact Melanie at melanie@pmq.com or Brian at brian@pmq.com.

ADVERTISER INDEX SEPTEMBER 2015 Advertiser

Phone

Website

Page

Aflac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aflac.com/smallbiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 AM Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219-472-7272. . . . . . . . ammfg.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Antimo Caputo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201-368-9197 . . . . . . . caputoflour.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Barilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-349-4386 . . . . . . . barilla.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54, 55 Bellissimo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-813-2974 . . . . . . . bellissimofoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Bacio Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-222-4685 . . . . . . . baciocheese.com. . . . . . Front Cover Tip 1 & 2, 34, 35 DeIorio Foods Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-649-7612 . . . . . . . deiorios.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Delivery Bags Depot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-HOT-BAGS. . . . . . deliverybagsdepot.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Delivery Bags USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-501-2247 . . . . . . deliverybagsusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Edge Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-480-EDGE . . . . . . edgeovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 69 EZ Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-853-1263 . . . . . . . ezdinepos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Fontanini. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-331-MEAT. . . . . . . fontanini.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Galbani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . galbanipro.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 GMA Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425-460-8800 . . . . . . . gmaresearch.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Grande Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-8-GRANDE . . . . . grandecheese.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Harbortouch POS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-286-8744 . . . . . . . iharbortouch.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 HTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-321-1850 . . . . . . . hthsigns.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 La Nova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-881-3366 . . . . . . . lanova.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4 Liguira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515-332-4121 . . . . . . . liguriafoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Lloyd Pans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-748-6251 . . . . . . . lloydpans.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 MailShark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-457-4275 . . . . . . . themailshark.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Marsal & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-226-6688 . . . . . . . marsalsons.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Menu Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-250-2819 . . . . . . . themenuexpress.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Micro Matic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-327-4159 . . . . . . . micromatic.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Microworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-787-2068 . . . . . . . microworks.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Middleby Marshall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-34-OVENS . . . . . . wowoven.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 MPP Marketing Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-889-8745 . . . . . . .mppmarketinggroup.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 NAPICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . napics.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Old Hickory BBQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201-223-0050 . . . . . . . oldhickorybbq.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 OrderSnapp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-402-6863 . . . . . . . ordersnapp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Ovention Ovens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-298-OVEN . . . . . . oventionovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3 PCI Frozen Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732-707-9009 . . . . . . . pcifrozenfoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 PDQ POS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-968-6430 . . . . . . . pdqpos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Perfect Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-783-5343 . . . . . . . perfectcrust.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Pizza Skool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517-395-4765 . . . . . . . pizzaskool.com/demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 ProTeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-888-2168 . . . . . . . pro-team.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Precision Mixers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-764-9377. . . . . . . . pizzamixers.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Silgan Containers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818-710-3700 . . . . . . . silgancontainers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Somerset Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-667-3355 . . . . . . . smrset.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Stanislaus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-327-7201 . . . . . . . stanislaus.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 Stone Pony Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-427-0048 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 The Pizza Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718-894-1212 . . . . . . . thepizzabutler.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Tyson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bonici.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2 Univex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-258-6358 . . . . . . . univexcorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 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.

September 2015 pmq.com

99

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

ADVERTISING

CHEESE CONT.

BAKING SCHOOLS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BAKING .........................................................Manhattan, KS 785-537-4750 ................................................................................Fax: 785-537-1493

BAKING STONES FIBRAMENT-D BAKING STONE.....................................................www.bakingstone.com 708-478-6032 ......................................NSF approved baking stone for all ovens by AWMCO

BEVERAGES ON TAP CALL (800) 824-3373 OR VISIT SAPUTOUSAFOODSERVICE.COM

Authentic Flavor for Modern Menus Mozzarella I Provolone I Blue Cheese I Gorgonzola I Asiago I Romano

Made by us from our own cows’ milk!

CHEESE

Mozzarella & More!

We ship anywhere.. giftboxes, orders, etc.

Call- 715-286-4007 www.gingerbreadjerseycheese.com COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE All The Tech Your Pizzeria Needs • •

Tablet and Traditional Point-of-Sale Integrated online & smartphone ordering

• •

CALL FOR A DEMO TODAY!

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

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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, CONT.

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

WE’RE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR POS NEEDS. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Integrated Inventory Management Marketing Systems Result Mapping Online Ordering System and much more!

817.299.4500 sales@BreakawayPOS.com www.BreakawayPOS.com

DESSERTS

Incredible Affordable Pizza POS! $

The POS software of choice for thousands of pizzerias over more than a decade. Detailed features and demo software available at the Point of Success web site.

599 ®

Taste It Presents...

“The best tiramisu on the planet” Dessert is the last impression you’ll make on a customer.

Make it count.

You Have To Taste It, To Believe It...

Tasteitpresents.com

908-241-9191

DOUGH

(800) 752-3565 www.pointofsuccess.com

DeIorio Foods

@DeIorios

blog.DeIorios.com

DeIorios.com

September 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS, CONT.

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

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE

Premium Gluten-Free Blends & Baking Mixes Since 1993

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

Let us simplify your gluten-free needs and create the quality your customers crave.

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

800.835.0606 ext. 205 | www.doughxpress.com

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

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

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

Full line of Flour: Pizza, Pasta, Bread, Pastries, Gluten Free, & Whole Grains Imported Exclusively by: Manzo Food Sales, Inc. Tel. (305) 406-2747.........www.manzofood.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE FLOUR , CONT.

FRANCHISING, CONT.

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

A TASTY FRANCHISE

OPPORTUNITY If you LOVE pizza, we’re looking for people to help us grow in new areas.

Go to franchising.hungryhowies.com today or call us at (248) 414-3300.

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

PIZZA SPORT BAR FRANCHISE FOR SALE (CALIFORNIA). Excellent location, next to 2 universities, long, well negotiated lease, 47 liquor license, Grossing over $100k a month. Asking $689k including $15k in inventory. Call Christina for more info 949.257.7823 OR Christina@ CaliforniaBusinessBrokers.biz RETIRING. PIZZA SHOP LOCATED IN A COLORADO SKI RESORT. Business includes possibility of owning location! 16 Year established business in town w/great schools, nice people, world class skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing. High volume stacked MM wide belts. Large walk-in. Plenty of dry storage. 6 station Microworks/Prism POS w/online ordering and CC processing. Ideal location. 970 819 9789 Steve Steve-hitchcock@comcast.net INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR PIZZA. Can you name the best name for a pizza restaurant in New England? It’s WICKED CHEESY! $18,000 per week per 25,000 pop. Perfect for City Life, project to do $30- $50,000 per week in Boston! Great Labor Costs, Great product and Ripe for Growth! Contact @ brianschofield@verizon.net, Tewksbury, MA.

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/ September 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE FRANCHISING, CONT.

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS, CONT.

FOR SALE: WORLD FAMOUS PIEZONS PIZZA AND PASTA. 1305 S. Adams St Fulton, MS. In business since 1997.

Very loyal following. Small town w/less than 4000 people but w/community college. Employs 6 people. Building: 1600+ sq ft. w/dine in, carryout, delivery. We offer the largest pizza in the state. Sales +$200k. 662-871-7626 or piezons@hotmail.cm (Stan)

Premium Gluten-Free Blends & Baking Mixes Since 1993 Let us simplify your gluten-free needs and create the quality your customers crave.

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TURNKEY RESTAURANT & GENERAL STORE BUSINESS FOR SALE IN WESTFIELD, IL.1300 Sq. Ft. 1-story building w/all kitchen equipment and inventory included excluding alcohol and tobacco. Recipes for menu items included and Facebook page w/over 1,000 page likes. Professional Facebook page management for 1 year included at no extra charge ($2,600 value). For more info: 217967-5935 or http://www.loopnet.com/lid/19331625

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MIDDLEBY MARSHALL

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE INSTANT ONLINE PRICE QUOTE

MARKETING IDEAS, CONT.

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MEAT TOPPINGS, CONT. THE BACON JAMS

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pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE OLIVES, CONT.

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September 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

PIZZA BOX INSERTS

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

PIZZA OVENS, CONT.

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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

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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

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA PANS, CONT.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE REFRIGERATION

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

TOMATO PRODUCTS

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE TOMATO PRODUCTS, CONT.

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME www.pizzahalloffame.com

(Clockwise from left) Frank Cozza Sr. and Frank Cozza Jr. pose in the pizzeria in 1984; actor Ernest Borgnine has dropped in for a visit to Mama Cozza’s; Frank Sr. works in the Anaheim police department in 1956; Concetta Cozza, Frank Sr.’s mother, reworked kitchen operations at the pizzeria.

Mama Cozza’s Italian Restaurant

W

hen he wasn’t working his beat, Frank Cozza, a police officer in Anaheim, California, often spent time in a restaurant called Costello’s in the 1950s, until the business moved locations. Its replacement, a beer and pool hall, eventually folded, and Frank’s wife, driving past the vacated building, noticed a “For Lease” sign. Frank leaped at the chance to create his own venue, and Mama Cozza’s Italian Restaurant (mamacozzas.com) opened its doors in 1965, with Frank and his wife helming the operation.

The couple did have some help: Friend Jack Sullivan, executive chef at the local Disneyland Hotel, initially guided them through the ins and outs of the biz. But when Frank’s Italian-born mother visited from New York in 1968, she swiftly kicked the

Founded by a former beat cop and his wife, this Southern California mainstay has thrilled celebs and civilians alike with its warm, hospitable service and authentic Italian specialties. By Tracy Morin

couple out of the kitchen and went to work, showing them the “proper” way to cook her homeland’s delicacies.

“My grandmother changed everything,” recalls Frank Cozza Jr., son of Frank.

“My father knew how to cook, but not for people.”

Luckily, as a police officer, the elder Cozza counted many friends in the community, and word-of-mouth soon spread. Small menu tweaks occurred over the decades, but generally the recipes and menu have remained the same—and Frank Jr. believes this steadfast consistency has kept the restaurant afloat, even in rocky economic times. Meanwhile, accommodating touches make customers feel like family; they’re treated to a premeal relish tray and breadsticks, plus after-dinner anisette and oranges, on the house. The lounge offers a lively

atmosphere, with sports on six TVs and weekend live entertainment, while an adjacent banquet room hosts large parties. “We’re not looking for the onetime customer,” Frank Jr. notes. “We want people to come on a regular basis because this is their home. My father prided himself on service, so we make sure customers feel taken care of.”

Being in Southern California, Mama Cozza’s has attracted plenty of celebs over the years—Rudy Vallée, Ernest Borgnine and Gwen Stefani, to name a few—but the restaurant created its own celebrity when it was featured in 2010 on the popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

“That sparked my father’s life and gave him a sense that he did well,” Frank Jr. proudly remembers. “The 50 years have gone by so fast. It’s been a nice ride, and we just keep going.”

HAS YOUR PIZZERIA BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS? IF SO, CONTACT US AT TRACY@PMQ.COM. 114

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

THE

PIZZAIOLA’S PEPPERONI

“It is hard to find good pepperoni.

Liguria is zesty and not too dry or oily with a good balance of fat, so that the flavor profile on pizza is perfect.”

Ararat Agakhanyan CEO, Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizza

We make our pepperoni the same way, every day, to ensure a consistent, authentic texture and flavor.

For the highest quality pepperoni that makes every pizza taste better...choose LIGURIA. Cut our sample against yours. Contact us today.

515-332-4121 • liguriafoods.com • sales@liguriafoods.com

Links to Extra Content Featured Video: Food stylist and cookbook author Jennifer Chandler shares tips for shooting perfect pizza photos.

Featured Video: PMQ crew pays a visit to Jesse Ryan, the Mellow Mushroom #1 Superfan in Cartersville, Georgia.

Featured Video: Stan Miller of World Famous Pie Zons Pizzeria shows how to create your very own pizza art for fun and profit.

Featured Video: Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza joins test chef Brian Hernandez in the PMQ kitchen to make the 3 Little Pigs Pizza Featured Video: Learn how to make DeIorio’s mouthwatering Fresh Prosciutto Gluten-Free pizza September 2015 pmq.com

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