The Print Magazine That Powers the Largest Digital Audience in the Pizza Industry.

Is it just a coincidence that the pizza magazine with the largest print circulation (by 10,000 copies) also has the largest digital audience in the pizza biz?

We think not.

When PMQ’s 40,000 monthly printed magazines are delivered into the mailboxes of our 40,000 readers, that’s not the end of the journey. Our readers tell us that they share their copy of PMQ’s print magazine with an average of 2.9 readers.

In turn, print readership drives traffic to PMQ.com. It all starts here—on the printed page.

PMQ: Print Proud and Digital Smart

Jones, head chef at Craft Wood Fired Catering in Santa Barbara, California. “You also want to look at the competition in the market and account for how much the customer is willing to pay for these kinds of offerings. By being mindful of these factors, you’ll establish a price that will maximize profit.”

For example, if you’re curing your own meats in-house, you might charge more for that time and labor expenditure—and customers will be willing to pay more, since it feels like a more artisanal item. But, if you’re using ingredients already on hand, you might keep prices lower. Buenning advocates a balance of value and profitability, but utilizing ingredients already found in your pizzeria will prevent you from having to bring in anything additional, which helps cut down on food waste and keeps costs low.

Pairing Pointers. When marketing charcuterie, Jones suggests, try to create a unique pairing that will draw customers in. “Charcuterie boards that include a mix of cured meats and other accompaniments are popular and can be tailored to include more interesting ingredients and flavors,” he explains. “Advertising your use of seasonal ingredients and locally sourced products can also be an effective way of enticing customers.”

Additionally, you might choose to boost profits further by pairing wines and beers with your charcuterie. “By selecting products that are complementary—both in flavor and price— to the charcuterie offerings, you can add an extra layer of flavor and spark interest among customers,” Jones says. “Also, educational content that demystifies pairing selections can provide a further opportunity to engage with customers as well as increase profits through drink sales.”

Buenning agrees, noting that anytime you can guide a customer to pair a meal with wine, beer or a mocktail, the upsell will support an increased check average that is crucial in today’s challenging restaurant environment. “Waitstaff adding personal suggestions and education as to which beverages will enhance the flavor profiles of their foods not only helps the customer but also highlights the expertise of your team,” Buenning explains. “Including suggestions for beverages or selling charcuterie with a drink flight are other ways to support consumers in making the choice to purchase.” Through the right pairings, both the appetizer and beverages are sorted—consider it a one-two punch of profit before the main meal has even begun.

Making the Sale. Buenning notes that, in years past, many pizzerias started customers with free baskets of fresh breadsticks, French bread or garlic knots to feed them until the meal was served—but, with rising costs, many pizzerias have eliminated those complementary offerings. “Putting charcuterie on the menu is a great way to ‘keep bread on the table’ for customers, offering them a way to start their meals while at the same time making a profit,” Buenning says. “Whether your pizzeria has counter service or table service, have your staff offer the boards as a starter by asking customers, ‘Do you want to start off with a charcuterie board?’ It’s an easy way to let your customers know about them.”

Other tactics that Buenning advises: Place signage throughout the restaurant—at the counter, tabletops, etc.— and ensure savvy menu placement. “If a pizzeria opts to have more of a grazing board with multiple offerings, those are great to market for pizza-popular events and on any catering menus,” Buenning adds. “Many people may not think of a charcuterie offering at a pizzeria, so it’s important to find fun ways to communicate and market the menu addition appropriately, and to ensure that it is positioned as a natural extension of the menu.”

Molten Pizza Dip

Provided by La Brea Bakery

This savory dip can easily be a great starter for a charcuterie board. Just add breads on the side and customize toppings as desired!

Ingredients

• 1 demi French baguette

• ½ c. pepperoni slices

• 8-10 slices provolone cheese

• Fresh basil

• 1 tsp. garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp. butter, softened

• 1 tsp. hot honey

• 1 tsp. red pepper

Heat the oven to 350˚F. In a small cast iron skillet, layer the cheese and pepperoni slices, alternating until the skillet is full. Bake in the oven until the cheese is completely melted and starting to brown. Cut the demi French baguette in half lengthwise; spread butter evenly on both halves. Add garlic and red pepper to each side and place in the oven to toast. Remove and cut crosswise into 1” pieces. Remove the pepperoni dip from the oven, drizzle with hot honey, garnish with fresh basil, and serve with toasted garlic bread.

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