EVENTS & PROMOTIONS NOVEMBER 2021

Industry Events

Thursday, November 25

Thanksgiving Day

You’ll probably be closed for Thanksgiving Day itself, but you can celebrate the holiday throughout the rest of the week with a Turkey Day-inspired pizza. Don’t forget to create special offers for Friday to give your customers a break from, well, too much turkey.

Sunday, November 28

First Day of Hanukkah

Launch an ongoing eight-day campaign through December 6 to celebrate Hanukkah with latke pizzas, jelly doughnuts from a local Jewish bakery, a pulled brisket pizza or a pull-apart pizza shaped like a menorah!

LEARN AND EARN!

October 31-November 2

Mid-America Restaurant Expo

Presented by the Ohio Restaurant Association, this annual event goes virtual for 2021. Featuring presentations from industry experts, live programming runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and covers topics like food and beverage trends, tech innovations, business strategies and employee wellness.

Learn more at midamericarestaurantexpo.com

November 10-12

Digital Food & Beverage

Christopher Thomas-Moore, vice president of media, digital marketing and product/menu development for Domino’s, will be a keynote speaker for this ecommerce-focused conference in Austin, Texas. Keith Fagin, vice president of digital for Little Caesars, will also lead a presentation on fulfilling digital orders.

Learn more at foodandbeverage.wbresearch.com

PROMOTE THIS!

Wednesday, November 3

National Sandwich Day

Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your best sandwiches with specials and new signature creations. Turn one of your most popular pizzas into an artisan sandwich or make a sandwich that’s big enough for two.

Thursday, November 11

Veterans Day

Celebrate America’s heroes by offering a free large one-topping pizza or a meal deal to veterans and active-duty military personnel. Make sure to shoot photos of your favorite veterans and post them on social media.

2 p.m. (CT), Tuesday, November 16

Virtual U.S. Pizza Cup

Join us for the live reveal of the 2021 Virtual U.S. Pizza Cup results! PMQ’s Brian Hernandez will announce the winner of the $1,500 grand prize, chat with the competitors and get the judges’ thoughts on what makes a pizza championship-worthy.

Join us on Facebook Live!

2 p.m. (CT), Tuesday, December 14

PMQ Live Update: Mark “The Cheese Dude” Todd

Cheesy questions (and jokes) are welcome as PMQ’s Brian Hernandez hosts a chat with Mark “The Cheese Dude” Todd. Mark will answer all of your questions live, with a focus on hard cheeses as both star-of-the-show toppings and garnishes.

Join us on Facebook Live!

After working at top restaurants in Washington, D.C., and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Teddy Diggs found himself gravitating toward Romanstyle pizza.

Sobering Up At Coronato Pizza

In a move that sparked coverage from local news media, chef Teddy Diggs, owner of Coronato Pizza in Carrboro, North Carolina, has cut all of the booze from his drink menu. Diggs told PMQ he wants to create “an environment that offers and produces the highest energy and best opportunity for our employees’ and our guests’ mental, physical and spiritual health.” Diggs, a Culinary Institute of America alum, opened the Roman-style pizzeria in 2019. He said he doesn’t judge anyone for drinking, but he decided to stop serving alcohol due to its negative effects on the body. It’s also bad for the restaurant’s overall atmosphere, he added, noting, “It has been well-documented, using biofeedback equipment, that alcohol lowers the surrounding environment’s vibrational frequency….Everyone does not consume alcohol, and, because of its addictive nature, it can create challenges and distractions for some of us. So creating an environment that celebrates nonalcoholic beverages and eliminates alcohol means that everyone can fully participate in the same experience without hesitation and issue.” Customers can still quench their thirst with Coronato’s wide range of nonalcoholic seltzer waters, Italian sodas, zero-alcohol cocktails and kombucha.

NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY!

Pizza lovers in Bristol, England, were sad when the American-style diner Rocotillos closed after nearly 30 years in business, but the pizzeria that has taken over the spot has something to cheer them up: “naughty milkshakes.” Pizza Bianchi opened in September with a menu featuring Neapolitan pies and “hard” milkshakes spiked with booze—specifically, a lot of vodka. Specialties include the Hella Nutella Fella, featuring vodka, Frangelico liqueur and chocolate, and the Big Tiramisu, made with vodka, coffee, Marsala wine and cocoa. Bristol Live said the latter tastes “as good as it sounds—boozy and creamy but not as sweet as feared. It was the grown-up shake dreams are made of.” Customers can also slurp on “naughty slushies,” such as the Negroni Homie, made with gin, Campari liqueur and Cinzano 1757, a small-batch vermouth.

In addition to crackerthin pizzas, Coronato Pizza last year offered castagnole, a traditional Roman Carnevale fried-dough treat, during the North Carolina State Fair.

- Rodman

Smells Like Teen Spirit

AJ Binning was just 16 when he started working after school and saving every penny he earned. Two years later, he’s the owner of Dough Boys Pizzeria in Clovis, California, which opened on July 30 to considerable media fanfare, due to Binning’s young age. He took over the site of the defunct Clovis Pizza Junction, even serving some of their recipes, and hired kitchen manager Mitch Lee to develop other menu items and fill the air with the smell of pizza and teen spirit. Binning has been featured in The Fresno Bee and The Business Journal, and, at press time, his shop had a four-star rating on Yelp. Catchy pizza names include The Hitman (mozzarella, pepperoni, salami, Canadian bacon, sausage and linguica) and The Alibi (pesto sauce, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and black olives). Binning’s biggest challenge was finding staff; he presently has a small crew who make between $16 and $20 per hour. He told The Business Journal that his tender age hasn’t caused any problems with his staff. “I honestly feel like we’re all equal, so there’s no, ‘Hey, you’re younger—go wash the dishes.’ It’s none of that.”

Catching Fire In Connecticut

She’s a bartender and a metalsmith by trade. He’s a carpenter. But Kristen and Matt Griffin, owners of Fire in the Kitchen, are better known these days for hauling a 7,000-pound wood-burning pizza oven around Connecticut and serving pies like the Pulled Pickle and the Lemon Boy at breweries, vineyards and private events on the weekends. And recent coverage by the Stamford Advocate definitely hasn’t hurt their business. The couple started out making pizzas for themselves with an Ooni oven before upgrading to their current oven and hitting the road for fun and profit. Their rotating menu of signature pies is extensive and full of novel combos—they’re not shy about piling on fruits like peaches and figs, not to mention purple mashed potatoes. The Pulled Pickle features pulled pork, dill pickles, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, barbecue sauce and a ranch finish, while the Lemon Boy is topped with smoked mozzarella, Aleppo pepper flakes, garlic, a drizzle of honey and, yes, lemon slices.