New Year brings New Federal, State and Local Policy Changes in 2025

It’s hard to believe that a new year is just around the corner. The new year also means new rules and regulations levels that all business owners should be aware of and plan for.

Business Ownership Information Report

The biggest new regulation to be aware of is the need for all businesses, no matter the size, to file a Business Ownership Information report (“BOI”) with the federal government. This requirement comes from the Corporate Transparency Act, passed in 2021, and came into effect in 2024. Among its many provisions, it requires all business owners to fill out a BOI with the information of any shareholder or partner owning 25 percent or more of the business, or the information of anyone who may not have equity in the company but has “substantial control” over the company, like a corporate officer or director.

The BOI is administered by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen). The form can be filled out on their website and requires the names, addresses and identification, such as a passport or driver’s license, for each beneficial owner with more than 25-percent ownership in the company. While this form does not need to be filled out annually, if any of the information changes at any time, a new form must be updated with FinCen within 30 days of the change. For any new businesses formed in 2025 and beyond, this form must be completed within 30 days of entity formation.

While this form may sound somewhat trivial and an easy document to overlook, the penalties with non-compliance are far from insignificant: The federal government can fine you $10,000 and $591 per day of non-compliance, plus imprison any offenders for up to two years! The form is not complex and should not take terribly long to fill out, but those who miss the December 31, 2024 deadline may be subject to these draconian fines. You can find the BOI form at fincen.gov/boi

New Overtime Rules

The next change coming to business in 2025 is the Department of Labor’s new overtime rule, part of which came into effect on July 1, 2024 with the rest coming into effect on January 1, 2025. Beginning in January, the new overtime threshold is $1,128 per week, or $58,656 per year. This is an increase from the previous threshold of $684 per week. This means that if a salaried employee makes less than $1,128 per week, they are eligible for overtime pay on each hour over 40 worked per week.

As a reminder, any employee being paid salary vs. hourly wages must meet the federal requirements for executive employees: (1) they are paid the minimum threshold ($1,128 per week starting January 1), (2) the employee’s primary duty must be the management of a customarily recognized department, (3) the employee must customarily or regularly direct the work of two or more individuals, (4) the employee must have the authority to hire or fire employees, or the employee’s recommendation on hiring decisions must be given particular weight.

Tax Changes

2025 will also bring significant tax reform, regardless of who is in the White House and in control of Congress, as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025. Many of us pizzeria operators have benefitted since 2017 from bonus depreciation, allowing new equipment purchases and other expenses to be immediately deducted instead of amortized over the life of the equipment. Bonus depreciation has been slowly phasing out until it sunsets entirely at the end of next year. This year, businesses get 40 percent, in 2025, only 20 percent. So, as you are doing year-end planning, consult with your CPA to see if there is advantage to making a larger purchase in 2024 vs. 2025.

Additionally, the estate and gift tax exemption will be cut in half from nearly $14 million next year to about $7 million in 2026. While these are large figures, it’s important to think about the size of your estate at the age you think you may pass away, not its value today. While your estate may not be impacted in today’s dollars, it could be as your business and assets grow until the time of your death. Thus, 2025 is the year to meet with your CPA and estate planning attorney to ensure that you take advantage of the higher threshold before its expiration next year. There are many legal maneuvers that can be used to shield your assets from the estate and gift tax prior to your death if you plan properly.

How Can I Stay Up-to-Date on Changes?

Small businesses struggle to keep up with the many federal and state agency rule changes that occur seemingly monthly, without much fanfare or media attention. While many laws come into effect on January 1st each year, others can come into effect on July 1st  or sometimes in March or October. The rule making process by our bureaucratic agencies is long and complicated, and the rules that often come out of such process tend to be just as complicated as the process itself. Unfortunately, it’s up to us as business owners to stay up to date on all these rules to ensure that we are in compliance.

At the federal level, the agencies that have the most impact to our industry are the Department of Labor (DOL), the Food and Drug Administration (these regulations are usually enforced at the local health department level), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The best way to stay up to date on changes are to develop a relationship with a business attorney who can help keep you informed as to upcoming changes at the federal, state and local levels. Many attorneys will send out e-mail blasts or newsletters with upcoming changes that may impact your business. Oftentimes, state restaurant associations are also involved in the local legislative process and can help you stay up to date on new regulations that come out of state agencies and legislatures.

In general, 2025 is going to be a year of big policy changes, no matter which party gains control. I encourage you to stay up to date and voice your opinion on rulemaking or legislation that may impact your business, either with your lawmakers or directly with agencies themselves. Our voices as business owners can have a real impact in crafting legislation and rule making.

The post In the Know: New Regulations for 2025 Impacting Restaurants appeared first on Pizza Today.

How you want to be treated in all segments of your restaurant

We know the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. It’s basic, and we all heard it in grade school. It can have massive value for your restaurant if you can lean into that concept. I don’t mean this on a superficial level; I mean, you must live it. How would you ideally want to be treated in all segments of your restaurant?

As the owner, I find it easy to see my restaurant strictly from a birds-eye view. Putting yourself in another’s shoes is a great way to see areas for improvement.

Let’s start at the customer level. You’re the customer taking your first steps into the restaurant. How do you feel? Do you have a welcoming ambiance and a kind and personable host? How long does it take to get seated, and are you ignored when you walk in the door? Does this place look like the place you want to sit for 20 min, 1 hour, all day? Would someone want to be there for a while because the ambiance stands on its own? BTW I do not want campers as much as you, but the real question is: does the space make you want to stay?

After you’ve examined your restaurant’s vibe and layout, think about the food and service. If there’s a dish you wouldn’t eat or a server you know is boring and bordering on rude, are you owning that? If that is the current experience and you wouldn’t thoroughly enjoy this experience yourself, what makes you think a random stranger would?

The golden rule is also helpful with social media, in more ways than one. Once again, it’s easy to get wrapped up in posting to post because “it’s just a dumb app for kids, right?” But at the end of the day, it’s not your experience that will make a profit; it’s your followers.

Comb through your online presence from a customer’s perspective. Are you personable and fun to follow, or cold, boring, and detached? When you’re running a business profile, it’s easy to assume a professional approach is best, but if you wouldn’t follow and interact with your content, odds are no one else would either.

This holds true for your website. I’ve seen many confusing and nondescript websites with bush league photos; what about this page says, “we have our act together”, because if all it says is “we figured we’d make a website because that’s what you do and here’s ours” it’s not enough, it’s actually hurting you. A customer may go to your website ready to order your food but end up ordering somewhere else after failing to decipher how to get half pepperoni and half sausage on their pizza, or just bounce because the site conveys you don’t have a plan.

Your relationship with your staff is just as important as your relationship with your customers, so put yourself in their shoes too. Would you want to work for you? Do you give a hoot about them, provide flexibility with hours, and treat your staff with kindness? If your staff makes a mistake, how do you deal with the issue, and if you were to be on the receiving end would it be fixed? If the answer is no you need to reevaluate your approach as a boss.

And finally, you’re not the only one who needs to be exercising the golden rule in your restaurant. Your staff does, too. If your staff ever serves food that they wouldn’t eat themselves, i.e. burnt, soggy or old, they fail themselves and fail to represent you. If your staff consistently strives to provide the experience they demand for themselves, those high standards lead to mutual respect and more revenue.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

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Answering the question: How should I layout the equipment in my kitchen?

Many operators ask me for insight on the operations of a restaurant, but recently there has been one specific question that has been coming up repeatedly. “I’m setting up a new restaurant. How should I layout the equipment in my kitchen?”

On the surface it may seem easy, but it’s really not. Proper layout and floor planning of your equipment can be the difference between smooth sailing during busy times or utter chaos and disaster. Every kitchen footprint is different. Rarely will they be perfect. Often operators will lease a space that was previously a restaurant and there may be some infrastructure already in place in the kitchen to work around. Other times you may be doing a build out from scratch, and you can really create something tailored exactly to your needs. But the one constant in every scenario is that every square foot of space costs you money. Customers don’t sit in the kitchen, so you need to maximize every inch of space in that dining area to accommodate as many guests as possible. As a result, what area always gets short changed when it comes to space? You guessed it, the kitchen. So, how can we best lay it out so it helps us succeed?

1. The Quiet Corner

When an order comes into the kitchen the clock starts ticking. We need to get it out in as timely manner as possible. When it’s crazy dinner rush time that becomes even more imperative. Not every step of our process demands high speed and instant execution. I’m referring to the dough making and dish washing. If you utilize an area toward the rear of your kitchen for both the dish area and a dough prep area, then you can keep these out of the line of fire during hectic service. Keeping your flour bags stored next to the dough mixer makes life very easy. Your sore back will thank you. Being close to the dish area also makes it convenient when it comes to moving a heavy mixing bowl over there to be washed.

2. Avoid The Criss Cross

Speed and efficiency are paramount during the busy times. Anyone who has spent any time in a kitchen knows that the phrase “BEHIND” is used on a constant basis. Every time you have to walk behind someone else, it increases the chances of a ‘bumping into’ accident. Think of either an in-line or circular workflow in your pizza process to avoid the criss cross. Start with your dough stretching. This is the start of the line. It is wise to have this starting point be toward the rear, and we can work our way forward in the making and baking process. Next comes the assembly of the pizza. By having the pizza prep table either next to or directly behind your dough stretching area you will avoid the need for staff to cross over one another. Now it’s time to get that pizza into the oven. If the kitchen is linear then situate your ovens next in line after your pizza prep table. If it’s a smaller and somewhat circular workspace then try to position your oven in an area where you can simply turn around and insert the pizza. Once the pizza is finished, you’ll need to move it to the cutting and boxing area. It is very important that this area be as close to the exit of the oven as possible. When you pull that pie out of the oven, the less steps you must take with it decreases the chances of dropping it. The last thing you need is a remake during the middle of the hit.

3. Sightlines

In every article or seminar about operations we always hear the phrase “communication is key”. It is so true. This is where sightlines in the kitchen become very important. The pizza station will always be the primary station in the kitchen, but many operations have other stations such as fry, pasta, grill, etc. If the pizza station is humming along just fine but the grill is full and they have tickets down to the floor, you need sightlines between stations so you can see this and communicate with one another. You don’t need a pizza coming out and sitting for 10 minutes getting cold while you’re waiting for a dish from the grill station that is getting absolutely slammed. Making sure that you have clear sight lines between stations when designing your kitchen layout will keep that communication flowing and prevent disaster.

4. Clear The Way!

Now that the food is prepared you still need to get it to the guest. Try to situate your window or final food pickup area in a spot that has clear walkways. If you can design it in a manner that keeps servers from having to come too far into the kitchen then you can prevent more accidents and keep the machine running smoothly. Further, if you have front of house staff that will come in back to grab to-go pizzas that are ready, try to create a clear uninterrupted path for them as well. When someone is carrying a stack of boxed pizzas the last thing you need is a crash and drop.

When you first look at a new space it can be easy to just try to shove everything in, but there really is a true science to doing it right. Being able to execute effectively during the busy times will lend to greater success. The ability to pull this off will be directly impacted by how you lay out that kitchen. Take your time. Draw out numerous drafts. Use different colored pens to draw out the paths of different employees operating in the kitchen. If those lines don’t cross, then you are on the right track. When the busy times come your competitors will be a hot mess in their kitchen, but you will have well managed and calculated chaos. This will allow you to handle those times in a much more efficient manner and this will translate into you being able to handle more orders during those times. Some careful planning and thought can translate into significant dollars down the road.

Michael Androw owns E & D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

The post Design Your Pizzeria Kitchen for Success appeared first on Pizza Today.

Getting the fundamentals down inside your pizzeria

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day. But if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” 
— Michael Jordan

In the last couple articles, I talked about how sports translate into the restaurant world and, more specifically, the pizza industry and your pizzeria. That’s why this Michael Jordan quote rings true. The one thing that might not ring true is we never have practice … For us, it is always game time. The way we do something is the way we do everything. Consistency breeds success, and getting the fundamentals down inside your pizzeria is most important.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

I have talked a lot about training your staff correctly from the moment they join your team. One other key point to mention is that they are always watching you. Everything you do becomes the standard. You can have as many signs as you want on the walls and talk until you are blue in the face, but your actions have the most consequences. You need to be the one who sets the standard and the one who holds others accountable. I have seen many good operators in my time, ones who have very successful pizzerias. What separates the good ones from the great ones? The little, mundane everyday tasks.

As many of you know I started in the pizza industry as a driver, and I am very proud of that. The beginning of my career I drove for the big chain pizzerias. When I finally got my first delivery job for an independent operator it was a lot different (to say the least). Mainly at that time the technology of the big guys was the biggest advantage the independents didn’t have. Still this particular independent was very busy. I quickly found the reason for their success: There was a manager working named Paul, and Paul was all of 20 years old. As I was working the oven, every pizza needed a parchment paper under the pizza.  Every time I cut a pizza I forgot the paper. I had never done that before. Paul was furious and reminded me every single time. He even threatened that he would send me home if I did it again. I also observed that a customer would never call back about the toppings being wrong or about a salad missing the dressing. Paul made sure that every single detail was followed to the letter.

I ended up loving to work for Paul because my tips were great because the food was always right. Fast forward 20 years and Paul is a great friend, and he has had his own pizzeria going on 14 years and he has become very successful. His operations are great, and they have stood the test of time. In fact, he recently expanded into a full-service model, and he is doing amazing. Speaking of expansion, that’s what we will delve into in the next installment of Building Blocks.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Back to Basics appeared first on Pizza Today.

Teamwork & Training Sports Inspiration

“I’m a big believer in the idea that you don’t rise to the
occasion — you sink to the level of your training.” 
– Mike Tomlin, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers.

The characteristics between the sports world and owning and operating a pizzeria are vast. It is really what I fell in love with many years ago. I was a skinny beanpole as a kid, and that meant that I became the coach of many of my brother’s youth sports teams. I gained many leadership qualities at a young age unknowingly. The first Friday I worked in a pizzeria I simply fell in love with the team aspect of what was happening.

It all started when the order was placed and then the ticket got handed off to the dough stretcher, who then gave it to the person making the pizza. And just when you think that’s it, the pizza goes in the oven and an oven tender does his part. The result of seeing how happy the customer was to receive the pizza was a magical moment for me. I remember early on in my pizza delivery days showing up at a customer’s door. The guy was having a party, and everyone cheered for the pizza guy (me)!

The reason I tell those stories here is to bring to light the idea that what we do is special and takes a great team and training. I believe that many of us need inspiration from other walks of life to bring that aura into our kitchens. I quoted Mike Tomlin to start this article, and recently I was lucky enough to be in a private setting with him. The room was full of business owners. I thought the questions they were going to ask would be football related. But, to my delight, they were aimed at team building. One of the questions was how to handle a big personality that also produces at a high level. He answered that everyone needs to be treated as an individual, and that every person needs to be attended to with a different approach. How you talk with one person and what methods work with one person may not work with another.

One of the other questions was centered on a moment of difficulty or a very decisive decision and how you bring the team back together afterwards. That answer was also telling. He spoke about confronting it head-on and letting everyone know that things are not personal, but that it’s a business and business decisions need to be made. The most important part, though, is not letting things build up but also getting ahead of the issues and dealing with them as they come up.

When we realize that it may seem like we are in the pizza business, but we are in the people business, most of our issues will start to have solutions. The more that we can build our team around great people and then teach them our ways, the quicker we will win the day-to-day grind. In the next installment, we will get into what fundamentals and back-to-basics are important to us as pizzeria operators.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Drawing Inspiration from the Sports World appeared first on Pizza Today.

Food Prep and Kitchen Signage

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?” – Five Man Electrical Band

It is hard enough for things to be done the way you want them done when you are in the restaurant, but it’s even harder to get things done to your satisfaction when you are not in the pizzeria. In addition to getting things done the way you want, the same can be said for culture. There may be a culture in your pizzeria when you are there and a completely different culture when you are not there. One of the ways I like to streamline both of these things is through branded signage on the walls at our pizzerias.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

This may sound like a simple idea, but what you are really doing is spelling out to your team what the expectations are, and what is accepted and what is not. Picking up from last month’s Building Blocks, the first thing Caliente puts on our walls at all our pizzerias is how to make the food. In the beginning, this was a huge undertaking, but a very fulfilling one. We made charts and graphs of how the food was supposed to be constructed and documented the process step-by-step through pictures. Then, we measured spots on the walls and the makelines to hang all the signage. We made it so that every single menu item was hanging on the walls. We also have used the method of putting the same pictures into a book and creating a build guide for each section of our menu.

Once we broke down how to make everything on our menu, we did the same with the recipes and prep items. This involves hanging signs on all the processes of prepping your items. Once those two big facets of your operations are finished, you can start to focus on other procedures. For example, we have a sign that illustrates the acceptable and unacceptable uniform standards.

Now remember, these may all sound like simple ideas, but the purpose behind them is to set the standards for when you are there. And, more importantly, for when you are not there. I know that another hot topic in any pizzeria is the cleaning of the facility. Having the correct signage showing what is the standard and how to clean is paramount.

Lastly, as mentioned, culture building is very important. Having a positive and upbeat work culture is a key to success. Picture your favorite sports team (and, in particular, their locker room). Think of the signage they have hanging that is motivational and speaks to the team atmosphere and how to win.  There are many similarities between the sports world and your pizzeria. That is how I fell in love with the pizza business in the first place. I was always a sports fan, and I played sports growing up.  How you win in sports and how you win in your pizzeria are on the same wavelength, and that’s what we will discuss in next month’s Building Blocks.

The post Building Blocks: Here’s Your Sign appeared first on Pizza Today.

What is your restaurant’s limitation today? What is your bottleneck?

Give a knee-jerk answer to this question: What is your restaurant’s limitation today? What is your bottleneck? If that one thing were fixed, you would earn more total profit—not simply revenue, but profit. What is that one thing that is not happening?

For example, Let’s say you have a widely high food cost, that if corrected, it would mean you made real money. Then that would be the limitation to profit. If so, what is the reason for it being off? Is your portion control off because staff won’t listen, which relates to lackluster training, lazy hiring practices and a leadership team that doesn’t feel enabled? The core fix of that issue would be inspecting work, incentivizing results and penalizing insubordination.

What if your staff is excellent? Renegotiating with your vendor could be as simple as getting those percentage points back.

Whatever the leak in the house is, you have to go to the source of the leak, which might not be right above you where you see the water leaking. But what is your leak, or, in the truer form, your business bottleneck? Could it be location, i.e., people don’t know where we are, or is it that we’ve angered too many customers over the years and need a whole new approach to gaining new customers who don’t feel burned by our brand?

Knowing the bottleneck to profit means you can undo the potentially multi-knotted rope holding you back. A word of warning, though: the typical thing people will do is reinforce the strongest facet of their restaurant when confronted with the need to reframe. Suppose three legs are holding up a table that represents your restaurant business. In that case, typical restaurant owners look at the leg that they know the best and seek to reinforce it. “Hey, the holdup is this super weak leg over here (marketing),” but then their actions are … “Okay, well, we’ll just reinforce the strong leg better (menu).” This egregious oversight is typical of a chef-driven restaurant with solid food but horrible financials, weak marketing and a lackluster team. And when confronted with all that, they go back to what they know: let’s make the food better and come up with more food items.

I’ll make this even more obvious. There are only two ways to improve profit: get more customers and/or get more out of them. If your current base is saturated, you need new customers, and a new daily special can only pull that off if it’s overtly advertised to non-followers.

The execution of that math equation could go down a thousand different rabbit trails. Finding the rabbit trail that you still need to go down more of is the key, and that means the first question: what is the thing holding you back? Is it leadership, food cost, marketing, customer satisfaction, speed and space for more customers? Your knee-jerk reaction, your gut feeling, and your instinctual knowledge will tell you that first rather than overthinking it. So again, I’ll ask or restate what you already know: what is your bottleneck to profit, and what are you doing about it?

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: ROI Bottlenecks appeared first on Pizza Today.

Bar Ready — Everything from bar equipment, bar licensing, inventory, bar glassware other bar accessories

Adding a bar to your restaurant is an immediate ROI builder. It will bring you more options for sales and give you a whole new clientele: people who want to drink at a bar. Additionally, this sub-segment can be a whole influx of afternoon and late-night business that family dining doesn’t allow for. Additionally, it provides solid incremental revenue because people don’t typically buy more than one entree. Still, they do buy more than one drink, lending it to having significantly more profit potential per transaction than a non-bar restaurant. But the way you play it is highly nuanced.

So, let’s discuss what you need for a successful bar. I can tell you from personal experience: I’ve transferred from a non-bar restaurant to a full-bar restaurant, and here’s everything I needed and wish I had known earlier.

The first and foremost thing you need to know is to build an actual bar. What do I mean by that? I mean, don’t build a little satellite nook. I mean, build a real bar. Build a bar that can stand on its own. Build a bar like you would if you were only a bar and nothing else because if you build it that way, as a primary revenue generator, it will function like one. That’s why a little satellite nook with three seats in the corner will not do you any favors. It’s going to look like the bush league, and it’s not going to return any investment.

The next rule is butts in seats lead to revenue. You will make more money if you can get 10, 12 or 15 seats at a bar. If you have some table or booth seating nearby, you can transfer those to a high-top table to create more of a bar vibe and then separate the bar from the restaurant with stub walls.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Bar Equipment:

Let’s start with the basics. Of course, you’re going to need a bar refrigerator. You will need a fridge even if you’re just a can-and-bottle beer bar, but don’t stop there. The amount of money you’ll get from a bottle of vodka versus a bottle of beer is exponentially better in terms of food cost percentage. So, it’s only worth doing a full-blown bar if you have a cocktail program.

Next, you’ll need a beverage dispensing system for beer or even wine. This is a different type of refrigerator than your bottle and can fridge. Additionally, with a draft system comes cleaning and setting up draught lines, which is a whole other expense in and of itself.

Next, you need a proper cocktail station. This will have a sink, speed rails, garnish station, and a section for all your small wares like shakers, strainers, muddlers, spoons and jiggers. Yes, you want to use all those items, and no, you should not buy them from a fancy store. You can get durable and simple items from a restaurant supply store.

Another mandate is that you’ll need an ice bin and potentially an ice maker, depending on how far your bar is from your current ice machine. Otherwise, you’ll need a big ice bin.

Here are some other things you might need, but not necessarily. An espresso machine for non-alcoholic drinkers or to infuse your cocktails. A blender, if you plan to offer frozen drinks and up lighting or neat shelves and inviting decor that makes the bar more than just a bar, but a place that people want to drink at the bar.

The bar furniture will also influence that. A stool without a back and cushion will not have a solid return on investment like a cozy, mahogany-bound chair. The nicer the furniture, the more you can charge for a gin and tonic.

Bar Glassware:

You’ll need pint glasses, rocks, Collins and martini glasses. Try to make them slightly different from the average to stand out and match your brand.

Licensing and permits:

Depending on which state you are in, you could be taking on a massive amount of cost. Proper signage on the bar, potentially a gated-off area, and the liquor license could cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cocktail List R&D:

Also, consider the cost of building a solid program, taste tests, iterations, etc. Having a straight-up list of cocktails will get you in the door, but a curated cocktail list will separate you and bring intrigue and purpose to your bar program. This will require an actual bartender with some level of mixology and you documenting all the procedures; so, you are not bound to that single mixologist if they ever decide to leave your business.

For all these components to come together, the bar should be designed for efficiency and customer engagement. If you’re completely new to this and have the funds to do so, engaging a professional is not a bad idea.

Bar Staffing:

Do not try to turn regular servers into glorified servers that also work the bar. This rarely works. Bartenders need to be bartenders and dress the part. The beauty of a bartender is they’re behind the bar, so inherently, everyone knows that they’re working the bar. So, they don’t need to wear the standard casual uniform. They can add some flair to what they wear, which will work because people will know they are the bartender. So let your suspenders and hipster mustache go for broke behind the bar.

Inventory Management:

Another thing rarely included in a new bar is proper due diligence on how much product is wasted. You can simply go based on cash purchasing to verify your run rate, but having an assessment of how much waste you have, whether by calculating it yourself or using an inventory program, is a solid way to start off your bar program and know how much you’re wasting or losing to theft.

Insurance:

Additionally, you’ll need insurance. Insurance is not something to be taken lightly, and if you don’t get revised insurance when you add a bar, you could be setting yourself up for a cataclysmic event if something goes sideways on you.

So why do it?

All this takes a lot of planning and execution, but it is entirely doable and completely worth it. Look at all these tools as an opportunity to take on something different and be more than you were yesterday. But remember the cardinal rule of restauranting: If it’s not impressive, then by default, it is unimpressive, basic, and not worth anything. So, stand out and make the bar you want to drink at so that others will as well.

The post Tools & Equipment You’ll Need for a Full Bar appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzerias are creating limited-edition pies to support local causes and generating buzz in the process

Bill Jacobs’s voice fills with energy as he discusses the 2024 Slice to Meet You campaign at Piece, his Chicago-based brewery and pizzeria.

Starting in January, Piece debuted a different monthly pizza crafted in collaboration with an acclaimed Chicago chef in support of PAWS Chicago, the Midwest’s largest no-kill animal shelter. For every $35 pizza sold over the three-month fundraising campaign, PAWS collected $50 – a $10 donation from Piece coupled with matching donations from four separate donors. After raising nearly $30,000 for PAWS last year, Jacobs hopes this year’s edition, which concludes April 9, surpasses $50,000.

“This has taken on a life of its own,” Jacobs says. “People are passionate about animals, celebrity chefs and pizza, so we hit the trifecta right there.”

Many pizzerias share Jacobs’s zeal for community-centered philanthropy, which can be good for the soul and for business by stimulating revenue, awareness and public goodwill.

“Find a cause that resonates with you and emulate what we’ve done,” Jacobs challenges his fellow pizzeria operators.

Creative campaigns

Pizzerias across the country continue creating clever LTOs to support worthy causes.

Last July, Milwaukee-based Pizza Man introduced a special burger pizza to support Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin.

In Dallas, Sfuzzi’s month-long Influencer Pizza Challenge tasks local personalities to create limited-edition pies and compete head-to-head for charitable dollars. Efforts have supported a local homeless recovery center, a women’s shelter and the North Texas Food Bank.

In Audubon, New Jersey, Genova Pizza has embraced a different approach, using its pizza boxes, rather than its pies, to support admirable causes.

Last spring, the family-owned establishment created themed pizza boxes featuring an animated superhero caricature of Callen McDonnell, a local two-year-old battling Leukemia. Throughout April 2023, any purchase of a Grandma Pizza – Genova’s best-selling Sicilian-style pie – was placed in the special “Super Cal” box with proceeds directed to the family. The effort raised $1,500 for the McDonnells.

“This felt like an opportunity to do something that mattered,” says Genova Pizza co-owner Ali Doukali.

Genova followed up its Super Cal initiative with a second “local hero” pizza box in September highlighting former Genova employee and U.S. Marine Harrison Whitman. Proceeds from that campaign’s effort went to the Warrior Foundation in Whitman’s honor. Genova has since created a nomination process for community members to suggest future local heroes and beneficiaries.

“Amid a lot of negativity in the world, we want to give back and be a positive community partner,” Doukali says. “Since getting this off the ground, we see potential to do a lot of good for people around us.”

Optimizing results

As Piece, Pizza Man, Sfuzzi and Genova demonstrate, creative, philanthropic initiatives offer pizzerias a chance to show their community-minded ethos and capture attention.

“A lot that can be done to make this attractive to your market,” Jacobs reminds.

And a few well-executed steps can help pizzerias create fruitful campaigns:

#1: Make it special.

At Piece, Jacobs has leveraged the culinary talents – and ingredients – of his collaborators to create novel limited-time offerings. The Hot Smoque’n Pizza created by Barry Sorkin of Smoque BBQ and Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s, for example, features Sorkin’s smoked chicken thighs and Sohn’s andouille sausage on a white pizza with smoked mozzarella, scallions and creole sauce.

Jacobs and his culinary team at Piece work with every chef collaborator to create, test and tweak the special pizza before its debut.

“You need an enticing and interesting product to draw orders,” Jacobs says.

#2: Time it right.

Pizzerias create urgency when they put an expiration date on cause-related initiatives. Time limits also give operators a focused period to build a story and spark interest without risking a stale initiative. For many, one month seems about right – enough time to let a campaign simmer and capture results, but not too long that the initiative fades into the background as routine business.

And while a pizzeria can roll out a special initiative at any point during the calendar year, a little strategy can maximize impact. Piece, for instance, rolls out its Slice to Meet You effort over the year’s opening three months, historically the year’s slowest quarter for Piece’s bottom line and PAWS’s fundraising.

#3: Spread the word.

When Callen McDonnell and his family visited Genova Pizza last spring to see the pizza boxes, the pizzeria shared photos of the family’s visit on social media, which elevated awareness of the effort.

“Without community support, this wouldn’t have taken off the way it did,” Doukali says.

It’s vital the restaurant (and its partner) actively promote the initiative. Invite local media and influencers to visit and post regularly on social channels to drum up interest.

“It’s important to provide concise and consistent communications throughout the campaign,” says Jacobs, who builds a library of ready-made social content by capturing photos and videos of the pizza-creation process with each celebrity chef.

#4: Plan ahead.

A half-baked effort will do little good for the pizzeria or its beneficiary, so get the necessities in hand before launch.

Ready print marketing collateral, including in-store signage and table tents, and any special ingredients required to make the LTO pies well in advance. Before Genova Pizza introduced its Super Cal pizza box, Doukali researched custom box vendors and secured a high-quality box for the 32-slice Grandma pizza.

In addition, Jacobs urges operators to run the numbers and charge an appropriate price for the special pizzas to ensure beneficial results.

“Be aware of your costs so you can make it work,” Jacobs advises.

#5: Amplify the impact.

A cause-related initiative does not have to stop at the pizza sale, as eateries can drive additional impact.

Genova’s effort to benefit the McDonnell family, for instance, included selling Super Cal t-shirts and sharing a link to the McDonnell’s GoFundMe page on every pizza box. Moving forward, Doukali sees an opportunity to improve messaging and propel impact, perhaps by including a QR code on boxes linking to a personal video or call to action.

“As we go through this process, we certainly see ways to refine it,” he says.

DANIEL P. SMITH Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Backing Causes on the Menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

Artificial intelligence restaurant applications

Artificial intelligence (AI) felt like something straight out of a science fiction novel just a few short years ago. Today, AI is a part of daily business conversations. Some businesses are using AI-powered technology without even realizing it through their third-party service providers.

AI has become big business. The global market was worth $196.36 billion in 2023, according to Grandview Research. North America’s share of the market was 36.8 percent 2023.

As we convene at the Las Vegas Convention Center and walk the show floor at Pizza Expo on March 19-21, you will see AI having a larger presence. You’ll explore new exhibitors completely dedicated to AI. You will also find artificial intelligence being integrated into familiar exhibiting companies. Get curious. Ask about their AI technologies. Ask for demonstrations to better understand it. Pizza Expo gives you an opportunity to get up close with this emerging tech.

Thanks to artificial intelligence-powered applications, people are seeing that AI is more than robots that can make food or be a food runner in front of the house. AI has a broad spectrum of applications that restaurant operators can take full advantage of. The technology can be especially intriguing as operators look for efficiency and labor cost savings. There are three over-arching areas where AI is helping restaurants that you may want to consider. They are:

• Data Crunching. From scheduling, inventory and equipment maintenance to marketing and sales, AI is accessing and tracking data in real time, analyzing it and reporting its findings almost immediately. Some of these tasks would take an operator several minutes, hours or even days to report.
• Taking Orders. AI has been a game changer in voice and text ordering. Voice channels have made it easier for customers to order anywhere. ChatBots are taking the labor strain away from the ordering process. AI is also being integrated into Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
• Creating Content. In this new world, you can ask an AI system to create written content for you. It’s important to give the AI the right prompt to solicit accurate content and even more important to analyze the content for brand fit, edit and tailor that content for your intended use. Graphics and photography are also being generated by AI. It’s vital to analyze the images closely for abnormalities and inconsistencies. There is also much debate currently around copyright of AI-generated content.

Working with AI ChatBots

Let’s talk specifically about using AI ChatBots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and GPT4 and Google’s Bard (now Gemini). We are hearing a lot about these interfaces in the news and on social these days. Much like when search engines came onto the scene in the 1990s, you need to understand when and how to use AI systems.   

There are several applicable ways AI systems can assist a pizzeria operation. We’ve seen instances where the ChatBot helped an operator come up with interview questions based on a specific job description. In another instance, the interface helped an operator work through brainstorming a new initiative. Other successful prompts and responses have been around providing better SEO keywords and descriptions for pizzeria websites and review site descriptions.

The key to on-point responses lie in the prompts you provide. A few tips for better prompts are: be specific about what you are looking for and the kind of response you expect; offer examples and context, reframe your question and ask again. Sometime language and phrasing can interfere with getting the response you are looking for.

Let’s use an AI ChatBot to talk about artificial intelligence, going straight to the source in an interview of sorts.

My first question for ChatGPT was, “How can AI help me at my restaurant?”

ChatGPT provided several benefits (some you would expect, while others you may be surprised by). I selected a half dozen interesting benefits of the several results provided.

ChatGPT’s response:

• Personalized Recommendations: AI can analyze customer data to provide personalized menu recommendations based on individual preferences, dietary restrictions, or past orders.
• Table Management: AI-powered systems can help optimize table turnover and manage reservations efficiently. This ensures that the seating process is smoother and customers experience minimal wait times.
• AI-Powered Marketing: Use AI to analyze customer data and create targeted marketing campaigns. This could involve sending personalized promotions, discounts, or loyalty rewards to encourage repeat business.
• Facial Recognition for Loyalty Programs: Implement facial recognition technology for loyalty programs. This allows for a seamless check-in process and provides a personalized experience for regular customers.
• Predictive Maintenance for Equipment: AI can predict when kitchen equipment might need maintenance or replacement, helping prevent unexpected breakdowns and ensuring smooth kitchen operations.
• Menu Optimization: Analyze customer feedback and sales data to optimize your menu. AI can help identify popular dishes, highlight underperforming items, and suggest adjustments to maximize profitability.

AI Limitations in the Restaurant Space

While the ChatBot knows how AI can help restaurants, I was curious to know if the ChatBot could understand and relay the limitations of AI. It’s vital for any business owner who is looking at AI for assistance to understand its limitations. So I asked ChatGPT, “What limitations does AI have in helping my restaurant?”

Here are eight limitations from ChatGPT:

• Initial Cost and Implementation Time. Limitation: Implementing AI solutions may require an initial investment in software, hardware, and staff training. The setup process can also take time.
• Data Quality and Privacy Concerns. Limitation: AI relies on quality data for accurate predictions and analysis. Poor data quality can lead to unreliable insights. Additionally, concerns about customer data privacy need to be addressed to comply with regulations.
• Lack of Customization. Limitation: Some low-cost or free AI solutions may have limited customization options. Tailoring AI systems to specific restaurant needs may require more advanced and costly solutions.
• Dependence on Data Availability. Limitation: AI algorithms require sufficient historical data to make accurate predictions. New or small restaurants with limited data may not benefit as much from predictive analytics.
• Complexity and Technical Expertise. Limitation: Implementing and managing AI solutions may require technical expertise. Small restaurants without dedicated IT staff may find it challenging to handle complex AI systems.
• Integration Challenges. Limitation: Integrating AI solutions with existing restaurant systems can be challenging. Compatibility issues may arise, especially if the AI tools are from different vendors.
• AI Misinterpretation. Limitation: AI systems may misinterpret customer requests, leading to
  errors in orders or customer
  service. Fine-tuning AI algorithms is an ongoing process to minimize such occurrences.
• Ethical Considerations. Limitation: There are ethical considerations, such as bias in AI algorithms, that need to be addressed. Biased algorithms can lead to discriminatory outcomes, impacting customer satisfaction and reputation.

AI is an emerging technology and with any new tech, it will advance and newer, better models will launch. AI is a space as a small business owner you should keep an eye on.

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

The post How can I use AI in my restaurant? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Let’s Chill: Exploring Restaurant Refrigeration Options

Pizza Today readers say that refrigeration is the number-one piece of equipment they plan to purchase in the next year, and it’s vital.

“It’s the absolute necessary thing to make your pizza restaurant run,” observes Chuck Hammers, president at Pizza My Heart in Northern California. Reliable refrigeration is absolutely critical for food safety and culinary quality.

It’s among your most expensive purchases, so consider your options carefully. Here’s a guide to refrigeration basics, to help you make the best decision whether you’re building out a new kitchen or replacing old equipment.

Making the right refrigeration choice will help you execute your mission of providing fresh, flavorful and safe pizza to your clientele.

Assess your refrigeration needs

“It starts with projecting your volume. How much sauce, how much cheese are you going to need to keep refrigerated? Are you going to cook your sauce and have to chill it down? The health department will look at that as a hazardous risk anytime you have to heat and chill food. So that means you need more refrigeration space because that typically happens in very shallow pans that take lots of shelf space,” advises Ken Batali, owner of Batali Associates Hospitality Consulting. “If you can get your stuff delivered every day, you need less refrigeration space than if it’s only once a week.”

Pizzerias that depend on a long, cold, slow ferment for their dough require significant extra cold storage.

You also need to consider your space and layout, budget, and health and safety regulations specific to your region.

Types of Commercial Refrigerators

Your refrigeration needs will vary based on a number of factors, such as business volume; complexity of menu; type and volume of ingredients; and whether you’re full-service, counter-service, or fast casual. You should also keep potential growth in mind.

• Walk-In Refrigerators: High-volume pizzerias may need a walk-in. They take up valuable back-of-house real estate and they can’t be moved easily, so they have to fit your space and your workflow. Adjustable interior shelving and rolling racks make them very versatile. You can choose from three options regarding the location of the condenser. Self-contained units have a condenser attached to the evaporator on the exterior of the unit, which is a less expensive option but generates a lot of local heat. A remote compressor can be mounted elsewhere in the building where the heat is less of a problem, and a remote outdoor compressor can be mounted outside.
• Reach-In Refrigerators: These offer easy accessibility in a compact footprint. Because they come in single or multiple sections with separate doors, they’re ideal for segregating different types of products. You can also choose a dual-temperature model, with a freezer section side-by-side with your refrigerator section(s). Expect adjustable interior shelving and precisely regulated digital temperature controls.
• Undercounter Refrigerators: These handy units are often used as supplemental refrigeration under prep countertops. Use these to take maximum advantage of limited floor space, and to hold high-traffic, frequently used ingredients.
• Refrigerated Prep Tables: These tables have integrated refrigeration under the counter and/or quick-access countertop refrigeration. Size your prep table according to how many pizza cooks you have working simultaneously. There are many variables in the prep table universe: drawers versus cabinets, removable cutting boards, adjustable shelving and more. They also employ several types of refrigeration to ensure countertop pans of ingredients stay at a uniform temperature. Traditional refrigeration involved cold air blown from the base to the bottom of the pans, but this may not keep food at the top of the pan cold enough. Innovations to deal with this issue include cold air blown over recessed pans, chilled rails and chilled dividers.
• Bar Refrigeration: If you serve cold beverages, consider whether you need separate bar refrigeration. Specialized racks and compartments ensure convenient access and quick service.
• Merchandising Refrigerators: If you offer self-serve beverages, choose a refrigerator that maximizes visual appeal. These have transparent glass doors (or no doors) for easy viewing and access.

What’s new in Restaurant Refrigeration?

Eric Hsieh, equipment department manager at Action Sales in Los Angeles, California, explained some of the new innovations in the commercial refrigeration industry.

R290, a liquid propane refrigerant that’s easier to work with and more eco-friendly than previous refrigerants.

Phone apps can collect data, generating a temperature log you can show to health inspectors, and also alert you when the power goes out or the temperature rises.

Coated components help reduce corrosion, especially when acidic products like tomato sauce are stored.

Buying Refrigeration: New or used?

Commercial refrigerators are similar to any large, expensive and essential piece of equipment. Buying new is the most reliable strategy with the best odds for long-term, hassle-free operation, but buying used confers significant savings. The usual pros and cons apply: New products have warranties and manufacturer support, and they’ll have more high-tech features and smart controls such as multiple temperature dials, automated defrost cycles, digital temperature control and remote monitoring systems. They’ll also be more energy efficient.

“I’m not really an advocate of used refrigeration equipment because it’s so mission-critical,” says Batali. “However, if you can get a box and put a fresh new compressor in it, then you might be able to save some money that way.”

Refrigeration Buying Tips

“I think the best resources are either bigger equipment supply houses or equipment brokers,” advises Batali, “because they usually have multiple brands and multiple solutions.”

Hsieh says “for pizza-specific, we usually recommend a top-mounted compressor. It stays cleaner, and it makes washing underneath [a reach-in] easier. We also recommend American brands because they usually have a lot of service networks and you can find techs that have parts and know how to fix then. Whereas imported brands, they have their own service networks, and they don’t fix units outside of warranty. It’s a lot harder to keep them going after the warranty period’s over compared to American brands.”

Hammers says that because of the high California labor rates, “it’s so expensive trying to repair these things. We find that if it’s not a simple repair, then it’s better just to go new again. If our compressor goes out, we end up buying a new machine. It’s just too expensive when we start chasing it. And then you end up kind of throwing good money after bad.” When machines stop working right, he warns “the health department will be all over you. It’s much more strict than it was 10 years ago.”

Refrigeration Maintenance

Can in-house maintenance help your refrigerators last longer?

“You can’t really stress that enough,” says Hsieh. He emphasizes that the compressor area and any accompanying filters must be cleaned according to manufacturer recommendations, especially in pizza restaurants with lots of airborne flour. The drain line inside the fridge is also subject to blockage by organic matter or mold and must be cleaned regularly. Hammers of Pizza My Heart concurs that diligent maintenance, especially cleaning compressors, must be a priority.

Having your refrigeration dialed in will make your pizzeria operation less stressful and more efficient. Think critically about your needs, decide on your priorities, and have a long conversation with your trusted commercial restaurant equipment supplier. By choosing equipment that matches the demands of your pizzeria as closely as possible, you’ll maximize your refrigerator dollars and ensure safe, high-quality pies leaving the red-hot environs of your oven and landing in the hands of happy customers.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Reliable Refrigeration for Your Pizzeria appeared first on Pizza Today.

New technology and changing consumer habits affect credit card costs

There are many ways to pay for a pizza, and most of them involve credit. New technology, and increased demand for delivery and takeout, could affect how much it costs pizzeria owners to accept these forms of payment. Whether customers use tap and pay, mobile payments, or pay at the table on a device, part of the total amount goes to the credit card processor and related entities. The exact amount varies, and restaurant operators sometimes don’t really know how much they are paying.

Consumers are increasingly using their cards and smartphones to pay for purchases. According to the 2023 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice from the Federal Reserve, in 2022 only 18 percent of consumers preferred using cash for payments, down from 26 percent in 2019. While the pandemic drove much of the preference for contactless payment, online orders, and other transactions that use credit and debit cards, the report noted that consumer preference for credit cards has increased since 2016, when the Fed began the survey.

There has been little change in the amount restaurant operators pay to accept cashless payments. “Newer technology has affected payment processing fees, but not always in the way that one would expect,” says Robert Livingstone, founder of Ideal Cost, which works with merchants to reduce credit and debit card acceptance fees. “Using Tap to Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. should not significantly change credit card processing fees.”

Using Tap to Pay with a card or Apple Pay, Google Pay, or another smartphone payment requires EMV compliance, or the use of the chip instead of magnetic stripe reader. The chip is more secure and less susceptible to fraud than the mag stripe. If a pizzeria accepts cards by swiping or keying in the number, that is considered non-EMV compliant, which Livingstone says can add more than one percent and hundreds of dollars in penalties. It can also hamper businesses in chargeback disputes.

Another payment innovation that has captured attention is peer-to-peer payments such as Venmo and Zelle. These systems, while handy for friends repaying each other for dinner, are not designed for businesses to accept payments. “We always recommend that business owners confirm with their accountant whether the revenue will be reported correctly,” Livingstone says. “Most banks do not allow these apps to be connected to a business checking account.”

In general, Livingstone says, pizzeria owners should expect to pay three- to four-percent rates for credit card processing sales, and possibly more if they use third party delivery apps.

Payment Processing Fees and Discounts

One big trend that affects payment processing fees is the increase in delivery and takeout. These phone and online orders have Card Not Present (CNP) fees to offset the higher risk of fraud. “Based on the credit card processors we work with, if you tap or insert it’s cheaper than when the card is not present with online ordering,” says Dean Kashefi, CEO and an owner of InTouchPOS.

Because there are many entities involved in accepting credit cards, there are several factors that affect costs. “The trick about credit cards is the fees are not necessarily by the processor,” says Damian De La Rosa, director of sales operations at InTouchPOS. “There are so many different rates based on card types.”

The different fees cover various stages of authorization when a consumer pays with a card. Different processors might refer to the various fees with different names, or offer a flat rate that encompasses several fees.

The interchange fee, which can also be referred to as the wholesale fee or the swipe fee, is a percentage plus a per-transaction fee, which the merchant pays to the cardholder bank. The interchange fees are generally one to three percent. The fees are higher for credit cards than for debit cards, and higher for rewards cards such as those that offer airline miles.

Payment processors, which facilitate communication between the merchant, credit card network, and the cardholder bank, can charge monthly fees, per-transaction fees, and equipment lease fees.

Assessment fees are paid to the credit card networks. The four networks are American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

“It gets challenging for merchants to be able to budget,” Kashefi says. “If I was looking for a processor, I would ask three questions: are you charging me per transaction, what is the amount per transaction, and what is the interchange rate.”

Avoiding Confusion with Credit Card Fees

Businesses may not discourage people from using credit or debit cards, and may not add a surcharge to consumers who pay with a card. Beware of payment processors that offer “surcharge billing,” says Chris Lybeer, chief strategy officer of point of sale company Revel Systems. “They will say, ‘Sign up and customers will pay for your credit card fees.’ First there are federal rules about this, second there are state rules, and third of all the card brands want people to use credit cards.”

American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa can impose fees on businesses that violate agreements. Instead of adding a surcharge, pizzerias can offer consumers a discount for paying cash, and display both prices clearly on the menu.

Pizzeria owners should make sure the payment processor provides detailed, easy-to-read billing statements. The bill should show the number of transactions and the dollar amount that was subtracted from the sales total to pay the processing fees. Instead, Lybeer says, some processors simply deposit money into the restaurant’s account, and the owner doesn’t have access to details, such as whether they are being charged for not being EMV compliant or how much of the fees were for Card Not Present. “Knowledge is power,” he says. “See if you can get a sample statement.”

As with any vendor, an offer of “free” or “0% markup” should also be met with suspicion. “When something is free it’s too good to be true,” Lybeer says. “Something is wrong.”

Proposed Changes to Credit Processing Fees

Legislation might change some of the fees. The Credit Card Competition Act of 2023 proposes opening up payment processing networks to more competitors, potentially lowering the processing fees that merchants pay. The bill is currently in committee in the U.S. Congress.

Separately, the Federal Reserve proposed lowering the fees merchants pay for accepting debit cards. Merchants currently pay card issuers 21 cents plus 0.05 percent of the transaction amount, and the proposal would lower that to 14.4 cents plus 0.04 percent of the transaction amount. The Fed would have to vote on the proposal and collect public comment.

NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Today’s Payment Processing Fees appeared first on Pizza Today.

How pizzerias can keep sustainability momentum rolling well into the future.

Even when leadership’s intentions are pure and their commitment firm, a pizzeria’s momentum with sustainability can nevertheless stall.

Employee turnover might overrun even the most well-designed efforts, as a revolving door of employees weaken an operation’s ability to consistently execute sustainable practices.

Costs might derail thoughtful local purchasing objectives, especially amid inflationary pressures in an already low-margin industry loathe to raise menu prices.

A lack of resources or know-how might hamper management’s ability to troubleshoot and subsequently drive a return to more familiar – and less environmentally kind – patterns.

And the need to extinguish daily operational fires, from missing cash to a no-show employee to a plumbing issue, might nudge sustainability into the background over time. After all, amid mounting orders, pizzas to cook and bills to pay, tackling climate change might seem more luxury than necessity.

To be certain, it’s not easy being green – and even harder staying green.

Josh Prigge of Sustridge, a Minnesota-based sustainability consulting firm, and Michael Oshman, CEO and founder of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), offer pizzerias battle-tested thoughts on building a productive and lasting sustainability strategy.

First, take a wider view of sustainability’s value.

So often, business leaders mistakenly view sustainability in terms of dollars and cents alone. While they might launch sustainable initiatives for the “right reasons” – namely, to contribute to a healthier planet – they then evaluate such efforts exclusively through the bottom line.

In some instances, sustainable practices will deliver clear financial positives. Decreasing energy use, for example, will spur lower operating costs and reducing waste will prompt fewer trash pickups. Both will generate an obvious bottom-line impact.

Some of sustainability’s other benefits, however, are less evident and instantaneous. Prigge says restaurant leadership must understand sustainability’s wider value and use that as fuel to maintain momentum.

“With some sustainable efforts, there might not be an immediate payback, but rather some intangibles that lead to the long-term health and success of the business,” Prigge says.

To Prigge’s point, restaurants incorporating and promoting their sustainability efforts can attract new customers. According to an October 2022 report from Datassential, nine of out 10 consumers say sustainability matters to them, while more than half say restaurant sustainability practices “somewhat influence” their out-of-home dining choices.

“Folks are looking for businesses who share their beliefs,” Prigge says, adding that sustainable initiatives can also spur PR opportunities and “free advertising” for the restaurant.

Oshman, meanwhile, notes that sustainability can also help businesses attract and retain quality employees. In IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV) report released in 2022, 67 percent of the survey’s 16,000 respondents said they were more willing to apply for positions with environmentally sustainable companies. Given the high cost of employee turnover, the ability to attract and retain talent can spark significant benefits.

“Employees want to be working at a place that matches their values,” Oshman says.

Second, bake sustainability into the business strategy.

For many restaurants, sustainability frequently becomes a disjointed collection of scattered decisions. Buy more local ingredients here. Reduce energy there. While such one-off practices are noble and positive, a more cohesive strategy positioning sustainability as a core value and central business strategy increases the likelihood of long-term success.

Prigge urges restaurant operations to create a formal sustainable strategy featuring defined targets and attainable short and long-term goals.

If a restaurant wants to increase its local buying, for example, it must first understand what percentage of goods are currently purchased locally. Thereafter, it can create a realistic target to push that figure up in the short and long-term with specific action steps – convert to purchasing all local cheese by the close of 2024, for instance – to hit those marks.

Yet more, everyone at the restaurant should know the goals. Leadership should incorporate sustainable practices into staff members’ formal job duties – maybe it’s recording food waste or separating trash into compost or recycling bins – and provide clear communication on why specific efforts matter. Leadership should also communicate progress and celebrate notable wins with staff.

A formal strategy including designated tasks and targets will help engrain sustainability into an operation’s culture and its daily activities. Employees and management alike will know the expectations and goals, which makes it easier to maintain momentum even amid staff turnover.

“Sustainability isn’t a one-month thing,” Oshman reminds. “It’s commitment and support and ongoing effort.”

Finally, be vigilant in looking for ways to improve.

Any restaurant will encounter challenges as it pursues more sustainable operations. A manager passionate about sustainability will move on or a local vendor offering a great line of sustainable disposables will cease operations. Those temporary hiccups cannot stall progress.

“Keep in mind there are more physical solutions than ever before, so there’s not just one good napkin anymore,” Oshman says.

Specifically, Oshman urges restaurants to utilize resources designed to help drive their sustainability efforts. Two summers ago, for instance, the GRA launched six badges, each one outlining “understandable and relatable” environmental steps a restaurant could take to increase sustainability. The Near-Zero Waste badge, for example, features instructions on recycling, waste reduction, food waste, training, reusables and disposables.

Many local utilities or state restaurant associations, meanwhile, offer resource pages to help commercial operations pursue more sustainable practices or adhere to environmentally minded legislation. Such resources promise to elevate restaurant leadership’s awareness, highlight winning strategies and propel sustainable efforts.

In addition, Prigge urges restaurants to shift their calculus. As one example, energy efficient investments like a smart thermostat or shutting down idle equipment might offer a more immediate and noticeable financial payment, particularly in older buildings. In contrast, water savings might not appear as robust off the bat. Rather than looking at each utility individually, he suggests “bundling projects together” to see the bigger ROI picture.

Then, he recommends using savings in one area to fuel additional investments, thereby allowing today’s sustainability to feed tomorrow’s gains.

“Create a revolving loan fund,” Prigge says. “Put the savings from one sustainable project with immediate payback in there and then reinvest it elsewhere down the line, so your sustainability continues to grow.”

DANIEL P. SMITH Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Making Sustainability Sustainable appeared first on Pizza Today.

Gas ovens were once the standard at pizzerias and restaurants across the U.S., but electric ovens are gaining ground

For decades, gas ovens dominated restaurant kitchens, including pizzerias. These days, however, electric ovens are cutting into that long-held supremacy.

While natural gas remains the preferred cooking energy source in U.S. restaurants – three out of four domestic restaurants use natural gas, according to a National Restaurant Association (NRA) Research Group survey – electric ovens continue gaining ground.

To be certain, technological advancements have propelled the increasing use of electric ovens, which have become more versatile and robust. However, the uptick in electric oven adoption may be attributed to another key factor: regulations forcing the use of electric ovens.

In 2019, Berkley, California, became the first U.S. city to ban natural gas hook-ups in new buildings. Numerous other cities, counties and states scattered across the map followed suit, including New York, where the state legislature passed a measure last May banning natural gas appliances in new buildings starting in 2026. The advocates of such regulations tout the environmental benefits of relying on electricity rather than gas as well as safety factors, including research linking gas stoves to toxic gases threatening employee health and the environment.

“Europe has been using electric for years and they’ve set the baseline showing it’s possible to maintain food quality and flavor profiles without draining natural resources or adding to one’s carbon footprint,” says Nathan Beucler of Ohio-based Burkett Restaurant Equipment & Supplies. “Still, that doesn’t mean restaurants here in the U.S. are ready to abandon gas.”

An earnest assessment of gas ovens

Compared to their electric counterparts, gas ovens offer some clear benefits.

First, gas ovens heat up faster and reach higher temperatures, two particularly appealing elements for many pizza-peddling operations.

Second, gas ovens are generally more affordable to purchase and operate as well as more durable. Beucler, who sells both electric and gas ovens, says gas units typically cost 30-40 percent less than comparable electric options. And as gas is a more accessible utility in most markets across the U.S., operational costs run about 10-30 percent less than electric, according to NRA reports.

Finally, many foodies believe gas ovens deliver a more flavorful taste, particularly with the char and flare ups gas ovens can provide. In particular, solid-fuel ovens, such as wood or coal with gas assist, help produce “a true rustic pizza taste,” notes Mike Rudd of KaTom Restaurant Supply in Tennessee, which is why those options remain popular with pizzerias, in particular.

Gas ovens, of course, have their drawbacks. They require a bigger fan on the hood, which increases the investment, and they fall short of their electric rivals on energy efficiency.

Yet more, heat distribution on gas ovens can be more uneven than electric, which can threaten product quality and consistency. Gas ovens also produce carbon monoxide emissions, carry the ever-present risk of a leak or explosion and require more effort to clean given their many dirt, dust and grime-capturing components.

Evaluating the electric oven

While electric oven sales have surged thanks, in part, to regulations, some pizzeria operators have voluntarily opted for electric over gas. (Of note, Rudd sees more electric oven varieties entering the marketplace, including open-hearth options that can serve as a pizzeria’s centerpiece.)

In the fast-paced restaurant environment and in an industry with notoriously high turnover, the operational ease of electric ovens, which can be conveyor, deck or convection, proves particularly enticing. Controls are generally more intuitive and feature easy-to-adjust settings.

Electric ovens also provide more precise temperature control and heat distribution throughout the cooking chamber. This helps drive product consistency and minimizes the risk of hot or cold spots on a pizza or dish. Meanwhile, the ability to control the electric oven with distinct temperature zones allows a restaurant to cook thicker or thinner pizzas on different decks of the oven, which is an attractive feature for operators serving various pizza styles.

Many view electric ovens as the safer option, too, for both staff and the environment. They are more energy efficient than gas and do not emit carbon monoxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Also, alternative energy sources, such as solar or wind, can power electric ovens, which is an appealing reality for some pizzeria operators and their clientele.

Yet, there are some trade-offs when swapping a gas oven for an electric model. Electric ovens are generally more expensive to purchase and operate, as electric is more costly per Kilowatt hour. Heating up at a slower pace than gas, the electric ovens also top out at about 700 degrees, well short of the temperature limits gas ovens can reach.

4 questions to ask before buying an oven

#1: Is there a regulation demanding electric ovens?

Such regulations remain rare, but they are increasing across the country. If such a requirement exists (or is
being debated), the gas vs. electric decision is made easier for the operator.

#2: Is three-phase electric present?

To accommodate a larger electric oven, the pizzeria will likely need access to three-phase electric, something Beucler says few buildings have. If three-phase electric is not present, Beucler has seen the cost to obtain it run as high as $85,000.

#3: What’s my menu?

A pizzeria’s menu will often dictate one’s decision to go with gas or electric. As electric ovens top out at about 700 degrees, shops serving Neo-Neapolitan pies frequently favor gas or solid-fuel ovens, Rudd says. Those serving multiple pizza styles, however, might prefer the versatility of electric ovens.

#4: Finally, what’s my budget?

Operators will need to investigate the cost of the oven itself, installation and operational costs. A gas oven will often be more economical than an electric option, both upfront and on a daily operational basis.

Beucler, however, is seeing a growing number of operators leaning toward electric conveyor pizza ovens, many of which are ventless. Such units eliminate the cost of the exhaust hood and the accompanying buildout required with a gas oven, investments that could touch $20,000 in total.

“There could be significant upfront savings there and you won’t have a hole in your roof,” Beucler says.

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Gas Ovens vs. Electric Ovens: Heating Up appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzeria owners can take steps to prevent damage when power, technology or the supply chain falters

From large-scale weather disasters to local outages, there are many events that can cause a pizzeria to pause operations. Businesses are technology dependent these days, and an outage in power or internet service can bring service to a halt. Even routine stoppages, such as when a distributor runs out of an ingredient, can force restaurant operators to struggle to serve current and future customers.

It pays to be prepared for various scenarios. While hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters have captured much media attention lately, more mundane outages can cause harm too, so it helps to have a plan in place for what to do when the lights or internet go out or
supply chains are constrained.

When the Wi-Fi is Down

“The internet going out is probably most common,” says Joe Costanzo Sr., owner of point of sale company Revolt Tek. “If the power goes out, it’s rare you can do business anyway.”

Revolt Tek offers retail and restaurant customers several options for handling an internet outage. One is to have backup cellular service, in which the device recognizes when internet service goes out and switches to the business’s cellular carrier. “That happens in as little as 15 seconds,” Costanzo says. “It’s rare they notice. They may lose Office or music, but it keeps the point of sale on.”

Having a system that switches to cellular is just one part of a failover business continuity plan. Check with your internet service provider to make sure you have an updated modem and router, and find out whether the system automatically switches to cellular backup.

In the case of a power outage, battery backup can keep the routers and at least one point of sale station working. “That way you may not be able to continue cooking but you can take payments and close people out,” Costanzo says.

Taking payments without tech

Costanzo adds that payment processors also provide the option of accepting payments with an app or a reader on a cell phone. The system might not link up with the POS system while the power is out, so the owner or manager would have to input the information later. “It could turn into a hassle, but you get your payments,” Costanzo says.

There have been some widely publicized payment system outages lately, due to a lack of cybersecurity or other issues. In these scenarios, restaurant owners might ask customers to pay cash, but many consumers don’t carry cash and prefer to pay with debit or with credit cards, often from their phones. Customers likely won’t agree to a request to write down their card numbers so the pizzeria can input the info later. Other options such as Venmo and Zelle could be a last resort. These are designed for peer payments, and customers might balk at paying the person behind the counter instead of swiping the restaurant’s reader.

“A good POS system should be able to take credit cards when the internet goes down, for a certain amount of time,” says David Maloni, principal at Datum FS, a foodservice supply chain consultancy.

Flour waits on the container ship

The POS system also plays a role in routine operations, such as informing the pizzeria owner the amount of ingredients purchased and the vendors that supply each. That’s important for another type of outage, supply chain constraints. If one distributor is suddenly unable to supply an ingredient, the pizzeria owner should have a backup already set up. That could be another distributor, and the operator can use free apps that keep track of the various suppliers and prices.

“You need to ensure your ordering and your check-in system are efficient,” Maloni says. “Make sure the right people are checking in product and you have a record.”

Always have a backup provider of ingredients, even if that means having a membership at a warehouse club store. Instead of panicking when a distributor runs low on cheese or flour, the pizzeria owner can simply step into a club store and buy most ingredients. “You have to diversify your suppliers,” Maroni says. “You always have to have a backup source that you can work with.”

What happens when lights out at the restaurant

In the case of a power outage, the pizzeria owner has much more to worry about than how to accept a credit card payment. According to the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe food safety program, if a restaurant suffers heavy damage from a hurricane, fire, tornado or flood, it’s likely the operation would have to throw away all its food inventory.

Some health departments’ websites offer advice on what to do in the case of a power outage. Among the tips: consider buying a generator before the power goes out, develop an emergency menu that requires no cooking, and research the availability of refrigerated food trucks. During a power outage, stop cooking, because the exhaust hood and ventilation systems stopped working, as did the dishwasher and any sanitizing capabilities. Keep refrigerator doors closed to keep the cold in, and when power is restored, check the internal temperatures of foods.

What is covered by insurance?

Insurance might not cover as much as business owners might hope. “Coverage for a power outage depends on the cause of the outage,” Larry Warshaw, risk management director for Intrepid Direct Insurance, said by e-mail. “It may be covered if caused by a ‘covered cause of loss,’ which is typically a ‘direct physical loss.’ Power outages that originate away from the insured premises are typically not covered; however, direct physical loss caused by any resulting power surge may be covered.”

Most pizzeria owners have standard Business Owner’s Policies or Commercial Property coverage. Check with your insurer to see what is covered, and how much of a deductible you would have to pay in the event of a loss. “There’s typically a deductible expressed in terms of a waiting period,” Warshaw says. “However, expenses incurred that mitigate the loss (shorten the restoration period), even during the waiting period, may be covered as an extra expense.”

Know ahead of time where to get updates about power and internet outages. Utilities and other service providers often post information about outages on their websites or their apps. Whether it’s a widespread disaster or a momentary loss of service, be sure to have protocols in place for managers and employees.

NORA CALEY  is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Product, Service Outage Protocol appeared first on Pizza Today.

Countering cyberattacks on restaurants

Last April, a cyberattack hit NCR and its Aloha POS, one of the restaurant industry’s leading point-of-sale (POS) systems. While the ransomware attack did not disrupt in-store purchases, it halted other key operations at restaurants across the country, including online ordering, gift card transactions and back-office functionalities like payroll.

It was yet another reminder of the ongoing work of nefarious online actors and the continuous threat they pose to restaurants.

“Remember that our adversaries run businesses, too, and they want to fuel their own bottom line,” says Gunnar Peterson, chief information security officer at Forter, a fraud prevention technology company.

While any business, big or small, is at risk of a cyberattack, restaurants – from independents to franchises to enterprises – remain a particularly compelling target given the industry’s growing reliance on technology, the large amounts of personal data restaurants often possess and the other more pressing issues (inflation, customer service and labor, for instance) capturing their immediate attention and nudging cybersecurity down the list of concerns.

“There is plenty of valuable data for the taking if it is not adequately protected,” reminds Shelby Menard, an attorney with Plano, Texas-based Spencer Fane LLP who works in cybersecurity and data privacy.

Cyberattacks on restaurants

According to Brady Harrison, director of customer analytics solution delivery at Kount, an Equifax Company, basic ransomware activity like NCR encountered – encrypting or denying access to a system or files until a ransom is paid – remains prevalent, though account takeover attacks are on the rise.

With consumers calling for easy, streamlined experiences, restaurants have increasingly rolled out online
ordering and mobile apps. While such digital platforms appease consumer demand and help eateries secure sales, they also hold payment information, loyalty points and the like, which make them a prime target of fraudsters.

“And if accounts are hacked, the restaurant faces revenue loss, reputational damage and security non-compliance fines,” Harrison says.

Card testing is also becoming more commonplace. This happens when criminals make small, inconspicuous purchases testing the validity of stolen payment information, buying a fountain drink or cookie perhaps.

“Not only does the restaurant lose the revenue from the sale when the cardholder disputes the unauthorized purchase, but the restaurant also pays an authorization fee for an interaction that has no profit,” says Harrison, who has seen restaurants ring up $30,000 authorization bills after getting card tested.

Menard also sees cybercriminals hacking into restaurant POS systems, installing malware and snagging customers’ financial data and other private information.

4 steps to cybersecurity vigilance

As restaurants continue embracing technology and cyberattack risks refusing to budge, vigilance is key to warding off victimization. Though nothing will fully insulate a restaurant from a cyberattack event – after all, unscrupulous actors can be especially crafty and persistent – Peterson says, “A few careful steps will help you outrun the bear most of the time.”

1. Create a risk management plan. A risk management plan includes a continuous cycle of discovering, assessing and remediating any cyber risks, such as regularly updating software, particularly on the POS, and ensuring encryption and firewalls are being used to protect sensitive data. Menard suggests each restaurant
   appoints a specific person to execute this IT responsibility, even if that means overseeing a relationship with a managed service provider as an alternative to in-house IT personnel.
   “No matter the size, all restaurants should have someone conducting and managing their security,” Menard says.
2. Train staff on cybersecurity issues. To minimize risk against scams and cybersecurity threats, operators should alert employees to common cyberattack strategies.
   Menard suggests basic security training for any employee holding a company e-mail address or access to the secure system.
3. Implement strong password policies: Weak passwords like NYCPizza or password123 are among a restaurant’s top vulnerabilities. At the minimum, restaurant leadership should establish password policies requiring a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. Passwords should also be changed every 2-3 months. Even better, restaurants should incorporate multi-factor authentication. A multi-step account login process increases a restaurant’s protection from cybercriminals, Peterson notes.
4. Keep antenna up: Like it or not, cybersecurity demands constant attention and vigilance to spot vulnerabilities or, worse, an attack.

According to Harrison, common red flags for account takeover fraud include multiple failed login attempts over a short period of time, data points inconsistent with a customer’s typical action (like a different device ID or IP address) and unusual activity once the user is in the account, such as changing the payment information or draining loyalty points.

On the card testing side, Harrison encourages operators to look out for a large number of low dollar amount transactions. Once fraudsters detect an easy mark, he says they will act quickly to do as much damage as possible before detection.

“Watch for unusual patterns, such as multiple transactions from the same IP address or device, an unusually high authorization decline rate or a sudden spike in chargeback rates,” Harrison says, adding that a service provider native to the restaurant’s POS or customer relationship management software can help a restaurant regulate risk.

What should a pizzeria do if it suspects a cyberattack?

While a proactive approach to cybersecurity is a restaurant operator’s most important cybersecurity step.

“You don’t want to be looking for buckets when your house is on fire,” Brady Harrison of Kount reminds.

Online criminals can be a clever bunch capable of hurdling even the most well-designed safeguards.

If a pizzeria suspects it has been compromised, Harrison suggests leaning on the expertise of providers to mitigate the attack’s damage. The restaurant’s ecommerce provider, for example, might have a baked-in solution or a plugin to an order management system.

Pizzerias should also have the ability to operate offline for a bit in “limp mode,” Forter’s Gunnar Peterson says. That way, the eatery can continue serving customers as opposed to shutting down the shop until a resolution arises, which compounds a cyber event’s negative impact.

Finally, restaurant leadership should alert local law enforcement as well as the eatery’s cyber insurance provider. A breach attorney, in particular, can provide critical assistance in helping a restaurant navigate a complex, unfamiliar problem.

DANIEL P. SMITH Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Cyber Threats to Businesses appeared first on Pizza Today.

Insuring Safe Delivery

Pizza is the ultimate delivery food item. Whether you deliver your own pies or rely on a third-party provider like DoorDash or Uber Eats, odds are that your business relies on pizza delivery.

However, if your vehicle insurance isn’t right, delivering pizzas can cost you a bundle – even your whole business. A gap in coverage can leave you holding the bag, and it can be a very expensive bag indeed.

Here’s what you need to know to ensure that your business is protected from financial liability relating to car accidents involving your delivery driver.

Specifically, we’re going to delve into the insurance product known as non-owned auto insurance, with the expert advice of Rob Hoover of Risk Strategies, a specialty insurance brokerage and consulting firm, where he’s vice president of business development, and director of the hospitality insurance program.

What Is Non-Owned Auto Insurance?

Hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) coverage protects the business and the business owner as an individual from liability when an employee or third-party contractor is driving a non-owned-by-the-business car for business purposes. If anyone (owner, employee, contractor) is driving a vehicle that is not owned by the business and causes damage or injury, the owner and/or the business may be held liable. (While “hired” and “non-owned” are two different coverages, they are typically bundled in a single product called HNOA.)

Hoover describes HNOA insurance as a second line of protection, designed to fill in the gaps that may exist in the constellation of insurance coverage that exists for non-owned cars, including employee-owned vehicles, owner-owned vehicles, and hired (rented or leased) vehicles. “It doesn’t cover the individuals, it covers the business. It covers the legal expenses which result when an employee is found to be liable for causing bodily injury and/or property damage.”

In terms of assigning financial responsibility, “most attorneys will first name the driver, then they’ll name the owner of the business, and then they’ll name the business,” says Hoover.

“They look to the personal auto policy first. If there’s not enough coverage, then they look to the non-owned auto policy, which fills in the gap.”

Covering Gaps in Insurance Protection

What kind of gaps are we talking about?

GAP: your employee-drivers use their own cars, and don’t have the business use coverage they should have. Personal auto insurance does not cover business use.

GAP: your employee-driver has insurance covering business use but the claim exceeds the limits of their commercial policy.

GAP: your employee-driver forgot to renew their regular or commercial auto insurance and is  driving uninsured.

The same gaps apply when the owner or an employee drives the owner’s personal car, which should also be insured for business use.

When you rely on a third-party delivery service, there’s some uncertainty about liability – more on that below. That uncertainty represents another potential gap.

Why You Need HNOA Insurance

HNOA covers your liability when your employee is driving for work purposes. Even though the driver’s insurance should be first in line, you need to cover unexpected gaps. If you don’t have adequate coverage, you risk being held liable for damage to other vehicles and property, and for medical bills for injured parties.

Many deliver drivers are young and inexperienced. The odds are high that they’ll fail to secure business-use commercial insurance; lose their insurance; neglect to pay their insurance; or have low coverage levels. It’s not fair and not wise to rely on them to protect your business.

The bottom line is that any time your employee is on the clock and involved in an accident, your business is exposed to risk. While having all employees exclusively drive business-owned vehicles resolves this problem, it’s not financially feasible for most operators.

Please note that HNOA does not cover:

• When your employee is off the clock, driving for personal purposes.
• Damage to your employee’s (or your privately owned) car.
• Your employee’s (or your, if driving) medical expenses.

Who Needs HNOA Insurance?

Hoover replies: “any business in which employees drive their own cars for delivery or other business purposes, ever. I include it on every policy that I write, because you never know when an employee or somebody uses their own vehicle in the scope of the business. I would rather they have the protection in place instead of going ‘oh, man, I should have included that’.”Even if you don’t offer delivery, you may occasionally send employees out on errands, so you should have this protection unless they use a company-owned car.

Who Doesn’t Need HNOA Insurance?

If your driver-employees drive business-owned cars 100 percent of the time, and you don’t use third-party drivers, you shouldn’t need it. However, Hoover still advises that every business owner get it anyway. If you send an employee out in their own car to buy ingredients or to pick up a co-worker, and they get in an accident, you’ll need this protection.

Third-Party Delivery

If you use a third-party or hire a driver as an independent contractor (IC), you are still potentially exposed to liability.

Hoover notes that “some litigation is potentially bubbling up related to third-party delivery. I think that’s evolving right now.” He asks “do you have an adequate contract releasing you from liability for their actions? What’s the contractual language you’re using to sign that responsibility off for the individual operator? I think the big nationals are getting that sign-off. But the reality is that the smaller operators” are not adequately released from responsibility in their contracts, says Hoover.

Your agreement with your third party/IC may include assuming responsibility to obtain and monitor employee insurance documentation. However, “the enforcement of the requirements is equally as important as the articulation of them. If you fail to collect proof of required coverage and monitor it for updates (such as when policies renew throughout the year) you are providing yourself little protection in a claim. Often, your corporate insurance policies require you to be doing this and failure to do so can negate coverage,” according to the Risk Strategies website.

Variables

Circumstances vary.

“It is truly carrier by carrier,” observes Hoover. Talk to your insurance representative.

State laws govern insurance coverage. While minimum insurance is mandatory for all drivers in most (but not all) states, the financial limits vary. If your business delivers in two states, make that part of the conversation.

Cost of coverage will vary. Ask your insurance carrier about hiring and employment best practices that will save you money if you adhere to them, such as documenting motor vehicle reports, driving records, insurance checks, and car checks.

Conclusion

It’s critical that every owner have a thorough and transparent dialogue with their insurance representative. Between property damage and personal injury, the potential liability in an accident can get sky-high fast.

“I don’t think most people read their policy enough to know that putting that sign on the top of your vehicle changes your own personal auto policy,” says Hoover. His own son got a job at a pizzeria, “and loved it. And I said ‘the one thing you can’t do, kid, is you can’t deliver pizzas with your own vehicle. I’ll support you in this job, but I don’t want to take that liability while you’re driving for work.’”

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Non-Owned Auto Insurance for Pizzerias appeared first on Pizza Today.

Keys to a Successful Soft Opening

Opening a new restaurant is incredibly difficult. Every new restaurant we open, I’m pretty confident, takes a few years off my life. The notion that we’ll gather this brand new workforce together and they’ll be prepared for the onslaught of a new restaurant’s initial push is counterintuitive in two ways. How will newbies get it, and why are we going into the world with a massive pop of new business while we’re at our weakest? We do it because the place needs to get open.

Additionally, people immediately judge this new restaurant like it’s a professional band playing Madison Square Garden when, in reality, the bandmates only met a few days ago. With that said, there are a few things to take a brand new restaurant’s soft open to set it up for success.

A Restaurant’s Soft Opening Week Roadmap

We opened the first Andolini’s on a Saturday, like complete idiots, and got rocked to the nth degree. It was our smallest opening ever, but we had no systems or situational awareness to prepare for that day. The dish pit overflowing with dirty cups and plates to the back door would inform you that we were in over our heads.

To avoid that yourself, here is a solid workflow for the week leading up to a soft open and how to set up the open for success.

Monday: Game-On

Welcome your new staff with a blend of legal paperwork and a healthy amount of brand immersion. This isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about lighting a fire of excitement in them. They should leave feeling part of something bigger, ready to bring their A-game. Day one is about emotion and excitement to carry them through this crazy week and basic regulatory compliance.

If you have the option, this week of training will go significantly easier with transfer employees trained at other locations. To pull this off for store two and beyond, over-hire in the months leading up to a new store launch. It’s a lot easier to have someone captain the football team when they’ve spent some time at the high school; it’s tough to expect someone to be captain of the football team on their first day of freshman year.

Tuesday: The Learning Curve

The kitchen crew dives into the menu while front-of-house staff get up to speed with service standards. Meanwhile, you’re the conductor, fine-tuning every last detail, from licensing to décor. This is about learning basics and knowing them for a fact. Each trainee must perform the tasks, not simply read a menu. Only through physical interaction can most people KNOW a task.

Wednesday & Thursday: Redundancy is Key

Drill the training. Over and over. This is where your POS system and service scenarios come into play. Role-playing is crucial – it’s all about trying it in person, not just staff nodding their head when you ask, “Do you get it?” Cap off each day with team food tastings and keep morale high. You’re building a team; they must develop an allegiance to your brand and each other.

Friday: The VIP Soft Open

Train by day, but come evening, it’s showtime. Host an invite-only soft opening for a friendly crowd of VIPs—people like family, investors and Big Wigs who helped you reach this point. The focus is on team performance on this night. Servers practice with the full menu, and you get a front-row seat to the operation. Take notes, make a toast and watch how things work when a restaurant is filled with people.

The soft opening should be a celebration, but stay aware of it. The staff needs to understand and learn on this first night. Servers need to place all the food orders into the POS and learn where things are for muscle memory. The kitchen must create every single item multiple times, no matter how you might fear the
increasing food cost; if they don’t learn it now, it will cost you in the long run. Situationally, you’ll discover things that don’t make sense. These hiccups you can correct on your Sunday adjustment. Enjoy the night, but take notes throughout and keep it upbeat. Don’t let the night be too hard but not too easy.

Saturday: The Real Deal

An all-day soft open with timed guest slots prevents kitchen chaos and offers valuable, continuous training.

You should have a full day packed with appointment settings for guests to arrive. Anyone who would like to try this new restaurant should be given the opportunity, but choose set times, such as 30 or 45-minute increments from opening to close, so you are consistently busy but never overwhelmed. Additionally, customers should choose their menu items from a bowl to have a solid mix of items in the kitchen. Otherwise, you might have a full restaurant ordering the signature item, while the lesser ordered items never get the muscle memory needed for the kitchen to understand them dependably.

Have the servers walk through their full server sequence as a role-play. If they’re cashiers and not servers, the same rules apply. Perform all the
upsell verbiage and scripting that would occur with a paying customer, even if their order is pre-determined.

Repetition is your friend. A Scosche of make-believe is occurring here, but what is not fake is the need to learn as quickly as possible. They should fail now with non-paying guests on Saturday than with Monday’s paid guests who have more considerable expectations.

Sunday: The Adjustments

Sunday is your rest day for your staff, a day for them all to get their lives checked and take a break before the marathon starts. This is not your day off at all; this is the day you go hard in the paint, looking at everything that went wrong during training and fixing it as fast as possible. This typically means more shelves where they are needed in the kitchen to rearranging equipment, POS issues, like adjusting the printers and menu build so that come Monday, you have everything ready or at least as ready as possible to proceed profitably.

Monday: Opening Day

No matter what you do, opening day will always be insane. You might have a grand opening a few weeks later, but in reality, this will be your grand opening day. Customers will come in with high expectations, and you can do as much as possible to stay in line with those expectations with a relatively new workforce. Mitigate situations and be in front of problems directly by connecting with customers throughout the day. Ninety percent of customers will absolutely understand this is your first day and things go wrong. While 10 percent are seeking to have an issue with everything and will not be your longtime customer.

Most of your customer demographic has not worked a restaurant job before, so their expectations and awareness of our industry will differ from yours. They don’t get it, but here’s the thing: it’s not their job to get it; it’s your job to help them understand and enjoy their time with you, however possible.

Throughout this process, remember positivity and adaptability are your best tools. There will be stumbles, but how you handle them defines your success. You’re not just opening a restaurant; you’re creating an experience, a community, a place people will love from day one.

The post Effective Soft Open Week for a New Restaurant appeared first on Pizza Today.

Must-have and nice-to-have technology for your restaurant

What’s your tech stack? It’s a phrase that started in Silicon Valley, went through corporate America, and has entered the restaurant realm. With good reason, there are several things necessary for operational relevance today. A point of sale has gone beyond a cash register to become the hub of all your apps, or at least most. Proprietary software by a POS company is a lot like a Swiss Army knife; it’s got everything in one place, but are those tiny scissors right for the job? Or should you go all-in with a full-fledged garden shears approach, more items and overkill, or the perfect tool for the big job?

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

I’ve met a lot of owners lately with tech overwhelm. Here is my breakdown of what is NECESSARY and what is optional.

The Must-Haves Tech

1. POS: This is non-negotiable. No POS means you are getting robbed, or you are a dinosaur or laundering money with no paper trail.

2. Scheduler for Staff: Excel just doesn’t cut it. Your staff needs more clarity on shift exchanges, and you need to forecast labor with a direct connection to the POS from the scheduler to create a variance report.

3. Customer E-mail: Whether integrated into your POS or separate, you need this. E-mail baked into a POS is a better solution when it gives the exact sales number of an e-mail. Use a dedicated service when you want robust segmentations. No e-mail or even rarely e-mailing customers means leaving thousands on the table.

4. Data Cloud: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or something else cloud-based, i.e., a secure place to store and share important documents so you can move quicker and not lose everything if your laptop breaks.

5. Payroll Processor: This can be simple check processing or a whole HR suite. Choose what you need, avoid redundancies, and DO NOT OVERSIMPLIFY payroll. Check it for errors. Payroll should take time to verify and avoid overspend.

6. Accounting Software: QuickBooks or some variance; what matters is it is easy to use for your accounting team. In other words, can you track and act on the money going in and out?

7. Online Ordering: This is the modern era. If you’re not online, you’re not in the game.

8. Security Cameras: These are crucial for security, training, accountability and avoiding potential lawsuits. This is not a suggestion; you need cameras.

The Nice-to-Have Tech

1. Loss Prevention Program: Text checkups post order to send positive customers to review sites and negative customers into a text stream with management.

2. Text Marketing & Loyalty Programs: More direct than e-mail, but only some appreciate the intrusion. These must be exclusives to prove worth.

3. Third-Party Integrations & Aggregators: If you hate delivering yourself but like revenue, then 3rd party is a mandate. If you can’t stand how many tablets you have, go all in on one 3rd party or get an aggregator app that pulls them all together and routes them through your POS.

4. Social Scheduler: I can’t imagine posting to each app native; this is a massive time saver and sets posts to go out evenly.

5. Ad Manager: If ad spending on social media is a component of your marketing, look at ways to do it smarter and with tracking.

6. VOIP Phone Systems: Control calls, where they’re routed, turn voicemails into e-mails, and have different responses when customers call.

7. Gift Cards: These can become free money with unused redemptions.

Your tech stack is your toolbox in this competitive market. Choose wisely, invest smartly, and remember, the objective is to streamline your operations and give you more data to act on or time to create more revenue. If any app or program doesn’t produce 5 x ROI on what it costs via more revenue, more time, or raw cash in hand saved, it’s a no-go.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Tech Stack appeared first on Pizza Today.

Small oversights have big potential to make guests sick

When I received this story assignment, I was eager to get writing because this is a topic that I am very passionate about! In addition to the big, glaringly obvious infractions of the health code, I am a stickler about the many “small” ways we put our guests at risk without even thinking about it! But these “small” oversights have big potential to make our guests sick.

Probably the most commonly overlooked food safety red flag in many restaurants is cell phone usage on the line.

While cell phones seem like a harmless annoyance to us as owners and managers, think about how many germs live on the average cell phone. How often do our team members pull that germ-laden device out of their pockets, put it up to their faces, touch the screen, put it back in their pockets and resume food preparation without washing their hands? While mandating that employees keep their cell phones in lockers may be a battle you don’t wish to fight, putting a cell phone policy into place that states that team members must step away or outside to use their phones and wash their hands once they return can be helpful in reducing the points of contamination or even the spread of illness between team members.

Another big red flag that I see in restaurants is personal items behind the bar or in food preparation areas. Hoodies, hats and other apparel can carry a multitude of contaminants. How many of us have pets that shed, or even our own hair falls onto our clothing and when we put those garments directly onto a prep table they can deposit hair or dander onto what is supposed to be a sanitary work surface. And while it seems like a wildly rare circumstance, insects like roaches and their eggs can be transported into your restaurant on clothing and be deposited directly onto your work surfaces.

Think about your average water bottle, how many germs live not only on the mouth, straw and cap, but on the bottle itself. I am always shocked to see how many days someone re-uses the same yucky cup without washing it. If we allow our team to set drinkware on the work area, we are depositing those germs right onto the work surface. Drink vessels must have a lid which you can drink from without needing to be twisted off, flipped up or pushed in, and be made of shatterproof plastic, no glass.

I find it important to make sure your team has a place to easily store their personal items, including drinks. Ensuring that drink rails are hung near each food and beverage preparation area is an easy way to keep work areas sanitary.

Understanding that not all restaurants have room for lockers, we can still take steps to make sure there is a place to hang outerwear, bags and headwear that is tucked away from food and beverage production. Cubbies, hooks or even plastic totes on the floor can provide a place out of the way for personal item storage.

Disorganized walk-in coolers can make it challenging to follow HACCP principles for proper food storage.

At Wholly Stromboli, we practice a place for everything and everything in its place. Shelves are labeled and organized. Eggs, which are a potentially hazardous food, are always stored on the bottom shelf under the raw chicken breast, and never stored above ready-to-eat food items. By ensuring that we keep food items on the same shelf in the same slot every time, we ensure there is always a safe place to keep potentially hazardous items. For example, if I put the ham where the eggs should be, then, where do I put the eggs, one item displaces another and so on. Not only do you not know where to find anything, you risk contaminating ready-to-eat foods by not following HACCP protocols for food storage. I’ll add that consistent product placement makes stock counts a breeze. You are doing weekly stock counts, right?

Improper cooling hot food is another way for bacteria to grow and something that is easily overlooked. We’ve all seen it, your prep cook makes an 80-pound batch of marinara. He gets busy, throws the whole entire stock pot of sauce in an ice bath, and forgets all about it. Four hours later, the pot is swimming in a lukewarm bath of melted ice.

Putting an emphasis on proper cooling procedures, having a documented process and the people to carry out the process, is key!

Keeping cooling logs, and the proper thermometers where you perform ice baths with clear instructions on the cooling process will help. It can help to make one team member responsible for making sure there are always logs at the ready, they are being completed, and helping others to ensure the process is being followed.

The next place I look for potential hazards is in refrigerated prep tables and warming drawers.

I’ve never met a line cook who didn’t over fill food pans with product! It is human nature to want to cram as many canned olives as you can into that darn pan. It seems harmless, they’re just being prepared for the rush! But this is a recipe for foodborne illness. Keeping product below the fill line will ensure that all of the product in the pan is being held at the correct hot or cold holding temperature.

Don’t forget to swap out utensils such as spatulas, tongs and pizza cutters every four hours to help reduce the growth of bacteria on them. Making this a part of your shift change checklist will help ensure that this is happening at regular intervals. Additionally, if you are handling seafood, raw chicken, thick or sticky foods, consider using a fresh pair of tongs, or spoon for each dish.

Training and education is key! Make sure your team is up to date on all required certifications and training. Some counties require that each restaurant have at least one certified food handler or manager in the building at all times and will provide safe food handler courses. Additionally some broad-line distributors, community colleges and even some high school trade programs offer safe food handler certification programs at a discounted rate.

Lastly, your local health inspector can be a great resource to you and your restaurant.

Cultivating a good relationship with your inspector by inviting them to come in and do a mock inspection, provide feedback and answer questions can help ward off future violations, help you to understand how to improve your inspection scores, and ensure that you are providing a safe and healthy experience for your team and your guests.

Food Safety Resources:

Consult your local department of health and environment for latest certification requirements, cooling logs and other printed safe food handling materials.

• www.fda.gov/food/hazard-analysis-critical-control-point-haccp/retail-food-service-haccp

• www.servsafe.com

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post Food Safety Red Flags appeared first on Pizza Today.

Designing Restaurants

Restaurant design isn’t what it used to be.

Shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, evolving consumer preferences, technological advances and the rising costs of materials and labor, new design trends continue taking shape to elevate customer service, boost efficiency and deliver a more contemporary experience to guests.

To wit, Papa John’s Epic Dough store, making its way across the system throughout the past year, features a crisp white look punctuated by rich red and green hues, oversized images of fresh ingredients, an open kitchen providing guests transparency into the pizza-making process and straightforward purchasing and pick-up experiences, including a drive-thru lane, to accommodate digital transactions and off-premise dining occasions.

“Since Covid-19, restaurants across the budgetary spectrum have realized they need something that sets them apart to lure customers in and bring them back – and it can’t just be product alone, which is why design is taking on added importance,” says David Shove-Brown, partner and co-founder of //3877, an architecture and design firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn, New York.

The biggest restaurant design trend: A defined takeout space.

Pre-pandemic, discussions about clearly defined takeout spaces were largely limited to the corporate office and café markets. The idea hadn’t fully made its way into mainstream restaurant spaces, and certainly not full-service operations.

As off-premise dining has soared, however, operators and designers alike are thinking more intentionally about the carryout customer. This rings especially true in pizza where carryout is ubiquitous, whether customers are picking up for themselves or relying on a third-party delivery player like Grubhub, DoorDash or Uber Eats.

Today, a defined takeout space is becoming a necessary ingredient in restaurant design, particularly something separate from the dining room to minimize any conflict between dine-in and takeout customers. In many instances, carryout customers are being funneled one way to have their own convenient in-and-out experience; if not an entirely distinct pickup area, then a bar might act as a buffer from the dining room.

“Considering the pickup area is virtually standard in today’s design, which isn’t something you would’ve said years ago,” confirms Joshua Zinder, head of Princeton, New Jersey-based Joshua Zinder Architecture.

4 more emerging restaurant design trends

While a defined takeout area might be the day’s dominant trend – and one moving toward table stakes in today’s restaurant environment – it is far from the only notable development. Four additional trends continue capturing momentum:

#1: Smaller footprints focused on efficiency

With more consumption moving off premise and many operators expecting labor shortages to be a long-term issue, there’s a move toward smaller footprints, more efficient design and equipment capable of pulling double duty. Space utilization and layout is not the sexiest part of design, but it is critical to a pizzeria’s operations and, quite often, its bottom line.

“Everyone is counting out every square inch,” says Rick Conrath of GTM Architects based in Bethesda, Maryland.

#2: Bringing the outside in

More and more, Zinder is “dissolving” the front of a restaurant, as operators are eager to boost their exposure and street presence. Whether rolling up garage-style doors or opening oversized windows, there’s heightened interest in unveiling the restaurant’s interior to the street or sidewalk to stimulate interest, showcase accessibility and create a more seamless feeling between the restaurant and its
surroundings.

The desire for an inside-outside connection also includes a rise in biophilia. Increasingly, restaurants are incorporating plants, green walls or even images of greenery.

“During Covid-19, restaurants got a bad rap as a potential setting for risk or exposure and something speaking to nature helps combat that,” Zinder says.

#3: Instagrammable touches

Instagram and food go hand in hand and restaurants continue looking for ways to generate attention in the social media world. Pizzerias are leveraging lighting and materials as well as art, including sculpture, murals and 3D installations, to create compelling, dramatic or whimsical design touches inviting photos and social sharing.

In its new store prototype, Pizza Inn created a “say cheese” accent wall. Jumping off a sky-blue background peppered with clouds, two half-eaten pizza slices replicate an angel’s wings on the in-store mural. And at one of //3877’s projects, Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza in Arlington, Virginia, a multi-colored, tiled mosaic of two hawks opposing one another creates a striking visual.

“Design becomes a part of the story to drive marketing and give guests a unique perspective,” Shove-Brown says.

#4: A twist on seating

Guests might visit a pizzeria for various occasions – a date night, a beer with buddies or a quick lunch. To entice regular visits for distinct purposes, restaurants are creating different seating areas and departing from the formulaic lines of booths and tables. Instead, restaurants are mixing picnic tables, couches, bar seating, pub-height tables, booths and more to offer seating diversity.

“This way, the guest experience isn’t the same every time they visit,” Shove-Brown says. “They can have a different experience and be inspired to come back for a different occasion.”

Before You Design

Whether remodeling an existing eatery or entering an entirely new space, savvy pizzeria owners address these three questions before diving into design:

What’s my budget?

An eatery’s available capital will surely inform design choices. Leveraging the experience of a seasoned restaurant architect and contractor early in the process will help minimize costly
errors and facilitate a more thoughtful, calculated approach, such as pursuing a second-generation restaurant space to curtail electrical, mechanical and plumbing costs.

What’s my restaurant’s service model?

Are you creating a full-service pizzeria where people savor their meal or a volume production churning out pie after pie? Clarity on the service model and projected sales mix will set the stage for a space’s general layout, such as how space is allocated to the kitchen and dining room.

What’s my restaurant’s theme and its menu?

A pizzeria’s concept and menu will guide design choices – the colors, materials, furniture and the like. For instance, Joshua Zinder Architecture leaned into a light and bright aesthetic at Jules Thin Crust in Princeton, New Jersey, a look befitting the family-friendly fast casual specializing in thin crust pies featuring organic ingredients.

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Today’s Top Restaurant Design Trends Aimed at Elevating the Customer Experience appeared first on Pizza Today.

Opening a pizzeria is a huge financial undertaking – and that feels like an understatement. There are places to cut corners and there are places to spend the real dollars. I personally have not done a complete restaurant buildout and have no interest in doing one. I believe in buying an existing restaurant (with owner financing) and then assessing the situation to determine where to spend additional capital.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Every restaurant is different. Some restaurants will need replaced flooring, and some won’t. This is true with all aspects of a restaurant, including equipment. I have a standard list of what equipment we absolutely need in our pizzerias, and for the rest of the equipment, it depends on what the space dictates. Without fail, there is always some sort of equipment to buy when starting a pizzeria. I really suggest a holistic approach of different avenues and strategies when purchasing equipment.

I always buy new refrigerators. Nowadays, replacing compressors is close to the same price as buying new. No matter how cheap a piece of used refrigeration looks, it certainly has a shortened life span. I do like to use different suppliers, however. I like to find the best deal on the brands I like. I have a handful of brands that I like and trust, that are well-known in the industry. When purchasing them, though, there are deals to be made as you call around and check prices and compare apples to apples.

All other equipment I buy is used. That’s a bold statement – you may be wondering if I’m including ovens, mixers, tables, etc. The answer is yes. Unfortunately, many pizzerias go into business and then go out very quickly, and there is a lot of gently used equipment out there if you know what to look for. I have found that buying used ovens is like buying a used car. Just like when a car pulls off the lot, after the first pizza goes through the oven it starts depreciating at a drastic rate. I scour the internet, checking Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Craigslist to look for deals. I even use Craigslist in larger cities that are within driving distance of me to search for the right deal. If you are questioning buying used equipment, I’ll be the first to tell you that I have never bought a brand-new mixer or oven.

I have bought lots of equipment from stores that have gone out of business. I find that those are the best deals if you can use most of the equipment and sell the others. I try to buy backups of equipment if I find a great deal. Used smallwares offer some of the best savings. I buy pans, Cambros and even pizza cutters and peels for pennies on the dollar. When I know I am opening a pizzeria, there is not a day that goes by that I am not looking for a deal on equipment on the internet. Holding on to your cash for when you begin operations, so that you have operating capital, is key. My favorite way to do that is to buy the restaurant with owner financing — and that’s what we will get into in next month’s Building Blocks.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Gently Used Equipment appeared first on Pizza Today.

Long gone are the days of writing every order and check by hand. Point-of-Sale (POS) systems are as essential to the pizza business as a dough mixer or an oven. One could argue that the POS is the most important piece of equipment in the whole building. So, how do you choose the right one?

I look at buying a POS system like a marriage; I don’t believe in switching out POS systems… I like to get it right in the beginning. POS are cloud-based systems that can send updates to software periodically. Think of your phone and how it occasionally updates to stay current with new technology. You want the same with your POS.

Having a trustworthy, reliable local representative when choosing a POS system is very important. This means you have someone in your area that not only sells you the POS, but also will service it and update it when needed. A lot of times, they will also provide IT support. We once had a flash flood in our building late at night, and the whole system went down. I called my local sales rep, and he came over at 11 p.m. at night and put in a new server so that we could open in the morning. If we have an issue with the system, we just call him and he answers and addresses the issue as soon as possible. Not having to wait on hold with someone a county – or entire continent – away is priceless.

I really believe that there is no one perfect POS system. It’s just about picking one that you can be comfortable with, and that best suits your business needs. It’s also important to consider what type of pizzeria you operate when making this decision. Some systems are designed simply for pick-up and delivery shops, some are catered to slice shops, and some are made for full-service restaurants. What if your pizzeria has all three aspects? Well, there’s a POS for that too.

Scouting perspective systems is a must. I always start with asking other operators what they use and what they like and don’t like about it. It’s even better to go to a pizzeria and see it in action and ask staff how long it took them to learn the system. Another great way to scout a POS is at Pizza Expo. Seeing a demo of the system helps clarify your questions. And, most times, a deal can be made on the show room floor! That’s one of the best things about Pizza Expo. Once the POS negotiations start, remember my favorite strategy of negotiating: always work low and slow. Next month, we’ll dig into buying the rest of the equipment for your pizzeria.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: POS System, Change is Constant appeared first on Pizza Today.

Every day we seek “Perfect.” The perfect dough, the perfect menu name, the perfect workflow, and sometimes we seek perfect before anything launches. Striving for perfection is commendable, but it can hinder progress. Today, I’d like to challenge us all to embrace a different mindset: that of the scientist.

A scientist thrives on curiosity, experimentation and continuous learning. They start an experiment before conditions are perfect. They form a hypothesis, test it, learn from the results and iterate. This approach is not about immediate perfection but about progress and evolution.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Think about your promos. What if you hypothesized that a loyalty program could boost repeat business by 15 percent? Or speculated that a fusion-themed pizza campaign could tap into a new customer group? The magic starts when you translate these hypotheses into actionable experiments. The fusion-themed campaign may have yet to hit the expected mark, but the feedback may pave the way for a successful future. That’s real progress. That’s because it will yield, even in failure, experience. And, every time, an experienced person is always more valuable than a solely opinionated one.

Perfectionism limits you to the past. The fear of a financial misstep or launching a pizza that doesn’t land with your audience can be debilitating. But you must remember, every great thing starts with an untested idea or a hypothesis, and very few great things don’t take any bumps or bruises on the way to being pretty.

Adopting the scientist’s mindset means giving yourself the leeway to venture, to stumble, and most crucially, to learn. Each experiment, whether in marketing or menu innovation, HR, etc., adds layers to your skillset.

Like a scientist, you need data. That means feedback on what works and what needs improving. That requires the hardest thing to do for many in our industry, listen and be humble to the findings.

Take the negatives of what didn’t work and view it as data towards greatness. What did it reveal, what did you learn, and how can you refine your hypothesis and try it all again?

Pizza is a very competitive industry. You are not competing against other independent pizzerias solely. You are competing against the thousands of choices at your customer’s fingertips—every other cafe, bistro, grille, to even gas stations serving meals. You can’t shoot blindly and expect to make every three-pointer and expect that customer to love each thing you do. It’s not possible. Sure, some things will land, but refining them makes them go from niche to evergreen popularity. You can grow stronger and faster when you seek knowledge with an awareness of failure.

Grant yourself the freedom to push boundaries by allowing yourself to mess up. The transition from seeking immediate perfection to becoming a scientist means you take a wild ride of discovery. In all of us is not only an entrepreneur, marketer and pizza maker; there is also a scientist eager to craft ideas as big as mountains, even if they start as hills.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Science over Perfection appeared first on Pizza Today.

If you’re in the restaurant business, you’re also in the cleaning business

Sure, you may have a lot more passion for your wood-fired Neapolitan pizza Margherita or your chewy, crunchy rectangles of Detroit-style, but you need to take sanitation as seriously as your slices.

In this article we turn away from those luscious pies to another critical part of your menu – the beverage section. Your guests need something chilly and refreshing to accompany their pizza pie, like an ice-cold soda pop or a freshly-drawn beer.

Whether you are setting up or fine-tuning your cleaning schedule, remember that your beverage station needs cleaning, too. Ice machines, soda machines, beer taps and taps for wine or cocktails all require regular cleaning to ensure food safety.

Why cleaning is critical

Keeping your beverage station clean is vital to overall restaurant sanitation. It’s your responsibility to keep customers’ health foremost in mind, and clean equipment is essential for delivering top-quality product to your customers. Passing health department inspections is also critical to keeping your business thriving.

In addition, cleaning is a good way to keep your costly equipment operating efficiently and reliably.

Taps for soda, beer and other libations can attract pests such as fruit flies, ants and roaches. Ice machines may look clean, but they can harbor hazardous contaminants. Failure to clean invites mold, bacteria and residue to get established in these systems.

It’s also worth noting that the FDA regards ice as food, and you must clean ice machines to comply with their regulations.

Establishing a schedule

What’s the best approach for managing the schedule?

You have many excellent resources: regulations, manufacturers’ recommendations, distributors and professional service vendors.

In addition, Michael Maurer, owner of Maurer Sales in Seattle, Washington, suggests that local brewer’s associations can be good resources for beer hygiene. Maurer Sales offers retail and wholesale sales of beverage dispensing products and equipment.

Start by reviewing the health department requirements specific to your state for ice, soft drinks and beer equipment. You must comply with these requirements to stay in business, and they “depend on which state you’re in,” says Steve Thomas Jr., draft operations manager at Multi-Flow Industries dba Lenox-Martell in eastern Massachusetts. Lenox-Martell distributes beverage and restaurant equipment; services beer, soda and refrigeration equipment; and also distributes Real City Soda and Fountainhead craft cane-sugar soda.

Maurer says that some states require the beer distributer to clean the lines, so verify all local regulations as you construct your cleaning protocol. Some states require logs. Make sure you understand what kind of records you must keep for all three stations – soda, beer and ice.

Next, check the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning activities and intervals, and consult with any vendors that might be knowledgeable, such as your distributer, cleaning vendors and equipment maintenance vendors.

Now, build your cleaning schedule. It’s typical to break tasks down into daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks. You may want to incorporate basic maintenance into the cleaning schedule.

Heavy usage may demand increased cleaning, but slow business doesn’t get you off the hook: you still need to keep up with your prescribed cleaning schedule.

It’s also true that the airborne flour found in a pizzeria makes things worse, says Thomas. “The flour gets in the air and clogs up the condensers on the ice machine, on the glycol unit, and for the walk-in.”

Especially in the case of beer, maintaining top quality may demand more frequent cleaning than health requirements do. “If your beer starts to take taste off from not cleaning your equipment regularly, you’re probably gonna start to sell fewer pints,” advises Maurer.

Who should clean

These cleaning tasks can be handled by your equipment vendor, your pizzeria staff, your distributor or a professional service vendor. Make sure everyone is on the same page about who does what. Put it in writing so it’s clear.

Thomas recommends that “beer lines and ice machines should be done by professionals, and the dispensing points of a soda system should be the responsibility of the restaurant owner.”

Regardless of who does the cleaning, be sure to keep a cleaning log to track what cleaning activities are performed; who did them and when.

The risks

When you fail to clean your beverage station, you are putting your customers and your business at risk. The greatest risk is harming a guest by serving them something contaminated. You may also lose customers by serving inferior beverages, and you could even fail a health inspection.

Cleaning is also an opportunity to do routine maintenance and to take care of small equipment problems before they become large problems.

Tips for cleaning beverage equipment

Follow these useful tips when cleaning your beverage station:

• Turn off the power when performing cleaning activities.
• Follow manufacturers’ recommendations for process and food-safe cleaning products.
• Invest in a dedicated set of equipment for cleaning each beverage station, such as brushes and buckets.
• Keep a log of your cleaning activities, noting dates and actions taken.
• Provide written instructions to your staff.
• Use cleaning as an opportunity to inspect.

Train your staff appropriately, including:

• Proper cleaning procedures to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
• Sanitary use of ice machine.
• Keep taps and other devices clean during use.
• Wash hands before using or cleaning your beverage equipment.
• Use personal protective equipment (gloves and safety glasses) when handling chemicals.
• Keep records correctly.

Notes on cleaning your ice machine

“Routine cleaning of ice machines eliminates bad bacteria growth,” says Thomas, “and since ice is a food it is necessary.”

Deluxe newer machines may have an integrated UV light, which extends the recommended cleaning interval. “It’s a relatively new technology,” according to Thomas. “It kills the bacteria before it can grow inside the ice machine. They’re very expensive, but it’s worth it because the UV light works continuously to sterilize, targeting viruses, mold and other dangerous pathogens that thrive inside dark, damp, cool interiors.”

Cleaning your ice machine also helps it operate efficiently. When lime, scale and minerals build up on internal components, they can obscure sensors and block water flow. This slows down production, jeopardizes quality, uses more electricity, and stresses equipment.

It’s also worth noting that specialized ice machines that deliver nugget or flake ice will have more moving parts that require additional attention.

CONCLUSION: Don’t neglect your beverage setup when establishing your cleaning schedule and training your staff. Your customers and your bottom line both depend on a ready supply of tasty thirst-quenching beverages. Whether it’s the simple pleasure of a cola over ice, or the grown-up delight of a perfectly drawn craft beer, your beverage menu is a vital part of your business and deserves your attention to stay clean, safe and reliable in every way.

Annelise Kelly  is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Beverage Station Sanitation appeared first on Pizza Today.

Like it or not, employee theft happens. Here’s how to curb it.

Last year, a female employee of a Pizza Hut in the southern Illinois town of Cahokia Heights halted her shift – and employment at the eatery – by snatching money from the registers and safes before strolling out of the restaurant.

The Pizza Hut’s manager called police to report the theft, which was captured on video surveillance. It was a brazen act of thievery and a startling reminder that employees can – and do – steal.

Not every employee theft, however, is so audacious and obvious. Many times, in fact, employee theft slides under the radar. An unauthorized freebie to a buddy here. A stolen bottle of booze there. The result for every pizzeria, though, is the same: real losses.

“Restaurant margins are thin as is and you certainly want to keep the profits you have in the business,” says Amber Bradley, executive director of the Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association (RLPSA).

Consider this napkin math: if a pizzeria has a profit margin of five percent and an employee steals a seemingly measly $10, the restaurant needs $200 in sales to make that $10 back. Add those losses up and the restaurant could end up fighting for its life.

“So many small business owners go out of business thinking they couldn’t make it work despite evidence to the contrary. Oftentimes, it’s at the hands of one or two people that profits of the business are being consumed,” alerts Catherine Penizotto, founder of Penlight, a loss prevention consultancy based in Florida.

The many forms of employee theft

To be certain, employee theft takes many different forms.

Some snag cash from the register. Others snag product, such as alcohol, ingredients or supplies. Penizotto, in fact, has seen some employees make sales of stolen products on the black market a side hustle.

Some engage in the age-old practice of “sweethearting” and give food and drink away to friends. Others engage in a more recent practice: taking a photo of a customer’s credit card with their smartphone and using that information in illicit ways. While the latter act doesn’t produce a direct loss to the business, it can significantly harm a restaurant’s reputation and its relationship with customers.

Some get creative, particularly at the point-of-sale (POS) system, issuing refunds to their own credit card or
removing items from a ticket in favor of a tip. Others cut side deals with sales reps that send dollars to their pocket, not the restaurant’s P&L statement.

“Now, imagine this over the course of a day. The impact on the business can be tremendous,” says Penizotto, adding that employee theft also hampers a restaurant’s culture and team morale.

While employee theft might not be top of mind for small business owners, loss prevention insiders encourage restaurant leadership to be mindful of warning signs, which can range from cash shortages and too-frequent voids to employees living above their means.

“Quite often, employee theft starts simple and small, but it blows up in frequency and amount quickly,” Penizotto says.

4 preventative steps against employee theft

Pizzeria owners can limit the potential of employee theft with a mix of active leadership, diligent attention to the numbers and clear protocols.

#1: Show your vigilance.

Regularly ask questions of employees. What happened with this void? What’s behind this customer comp? Be mindful to adopt a curious, rather than accusatory, tone, as voids and comps often happen for legitimate reasons. But do ask questions.

“Talk of your awareness spreads,” Penizotto says. “If there is a dishonest employee and you show your awareness, that employee either rights themselves, finds another method or, quite often, leaves.”

#2: Watch for changes in numbers.

Operators should monitor their numbers to inform business decision-making and detect theft. They should note discrepancies or if anything, such as payroll or purchasing, is running awry. Product orders and sales, for instance, should travel in parallel over time.

Though some out-of-whack numbers could be solved with an operational fix or training, some might be attributed to employee theft.

“Follow the breadcrumbs because the numbers don’t lie,” Bradley says.

#3: Set clear expectations – and consequences.

Ownership should set the stage for employee conduct, including theft, during hiring, including having employees sign a code of conduct to eliminate any potential misunderstandings.

“Be up front when hiring what the consequences are if any employee is caught stealing,” says Doug Rector of Washington-based Northwest Loss Prevention Consultants, who also recommends restaurants conduct background checks on prospective employees as an added preventative measure against employee theft.

#4: Put up guardrails.

Don’t make it easy for employees to steal – or even be tempted to do so. Some well-informed practices will help to this end. For instance, restaurants should enforce policies around employees using cell phones on the floor or near the POS. If restaurants have cameras, including technology that matches every transaction or exception to a video clip, they should make this known to staff.

“Limit opportunity,” Penizotto says. “If your beer cooler is next to the open back door and you’re not monitoring it, then you’ve created a prime opportunity.”

The aftermath of employee theft

When investigating a potential issue of employee theft, restaurant ownership should take detailed notes, collect video images and document any relevant conversations, interactions or behaviors.

“You should be doing a lot of background before you ever confront an individual,” Bradley says. “You want to know something’s happened, not be guessing something’s happened.”

Penizotto says ownership should go into any conversation about potential employee theft with facts, details and a clear-minded action plan.

“Don’t let the punishment be emotional,” Penizotto says. “Set a policy and honor it: someone steals, and this is what we do. Establish the consequences before a face is ever assigned to the problem.”

And while some restaurant owners don’t want to take the time necessary to file a police report, Rector urges otherwise for the collective good of the industry.

“What [bypassing a police report] does is pawn the employee off to another restaurant where they probably will steal again,” he says. “My suggestion is to prosecute. Word will get around.”

DANIEL P. SMITH  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post 4 Preventative Steps Against Employee Theft appeared first on Pizza Today.

Getting more sales out of our existing customers

When we are locked in on our business and honing a particular part of it, there is some magic in there. I love nothing more than exploring tactics or strategies to strengthen my business. I start by asking a question and then finding as many answers to the question as I can. Today’s question is: How do we get more sales out of our existing customers?

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Upselling is always the first thought on everyone’s mind, so let’s dig into that a little. Looking at the phone calls that come into your store is a good place to start. We use phone scripts at all of our stores, in addition to posting each store’s monthly specials online and in-store. We also provide specific prompts and recommendations after a customer has placed an order. For example, when a customer orders a large pizza, we train our team to ask them if they would like an extra-large pizza instead, which is about 33 percent more pizza for only $2 extra. At the end of the interaction, we are asking about breadsticks, cheesy breads, drinks and desserts. We have found great success adding prompts to our online ordering. This is the same concept as with our phone interactions, but we now also have pop-up windows prompting customers to add more to their orders.

For table service, we don’t just rely on the server upselling and suggesting items, though we train them to do so. We’ve developed another tool/tactic, which we call flip charts, for tables. I am a big proponent of seeing something you like that works and is done well at a chain restaurant and then taking it, adapting it and making it better to fit your brand and goals. While sitting at a chain restaurant, I noticed that their tables weren’t as cluttered as ours — but there was this interesting thing sitting on the table. I started to flip through it, and it was filled with pictures and offers of their food and drink items. I liked it so much that I made one for Caliente, and we now use it to take the customer on a journey. We are using great pictures and a graphic artist to design the charts, so they look even better than what the chains use. There is a welcome picture of me toward the front, then when you flip it over it begins by telling our company’s story. Then, as customers flip through it, we guide them through every high-profit item we have. By the end of the flip-through, and before the wait staff returns, the customer has already discovered something that caught their eye.

I remember the first time I got gas and the cashier asked me if I wanted to join the gas station’s rewards program. I thought, “what the heck is a rewards program?” Fast forward 25 years later and it feels like every business in America has one. If you don’t, you should. They are a great way to market to your current customers and incentivize them to keep coming back. Many POS systems offer them, and there are great companies out there that offer these services.

Speaking of POS systems and third-party integration, that’s what we will discuss next month.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Locked in on Business appeared first on Pizza Today.

Focus on key areas to make DELCO work for you

Everyone loves coming to your restaurant. There is a wonderful atmosphere and ambiance, the food is fantastic, and the service is absolutely impeccable. Unfortunately, the realities of life do not always allow your customers the time to devote to such an experience. In many markets families can make up a large segment of your customer base, and when it comes to families that means kids and their never-ending activities. You name it, basketball, soccer, little league, hockey, swimming, dance, it’s always something. They still love your food, but they just don’t have the time to come sit and enjoy it. This is where carryout and delivery become an integral part of your restaurant’s operation. It is impossible to recreate that same dining experience of your restaurant in someone’s home, but you sure can try your best to do so. Let’s explore a few areas in which you should focus.

Ordering

When the server comes to the table at your restaurant they are fully trained on all aspects and ingredients of your menu. They can answer almost any question thrown at them.

When the customer calls to order carryout it is important to make sure that you have not cut any corners on training when it comes to the staff members that are answering those phones. Though they often tend to be younger staff members they should still have the training and be able to answer any questions the customer may have on a certain item.

The same holds true when it comes to ordering delivery through an online platform. There may not be that live person on the other end of the line to answer questions, but proper menu setup is key. Take the time and go through every item on the online platform yourself. Play devil’s advocate with your online menu. Try to anticipate the most common questions and modifications that may arise with an item and have options available for your customer to make choices.

Efficiency and accuracy are key here if you are going to try and best replicate that physical server experience in the restaurant.

Packaging Quality

We know that food coming right out of the kitchen from the chef’s hand to the table is perfect and exactly how you want it presented. The onus is now on you, the operator, to try and bring that same food quality to someone’s home when they open up the packaging.

You put a piping hot pizza in a box and close the lid. That steam can do quite a number on your crust and make it much soggier than when it’s ordered in the restaurant. Are you taking the necessary steps to provide the proper packaging to prevent that?

You put a pasta dish in a foil container with a clear plastic lid. When the order is put into a bag are these being stacked on top of one another and getting crushed after a few minutes when the steam makes that lid hot, soft, and pliable?

Remember, you are trying to recreate that restaurant quality dining experience in the home to the best of your ability. This means using the right containers that will travel well and not have your food end up being a mess in the bag.

Carryout

Like anything else in your restaurant, communication is key to success here. We want the holding time on that food to be minimal and this requires great communication from the back of the house to the front. The kitchen needs to relay accurate preparation times to the front of house staff so that they may let the customer know when to expect their order to be ready. The less time it is sitting then the better chance you have of getting it to the customer’s dining room table hot.

Delivery

If you are doing your own delivery, then you undoubtedly have a handle on communicating times to the customer. But what about third parties? Nearly everyone utilizes one app or another nowadays for ordering food via third party. It is paramount that a line of communication be established with the service/services you use so the customer can have a realistic indication of when the food will arrive. This can be a tricky predicament when you are handing off part of your business to another party and expecting them to have the same commitment to delivering your food promptly as you do. Most customers realize that there can be small lapses created by these services. But it behooves you, the owner, to do everything in your power to control every part of that process that you can because at the end of the day it is still your food being purchased and represented at the end of the line.

Accountability

Once that food leaves the hands of the person preparing it in the restaurant the task is not complete. Though you may not be personally responsible for the handling of the order in transit, you should still hold yourself accountable to make sure it arrives as you’d expect it to.

This means making sure you’ve sent it properly and have the right bags that can handle the size and weight of your containers. Maybe it means purchasing some takeout tray style boxes for larger orders.

The same holds true for delivery orders. Whether or not you are delivering it yourself or its being done by a third party, is the food being handled properly? Are insulated bags being used for pizzas and other items? It is important for you to make that investment to help ensure that level of quality hitting someone’s table at home. And if you are handing it off to a third-party driver, make sure they have the proper heat retaining bags too and are not just chucking your pizza in the back of their pickup truck while delivering it.

When done properly, carryout and delivery can be a wildly successful revenue center of your restaurant. By giving your dishes the same consistent respect that you do in house, you will be creating a large base of customers that are more than happy to bring your food to their home.

Michael Androw, owner, E & D Pizza, Avon, CT

PPNE EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT:

Catch Michael Androw talk DELCO

Sunday, October 1 | 8:30 am to 9:30 am Room No: 306

Before COVID-19 hit, Michael Androw had a thriving dine-in pizzeria. The pandemic forced him to make a hard pivot. Since pulling out the tables and chairs and dedicating the space to maximizing carryout and delivery potential, business has never been better. So good, in fact, he says there’s no reason to think he’ll ever offer dine-in again. Learn from a true success story as he guides you through the steps to do carryout and delivery correctly.

The post Pizza Carryout and Delivery Done Right appeared first on Pizza Today.

Product Testing from Vendors

Lots of vendors contact me asking me to try their stuff. Cheese, flour, pizza toppings and different tech apps or food service products — you name it. When picking food for the menu, we’re picky. We only care about how it tastes. And you should do the same. It’s worked well for us. So, when a vendor says, “Hey, we got this new cheese. You should try it,” you might say, “Nah, I love what I already have. I don’t wanna try it,” or ask, “How much does it cost?”

Let’s go through a cheese performed using this method.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

If you’re starting out, you might ask around, “Who uses what cheese?” And someone might say, “That place uses that cheese. So, I’ll use it too.” It’s okay to mimic or even acknowledge the endorsement from a trusted source, but you must create YOUR ideal vision, not someone else’s vision. Get samples of every product in any category you want to try. Try them as they are, without cooking them. Then try them cooked how you would make it in-store and decide for yourself.

Make it a blind taste test. To do that, get someone else to make the food and put a black olive on one item and a single green bell pepper on another, etc., just one of each, so you know which product is which. Write it down on paper, too, i.e., find a way to keep track of the items without knowing which one is what.

Also, don’t add extra items during this test. So, if you usually sprinkle some unique cheese on your pizza, don’t do it this time. Just rely on your taste buds to pick the best cheese, not the cheapest one, not the one with the fancy name, and not the one used by your favorite pizza maker. Just think about what tastes best on your pizza.

After that, try different styles of pizza, like ones with lots of toppings, meat, and veggies. See if the taste test holds up. And when you feel good about your choice, let your staff, customers and even people who are honest about what they think try the different cheeses. Listen to their feedback.

I’m not saying you have to agree with them, but it’s good to know what people in your area who like your pizza think about the cheese or whatever you’re trying. That way, you can make an intelligent choice based on research, not just a guess.

Once you’ve done all that work, you’ll know which cheese is the best for your pizza. Remember, not all cheese is suitable for all pizzas. You might want less salty cheese or a mix of different cheeses. You might like Wisconsin cheese or California cheese, or New York cheese. Or maybe you want fresh mozzarella on all your pizzas.

The intent of this process, of all this added work, is to KNOW that anything you decide on is something you love and know is the best choice for your pizza. That’ll make it easier to sell, and you’ll be confident in your decision. Now, if the cheese you choose is the most expensive, charge for it. Feel free to sell what it’s worth. Make the best pizza you can, and make sure everything in your restaurant goes well with that final product, not the other way around.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Try It Yourself appeared first on Pizza Today.

“The Tipping Point is not a question of if, but when.” – John Fontanella

If you have been following along over the last 36 months, we have walked you through a variety of circumstances and the desired results that lead us to the most beautiful part of any business:  the tipping point. A lot of times people quit right before achieving the greatest moments in their business or in their life. Perseverance and consistency are the keys to creating big moments. You can’t always see the tipping point coming, so you just have to believe that when you put everything in order, you will see a major breakthrough.

How do you measure breakthroughs and tipping points and know if you are gaining momentum? Sales is the key indicator.  Throughout my career, most of the time our sales have steadily grown. But every once in a while, when the same crew has been working together and things are in harmony, revenue can spike very quickly.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

But when all seems in harmony and the results haven’t come, how can you find that tipping point? We have all heard the definition of insanity described as doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. How can you give everything a little nudge? I go back and start to look at all the marketing I am doing. I then start to tweak things. I may switch designers on my menus or switch my plan of attack on my mailers. Is it time to mail on different days of the week or month and switch the amount of volume I mail?  Can I switch the feel of my social media campaigns? Your marketing often has a steady feel or a look and is driving consistent results, but reaching that big tipping point requires making adjustments to that look and feel. It may be as simple as adding better lighting to your pictures or taking the pics at different angles.

If you use videos in your marketing, perhaps you need to adjust the time of the clips or introduce a new kind of content. As an example, how do you donate to all of the organizations in your area? Tweak the process, maybe you give them all a gift card every time they ask, or switch it to a gift basket instead. Do you have a phone message on your recording at the beginning of each call? If it always sounds the same, switch it up. Look at your online ordering process. Are there some small things you can change to have it come across differently? Can you add an easy upselling prompt or perhaps make the process easier somehow?

The idea is once you really feel like you have been hitting on all cylinders and that your four walls have been taken care of, it’s time to get back into your marketing strategy and make tweaks and changes. I am not talking about adding any new marketing tools or platforms, but rather just tweaking the ones you have already. We will save the thought process and discussion about adding new ones for next month!

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: The Tipping Point appeared first on Pizza Today.

This industry is filled with partners and pariahs. A partner wins with your pizzeria’s success; they are successful when you are, which is good business. I don’t expect my food vendor not to turn a profit. I expect them not to profit off me at a 10X rate. That would be a pariah. I’ve had pariahs as food vendors before. The pariah dynamic typically happens with single-store units without leverage or a serious negotiation push. A pariah does not care if your business fails; they want to use you til you fail and find no incentive for the inverse, i.e., your success. Typically partner company culture has vision and resolve; bad company cultures feed off customers with ownership who are looking to purely monetize customers as fast as possible with no long-term vision.

When it comes to a partner, they’re looking to set you up for success so that you can grow, and they can keep monetizing with you and that’s good for all. The ideal setup is everyone you work with is a partner. Here is my process for how I achieved that.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Write down every vendor and partner not officially on payroll that you work with in any regard and ask, is this person a partner or pariah? Caution: If you think every one of them is a pariah, you are the problem. If you constantly complain about them while not informing them of your concerns in a reasonable manner that addresses the facts of the issue and not the emotion, then again, you are the problem. But if you seek to ensure they benefit with you, then you are a partner.

Once written down, take a week for each Pariah to try to turn the relationship into a partnership.

I used to have my food purveyor, who sold me chemicals at three times what another vendor charged for the same item. When approached about it, my food vendor of the time, i.e., the pariah, said, “That’s just our fee, can’t do anything about it,” That’s how I make money.” It was clear they were not in partnership with us, and I changed my business to the partner who just wanted to charge a few percentage points over what they paid, and that is my partner today.

For the pariahs you can’t change, find a new replacement who is hopefully a better partner.

The current partner/pariah debate typically centers around third-party delivery vendors. And before you assume all third parties are pariahs, realize they can be partners. They’ve built a technology hub and want to do all the insurance and leg work of having people deliver food on your behalf. That’s a partnership. When they have insane fees over 15 percent, bad accounting, and never respond to an e-mail, they enter the realm of pariah.

But I’ve turned my third-party vendor, the only one I choose, into a partner, and I’m proud of that relationship. The third-party delivery drivers who fail, I blacklist, but the ones who kill it and deliver a great product and service; I give sodas and slices while they wait in a zoned-off area.

This concept goes for every interaction, though. The same concept applies to government and regulatory agencies that are not on any of your payrolls. I could complain about them, but if I have a direct one-to-one meeting and maybe cater a few events to make sure they know I care, in turn, they start to care about me and my business. And that is how you turn a pariah into a partner. No matter how many stores you have.

Repair people, health departments, food vendors, liquor reps and every online seller in between them will care about you when you humanize yourself and recognize their effort. If they don’t, clearly explain your stance and inform them you want to find someone else who would be a better partner fit, i.e., fire them and replace them.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Partnerships in Business — Partner or Pariah appeared first on Pizza Today.

How to conduct a restaurant staff meeting

Ready, Set, Meet!

What is one of the most popular mantras that we all hear in every business?  “Communication is key”. We hear it at work all the time. In team sports it is preached constantly. In our home and family lives it is one of the most important tools. Well, if we are hearing this message constantly then there must be something to it.

As operators we know all too well that the business can be a constantly changing landscape. It is our responsibility, therefore, to make sure that our staff members are all on the same page. We can’t chase down every individual staff member to tell them about something. Using a group text message could work, but that is a cold and impersonal means of conveying a message. The most effective tool in staff communication is the team meeting.

Every restaurant is different, and the types or frequencies of these meetings will obviously differ for everybody. This is your chance to inform, teach and encourage your staff. Embrace it and work it to its fullest potential.

Gathering wait staff prior to a shift provides an excellent opportunity to get everyone on the same page.

Are you running a special dish? If so, take this time to have the kitchen prepare a few and have a pre-shift meal with the staff. We expect them to enthusiastically push this dish. Do we want them just reading it off of a card or reciting it from memory?  If they have had the chance to eat it themselves and have had it described to them by the kitchen staff, then they will be way better poised to sell it.

Have you added some new wines to the list? This again is a perfect time to taste them (not too much, we still need to work) and educate the staff on the new and exciting changes.

It can be difficult to find time to get everyone on the staff together but running team meetings can be a big aid in solving that dilemma. You have their attention, now make an impact. When we have the entire crew together it can be a wonderful time to encourage and commend the staff for jobs well done and goals that have been accomplished.

Are you running a staff contest of some sort? Don’t just throw a flyer up on the bulletin board in back describing it. Use this forum to create excitement amongst the staff while telling them about it.

When we have dinner at home with our families, we will use that time to discuss our days and what is going on with everyone in the family. We all then turn around and preach that “family” mindset to our staff. Well then put your money where your mouth is and have that same sort of interaction with the staff. Your leadership in that role will have a great permeating effect among them. These are not just meetings to bombard the staff with facts. This is a great opening for owners and managers to make a great connection with them. But much like mom’s lousy meatloaf at your family dinner, these meetings can also get old fast. Keep it fresh! Maybe you don’t have a special you need to push one day. OK then how about everyone sharing some desserts? Is it a nice day outside? Then instead of having the meeting at table 23, why not go outside and enjoy the weather. Be mindful of special events within the staff “family”. Is it someone’s birthday? Make note of it and recognize them. Nobody has ever been put off by an ice cream cake to celebrate. Use this time to build that staff relationship and not just pour instructions down their throats. If the staff looks forward to these then they will continue to be fantastic brand ambassadors for the restaurant.

What about the back of the house staff? 

The same can be applied to them. Team building doesn’t end at the door to the kitchen. They are a part of the family too. They may not need the same number of daily updates as the wait staff, but there are always topics to be covered as a group such as prep priorities, cleaning procedures, constantly changing health code updates and so on. Now we all know that front and back of the house crews are often different breeds. Instead of a wine and cheese meeting in the dining room maybe they are more comfortable getting together out back for a coffee meeting. Find your most comfortable avenue and run with it.

The point of this communication is to have everyone on the staff on the same task. Do not overdo it and lose them. Staff meetings are usually best-done pre-shift. With that in mind remember that there may be set up that still needs to be completed and we don’t want everyone to feel rushed because we carried on way too long in the meeting. Go in with an agenda of specific topics you need to cover and stay on point.

We’ve saved the most important part for last.

Communication is a two-way street. As much as you may talk, stop and listen! Staff meetings should be a comfortable environment where team members can also voice their opinions and concerns.

Well thought out and executed staff meetings will be greeted with open arms by your staff, rather than shrugged off if we just treat it like a daily chore.

In today’s ever so difficult restaurant staffing environment these things can go a long way. Not only are you conveying instructions and priorities to the staff, but you are bringing everyone together as a team. Employees do not get this type of informal, yet friendly and fun atmosphere at a warehouse job, supermarket, retail, etc. Our business has always been unique and these are the type of things that set us apart.

This is your stage. Make the most of it while you have everyone’s attention!

The post Run an Effective and Engaging Team Meeting appeared first on Pizza Today.

Is convenience saving or killing the pizzeria experience?

It wasn’t long ago that home food delivery was a novelty. Even though Chinese food and pizza delivery both landed in the first half of the 20th century, neither really took off until after WWII. After just a couple decades, home food delivery became the standard with pizza as its poster child. Now you can get just about anything delivered to your door within minutes, from a dozen chocolate chip cookies to a cup of coffee. Some say it’s bliss, but I’m worried about what we’re losing as restaurants give into the growing convenience culture.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

Every pizzeria has had to confront the double-edged nature of third-party delivery services. If a pizzeria is willing to pay the high commissions and customers are willing to pay premiums, the relationship works. The true problem is that your pizzeria isn’t just losing control over the last mile of the transaction process, you’re also losing your identity. No longer is the customer yours, they now belong to the delivery service. Customers no longer order from Joey’s Original Pizza, they order from Brand X Restaurant Aggregator, Inc. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “I just want to go home and order Seamless.” Your small business is cut from the equation, treating you merely as a kitchen.

I’m starting to see new concept companies that partner with independent restaurants to reproduce their food at scale in a network of ghost kitchens. It’s an interesting model that capitalizes on consumers’ desire for convenience. But what happens when the ghost kitchen version competes in the same neighborhood as the original version? Could the licensee put the licensor out of business? It’s entirely possible.

One of my favorite pizzerias in New York City is Totonno’s Pizzeria Napoletano on Coney Island. They shut their doors in March 2020 and only reopened earlier this year. This is a classic pizzeria that’s been around since the 1920s with a rare coal-burning oven driving the business. People used to queue down the block hoping for a chance to score one of the day’s limited pizzas. When they reopened after nearly three years, the business model was completely reborn. Totonno’s no longer has dine-in service; they do only takeout and delivery. It’s admirable that they’ve figured out a way to keep the business alive, but a piece of me is disappointed that customers will no longer be able to experience the dine-in service of one of NYC’s classic pizza parlors. Is convenience the savior or the killer?

The trick for the pizzeria is to provide the ease of use without losing identity. It’s clear that consumers love convenience. We like quick and easy ordering through apps that already have our credit cards locked and loaded. I just hope we can stop ourselves from ending up in a future where great food is just something that arrives on your table with the push of a button, entirely devoid of the passion and heart that went into its production.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Killer Convenience with Pizza Carryout and Delivery appeared first on Pizza Today.

Opening and closing procedures to save labor costs

As restaurant operators look to tighten labor costs, they are adjusting opening and closing procedures. While pizzeria owners and efficiency experts agree there are no shortcuts for certain tasks related to cleaning and food safety, some items on the To Do list can be checked off during other times of the day, or the next day. The key is to figure out how many people are needed to perform certain functions, and to set goals for using the time efficiently.

Take a close look at the specific tasks the staff perform before service begins and after the last pie goes out. “The most important thing is understanding how much time it really takes to open and close,” says Juan Pablo Lopez, consulting director for Profitality. When the Miami, Florida-based industrial engineering consulting service performs operational studies with its clients, the experts collect data on how many hours and how many crew members it takes to do every activity in the restaurant, from making pizza to cleaning to opening and closing.

The equipment plays a role in the time it takes to perform tasks. The morning crew typically turns on the oven, Lopez says, and some deck ovens can take up to two hours to reach the proper temperature. For safety, at least two people work together, so use that time to do as much prep work as possible. The rest of the work can be done later, after the lunch rush.

One task that can be postponed is ingredient prep. “If you need to slice and pan tomatoes, all those things happen before the guests show up, but it doesn’t have to happen that morning,” Lopez says. “You can do it at two p.m., and the tomatoes could be used the next morning.”

At Mattenga’s Pizza, with six locations in the San Antonio, Texas area, the evening crew had a long list of closing tasks. That changed when workers started calling in sick, and a checklist designed for multiple people had to be completed by one person. So the closing procedures were reduced to five or six important tasks, and everything else scheduled for various times the next day. “I am more pro keeping the team productive the whole shift and not dumping it all on the evening shift,” says co-founder Hengam Stanfield. “We always want to even out the load.”

Otherwise, Stanfield says, workers try to avoid being scheduled for busy night shifts. By limiting the closing tasks to sweeping, restocking the line and other important tasks, workers can be out in an hour. If there are five workers, the manager will release one or two early. “We’ll say, ‘Why don’t you help out the closing team and put two loads of dishes in the dishwasher and then I’m sending you home,’” she says. “Everybody wants to help out.”

Mattenga’s has standards and expectations for each task, and team members are trained on these. Stanfield keeps track of labor costs through the restaurants’ scheduling software, and messages managers if they are running up high labor costs and suggests they send someone home. During Monday meetings, managers review all the clock in/clock out times and discuss what to do when a location takes an hour and half instead of an hour to close.

Technology can help streamline the opening and closing procedures. At Nina + Rafi in Atlanta, workers download an app, Jolt Checklist, onto their phones, and management puts the opening and closing checklist on the app. “Employees will take pictures, check off or give typed responses to checklists that are programmed to only be live during certain times of the day,” says Jeremy Gatto, director of operations at Nina + Rafi. “This not only keeps them on task but allows us to run restaurants remotely as e-mails of completed checklists get sent to my phone.”

Also, Gatto says, the schedule staggers employees’ in and out times, and kitchen employees are cross trained on all tasks so everyone can help when needed.

Some restaurants have shortened their workday, and that helps alleviate the labor shortages. Bird Pizzeria in Charlotte, N.C. is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and stops serving pizza when the kitchen runs out of dough. “We started that way because we didn’t have any employees,” says Nkem Thompson, who opened the eatery with her husband Kerrel in December 2021. “We can’t be here all day. We just sort of did what we could do.”

The short days work well for the five-member crew, which includes the owners. “We are being mindful of what is going to work to create the best work environment for staff,” Thompson says. “We make pizza, but we are in the business of managing people. We can’t do anything if the staff doesn’t feel well or their knees hurt.”

The first thing they do in the morning is make boxes, and only a few of those because the small kitchen has limited space. The last thing they do at closing is mop the floor. Tuesdays and Thursdays are dough making days. “Every week is the same,” Thompson says.

In pizzerias where the owners are not working alongside the crew, management must communicate the opening and closing procedures. Videos and other online tools can help, especially since workers have varying schedules. “People have one or two jobs, they’re going to school, and they’re driving for Uber at the same time,” says William H. Bender, whose W.H. Bender & Associates consultancy is based in San Jose, California. “Have something cloud based or digital based so they can watch at one o’clock in the morning.”

In-person meetings are also helpful. “Have a pre-shift briefing five to 10 minutes before the shift to psyche up the team,” Bender says. “Talk about what’s going on that day, whether you have some big orders, and give one on one time.” The goal is for the whole restaurant to be ready 10 minutes before the place opens.

At the end of the day, do a final walkthrough to verify everything is clean and food is safely stored. “You want to leave a restaurant the way you want to find it when you come in the morning,” Bender says, “not a jumbled mess.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Pizzeria Owners can Save Labor Costs by Revamping Opening and Closing Checklists appeared first on Pizza Today.

Preventing Pest Problems in your Restaurant

When it comes to pest control in your pizzeria, your best offense is a good defense.

Think prevention. It’s much easier to avert an infestation than to get rid of one.

Prevent insects and rodents from getting into your restaurant, and deprive them of the food, shelter and warmth they need to survive and reproduce.

According to Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist and vice president of public affairs at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), “a single female cockroach is capable of producing 400 eggs in her lifetime, and each egg will hatch and grow into a reproducing adult in as little as 90 days, so populations can really explode.”

“Under ideal conditions, house flies can develop from egg to adult in as little as a week,” says Patricia Hottel, board certified entomologist and technical manager at Rentokil Terminix.

Plus, once you’ve got an infestation it puts your business at risk. Customers have very low tolerance for seeing rodents or bugs where they eat. According to the NPMA, 59 percent of customers say that they won’t return to an establishment where they saw a pest on the premises.

We talked to some experts in the field about how to discourage unwelcome critters from coming into your restaurant and setting up housekeeping.

Sanitation

“My first tip is having a specific sanitation plan for who does what,” says Ian Williams, entomologist and technical services manager at Orkin. “Make sure that the dishes are done at the end of the night and instead of sitting in a sink overnight. Make sure that the floors are cleaned regularly, that there’s product rotation for stored ingredients. Sanitation by itself is a huge step in proactively and reactively dealing with pest problems.”

Matt Lentine, a commercial branch manager at Truly Nolen, agrees. “If you keep a clean establishment, even when pests make it into the building, it’s easier to eliminate them. Pests are all looking for harbor, food and water, and especially at a pizzeria, you’re not going to be able to take their harbor away entirely because of all the pizza boxes, but you can definitely control the food and water portion of it.”

Roaches in particular “are looking for moisture. So dripping pipes, or not wiping down a dish area well or leaving water in it overnight, that encourages them,” says Lentine. “We advise our customers to caulk or seal as many cracks and crevices as possible.” Not only do these spots offer harbor and possibly access to vermin, but they also collect materials like flour and food waste that provide food for your unwelcome animal guests.

“Deep cleaning is really important on any cracks or crevices where flour might start to build up. Those places are a feast waiting to happen for a stored grain beetle,” advises Fredericks.

“Some areas, because they are not food contact surfaces, can be forgotten and not addressed in cleaning programs,” warns Hottel. “This includes things like floor drains, beverage fountain drip trays, grease traps, suspended ceilings and dumpsters.”

Prevent Access

“Probably the one thing that’s most important is making sure that pest entry points are sealed up,” says Fredericks. “That means keeping doors closed in warmer months, and sealing any gaps, especially in older buildings.” He points out that a mouse can squeeze through a quarter-inch gap under a door, which is about the width of a pencil. If you’ve got gaps under the doors, install floor sweeps to close them up. Mice can also slip through a hole the size of a dime, which may exist around unsealed utility penetrations.

Look Out for Seasonal Trends

Know your local vermin and their seasonal habits. For example, rodents will seek shelter when the weather gets cold, and they won’t leave when it warms up. Ants march indoors during warm rainy weather. Flies tend to be a warm-weather problem, while cockroaches and flour beetles are problems year-round, according to Fredericks.

Hottel advises that “insects and related arthropods are cold-blooded and so their ability to survive and reproduce will be tied to temperature.  The time for an insect to develop from egg to adult will be faster during ideal temperatures.”

Inspect Deliveries

“Some pests are good hitch-hikers and can be carried in on ingredients and employee belongings,” such as the German cockroach, says Hottel. “Check incoming product deliveries to make sure there are no pests being delivered. Have a designated area for employees to store their personal belongings and monitor those areas for pests like cockroaches.”

Fredericks also urges operators to inspect all incoming goods for signs of insect or rodent activity. Corrugated cardboard is a favorite place for roaches to lodge. “Often you’ll just see little antenna sticking out.” In addition to looking for the actual animals, “damaged packaging is an indicator that you need to take a closer look.” Cockroach feces “might just look like little specks that are almost pasted around the edges of gaps.”

Inspect Your Premises

Keep an eagle eye out for signs of unwelcome creatures so you can address the problem before it gets out of hand. Williams suggests employing “a passive monitor like a paper-based glue board that’s placed in areas where German cockroaches, for example, are likely to travel, so you can detect them early.” This helps indicate the level of population and where the animals are coming from.

Take a close look for rodent and roach fecal matter in crevices and inside corners and around outlets and other potential access points. Drop ceilings are notorious for harboring pests. The insulation around coolers is also an attractive nesting area because the refrigeration mechanism keeps it warm and cozy.

Rotate Your Product

First in, first out is not just about keeping your ingredients fresh — it also discourages infestations. It’s extremely important to rotate your pizza boxes. Cardboard makes a very inviting roach motel and you can’t treat pizza boxes with pesticides, so don’t keep too many boxes on hand at a time and rotate through them.

Seek Professional Support

Partnering with a pest professional experienced in the restaurant industry will help you keep on top of any problems. Professional exterminators know the local vermin and their seasonal habits. They’re experienced at detecting subtle signs of bugs and rodents, and they have extensive knowledge about safe pesticide application, especially in terms of what products can be applied where, and how frequently. “In some states, it would be a violation of law for someone to apply pesticides without the proper certification and credentials,” according to Hottel.

Lentine points out that using an enzyme-based floor cleaner will help in the battle against drain flies. “The enzyme will eat away the bacteria and things that drain flies live off, and it works hand in hand with our products whereas bleach deteriorates our products rapidly.”

The pros also have sophisticated tools in their arsenal. For example, Williams explains that they can place monitors specifically for Indianmeal moths and other flour-eating moths “that have female sex attractant on them. If male moths show up, we can know about it immediately and react very quickly with a management plan already in place.”

Fredericks points out that a pro won’t “just react to an infestation, but will develop a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that will consist of preventative measures such as identifying potential points of entry and ways to modify the facility to discourage entry, along with monitoring and early detection for proactive instead of reactive pest control.”

You want to be proud of every nook and cranny of your restaurant, not just your amazing pizza. Stay on top of pest presence in your place, or else you risk getting negative health inspections, offending and losing customers, and actually putting the health of your guests and employees at risk.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post 7 Steps to Prevent Pests from Taking Over your Restaurant appeared first on Pizza Today.

Find practical solutions to address indoor air quality in pizzerias

As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country in 2020, Sean Chang noticed an everyday behavior practiced by millions of Americans – visiting a restaurant – suddenly deemed risky. For Chang, an associate professor at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, the aggressively shifting consumer sentiment intrigued.

“Almost overnight, people became sensitive to something they didn’t think twice about before,” Chang says.

With a scholarly focus on investigating ways hospitality operations can add value to their products and services, Chang thought indoor air quality demanded a look.

In the April 2021 edition of the International Journal of Hospitality Management, a Chang-led study of open-kitchen restaurants with grilling and frying found these establishments were likely to cause respiratory health problems and elevate susceptibility to COVID-19. Chang and his co-authors suggested restaurants use air quality surveillance systems to monitor air quality and take preventative measures to keep restaurants safe and healthy.

“Indoor air quality has ramifications for the customer experience, employee health and the restaurant’s healthcare expenses,” says Chang, adding that today’s customers and employees are far more mindful of indoor air quality than ever before, which has elevated the issue with operators.

Indoor air quality and the pizzeria

Commercial cooking is known as the main source of harmful particulate matter pollution indoors, explains Bendegul Okumus, an associate professor at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management and a research collaborator with Chang. Particulate matter is a mixture of airborne solid particles, which can include dirt, dust and flour, and liquid droplets. Exposure to particulate matter can cause short-term health effects, such as lung or eye irritation, sneezing or shortness of breath. It can also impact lung function and potentially worsen existing medical conditions like asthma and heart disease.

“Anyone who breathes the restaurant’s air can suffer acute or chronic health problems due to these particulate matter rates,” Okumus says, adding that some commercial cooking methods and ingredients generate more particulate emissions than trucks or factories.

For example, Okumus says the use of charbroilers and gas, rather than electric stoves, contribute to higher particulate matter levels. In addition, certain oils, including olive oil, produce higher emissions than others.

“Cooking methods, pans, cooking temperature and lack of ventilation are factors that increase particulate matter emission rates,” Okumus says of restaurant kitchens.

Toss in the use of cleaning products, moisture and a high customer and employee density and maintaining healthy indoor air quality in a restaurant becomes that much more challenging, says Tony Kolotov, an indoor air quality advocate with ATMO (formerly Atmotube), a San Francisco-based company specializing in air quality and environmental monitoring products.

In a pizzeria, Kolotov says good indoor air quality is characterized by clean, fresh air and the absence of dangerous air pollutants, such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide.

Six practical solutions to address indoor air quality in pizzerias

Admittedly, pizzerias face a challenging dilemma here. After all, crafting tasty pizzas involves working with flour and oils while keeping a tidy restaurant demands the use of cleaning supplies.

While the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides standards for ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality – Standard 62.1, for those interested – Kolotov says actual indoor air quality levels will depend on various factors, such as the size and type of establishment, the ventilation system and local weather conditions.

To be certain, though, all restaurants can take reasonable, simple measures to improve indoor air quality in their establishments.

1: Tend to HVAC with care.

Operators should have their HVAC and hood system inspected and serviced on an annual basis to ensure proper operation and adequate ventilation. In addition, operators should frequently change air filters, a simple move that will limit the amount of dust and debris circulating around the establishment.

“It is important to check the hood ventilation system regularly, as the hood system is the key to keeping the kitchen clean and preventing harmful particles from entering the eating area,” Okumus says.

These ongoing maintenance steps are especially important in newer or renovated buildings, Chang says, where municipal codes designed to promote energy efficiency have created tighter and tighter seals that can trap air inside without proper ventilation.

2: Install an indoor air monitoring system.

Running $200 to $500, an indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring system does as its name suggests: it reports real-time levels of common pollutants, including particulate matter, VOCs, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. Ideally, a monitor should be placed in restaurant areas where air quality is most critical, namely the kitchen and dining area.

Kolotov says continuous air quality monitoring “can help pinpoint high-risk areas, be it cooking activities that necessitate increased ventilation in the kitchen or dining areas with increased viral transmission risks.”

3: Clean often – and with the right products.

Regular cleaning of equipment and surfaces in the kitchen and dining room creates confidence in diners and employees, of course, but it also prevents dust and debris from building up and wiggling into the HVAC system. When cleaning, use VOC-free cleaning products to reduce chemical pollution.

4: Consider industrial-grade masks for kitchen staff.

A potentially controversial suggestion given the contentiousness of masking in post-pandemic society, Chang would nevertheless encourage kitchen staff to wear industrial-grade masks to protect themselves from air pollution.

In his research, Chang found air pollution levels in some restaurants exceeding those found in an auto paint shop. And yet, he says, whereas auto painters wear industrial-grade masks, such a practice does not exist in restaurants.

#5: When applicable, use natural ventilation.

While not always possible, opening doors and windows will help stimulate air circulation. Natural ventilation is not a cure-all, Chang reminds, but it can certainly help during specific times of year.

In addition, Kolotov says using air purifiers in the dining room can prove beneficial.

#6: Call in professional help.

To discover the right interventions for their pizzeria, owners might contact an experienced IAQ expert. These specialists can provide an evaluation of the restaurant and offer specific IAQ recommendations to improve the indoor air environment.

The post 6 Steps to Improve Your Restaurant’s Indoor Air Quality appeared first on Pizza Today.

Craft Your Ambience with Audio

When you operate a pizzeria, your product is much more than a delicious slice of pie. You’re selling an experience, a specific ambience. You can’t always rely on food alone to bring customers back, so cultivate the right atmosphere to captivate your preferred clientele. One critical way to establish your brand is with music.

We spoke with some experts in the commercial audio industry to find out what pizzeria operators need to know when they’re buying or upgrading their audio systems. Here’s how you can get the best bang for your buck while enlisting the power of music to appeal to your ideal customers.

Why Music Matters

The music is one of the first things a customer will notice when they set foot in your place, so it is a powerful tool for setting the tone.

Music establishes the mood, says Nathan Turner, assistant sales manager and senior engineer at Pro Acoustics, a Texas-based online audio equipment retailer for commercial spaces. “Are we entering a traditional Italian-influenced pizzeria? A high-end elegant, artisan pizzeria? A family-friendly, fun environment? A sports-bar-influenced party restaurant?” He suggests that the right music will “reinforce your pizzeria’s identity and communicate the desired message, which can help encourage your customers to stay longer and spend more.”

“When the music fits the target audience, it creates a connection between the consumer and the venue,” says Yaprak Unsalan, managing director of Jukeboxy Music for Business, “so we always recommend playing music that matches your clientele rather than your favorite tunes.” She says music even “significantly impacts how we perceive flavors. For example, high-pitched sounds are associated with sweetness, whereas low-pitched sounds bring out a bitter taste.”

What to Consider When Selecting an Audio System

Since music plays such an essential role in a pizzeria’s success, experts recommend investing in a quality sound system. They also advise you to consult with an audiovisual designer. You may be tempted to get the same sound system you love at home, but it won’t necessarily shine in a commercial setting.

Turner advises “use commercial-grade audio equipment. It may run ten to 16-plus hours per day, depending on your schedule, so it’s important to have audio components built with longevity in mind. Some commercial audio equipment may have one-year, two-year, five-year or ten-year warranties on certain components so that you can upgrade your system once and not have to worry about replacing hardware again and again.”

As Unsalan points out, “a pizzeria has a faster table turnover than a traditional restaurant with many in-and-out people. The sound system should cover the mixture of sounds, such as the clatter of plates, ringing phones, voices — without deafening people. This is best achieved with commercial sound systems.”

Most operators are aware that licensing agreements prevent restaurants from simply playing CDs or the radio, under commercial use restrictions. “It´s considered a public performance,” says Mark Lehman, vice president and general manager at CloudCover Media, a Pandora Media Co. “You’ve gotta have a legal source for the music.”

Clarify Your Goals

Think about what you want the music to achieve, in addition to contributing to your ambience. You can use music to keep people staying or leaving depending on your priorities. “A fast tempo and slightly louder music make people move faster, while slow-tempo music makes them stay longer,” says Unsalan. Or as Lehman puts it, “certain times of day you want butts in seats, and during rush you want just the opposite.” Music is your secret weapon to influence your pizzeria’s pace.

You can also use upbeat, poppy music to keep your employees motivated and energized, or quiet, clear background music to increase the elegance factor. Lastly, think about any future expansions. Do you plan to add TVs for sports? Is karaoke in your future? These options will impact your audiovisual design.

Consider Room Size and Layout

The general concept for commercial audio hasn’t changed much. “You need a source or storage device for music and an amplifier that’ll actually get the signal pushed out to your set of two or four speakers,” says Lehman, “and possibly a second amplifier and set of speakers for the back of the house, which is often overlooked.”

Consider whether you have special zones that will need to be addressed individually, such as a private dining room or an outdoor patio. “Zoning in different areas is also very popular now, sometimes with different music playing in certain areas or with different volumes,” says Turner.

What’s New in the Commercial Audio World

Bluetooth wireless technology is the biggest shift in commercial audio in recent years. “Many pizzerias like to incorporate wireless music streaming via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth from their personal device,” says Turner. “We can add this feature to any system, or they can easily plug in a media streaming box like an XM radio receiver or other wired source.”

He also notes that “many systems now offer smart phone control, where you can adjust volumes and sound levels without going back to the main rack while also allowing you to stream back to the primary system wirelessly.”

Unsalan observes that “wireless speakers are trending for sure, especially within small-size venues. They don’t require cabling and construction, which could be costly. There are great options with excellent sound distribution, but wireless speakers rely on a steady wireless network. If the network is unstable, these speakers will keep cutting off and even worse, stop working.”

Lehman suggests that a very small FOH with just a couple of tables might be adequately served with a simple Bluetooth speaker. With no wires and no amplifier, this is a simple and attractive option for some small spaces.

How Much You Should Expect to Spend

The budget range varies widely, according to Turner. “We have small, simple-to-use background music systems for small square footage that start at $500 or so. Or we have systems that can run north of five figures, depending on the size of the space, the level of technology we want to integrate, and how rocking of a package you would like to build.” For example, pizzerias with a sports bar or nightlife environment need “larger speakers with more amplifiers, which ultimately translates to more dollars.”

Lehman urges operators not to “cheap out.” Some buyers resist spending an extra $25-$30 per speaker, but “no one’s ever gonna remember that you saved 120 bucks. People will remember always that it doesn’t sound good in there. It’s an expense that only comes around every 15 or 20 years because this stuff is designed to last forever.”

Don’t forget to include installation costs in your budgeting process. “The labor of getting the sucker installed is equal to the cost of the hardware in many instances,” says Lehman, especially with increased fuel surcharges for installing outside of major metropolitan areas.

Finally, Lehman reminds buyers to get a manufacturer’s warranty and make certain their installer is licensed and insured.

People eat with all the senses, so be sure to appeal to their ears with the right music, along with your signature package of fabulous fragrance and tantalizing taste. The right audio system for your square footage, layout and budget will help you build customer loyalty and a successful business.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post What You Need to Know When Buying or Upgrading a Restaurant Audio System appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzeria owners that want to start serving beer, wine and spirits should consider rules, training and costs

For pizzeria owners, adding alcohol to the menu can result in a boost in revenue. The markup on beer, wine and spirits is high, and pouring a glass of chianti is much less labor intensive than crafting pies. Still, owners who want to start serving alcohol need to consider certain issues, including engaging with various government agencies, training staff on more than how to prepare cocktails, and calculating whether the liquor license is worth the cost.

To start serving alcohol, the first thing the business owner must do is obtain a license. “This will likely mean reaching out to their state alcohol beverage control division to learn about how to procure a license,” says John Bodnovich, executive director of American Beverage Licensees (ABL). “Selling alcohol without a license is illegal and would endanger a pizzeria owner’s legitimate business.”

The state liquor authorities have slightly different names, such as Division of Liquor Enforcement (Colorado), State Liquor Authority (New York), or Liquor Control Commission (Illinois). The application asks for certain details such as the restaurant’s state sales tax license number, liquor licenses in other states, and whether the applicant has been denied a previous liquor license.

In addition to the state, operators should also check with local governments where the restaurant is located. “In some states there are different rules for every city or every county,” says Michele L. Stumpe, a partner at the law firm Taylor English Duma in Atlanta. “There might be distance requirements, such as restrictions if the location is near a school, church or alcohol treatment facility.” If the business owner has more than one location, the rules can vary, even if the two pizzerias are a short distance away from each other.

The costs of the licenses vary widely among states. There is an upfront cost, and annual fees. The fees vary according to several factors, including the type of license, such as beer and wine, beer, wine, liquor or even BYOB, which can stand for Bring Your Own Bottle, Bring Your Own Beer, or in Pennsylvania, Bring Your Own Alcoholic Beverage. While BYOB is often casually referred to as “no license,” in California, an establishment that allows people to bring their own alcoholic beverages must have a liquor license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

In some states, the restaurant owner can apply for the liquor license and get it in weeks, while other states take months. The number of licenses available varies from state to state, and in some places, the licenses are sold on an auction.

“Operators can sometimes overlook the time it takes to get an alcohol license, as well as the cost,” Bodnovich says. “In some jurisdictions, licenses are not unlimited, and securing one may take patience and resources.” He recommends doing some math to figure out whether the benefit of selling alcohol at the pizza business justifies the cost of the license.

That math should take into consideration which type of license to get, because not all beverages pair well with pizza. “Do an analysis of how beneficial is it going to be,” says Stumpe, the attorney. “For my pizza type clients, most models are they find value in having beer, and some find value in having wine, but they do not find a whole lot of value in having distilled spirits.”

In addition to calculating the cost of the license versus expected revenue of the added drinks, pizzeria owners should consider that serving alcohol can attract new customers who previously might not have dined there. That means the eatery can accommodate groups where the wine enthusiast has a veto vote, or families where the parents want to enjoy a beer with their pizza or wine with pasta.

With the potential for added revenue, there are other added costs, such as higher premiums for insurance. “You’re going to need liquor liability insurance, so talk to your broker,” Stumpe says. “There will also be a new round of inspections. Health, building and fire inspectors will all come for a visit. You need to be prepared for that.”

Training is crucial, and pizzeria owners must make sure employees know how to safely serve alcohol. In some states, training is mandatory, while in others, it is voluntary and can help mitigate liability in the event of an alcohol-related lawsuit. “Make sure you know the law and your staff and servers are trained in selling alcohol, including ID’ing and refusing service,” Bodnovich says. “It is a great responsibility to sell alcohol and making sure it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands – specifically those of people under 21 – is important for the community and for the business.”

The National Restaurant Association offers ServSafe Alcohol, which the association says is designed to train employees and managers to prevent sales to minors, recognize signs of intoxication, intervene to handle alcohol-related incidents and handle refusal situations. The training has state-specific materials and exams, and online and classroom training is available. The employee can earn a ServSafe Alcohol Certificate, which the Association recognizes for three years.

Some states do not recognize the ServSafe Alcohol certificate, and require servers, managers and others employed by the restaurant to take responsible alcohol service training courses through the state. Some states have requirements about classroom versus online training. Local municipalities may have their own requirements. In some counties in Maryland, the licensee (restaurant owner) or a designated supervisor must earn a certification and be on the premises during the hours that alcohol is served.

The right training is important, Stumpe says. Live training is the most effective but also the most expensive. Operators that rely on online training need to make sure the training is specific to the restaurant’s locality, and that it engages the employee with questions and interactive sections. Also, managers should take the training to make sure they are aware of rules and best practices. Some states require documentation of the training, and it’s generally a good idea to have the procedures in writing anyway. “We have rules in place, we satisfy our responsibility, here’s the proof of that,” Stumpe says.

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Serving Alcohol in Restaurants — How to add alcohol to the menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

Online ordering has grown exponentially in recent years, accelerated by the smart phone revolution that placed a high-powered computer in everyone’s pocket.

Other contributing factors include peer-to-peer delivery like Uber Eats and Grubhub; a global pandemic that shut down indoor dining and encouraged contactless transactions; and a post-crisis recovery characterized by a labor shortage and higher wages. Notably, online ordering jumped by 3,868 percent in large suburbs from February to April 2020, according to data from Upserve, a leading restaurant management platform.

In fact, the long-term culture of delivery and carryout that characterizes the pizza industry makes pizzerias among the best candidates to benefit from online ordering. It’s safe to say that online ordering plays a bigger role than ever in the success of pizza operations.

However, even though online ordering and delivery have grown 300 percent faster than dine-in traffic from 2014-2020 (according to Upserve), many pizzerias are either not using online ordering or not taking full advantage of their existing systems.

Here’s some information on why pizzeria operators will benefit from online ordering; how to choose the right system; and how to get the most out of your new or existing online ordering system.

Benefits of an Online Ordering System

The pizza arena is crowded and competitive, and every operator needs to maximize revenue while attracting customers with convenience, quality and service. Customers are now used to controlling the transaction, and online ordering fulfills this expectation. Many customers assume they can order online, and may go elsewhere if they can’t.

Restaurants are facing staffing challenges, and online ordering allows staff to focus on other tasks such as building pies or serving in-person customers. A constantly ringing phone disturbs guests and interrupts workers’ continuity, plus the loud environment on either side of the phone line can make it hard to hear and record an order accurately.

At its best, online ordering saves labor while being simple, seamless and accurate.

“With the addition of kiosks in-store, operators can have as much as 50 to 90 percent of their orders placed without human interaction, between web order services and kiosk services in-store,” according to Freida. This reduces staffing crunches by taking employees off of order-taking duty so they can perform higher-value tasks. Plus, you’ll never lose a customer to a busy signal.

Automated upsell suggestions can increase your per-ticket revenue. “The site or app can upsell to the customer: hey, do you want breadsticks or do you want a drink?” says Figueroa. These pop ups can increase sales.

“For our users, average online orders are between 7-24 percent higher in total than over the phone or in-store,” says Tim Freida, VP of Sales at Microworks, which makes Prism POS. “Some locations reach as high as 30-40 percent higher average tickets placed via online ordering, depending upon their market demographics.”

Freida describes a content-sensitive upsell feature that offers a sequence of offers that are predicated on the initial order. For example, the customer sees a different suggestion if they order a pizza versus a sandwich.

Importantly, this technology appeals to younger, tech-savvy, digitally dedicated customers who value convenience and reliability.

Choosing your Online Ordering System

There’s a wealth of online ordering platforms, including ones that may be powered by or compatible with your existing point of sale (POS) system. The number of options, features and value propositions is extensive, so operators need to consider their priorities and examine their range of choices.

Freida urges that operators “should be looking for a point of sale system and service that was designed specifically for the pizza industry.” Talk to your colleagues in the pizza business, and pull up their websites to check out their online ordering.

Compare the huge range of available features, such as an included website, loyalty programs, databases of customers and analytics. For example, Figueroa says his company is a Google Food Ordering Partner, so a blue “order online” button appears on their clients’ Google My Business listing. Freida’s product allows them to add Google Tag Manager, which enables users to access Google Analytics.

Any tool must work equally well on a phone, laptop or tablet, so make sure it is responsive.

“A responsive website design will automatically resize based on the screen resolution of the device you are using. It will increase for a desktop computer and decrease for a smaller mobile device,” says Freida. “This is very important as it lessens the need for a brand-specific app. A pizza store can have one website that works on all devices without the added cost of developing a brand-specific app.”

Compare their pricing structures, whether it’s based on a monthly fee or calculated per transaction. Figueroa says his company’s lowest tier product is free, charging only credit card processing fees.

Most pizzerias want “white label” branding, which means that their brand and logo are featured, not the online ordering company. You’ve worked hard to establish your brand, and your customers need to feel confident that they’re ordering from a familiar place.

Other factors to consider include:

• Find out what kind of customer service, coaching and troubleshooting you can expect from your vendor.
• Pizza consumers expect custom ordering, so your tool needs to be able to accommodate special requests such as half-pepperoni-half-sausage or extra sauce.
• Some tools include images on the menu, which tends to increase sales.
• Find out what kind of analytics are available and how you can use them to know your customers better and ramp up receipts.

Ultimately it has to function well enough to win over both your customers and your team members by serving both parties better.

Get the Most from your Online Ordering System

“Promoting your online ordering service is paramount,” says Freida. “The more business that goes through the web order portal with the higher average ticket obviously affects your profit while decreasing your labor.”

Publicize the ease and simplicity of placing online orders in every possible channel, including on menus, table tents, pizza boxes, window stickers, and social media. “We want to make sure that our clients add the order link to their Facebook, to any type of social media,” says Figueroa.

Some customers may resist your new-fangled technology. One way to train your old-school customers away from phone ordering is to send calls to a recorded message that clearly explains where and how to order. Implement a system that offers clear benefits, such as images of the products, ease of check out, loyalty programs, and the ability to save and re-order a pizza or entire ticket.

Get to know your dashboard, and get assistance as needed from your provider to master your system. Seek out feedback from both staff and customers to improve the system and iron out any wrinkles.

Thriving in the competitive pizza industry requires keeping up with 21st century technology. Online ordering can be part of your strategy to be a lean, profitable pizzeria.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Online Ordering Cuts Labor Costs and Increases Sales appeared first on Pizza Today.

What you need to know before your restaurant’s next health inspection

It’s coming, though few pizzerias know when.

The health inspection is a regular event on every restaurant’s calendar and while some of the nation’s restaurant operators have the advantageous ability to schedule their health inspection, most do not. An inspector shows up, randomly, with a checklist in hand to ensure compliance with safety and sanitation guidelines.

For pizzerias, the inspector’s arrival can be a pulse-raising experience, as health inspection reports are, in many municipalities, easily found matters of public record that can affect a brand’s reputation and sway dining decisions. (Last March, it’s worth noting, Yelp announced a partnership with Hazel Analytics to post publicly available health department data on its review platform, a move simplifying heath inspection data discovery for millions of Americans.)

“While a health inspection is a ‘snapshot’ of the day and time of the inspection, the inspection results leave a lasting impression on the establishment,” says Francine L. Shaw, who regularly consults and trains foodservice establishments on food safety as the CEO of Savvy Food Safety and TracSavvy.

To be certain, a 100 percent health inspection mark is tough to achieve since various minor infractions, such as leaving a cloth or tongs on a table, are often little more than harmless, honest blunders. Nevertheless, acing the health inspection remains a worthy pursuit given the potential consequences of a lackluster inspection and the expectations the public holds for safe and properly run foodservice establishments.

The path to a healthier health inspection

Lars Johnson, the head of FoodSafetyGuy, a Minnesota-based consultancy specializing in food safety training, says the pursuit of an improved health inspection score “begins the day of your last inspection.” He urges operators to note every violation, immediately fix the error and create a plan to prevent the same violation from occurring again.

To wit: a pizzeria on Chicago’s North Side went from having 10 violations in March 2020 to seven violations in April 2021, addressing issues such as allergen training and proper date marking by the time its 2021 inspection rolled around. In its April 2022 inspection, the pizzeria improved further and passed without any violations.

Remediation often includes a mix of instituting new practices and policies as well as staff training. For instance, management might begin supplying gloves at the cut table to eliminate barehand contact with ready-to-eat foods, issue a policy to change out scoops and ladles every four hours to reduce the risk of bacteria growth or alter how it stores pizza boxes and to-go containers, which are food contact surfaces that should be treated like plates.

In addition, Johnson suggests every restaurant has a certified food protection manager on staff. Though such certifications require an investment from ownership, Johnson says the risk of food illness issues falls with personnel on staff who have received next-level training on food protection measures.

Focus on the big ones

Health inspectors often center their attention on a few key areas posing an imminent danger to the public, namely food from unsafe sources, inadequate cooking, improper holding temperatures, contaminated equipment and poor personal hygiene. As such, these should be particularly high-priority areas for restaurants as well.

Shaw recommends using checklists, opening checklists, temperature logs, calibration logs, closing lists, cleaning charts and compliance certification apps to institutionalize safety around these important issues. As opposed to verbal instructions given during the first days of training, formal, concrete and consistent practices help create a culture of safety and compliance.

“The more organized and proactive an organization can be, the better its chance of success,” Shaw says.

Resist viewing inspectors as enemies

Quite often, Shaw says, restaurants view their health inspector as an adversary, someone who takes pride in finding errors and slapping violations on an establishment. In her experience, which includes 26 years as a restaurant operating partner, Shaw finds most health inspectors want successful operators. In fact, the best inspectors educate as they inspect, which allows operators a chance to better understand food safety measures and, in some cases, immediately rectify issues to receive a higher updated score.

“Many people get so nervous during an inspection that they forget they can correct the violations as they walk through the assessment,” Shaw says. “If a product doesn’t have a label on it, label it. If a [temperature] is too low, either throw the product away or heat it to the correct temp.”

In addition, Johnson urges pizzerias to run a clean and organized facility that makes it easy for inspectors to evaluate what they need to evaluate and get out.

“Don’t waste the inspector’s time,” Johnson says.

Challenge accepted

As a restaurant operating partner, Shaw looked forward to visits from the health inspector, seeing them as a challenge to prove she was leading an organized, credible establishment.

“Validation, I suppose,” she says.

Unfortunately, she finds too many operators do not feel the same. They view health inspectors as devilish souls intent on stirring trouble, not as individuals who safeguard public health and actually protect the pizzeria’s business. Exposing a potential food safety risk, after all, can help a restaurant avoid a temporary closure and significant brand damage.

“Health inspections can help identify areas where a restaurant can improve, decreasing food safety risks to their employees, guests and communities,” Shaw says.

Each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 48 million people in the U.S. get sick from foodborne diseases. Of those, some 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die.

“These numbers are staggering and 100 percent preventable,” Shaw says. “No one should be getting sick or dying from eating food.”

So, for as much as a health inspection is about self-preservation for a pizzeria, it’s ultimately about human safety and respect for others. It offers every establishment an opportunity to improve its craft, better serve its customers and drive sustainable operations.

And of the quest to earn a perfect health inspection score, Johnson surmises: “It has to do with pride, determination and management expectations.”

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post How to ace your next health inspection appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzeria owners can still sell alcohol for takeout and delivery if they follow regulations

Sales of beer, wine and liquor to-go helped many restaurant operators stay in business during the pandemic. These sales were made possible when state governments and other entities relaxed the regulations regarding sales of alcohol for takeout and delivery. Today, pizzeria owners have an opportunity to continue these sales, because many states extended the temporary rules or made them permanent.

Pizzeria owners say these off-premise beverage sales are important. According to Pizza Today’s 2023 State of the Pizzeria Industry Report, when asked about additional revenue streams, beer and liquor to go ranked third, noted by 23.1 percent of pizzeria owners surveyed. The top two revenue generators were catering (54.1 percent) and third-party delivery (35.8 percent).

Whether they’re selling cans of beer, bottles of wine or elaborate cocktails to go, restaurant operators need to be aware of regulations and also consider certain details.

Research your local rules. “The state regulations do vary widely,” says Mike Whatley, vice president of state affairs and grassroots advocacy for the National Restaurant Association. “The best resource is to reach out to the state restaurant association in their home market.”

The pandemic caused the greatest changes in state alcohol laws since Prohibition, Whatley says, especially regarding mixed drinks. Pre-pandemic, zero states allowed restaurants to prepare mixed drinks, then seal them and send them out for takeout or delivery. As of November 2022, 39 states plus Washington D.C. allowed those sales.

Know the details. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Law Center, the types of state laws that cover the changes to these laws fall into five broad categories: states that allow all types of alcohol to be delivered and sold to-go by restaurants; states that allow for alcohol delivery and curbside sales but prohibit cocktail delivery; states that prohibit cocktail sales to-go or for delivery but allow sale of alcohol in original manufacturer containers or resealed containers; states that allow for alcohol curbside and takeout sales but restrict delivery to package retail stores; and states that prohibit alcohol to-go and delivery altogether.

Decide who will deliver the beverages. Some states do not allow third-party delivery, and only employees of the permit holder, or restaurant, may deliver alcohol. Others have certain requirements: in New Jersey, third-party delivery drivers must complete alcohol training and certification. Whatley says more states are turning their attention to third-party delivery platforms, so the rules will continue to evolve. Some states might create special licenses where the third-party delivery company would have to get its own liquor license.

The National Restaurant Association is working with Grubhub, Uber Eats, and DoorDash to make sure that as the rules change, they work for everyone. It is incumbent to make sure restaurants are in compliance Whatley says, because the liquor license is among the restaurant’s most valuable assets. “The last thing you want is for the restaurant to get in trouble,” he says.

In a press release DoorDash noted that alcohol delivery creates significant benefits for restaurants. The delivery platform estimated that adding alcohol may increase restaurants’ average customer order values by up to 30 percent.

Consult an attorney. “Some states have simply given current on-premise alcohol retailers the privileges to extend their sales to off-premise, while some states have created separate delivery permits,” says C. Jarrett Dieterle, resident senior fellow at R Street Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank. “Working with a local alcoholic beverage attorney would be a good idea to confirm the rules in one’s particular state.”

Each state sets its own rules regarding alcohol takeout and delivery. Even the governing entities vary. In Nevada, individual counties and cities regulate alcohol.

Train staff. If restaurants want to have their own employees perform the deliveries, Dieterle says, the employer needs to go over basic protocols like ensuring the employees know how to check IDs to verify the purchaser’s age.

It’s important to develop compliance policies to prevent underage sales. That includes training staff, especially delivery drivers, to check ID at the time of sale and delivery. “Drivers should keep a delivery log and ask patrons to sign off at the time of delivery confirming the person accepting the order is 21,” says attorney Marbet Lewis, founding partner with Spiritus Law in Miami.  “Most violations with to-go sales relate to sales to minors and diversion of alcohol to minors. Accordingly, training staff on proper ID checking and implementing ID check policies and requirements can help avoid penalties in the long run.”

Order some new cups with lids. Even the containers are important. Some states simply require “sealed containers” or “closed containers.” California requires “A secure lid or cap sealed in a manner designed to prevent consumption without removal of the lid or cap by breaking the seal.” Illinois requires a new, rigid container that has never been used and cannot have sipping holes or openings for a straw.

“Many states have rules requiring that the drink container for a mixed beverage be sealed in some sort of tamper-proof packaging,” Dieterle says. “Depending on the state, this could be something like a sticker that must be removed before the drink can be consumed – thereby providing evidence if it was consumed before the delivery was made or before the to-go patron reached their ultimate destination.”

Don’t forget the pizza. Some states require that food be purchased with the alcohol. In Maine, that means a “full-course meal,” not prepackaged snacks. In Missouri it means a meal prepared on-premises. Some states, like Tennessee, allow alcohol to be sold in a drive-thru. Some, like South Carolina, left all their pre-pandemic rules in place: no beer, wine, or cocktail delivery or to-go.

In addition to following rules, pizzeria owners also need to figure out what their customers want. That could mean selling elaborate cocktails that people cannot make at home because they don’t typically have all the ingredients, or it could mean simply offering an assortment of red wines and white wines to satisfy everyone’s preferences in a large order. “You have to figure out what works and what doesn’t, with the added layer of figuring out what’s legal,” Whatley says. “You can have a lot of success in this space.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Offering Beer, Wine and Liquor To-Go appeared first on Pizza Today.

Next-Gen POS

Think back to how restaurants were operated only 30 years ago. Many used handwritten order slips that were passed back to the kitchen. Customers were rung out on a cash register sitting on the counter. If you wanted to pay by credit card you had to swipe it through a separate stand-alone terminal sitting next to the register. There was a holder on the wall for timecards. You either punched it into a time clock or filled it out by hand. Then the new wave started to take over. The Point Of Sale computer systems became the new way to do business.

The purpose was to make our lives easier. We could streamline our operations, become more efficient and save time, thus allowing us to sell more in a shorter amount of time by eliminating many of the older steps that used to be necessary. Many of us are now on to our second, third or fourth generation of POS systems. But as time goes by, we see that technology is rapidly evolving right before our eyes. POS systems today can do things that were unthinkable only a few years ago. POS is now the number one technology operators spend their money on. In today’s
marketplace there are myriad different POS options that can appeal to every different type of restaurant.

Before upgrading take a look around your restaurant and observe exactly which tasks seem to take an inordinate amount of time for your staff members to complete. Chances are there is a POS system on the market that can solve that problem, streamline your process, and save you money. To find out which is the right one for your operation, there are some key factors that should be considered:

First let’s look at hardware. Today’s systems are no longer a computer tower tied to a touch screen feeding a dot matrix printer in the kitchen. Instead of printers at every kitchen station, maybe your restaurant would be better served by a Kitchen Display System with screens in the kitchen showing the orders and expediting them.

Are servers still writing orders down and then walking over to a wait station where they wait their turn to punch orders into the system? Maybe consider handheld wireless POS units for the servers so they can put the order in at table side and save tons of time. Some restaurants opt for wireless kiosks right at the table allowing customers to order, pay and even see directed marketing from their seats.

Newer POS systems are totally transforming the way delivery has been done in the past. Many now have the capability to integrate with your phone system. Gone are the days of getting a name, address and phone number. These can now auto populate when a call comes in along with an array of other features such as a customer’s most frequently ordered items. The
system can build and maintain your customer database.

Loyalty cards and gift cards are all integrated into systems alleviating the need for any handwritten records. Certain systems also have the feature of eGift Cards allowing a guest to purchase a gift card online that is transmitted to them through a QR code on their phone thus eliminating the need for a hard copy card all together. Another nice feature is that many can be set up to be delivered via e-mail to designated recipients at certain dates and times such as birthdays or anniversaries.

Whereas payroll used to take tons of time to put together many systems now you can transmit payroll reports to your processor automatically.

Many operators enjoy the ability to access their systems remotely via their cell phone. Whether you have one unit or multiple ones you can now have access to all the customer checks and reports from every store right in the palm of your hand.

Guest feedback is a popular option in some systems. Guests now can click on a link in a digital receipt and contact restaurant management directly with any concerns. Any operator would rather deal with a customer issue through a private channel such as this rather than a review website.

Online ordering platforms are now fully integrated into POS systems. Gone are the days of having a separate company operate your online portal and paying them to funnel orders to you.

Virtually all of today’s systems have credit card acceptance built in without the need for a separate card reading machine. Many have introduced touchless payment systems over the past few years, again eliminating steps by your staff and expediting the payment process. Some brands also offer an option to have them be your credit card processing company. They often have very competitive rates and usually discount the hardware as part of the agreement to use them.

A new feature being introduced on some platforms is the ability to scan invoices directly into your system thus simplifying inventory, budgeting and AP. It can save countless hours of manual input and bookkeeping.

Love them or hate them, third-party delivery companies are sweeping the market. Today’s systems get rid of every delivery company’s tablet on your counter by integrating the ordering directly into your POS system.

Not every feature offered in today’s market may be a good fit for you but upgrading a POS system to meet your specific business needs can drastically change your processes. The amount of staff and time needed to complete certain tasks can now be eliminated saving you a lot of money in the long run.

The biggest thing to remember is that tech changes fast. Make sure you choose a POS that can too. One of today’s most valuable features are systems that automatically update any new technology or ideas. Upgrading to a new system can be pricey, but an understanding of every feature that can be applicable to your specific business will undoubtedly create a more efficient and profitable operation in the end.

Michael Androw owns E & D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

The post What To Look For In A POS Upgrade appeared first on Pizza Today.

Applying your DEI principles into business operation

Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI as it is commonly referred to, is a practice that welcomes employees of all backgrounds to an open and equitable workplace. The restaurant industry has long been a leader in this practice. This industry is one that has always been a true welcoming melting pot of people from a variety of different backgrounds.

Unfortunately, in today’s world some have fallen off track a bit and a review of some of the best guiding principles can help keep our industry as an example in the forefront. It is imperative for employers take an active roll in creating and enforcing policies that promote an environment of equity and inclusion. Over the course of time some operators may have fallen victim to a generational disconnect that they use as an excuse to forgive themselves for not having a strong DEI understanding. But using that as an excuse is only enabling an environment of complicity that can unknowingly marginalize some staff members. Rather than let that happen it behooves owners, management and industry leaders to enact policies to ensure a great DEI environment.

As leaders it is important to set the bar for others. This means having a willingness to hold each other
accountable for behavior that does not meet certain standards. In setting those standards, a good place to begin is exploring and identifying the areas in which change can be made within the workplace.

First and foremost, it is imperative that equity be a pillar of all policies. Regardless of a person’s background, the playing field of life has not been equal to all. Owners need to be certain that when an employee walks through their doors they feel comfortable in knowing that those societal inequities have been left behind. Restaurant owners often use terms such as “team” and “family” to refer to their staff. This is the opportunity to put your money where your mouth is and prove just that. Owners expect the staff to care about their restaurant. Show them that it is a two-way street and that you care about them too.

When it comes to diversity let’s remember that our customers come from a wide variety of races, genders, ages and ethnicity. Wisdom would dictate that if our staff has that same diverse makeup then our customers will have a much more welcome feel when patronizing us.

Diversity is also a wonderful opportunity for growth among the staff. Diversity is a way to promote open dialogue with the intention of educating one another. Nobody is expected to know what it is like to live in the shoes of everyone else on the planet. You are an owner because you’ve always done things your way in your business. Now learn to listen for a change. Take the time to get to know each other. Ask questions. Learn from someone’s firsthand perspective as to what some of the challenges are that they see in society. Barriers between each other will be broken down once the communication is there. This will not only help you to grow and strengthen your DEI policy, but it will help form a caring bond of communication between employer and employee. Building such bonds and continually educating yourself will help you to set clear policy goals.

Put yourself in the position of others. Sometimes an employee who may not be “like” you might feel that you are not open to giving them direction, education or opportunity. Be the example by which others will learn. Prove by your actions that you do not let any unconscious biases dictate the direction of staff in your restaurant. Your staff will see how you act on a daily basis. Use this opportunity to showcase your devotion to a great DEI practice.

Inclusivity is a key attribute to strong and successful leadership. Any individual policy enacted must be rooted in the belief that the biases seen in society do not walk in the doors of your workplace. Jobs and tasks need to be given equal weight amongst qualified staff. Every employee must feel that they are included as part of your “family” or “team”. The idea that certain jobs or tasks are only for certain people should never enter your restaurant. This does not mean that the 16-year-old inexperienced dishwasher should be considered for a General Manager position. It does, however, mean that a certain employee can not only be considered for a prep cook position and nothing else. We have all seen examples of this in the past and it is our responsibility to our industry to make sure that we lead the way in exemplifying inclusivity in all aspects of our business.

Everyone will have their own individual policies, but the example set by an owner or operator is priceless. By leading the way, you will be able to pave the road for others to follow your direction of DEI.

Forming your own DEI policies based off these principles will give employees the opportunity to see how they fit into the discussion of DEI in your restaurant.

Today’s labor market can be challenging, to say the least. Attracting and retaining employees is more difficult now than it has ever been. This is where a great DEI practice in your restaurant can pay huge dividends. Make sure your current and potential future employees see you as a beacon of good. Your reputation as an owner and employer is what will define you. Good news travels fast and prospective employees will know of your stellar reputation if you develop and enact a strong DEI policy and environment. When this results in a broader labor pool for you to hire from you will be thankful. Not only that, but you will help continue to keep our beloved industry as the example for which others can learn.

Michael Androw owns E & D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

The post Diversity, Equity & Inclusion In Practice appeared first on Pizza Today.

The dining experience has changed, and so has the pizzeria layout

The pandemic changed the way people order food, and pizzeria owners adapted by rethinking their spaces. Carryout became crucial, so operators removed tables and focused on to-go orders. Now, as consumers return to dining-in but still appreciate a delicious pizza to-go, restaurant owners and designers are reconsidering their floor plans. They are rearranging the furniture, rethinking the host stand, and streamlining the kitchen.

When Byram Pizza Company opened in Greenwich, Connecticut in September 2020, it took over an existing pizzeria that had bulky booths, stand-up counters, and old Formica tables. “I ripped the whole place apart,” says co-owner Denis Kraljevic. “Everything needed to be updated.”

Among the updates was to emphasize delivery and takeout, and Kraljevic installed a lighted, angled pizza display case in the front of the eatery. People enter, order and step aside, or they order online and pick up. The restaurant measures 800 square feet and has three tables, considerably fewer than the previous owner’s floor plan. “You’re not going to fill all those tables,” he says. “You can have a smaller place and still put out the same amount of food.”

The kitchen also became more compact, to increase efficiency. The prep table and oven are close together, and the POS system at the front counter is close to the pizza display.

Others agree that today’s floor plan calls for fewer tables. The two Old Scratch Pizza locations in Dayton and Centerville, Ohio, measure 8,500 feet and seated about 200 people pre-pandemic. The restaurants reduced their capacity to follow mandates, and today the available seating is still only 80 percent of the pre-pandemic numbers. “We realized we didn’t need as many seats to get that volume,” says owner and founder Eric Soller. “Once we made more space for customers, it all of a sudden felt uncomfortable to put people so close together.”

Takeout was also a factor, and Old Scratch Pizza implemented a curbside pickup system during the pandemic. Today, customers still have the option to pick up their pies without leaving their vehicles. The pizzeria uses texting, signage, video monitoring and technology that alerts the crew when the customer arrives. “We try to make the curbside experience so exceptional that it reduces the need to come in,” Soller says.

Staff members use a separate exit to bring orders to cars. There is also signage directing third-party delivery drivers to that entrance, so they do not crowd the front of the restaurant where people enter and exit for dining in. People still want to come in and enjoy a restaurant meal or sit at the bar, Soller says, so it’s important to make that experience enjoyable too.

“People want more space, and we’re giving it to them,” Soller says. “We’re making money in other ways, with curbside and with merchandise. We dedicated more space to merchandise.” There is a display case with t-shirts, pint glasses, hats and other items at the front of the restaurant, so people can shop while they wait for their table. Old Scratch Pizza has two locations, with plans to open two more in 2023.

Some restaurants converted their concepts to pizzerias during the pandemic. In Chicago, Bite Cafe became Pizza Friendly Pizza. “Bite was a small capacity restaurant,” says Bruce Finkelman, managing partner of 16 On Center, a hospitality collective. “During the pandemic, we thought it was going to be a long time until people would feel comfortable dining in small quarters.” One new feature is an alley-facing pickup window, which Finkelman says is here to stay.

Even before the pandemic, consumers were looking for easy ways to pick up dinner. Restaurant chains have for years made announcements about new compact, streamlined locations. “It’s all about convenience,” says Dana Zipser, managing director and principal for Rubber and Road Creative in San Francisco. The branding firm worked with Pizza Factory to design its new Express locations. “We went from 5,000 to 6,000 square foot local pizzerias with games and family dining to a tried and true DELCO, with 1,000 square feet and no seating.”

Alternatively, some are noticing a trend back to dining in and socializing, and that is driving different changes in the floor plan. “We’re starting to see clients shift their focus to make the space approachable and comfortable,” says Abigail Plonkey, founder and chief experience curator at Maximalist, a restaurant design firm in Denver. “They are moving away from fast casual to more slow and laid back and stay a while.”

Plonkey adds that banquettes and community tables are gaining popularity as operators answer guest demand for a communal experience. Even the waiting area is changing from the typical podium and bench to a more lively bar where people can socialize. “We all stayed home during the pandemic,” she says. “We need a reason to go out now, and it’s not just to fill our bellies with food.”

When Maximalist clients consider the floor plan for a restaurant, Plonkey has them do journey mapping, which means putting themselves in the perspective of customers as they arrive, leave their car, enter the building and take all the other steps involved in dining at the restaurant. The operator and designer consider every touchpoint and often find details that need to be reconsidered. One such detail: signage. “Say order here, pick-up here, restrooms here,” Plonkey says. “If it’s complicated, they won’t come back, or they will walk away. The restaurant should be as welcoming as walking into someone’s home.”

In addition to socializing, people also want to experience the food prep. “People want to interact with the food making process,” says Alexis Readinger, founder of Preen, Inc. in Los Angeles. For some restaurants, that means tables located very close to an open kitchen, so diners can watch the crew work.

Fast casual consumers also want to see how the pizza is made. Preen recently worked with Hot Tongue Pizza to open in a former sandwich franchise location in LA. The counter has seating close to the glassed-in food prep area, so people can see the ingredients at the plant-based concept. “It’s just one more way of experiencing in a small space,” Readinger says. “Everything has an experiential element.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post The Restaurant Floor Plans Remix appeared first on Pizza Today.

H.O.S.T.:

Hear them out.

Offer a solution.

Solve the problem.

Thank them.

Write this down and make it protocol to your team.

Mike Bausch

Review sites have had a shot of adrenaline recently where more people are encouraged to give reviews, and it’s the jet fuel of great restaurants marketing while furthering the demise of lackluster restaurants. A 3.5 rating on Yelp means you’re failing. It also means you’re not responding to reviews and not doing what you’re supposed to do in-house. A four-star and above means you’re doing your job correctly, and if it’s over 1,000 total reviews, it means you’re really killing it. The current state of reviews means two things. You need more reviews, and you need more good reviews. Along with that, the negative reviews are opportunities to be turned into positive reviews if you follow the H.O.S.T. Method.

For the HOST Method to work, you need to do all four aspects, or it will fail harder than if you did nothing.

First step: Hear them out. Listen with a deep empathetic understanding that something went wrong, and it is your fault. Assume it’s your fault first, not, “Well, this customer doesn’t get it.” It’s not their job to get it. It’s yours for them to be happy and not worry about getting it. Let’s say their food took a long time: Then…

Clearly, and overly emphasize your remorse for wasting their time and money. Do not try and defend your restaurant. Don’t say, “Well, it was a busy night that night.”

Then, you can initiate the offer. Most level-headed customers are not seeking a freebie. They just want to vent their frustration. Don’t get me wrong, some want their money back, but an offer is you saying that you can’t sleep soundly knowing that you’ve wronged them. Not, “Oh, we ruined your daughter’s graduation by showing up two hours late. Here’s 10 percent off the next time you come in.” The offer must be all-encompassing and not just putting a Band-Aid on a flesh wound. If you half-ass it, you will never get their repeat business. If you comp a $100 order, you’ve paid $25 in food costs to save a customer. That’s cheap and effective marketing in the form of loss retention.

Now, solve the problem. You might think, “Didn’t we just solve it by giving the offer?” No. You solved the offer. You didn’t solve the real problem, the problem that caused this failure. Why were you late? Was it because of a miscommunication? Was it because of inadequate training? How are you addressing this systemic problem, so it doesn’t happen again and so that this customer believes it won’t happen again? Explain that in painstaking detail to the customer so they trust your establishment for a second try.

Last and certainly not least, a genuine thank you. Whether it was this customer being kind enough to e-mail you on the side or blasting you with all sorts of vitriol on Yelp, no matter what it is, thank them for coming into your restaurant and being honest with you because it helps you grow. Don’t match hate with hate, you will lose even when you are right. You can blast the customer, and sure there’s a market for that, but its fleeting at best.

If you do the four appropriately, literally any customer can be saved. If you don’t do all four, then it’s not worth the effort of typing a response. It will fail and land on deaf ears.

The review sites need constant fueling. The restaurants that respond to every review on aggregator sites or individual sites will move to the top of the algorithm and garner more reviews. Good reviews bring in new customers, especially new out-of-town customers, and reaffirm what your good customers already know.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: H.O.S.T. Method for Review Sites appeared first on Pizza Today.

On the Line

The pizza business is uniquely dependent on takeout and delivery orders, so it’s critical to have a phone system you can rely on. A good phone system should improve the customer’s experience as well as make the most efficient use of your staff’s time.

Even with online ordering, a robust and functional phone system is important because some customers aren’t internet-savvy or don’t have access to the Internet.

Your phone system is critical for optimizing your incoming-calls game. If you need to upgrade your phone system, here are some pointers on what to look for and how to choose the right vendor for this critical business relationship.

Phone systems have gotten increasingly sophisticated in recent years. Identify which features matter most to you and choose accordingly. If you spend more for advanced features, learn how to take full advantage of them. Many products and services are designed for the specific needs of the pizza industry.

Main Options and Terminology

The three main types of business phone systems are:

1. Analog (land-lined) based system, with in-house hardware providing an on-site phone system.
2. Answering service with humans who enter orders directly in POS.
3. Cloud-hosted VOIP.

Cloud-hosted VOIP falls into three categories:

1. Directly from large telecom companies such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, etc., who provide the proprietary software for messaging, etc.
2. From a local reseller who partners with large telecom companies such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, etc., relying on the software from the telecom company.
3. From proprietary vendors who design and maintain the cloud-based hardware and software that govern the phone system. All back-end functions are the proprietary systems of individual vendors.

To help you navigate these choices, here are some important terms:

Analog: This is plain old telephone service, also known as a landline.

Hosted VoIP / Cloud-Based PBX / hosted PBX: All hardware and software is located on the Internet, not on site.

In-house: A usually pre-configured, off-the-shelf PBX system that’s physically on-site.

PBX: Private branch exchange (PBX) systems are business-grade, private telephone systems.

Third party: PBX services are not provided by your telecom company, but by another vendor.

VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol, meaning that the phone call is actually transmitted over the internet.

Technological Innovations to Consider

“There are quite a few new innovations and the pandemic accelerated a lot of them,” says Greg Rowe, senior account executive in the pizza vertical at Clarity Voice and a former pizzeria owner. “The main one we’re seeing today is flexible incoming call routing. It’s really the foundation for emerging technologies like busy period overflow, call centers, AI (artificial intelligence) ordering and text ordering. What’s really changed in the past two years is finding ways to counter the labor shortages that a lot of owners are still managing today.”

AI ordering means that a bot, integrated with the phone system, will take phone orders. For example, the Domino’s bot will ask callers if they’d like to place their last order again, “so that builds some rapport,” says Rowe.

The critical advantage of cloud-based systems is they are cheaply and easily improved. Because they depend far more on software than hardware, these providers are much more agile at responding to changes in the marketplace or changing needs of their clientele. This versatility ensures that you won’t outgrow the system in a few years, and the system can generally be updated to the latest technology.

“The most successful operators are looking beyond what they need today” when they make important business decisions such as choosing a PBX, says Rowe.

Features to Consider

Your first consideration should be ensuring that your new PBX system integrates well with your existing POS (Point of Sale) system, unless you are ready to get a package deal including both PBX and POS.

Next, consider the reliability of landlines and Internet in your area. If you’re in a remote area where Internet tends to be spotty, you may be better off relying on a land line. For most users, Internet may be more reliable than landline service.

“With local PBX system, you could have an outage,” says Kubilay Sevinc, a partner at Pacific.tel. While the outage is a problem, “it’s really about how quickly will it be fixed and how much will it cost to fix it. We are converting a lot of customers from analog PBX systems because their PBX system misbehaves and then getting a technician out there takes a few days during which they can’t take any phone calls or customer orders. Once they get a technician out, it costs a small fortune because parts are expensive and technicians are even more expensive these days.”

Call quality is paramount. Pizzerias are notoriously loud work environments and the phones take a lot of abuse, so choose a system provider who prioritizes call quality, offers a warranty on the phones and includes phone service.

Find out what kind of customization is available for the on-hold audio experience. Sevinc points out that “with cloud-based systems, it’s all configurable.” Operators can include upsell messages (“add a salad today for only 99 cents”) during the hold interval, and an excessive wait can trigger an offer (“we’re sorry – mention this code for a discount”). Operators can change messages via a phone app, and the technology can track what an individual hears when calling in and change the messages to keep it fresh.

Some systems make it easy for phone customers to opt in to receive promotional text messages or to order by text.

Other features to consider include emergency ability to handle customer calls when connections are disrupted; response time when service or a technician is needed; routing, redirecting and call forwarding capability; voicemail and data reports.

If you want to route calls to different extensions (“press two for catering”), ask about an automated attendant feature.

Lastly, you’ll benefit from phone number portability. Make sure that you own your number so you can retain it should you change vendors.

Comparing Your Options

Let’s consider some basic pros and cons.

Analog systems have a limited number of lines, so customers may get a busy signal during peak call times. Service can be disrupted by weather or internal issues at your telecom company. They also lack the capacity for smart, high-tech features such as AI and custom, targeted hold messages. Generally, maintaining such a system requires having an IT expert on site, and these systems are hardly nimble.

Call centers should have unlimited line availability, so no busy signals. Some customers and operators respond better to the human touch. Since they tend to be priced based on volume, the cost can be unpredictable.

Cloud-based systems will never reject a caller with a busy signal, they can be customized with smart on-hold messages and other features, and they are generally fast and easy to set up, because it all happens remotely. Changes and improvements are performed remotely with software instead of hardware, so they are much more resilient to obsolescence. The redundancy of multiple cloud-based servers protects against system failure. Ask prospective vendors how the system ensures service in the case of an Internet outage. Make sure that your provider will be able to assist you beyond the standard nine-to-five hours.

Naturally, price will play a role in your decision. Ask about set-up charges, and how you’ll be charged for technical help or repairs. Hosted services are generally set up remotely, which is very cost-effective. Most solutions are priced per month, while human-powered call centers may be charged by the minute.

Your Phone Line Is Your Lifeline

Most folks in the pizza business depend on a phone line like a lifeline, and it can have big impact on your bottom line. Competing on the 21st-century playing field might require an upgrade to cutting-edge technology.

Annelise Kelly  is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Phone Systems Remain Critical to the Pizza Business appeared first on Pizza Today.

To answer the question of whether to charge your customers a fee for delivery, let us begin by reviewing the history of pizza delivery from the 60s through today.

DO: Learn about the history of delivery fees

In 1965, a man by the name of Tom Monaghan not only put pizza delivery on the map but set the standard of pizza delivery for the next 35 years. As founder of Domino’s Pizza, Monaghan introduced FREE delivery. He did this by charging more per pizza ($1-$3 more) than was standard at the time. In other words, he called it FREE delivery, but incorporated the cost of delivery into the price of the pizza. This brilliant strategy gave Domino’s a powerful marketing strategy that forced many pizza operators to follow suit and provide FREE delivery.

DO: Know that FREE delivery is not truly free

FREE delivery took its first real setback due to the 9-11 attacks and the subsequent insurance restructuring. Prior to 9-11, a pizzeria owner’s business insurance covered the drivers using their own vehicles for delivery. After 9-11, insurance companies created a new type of insurance called ‘Non-Owned Auto Insurance’. The regular business insurance excluded coverage of non-company-owned vehicles. Pizzeria owners were required to purchase this additional insurance if their drivers used their own personal vehicles. Also, as part of this insurance restructuring, personal auto policies excluded coverage for work use. In other words, without non-owned auto insurance, if a driver gets in an accident on the job, you may lose your pizzeria.

DON’T: Deliver without non-owned auto insurance

This added expense for pizza delivery caused most national pizza chains to begin charging the customer for pizza delivery. FREE delivery, although never truly free, quickly became a thing of the past. The fees started as low as 50 cents and grew over the next 20 years to reflect increasing costs of delivery.

The next historical moment in pizza delivery fees came with the advent of third party delivery. Companies like GrubHub and Doordash added a whole new level to delivery charges. Delivery fees, handling fees and higher menu prices for delivered products are fees passed on to the customer. It became the new norm that if you purchased food through a third party delivery company, you may pay up to double the price of picking the food up at the pizzeria. The great news about third party delivery companies is that they ‘trained’ consumers to expect to pay more for delivery.

So, where does this leave you, the pizzeria owner/operator? To Fee or Not to Fee?

DO: Charge enough to make a profit

Consider the costs, which vary depending on the type of customer. Dine-in, Take-out, and Delivery.

• Dine-in. Counter and table servers, rent on the seating space, dishes, maintenance, restrooms and parking
• Take-out. Your most profitable customer
• Delivery. The added expenses of third party companies, or if you DIY (Do-It-Yourself) delivery, you have the added expenses of delivery drivers, non-owned auto insurance, driver gas/mileage reimbursement, delivery packaging and heat/cold retention.

Given that the costs of delivery exceed the costs of your other types of customers, it stands to reason that you are forced to either charge a delivery fee or have a delivery menu that is priced higher. It is much more transparent (read: better for the customer) to have the same menu prices and charge a delivery fee.

DO: Have consistent menu prices

There is one alternative to explore, however. If you increase your menu prices across the board, and offer discounts for take-out or dine-in, you can duplicate what Tom Monaghan did last century. If you take this route, take advantage of what Monaghan did and market the heck out of FREE delivery.

DON’T: Offer FREE delivery unless you include the cost of delivery in your menu prices

Forgoing the FREE delivery alternative, how much should you charge as a delivery fee? Your POS system should allow you to select fees (and driver reimbursement) based on different areas. This allows you to charge more for deliveries that are farther away from the store. You should charge the customer a delivery fee that is more than you pay your driver in reimbursement. The extra amount collected will contribute to your other delivery expenses. For example, if you reimburse a driver $3.00 for a delivery, you may charge $5.00 as a delivery fee to that customer. Your delivery fee will change as your costs associated with that delivery go up or down.

DO: Have a separate, clearly identified charge for delivery

One of the costs to identify relating to DIY delivery is how much to reimburse your driver, referred to as ‘mileage’. Mileage must be enough to cover your driver’s actual expenses, or you may have legal problems with the Labor Board. Every year, the IRS posts the required compensation for persons using their own vehicles for work. Although they rarely change it mid-year, 2022 is the obvious exception due to gas prices. The mileage rate for the second half of 2022 is 62.5 cents per mile. If your driver averages four miles round-trip on deliveries, you must reimburse them a minimum of $2.50 per delivery. If you pay less, the Labor Board says that means you used part of their hourly wages to reimburse, which may put the employee below minimum wage, subjecting you to a class-action lawsuit. This would require you to pay every driver back-wages as well as penalties and interest. The only way to accurately calculate the mileage you pay your drivers is to take a month and document their actual miles driven and divide into the number of deliveries.

DON’T: Underpay mileage reimbursement

All prices are subject to market competition and delivery fees are no exception. Research the delivery fees charged by 3rd Party Delivery Companies in your area and the delivery fees charged by your competitors who DYI.

DO: make sure your delivery charge is competitive

Or, if you are too busy to read this, skip the entire article, and charge $4.99 per delivery.

DAN COLLIER is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Pizza Delivery: To Fee or Not to Fee? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

The amount of e-mails and text notifications we all receive has grown to an insane quantity. As an owner or leader in your company, your ability to communicate quickly and effectively will lead to profit and peace of mind. Still, it’s so hard managing the tonnage of information coming your way. I got asked twice this last month how, with 13 concepts and hundreds of employees, I handle all the notifications, e-mails, and texts. So this is a process I’ve seen work, and maybe it will work for you. You need this as much as solid recipe documentation and proper funding if you want to open on time, run efficiently and grow dependably.

First off, unsubscribe from everything that’s not worth your time. DO THAT TODAY. Go through your trash folder and unsubscribe there so those e-mails don’t come back. Block them if you can’t unsubscribe. Next, create new e-mail addresses to use as inboxes because they’re free or very cheap. Make a separate e-mail for personal, work, social media and e-mails you want to tend to later but don’t want out of an inbox.

On a smartphone, it’s easy to see all your e-mailboxes at once. However, on a computer, use something like mac mail or thunderbird; if you log into each individual e-mail on your browser, you are wasting time, making it hard to move individual e-mails between inboxes. This practice of multiple e-mail use is called sub-inboxing to triage your workload.

Try to get everything sent to you via e-mail. For all the apps, groups, messaging centers, etc., like Basecamp, Slack, HubSpot, ploppy plop, or any random notification boards you get roped into using, have them forward to your e-mail. This goes double for Facebook; it’s a time suck; avoid it. The goal is to avoid logging into each one and instead only see what you need to see on one portal, e-mail.

For all the text messages, Facebook messages, Instagram messages and WhatsApp messages, try and have them all in the same spot on your phone or, even better, on your desktop as an app because texting from a computer is a lot easier.

Additionally, take e-mails you can’t appropriately respond to yet and drag them to a sub-inbox to get to “inbox zero” of what you can control. You could flag e-mails or use certain mail apps with the option to “circle back”, but it’s easier to drag it into your later folder for stuff you can’t address today. The goal really should be for inbox zero every day. That’s not OCD talking; that’s what it takes to move the ball down the field daily.

If you are under water with e-mails, take 25 minutes uninterrupted, truly uninterrupted, to pound it out. You’ll be fascinated by how much you get through in 25 minutes. Once that timer goes off, see how much it has dwindled. I’ve seen what I get done in three hours become 25 minutes doing it this way.

This process isn’t magic, but it’s highly effective at getting rid of the fluff and getting work done, especially when you need to move on to more important things. I don’t know anyone who says, “I’m too organized.” Organization is not a gift; it’s a learned trait. The more responsive you are, the more those around you are responsive, and that’s how progress is achieved.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Owner Digital Workflow appeared first on Pizza Today.

Back when Michael Oshman founded The Green Restaurant Association (GRA) in 1990, environmental sustainability hovered as a fringe issue. The popular press rarely reported on climate change and plastic waste was only beginning to find a spot on consumer radars. 

Fast forward 32 years, however, and sustainability is now baked into the American lexicon and engrained in daily habits. Recycling, for instance, has been institutionalized while the use of smart devices to reduce energy consumption is commonplace in U.S. homes and businesses. The typical consumer is not only aware of sustainability, but often factors it into their everyday decision making, including where they dine.

In a 2021 poll of U.S. consumers conducted by C.O.nxt and Menu Matters, more than 80 percent of consumers identified sustainability as an important factor in their food and beverage purchasing decisions. That hefty figure lines up with a global study of more than 10,000 people by Simon-Kucher & Partners in which 85 percent of consumers reported shifting their purchasing behavior over the past five years toward more sustainable options.

Consumers, it’s worth noting, also double as potential employees, and they, too, appreciate businesses embracing an environmental bent. More than two-thirds of workers said they would be more willing to apply for and accept a position with an environmentally sustainable business, according to IBM’s Institute for Business Value study released earlier this year. 

With consumers and employees increasingly prioritizing sustainability, pizzerias and their restaurant brethren have plenty of compelling reasons to pursue more sustainable and environmentally conscious operations.

But there’s a dollars-and-cents argument worth considering here as well. Sustainability-minded practices can – and often do – spark monthly savings on energy, water, waste and food costs.

“And when you’re operating on a five percent profit margin, those savings are real,” Oshman says.

So, how does one create a more environmentally sustainable pizzeria?

1. Audit the restaurant.

Energy and food waste audits from credible agencies can help a restaurant identify its existing strengths and pinpoint opportunities for improvement, such as incorporating new equipment, spotting inefficiencies or instituting a recycling and composting program. 

2. Take a proactive approach.

In municipalities across the country, eco-conscious legislation is forcing foodservice establishments to eliminate plastic bags and straws as well as Styrofoam containers. By acting proactively and shifting purchasing to these more environmentally friendly options before legislation kicks in, Oshman says restaurants get “ahead of the game” with customers and employees as well as suppliers. 

“Do you want to do it when it’s advantageous for you or when the law dictates you must do it?” he asks.

3. Recycle. 

A proper recycling and composting program not only diverts waste from landfills and gives products a second life, but it can also lower a restaurant’s waste-hauling charges by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year. Greg Christian of Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners, a Chicago-based consulting company that helps foodservice clients create more sustainable and health-conscious operations, suggests restaurants separate their waste streams into categories like compost, cardboard and metal.

“It’s not sexy, but it works,” Christian says.

4. Check your pizza box.

The pizza box is central to any pizzeria, serving as a vessel for the restaurant’s flagship product and, in many cases, as a marketing and branding tool for the pizzeria as well. To be eco-friendly, use a 100 percent post-consumer recycled pizza box rather than a pizza box crafted from virgin trees. (The same goes for napkins, too, Oshman adds.) 

Also, inform customers their pizza box can, in fact, be recycled. Though long a source of confusion, pizza boxes are now almost universally accepted among companies manufacturing from recycled cardboard.

5. Buy local goods. 

The current food system is overwhelmingly global. Food is shipped around the world, driving pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. When restaurants buy local, however, food travels a shorter distance to the plate, which reduces one’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

6. Address food waste.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more food reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other material in everyday trash. In landfills, food rots and produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Reduce waste by executing proper portion sizes, weighing plates and shrinking the menu. 

“If you don’t think you’re producing waste, you’re kidding yourself, and food waste is a real burden on the environment,” Christian says.

7. Reduce water use.

Water is a precious resource in our world – and frequently wasted. While pizzerias might already have a high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valve in their kitchen, Oshman urges operators to install the “most”
efficient spray valve they can find. Often less than $100, a high-efficiency spray valve can spark energy and water savings that easily pays for the investment in year one. Similarly, make sure bathroom and kitchen sinks for handwashing have the appropriate aerators. These handy gadgets reduce the amount of water coming out of faucets, which saves water and energy.

8. Switch the lighting.

Installing LED lights is the low-hanging fruit in the move toward a more sustainable restaurant. Compared to conventional incandescent or company fluorescent lights, LEDs last up to six times longer and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

9. Ask consumers.

When customers order carryout or delivery online, which continues to become more commonplace at pizzerias, ask them to “opt in” to the disposables they need, such as plates, cutlery or the tiny plastic containers holding condiments, spices or grated cheese. With an opt-in process, fewer of these plastics will hit landfills. Notably, a GRA study found restaurants could save about $5,000 a year with an opt-in process. 

10. Highlight sustainability with staff.

Sustainability is a team effort. It takes training and mindful action from everyone. After all, what good is a composting and recycling plan if workers toss everything into the trash? Oshman urges operators to talk with staff about the different sustainability practices the restaurant has in place, defining what they are and why they exist.

“This way, staff are attuned to these issues and there’s purpose behind their work,” Oshman says.

Daniel P. Smith   Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post 10 Ways to be a More Environmentally Sustainable Pizzeria appeared first on Pizza Today.

RECYCLE

When we think sustainability, we immediately think recycling. 

Waste is a huge issue that must be addressed appropriately, whether viewed at the level of a single pizzeria or the nation as a whole. 

According to the Green Restaurant Association, an average restaurant produces about 100,000 pounds of garbage per year. However, the GRA also offers this optimistic figure: restaurants that implement comprehensive recycling and composting programs can divert about 90 percent of their waste out of landfills. 

Many regions and municipalities take an active role to reduce the waste stream by requiring recycling or commercial composting, and by restricting the types of disposables that restaurants may use. Examples include local bans of Styrofoam and plastic straws. 

If you haven’t yet implemented a recycling program in your pizzeria, you can look forward to significantly reducing your waste stream. For operators that are already recycling, it’s important to stay abreast of the latest recycling news. This dynamic field changes often. Cities and haulers change policies, recycling markets change, and product availability varies. For these reasons, reevaluate your program regularly and update it according to the latest developments. 

What Can You Recycle?

The restaurant materials that are easiest to commercially recycle include plastic, glass, steel, aluminum, paper, cardboard and cooking oil. Additionally, many plastics can be recycled, but note that a recycling symbol on any item does not indicate that it can be recycled locally or at all. As Michael Oshman, founder and CEO of GRA, states, “You need to find out from your waste hauler what they’ll take. That’s it. Nothing else matters.” 

You also need to know the sorting regimen required by your hauler. Some places welcome mixed recycling, some expect very specific sorting, and others are in between. 

The Compost Question

While organic matter such as food can be composted, this category can be challenging. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” says Jay Gust, chef and owner of Pizzeria Rustica, a GRA-certified table service restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “It does cost us a little bit more. It’s a bit of an inconvenience and a bit of an eyesore due to the size of our restaurant. Our compost scrape bin is not right in guest sight, but not that far off.”

Not all haulers take compost, and some municipalities such as the Metro regional government in Portland, Oregon require restaurants to participate in compost programs. 

Perform a Waste Audit

Launch your recycling reboot by performing a waste audit. You can’t manage what you haven’t measured, so examine your waste stream and evaluate the types and quantities of materials you must address. 

You can perform this independently or hire a consultant, and definitely check with your municipality and your hauler. Both entities might have helpful resources. There are also lots of resources online. Reviewing previous waste quantities and expenses is part of the process, so gather past invoices. 

The audit will reveal how much recyclable material, food waste and landfill waste you generate on a daily basis. At the end of your audit, you’ll have a list of your waste items sorted into where they’re destined: recycling, compost or landfill.

Reevaluate Purchasing Habits

Now that you know which items can’t be recycled locally and which items make the bulk of your landfill, reevaluate your purchasing decisions with two things in mind: reducing landfill waste and streamlining your recycling. For example, if you’re buying ingredients or supplies in packaging that cannot be recycled locally, can you buy them in different packaging? Can you buy in larger containers, or more concentrated products, to reduce the volume of packaging? Can you choose packaging that has re-use demand, like five-gallon buckets and one-gallon glass jars?

To streamline your recycling, make purchasing choices that simplify the recycling process for your employees and your customers. For example, if you have a case of grab-and-go beverages, simplify the packaging options so your front-of-house recycling is crystal clear. If this category is dominated by glass and cans, you could eliminate plastic bottles. Apply this strategy back-of-house, too. 

Refining your procurement habits can have a big impact on reducing your waste stream. 

Set Up Your System

Back-of-house systems will be similar in all types of restaurants. Front-of-house systems depend on your type of restaurant: fast food, fast casual or table service. 

 Table service restaurants have it easy: they only need to train their employees, not their customers. If your operation is table service, your front-of-house and back-of-house recycling can be very similar, although certain items may dominate each location. For example, front-of-house may generate lots of wine bottles, while back-of-house generates #10 steel cans in large volumes. 

If your customers bus their own tables, your system must be extremely user-friendly to succeed. Some such establishments use signage to direct customers to “put everything in the bus tub, and we’ll sort it out.”

Both systems must rely on clear, abundant and simple signage to explain what goes where. Oshman urges operators to use both pictures and words, in multiple languages if appropriate. 

For best compliance, don’t use abstract images of bottles, cans or paper. Instead, show images of the exact items destined for that bin, to the extent possible. “Then, it’s less about what’s recycled, it’s just a preschool game of what goes where. As long as you understand pictures and match them, you don’t need to know anything about the environment. That’s how to make a simple program even simpler.” Oshman notes that some operators post the actual, real-life objects above corresponding bins to make it even clearer. 

Recognize that, like any system, it won’t be perfect at the beginning. Incorporate employee and customer feedback and tweak it as you go to solve friction points.

Employee Training

Include your recycling system in your manuals and onboarding, and train employees to comply. Establish it as a routine part of your business culture and a non-negotiable expectation, like washing hands. 

“Arm the staff with knowledge and share that knowledge,” advises Gust of Pizzeria Rustica. “There can’t be a hidden secret of how to recycle — it has to be on the tips of employees’ tongues. It’s nothing more than saying ‘I’m glad you enjoyed your pizza and you couldn’t finish it. Please remember that once the box is grease laden we can’t recycle it.’ We actually have some of our guests trained to bring in their old boxes and we’ll just reload them with their next to-go pizza.”

Annelise Kelly  is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Recycling benefits the earth and your bottom line appeared first on Pizza Today.

Safe!

Is your kitchen safe? Hopefully, right? But is your kitchen as safe as it could be? If your protocol assumes that your staff will use common sense rather than train protocols, then your kitchen is vulnerable. You are vulnerable from injury to them, you, your customer and a big fat bill on top of it. All while blaming a staff that’s “dumb.” The only dumb person is the one who assumes too much. Safety is purely a matter of training and awareness.

To gain situational awareness, especially for people that have not worked in a kitchen, all training needs to start with your restaurant values and then jump right into safety. Training should cover questions like:

• Why does over-communicating in a kitchen matter? 

• What practices would make their space safe? 

• And then how to do it? 

Training like this goes beyond text on paper they read once and forget. Safety training is not a check box to just get done. You need to ensure any new person that comes into your establishment to work has not only gone through your training but is highly aware of the principles of that training. Here is what solid kitchen training should do.

Verbiage

The phrases kitchen people announce for safety should be taught on DAY ONE. “Coming behind,” and “coming out hot” to “sharp” or “corner.” All these kitchen-specific terms are not known to every new hire. Neither will your handymen, IT person, bookkeeper, family friend, or anybody who might walk through your kitchen know these phrases and how to react when they are called. All these people must watch video training detailing safety protocols. Every one of them must test on it. This is not overkill; this is protocol.

To create safety training videos, all you need is your cell phone.

“But Mike, I don’t know how to edit videos.” It’s not super complicated; someone you know can do this if you truly can’t stand doing it yourself. And if you don’t know anyone at all who knows how to edit a cell phone video, outsource editing to the Internet. It’s never been cheaper.

Uniform

It can get extremely hot in a kitchen, and you might be inclined to wear shorts. If you have a fryer or boiling water, I would highly advise you not wear any shorts and prefer breathable pants for uniform—also, slip-resistant shoes.

The days of the gaudy hospital-looking slip-resistant shoes are gone. Very affordable versions are available at every Wal-Mart, Target and shoe store. And, of course, available online at any varying price. Mandating your kitchen staff to wear slip-resistant shoes is a decision with no negative side effects.

Knife Skills

A crew that knows how to hold a knife, where to position it, and how to ensure their fingers don’t get cut will ensure safety and save money. I’ve seen a lot of stupid injuries over the years, and most of them were caused by a lack of training. I’ve seen kids break up compressed cheese by stabbing at it like the cheese was Billy Bats in the back of the trunk from the opening of Goodfellas. That level of ill-training led to a hospital visit.

Horse Play 

Is there a feeling that running around in your kitchen or jumping up and down would be accepted? Time for a 180 if it is. I am a big proponent of having fun during a shift, but I am staunchly opposed to anything that inevitably will cause an injury. Kitchens are dangerous places. No one should jump, run or even touch each other in a kitchen.

If this is considered remotely acceptable right now for your crew, pull everyone out of the kitchen, and have a sit-down meeting explaining safety and what’s appropriate at work and what is not.

Closing and Leaving the Restaurant 

If you have a bunch of people leaving the restaurant alone, one by one, into a dark space at night or even a bright one, you’re putting all of them at risk. No one should leave a restaurant alone. Someone should be viewing the other person from a safe spot when someone goes to their car. The final person of the night should leave in a buddy system with someone else. One person
observes from the locked store until the other is in their car, then the other person locks the door and walks to their car, watching from a protected, safe distance. This prevents assaults and theft.

Cameras, Cameras, Cameras 

You need a camera system. This is not a debatable item. You need a good camera system. In the last few years, I’ve noticed that the quality of the camera is essential, but how the data is processed will show you how clear the footage is. Also, a good user interface will determine how easily accessible the footage is. Cameras reduce employee time theft and make your customers safer, ensuring your team is also safe. And that if something goes wrong, you and your company have a backup and resource to verify what went wrong and if someone broke protocol.

A True Adult on Site

You need an adult in the room. I’ve had 18-year-old adults and 45-year-old kids. An adult is someone you trust to perform the Heimlich, call the cops and understand what to do when something goes sideways. An adult should be someone over 18 with some level of restaurant experience and a cool head on their shoulders. The type of level head who can reach for a fire extinguisher and know how to operate it when needed.

Fire Safety

From personal experience, I can tell you, get more fire extinguishers and always ensure they are serviced. Ensure your management team is trained on how to handle them, reiterated yearly, and that a restaurant never has an absent manager.

A Solid Emergency Plan 

A real one for every situation. The customer falls, a significant cut, an employee passes out. I’ve seen all these situations, and the response need not be, “Oh, what do we do?” It needs to be “Follow the protocol.” There should be a laminated book every manager learns about what to do for every conceivable situation. This book should provide the closest hospital or Urgent Care to go to for each scenario. Ideally, one already pre-coordinated with your insurance in case an employee from (Your Brand Here) Pizzeria shows up.

Calling 911

And above all else, you and your managers need to know when it’s time to call the police. And to also be aware that calling 911 costs nothing and not to be afraid to do it. I’d rather deal with an annoyed cop than a customer’s lawyer. Also, offer the police slices and feed their shift change if you want a faster response time. 

A restaurant can be a scary thing. It doesn’t have to be when you know that you’ve prepared for the inevitable catastrophe. Catastrophe is coming. The only thing in the way of it taking you down is your ability to prepare and train now.

MIKE BAUSCH  is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram:
@mikeybausch

The post Effective kitchen safety blends training and awareness appeared first on Pizza Today.

Get your house in order for killer sales days

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The “Pizza Holidays” are soon to be upon us. Those would be Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and of course Super Bowl Sunday. 

We work so hard on a daily basis to make sure that our operation flows smoothly, but we need to be extra diligent in how we prepare for these big days. There are two main principles that we want to keep in mind throughout this entire process, and those are “speed” and “efficiency”.

When we are getting hit with massive amounts of orders at a mind numbing speed, we cannot afford to stop for one second. Days like these are what our reputations are based on. Our customers need to have a level of comfort with us knowing that we will always be reliable even under the most taxing conditions. Our ability to deliver is how we will be measured. If we fail, then rest assured the customer will be open to the idea of looking elsewhere. We can prevent this by being properly prepared. Let’s delve into four key areas to focus on:

Supply 

In years past this just meant order extra of everything. In the post pandemic world that narrative has been completely changed. The first and most important point here is to make sure that you are in good financial standing with your vendors. If there are shortages on a certain product you can be assured that the vendor will allocate those items to their customers that do not have outstanding late accounts payable. 

Next, take a look at your order sheet and identify items that have had supply chain issues over the past three months. You will need to talk with your vendors about these items ahead of time. Non-perishable items such as pizza boxes and to-go containers can be stocked up on a few weeks in advance so that there are no surprises last minute with availability. As far as fresh, perishable items go speak to your sales representative at least two weeks in advance, alerting them to how much more of certain items you will need as opposed to how much you normally order. By having this conversation with your vendors before your competitors do you can get yourself to the front of the line ahead of time rather than being one of those customers scrambling at the last minute.

Staffing 

It should go without saying that your calendar should have big red X’s on these days showing that nobody can request those days off. These are the big five in our business and they are “all hands on deck” days. Labor cost will never be an issue on these days as sales should greatly outweigh any labor benchmark percentages. Execution is key to our continued success so make sure there are enough bodies staffing every department. Do not be afraid to overstaff more than you think you could ever need. If it is as busy as we hope, then you will thank yourself for having enough bodies to let the operation flow efficiently. As business slows down staff can be cut early, but do not leave yourself shorthanded.

Storage

These are those days when the old mantra of “time is money” rings true. The machine that is our kitchen needs to operate at top speed and not be slowed up by anything that could have been anticipated ahead of time. For example, extra allotments of pizza boxes should be folded and ready to go. One cannot afford to stop during the hit to fold boxes. Look to other open areas in the restaurant to store these items. If it means squeezing a few stacks into a wait station or a seldom used table, then so be it. Do not stop during service to grab another case of to-go containers and open it up. Have extra stock already opened up and stored in a spot where it can be quickly grabbed. It may be uncomfortable or annoyingly “in my way”, but this is a small price to temporarily pay to keep the machine moving at full speed. 

Food Prep

There is no gray area here. You MUST over prep. There is no excuse for having to stop during service on our big five days. Every item on the line should have at least double the amount of backups that you would normally prepare. Fresh prepped perishable items are not going to spoil overnight. If you have prepped too much food, then you will simply be ahead for the next morning. We cannot afford to stop our whole process during service because proper precaution was not taken ahead of time. 

It is also important to make sure that items are prepped into the appropriate sized containers. If you keep an item in a 1/6 pan on the line then all of your backups of that item should also be wrapped, labeled and dated in 1/6 pans. There is no time to be transferring something from a 1/3 pan to a 1/6 pan during service. You need to be able to grab and go.

These are days when sales will be increased by 20, 30, 40 percent or more. Proper prior preparation dictates that we must be proportionately ready. Speed and efficiency can be attained if we have taken the necessary precautions ahead of time. Too often we see restaurants making excuses and asking for customers’ understanding because they are so swamped on these nights. It is inevitable for all of us. This is going to happen, but how we respond is what will set us apart from the competition. If the managed chaos of the kitchen continues to flow seamlessly on these nights, then we will have gained that confidence from the customer when they order from us. All it takes is a few minutes of careful consideration beforehand. You will thank yourself when the hit is over. 

Happy “Pizza Holidays”!

Michael Androw owns E & D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

The post Prepping for the 5 Busiest Pizza Days appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fire!

So, we had a fire at our main Tulsa location. Something like that is scary, and it freaks you out and makes you wonder how close you came to losing it all. Of course, we have insurance, but not the level of insurance where you can burn down our main store and it doesn’t become a massive financial hit.

There were many lessons to learn from a less-than-ideal experience like this. The first lesson is good people consistently pay for themselves in droves. If we didn’t have a rock-solid manager and kitchen manager on site, being the adults in the room to have a fire extinguisher ready and the wherewithal to use it properly, the whole place would’ve burned down. So, we’re very thankful for that.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

The next lesson is having a fire extinguisher in multiple stations on site. No matter how small of a shop you own, you should have at least three extinguishers ready and well maintained by a professional service.

The most important lesson I’ve learned from the many perfect storm days I’ve had in this business, days where seemingly everything falls apart simultaneously, is that no matter how crappy the hand you get dealt is, all that matters is how you play it.

We have become very good at handling perfect storm days. This fire occurred right before opening on a Saturday, which meant we weren’t open at all on Saturday … our most profitable day. But instead of being closed indefinitely, we were open 25 hours later.

Such a quick turnaround occurred by working through the night to clean, repair, and install all new HVAC after the fire department ripped out most of ours.

Staff who had the day off came in to help. Employees from other stores asked what they could do rather than waiting to be told. Former employees, customers and even former vendors who moved onto other jobs got in the mix to get us reopen in hours instead of weeks. Tulsa is not a small rural town, but you wouldn’t know it on days like this because people came out of the woodwork to help. 

Next was handling the press. When the average customer hears the word fire associated with your business, they’ll assume you’re closed forever unless you get in front of the story. We had to get to the news immediately to inform them that a small fire had occurred, and we looked to be open by the next day. We weren’t sure we would be open by the next day, but we had to control the narrative that we would re-open asap.

Why did the press play ball? Because of a history of bringing them pizzas on election nights and always a free pizza when they do a story on site. Relationships matter, especially in a crisis. If you invest in others, someone might be around to help you when the chips are down. That’s not why you should invest in others, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

The issue of why we had a fire arose from an anomaly inside our oven. By garnering a solid relationship with the oven company over the years and ensuring that we have a great partnership, we could get a new oven fast-tracked to us super quick. That way we could replace the old one a few weeks later. That’s another one of the wins of nurturing those relationships at Pizza Expo, by the way.

The last lesson of any snafu is to use it. You’re damn right that we marketed our store surviving a fire and being thankful to be re-open. That story ran at the top of the hour on the news, got a nice Facebook push, and had money back in the pockets of our servers, our bar and all of us back to making pizza as it should be.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch 

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Lessons learned from a disaster appeared first on Pizza Today.

Flooring Matters

When it comes to restaurant flooring, Allison Westrick embraces a pragmatic approach.

The co-founder and design principal at Sketch Blue, a Columbus, Ohio-based design firm specializing in hospitality spaces, Westrick understands the importance of flooring to a restaurant’s design aesthetic. It is, after all, a foundational design choice capable of impacting the vibe of a restaurant and the customer experience. 

While concrete flooring can make a dining room energetic and lively, carpeting can diminish sound and make the space feel more intimate, even suggesting a higher price point.

That said, Westrick often advises clients to make a strong flooring choice aligned with their brand, their budget and practical considerations like maintenance before moving onto other, more impactful elements of the restaurant’s design, such as lighting, furniture and artwork.

“The truth is we don’t pay as much attention to what’s under our feet as we do to what’s before our eyes,” Westrick says. 

Still, the wrong flooring choice can hamper the guest experience, add operational complexity, limit long-term flexibility or compel a costly course correction.

Selecting flooring that works

As aesthetics and operational impact go hand in hand when selecting front-of-the-house flooring, Rebel Design+Group founder and CEO Douglas DeBoer suggests restaurant leaders select flooring in line with their establishment’s design aesthetic, style of service, foot traffic and physical location. Restaurants should also weigh any flooring option’s maintenance needs, its long-term wear, acoustical properties, stain and scratch resistance, waterproofing and warranty. 

For many pizzerias, concrete remains the most popular flooring choice, a reality fueled by durability, versatility and maintenance. Concrete comes in an almost limitless selection of colors and designs. It can be polished, stained or painted and made to look modern, raw or refined. It’s easy to clean and maintain.

“Aesthetically, you can do a lot with concrete and it can be fit to just about any restaurant design,” says Westrick, whose firm has shepherded many new restaurant builds and remodels for the Ohio-based Donatos Pizza chain. 

Concrete flooring can also deliver significant cost savings. In many commercial spaces, a concrete floor is either already present or sits below existing flooring, like tile or carpeting. In most cases, concrete can be repaired and finished for much less than the cost of purchasing and installing new flooring.

“It’s a smart way to spend your money,” says Westrick, who uses the existing concrete floor in about 50 percent of her firm’s restaurant projects. 

Yet more, it is quite simple to add communications to a concrete floor, such as graphics dictating traffic flow or guest spacing, an increasingly important consideration in the post-pandemic age. 

Beyond concrete

While concrete might be the most popular restaurant flooring choice, it is far from the only viable option.

Spurred by significant improvements in manufacturing and quality over recent years, DeBoer says Luxury Vinyl Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring continue generating attention as a compelling front-of-the-house flooring option. 

“The material is comfortable under-foot, comes in a variety of colors, styles, textures and patterns and is easily replaced if damaged,” DeBoer says. “It is also easy to install, repair, is water-resistant and offers better interior acoustics.” 

For those favoring warm jewel tones, texture, sound-dampening qualities and an eco-friendly option, recycled cork often earns the nod. When properly sealed, cork is durable and simple to clean, DeBoer says. In addition, cork comes in multiple tile sizes, planks, rolls and sheets and is anti-slip. It’s a particularly relevant option in colder climates, in particular, as it insulates well. 

Among quick-service restaurant environments, rubber flooring remains a solid choice given its durability, resistance to stains and water and ever-rising selection, which has expanded to include a variety of tiles, planks, panels and rolls as well as numerous styles, colors and patterns. Rubber flooring is also slip-resistant and absorbs sound well. 

While carpeting might seem so 1970s, it nevertheless remains a fixture in many pizzerias across the U.S, though waterproof modular carpet tiles with UV-stable protection to resist fading due to sunlight are the popular choice today. DeBoer says carpet tiles come in unlimited pile heights, colors and textures and can be installed in multiple ways as well, such as floating, glue-down and interlocking loop. In addition, the carpet tiles are easy to cut, install and replace.

For those who are interested in a more trendy, forward-looking design, Westrick notes the emergence of terrazzo, which can withstand heavy traffic and spills. Most notably, terrazzo provides a one-of-a-kind, custom look.

“Covid-19 kept us quiet and safe, but some people are wanting more energy and texture these days, which is something terrazzo provides,” Westrick says. 

Buyer beware

As is customary in the design field, some styles fall out of favor or give way to more practical options fueled by product innovations or cost.

DeBoer says interior roll carpeting, including indoor-outdoor grade carpeting, and vinyl flooring have fallen out of favor, especially given the versatility of other options. Laminate flooring as well as micro-tile or mosaics have also waned in popularity. 

Westrick, meanwhile, cautions restaurants against mixing and matching flooring surfaces in the front of the house. While a restaurant might choose to give different flooring to its host stand or outline the seating area in a second flooring option when remodeling, such a decision could limit the restaurant’s flexibility long term. 

“If you outline a seating area and then find that seating arrangement doesn’t work, you’re stuck with the outline and wondering how to work around it,” Westrick says. 

Flooring considerations for the DIY operator

When restaurant leaders specify, purchase and sometimes even install flooring themselves, they often overlook some key elements that can spark problems and lead to undesired costs, such as:

• the size and shape of the flooring area and materials
• the patterns and intricate cuts that could result in substantial material waste
• the condition, repair and preparation of sub-floor materials
• the availability of the chosen flooring should future repairs be necessary 

“Material choices, installation methods and long-term maintenance should be driven by the overall project design aesthetic, timeline and budget limitations,” says Douglas DeBoer of Rebel Design+Group.

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post What’s in and out in restaurant flooring – and why selecting the right flooring is so important appeared first on Pizza Today.

Going beyond customer service

If you’ve sat in on any of my seminars you may have heard me ask the question, “What is the difference between hospitality and customer service?” It is such an interesting question because there are such diverse answers. 

I’ve queried both industry professionals who have 30 plus years under their belts and the 16-year-old who has never had a job, and I’ve heard it all! “Hospitality and customer service are the same!” Or, one of my favorites is this: “Customer service is not screwing up the order and hospitality is smiling at your guests.” Which, I guess in layman’s terms, sums it up. 

I can best describe the two like this — customer service is executing the mechanics of the job. I refilled your drink, I took your order and I didn’t screw it up! But hospitality, well, that is how I made you feel while I performed those tasks. I firmly believe that we must provide both exceptionally well to be truly successful. 

Have you ever been to a restaurant, and everything was on point, your order was taken in a timely manner, your meal came out hot and fresh, but something was missing? You left thinking, “That was fine, I got my belly full, but nothing to write home about.” Is that how you want your guests to feel about their experience at your restaurant? Just fine? 

Just fine is the kiss of death! You might as well have told me that everything was awful! Nothing sends panic through my soul more than a guest who tells me everything was fine! So, if the food was great and your drink was always full, what was missing? Your server did everything right, except make you feel like family, like you mattered to him and that he was truly happy to serve you. This is hospitality!

 The question of hospitality versus customer service is so important to us as an organization that it is one of the first questions we ask each applicant before they can proceed to the in-person interview. 

The fact is, you can teach someone the mechanics of almost any position in your restaurant — but you can’t teach them to genuinely care about others. That is something their mama should have taught them a long time before they walked into your restaurant. Some of my best guest-facing employees have had zero experience, but a warm smile and genuine care for others can make up for inexperience. 

While showing hospitality to our guests is paramount, it goes farther than that. My philosophy is simple: hospitality starts from the bottom up. And at the bottom of our org. chart is not the dishwasher or the part-time host. So, who is at the bottom of our org. chart? Us!

We are the foundation of our organization, and hospitality must start with us. How we treat our team is every bit as important as how we treat our guests. If our team doesn’t feel welcomed, valued and appreciated, how can they pass that along to our guests? Have you ever walked into a restaurant where all of the employees looked like they’d rather be anywhere but there? They have nothing nice to say about each other, let alone their leadership team and they treat their guests the same way. How we make people feel is the key to all aspects of business. Happy, fulfilled team members want to spread the love and at its core that is hospitality.

We can show our team hospitality in many ways. It doesn’t take much to stop and talk with a team member about how their family is doing or remember that their dog is sick. What if you offered to replace the car battery for a team member whose husband is out of town. How much did that really cost you in the end? You cannot put a price on how you made that person feel. 

Delivery drivers and service providers are also a key component of your restaurant’s success. You can establish a good relationship with your ice machine technician by showing him a little hospitality. Offer him a drink, buy him lunch and make sure that you say the magic words, “Thank you”. A little gratitude goes a long way.  Model this behavior for your team so that they extend the same hospitality whether you are there or not. What if everyone thanked him? He might make you a priority next time you need help. How great would he feel about making the trip on a Saturday and not charging you the on-call rate?

Hospitality for your community can show up in many ways. Bring a stack of pies to the public works guys after a big snowstorm and thank them for clearing your curb or keep a case of water in your car and hand them a bottle of water while they are working outside on a hot day.  

Hospitality doesn’t have to take place inside of your four walls. You are the face of your business, and if you think people don’t recognize you, think again. With social media and the Internet, more people know you than you might think. This gives you so many opportunities to show hospitality to others. Go next door and welcome the new coffee shop owner to town, open up a tab for your team and treat them to coffee that day. Support other local businesses by purchasing Christmas, anniversary and birthday gifts for your team. Not only have you shown appreciation to your team, but you have also supported another business and probably gained a loyal customer. 

The long and short of it is that without hospitality you’ve only filled people’s tummies, but you haven’t filled their hearts. At Wholly Stromboli our mission is simple. It is “to enrich the lives of everyone we meet through exceptional hospitality, food and drink.” And everything we do is in support of our mission. So go fourth and share the love! 

Don’t miss Melissa Rickman’s “The Pyramid of Hospitality” session Monday at 9 a.m. EST at Pizza and Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City. More at PizzaandPastaExpo.com.

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post Pyramid of Hospitality appeared first on Pizza Today.

Plan for a busy winter party season 

The winter holidays are just around the corner. Even though the weather is still warm and no one has finished their gift shopping yet, people are eagerly booking parties for fourth quarter. Pizzeria owners say there has been an uptick in bookings for catering orders and private dining room rentals, so they are making sure their calendars are full and their staffs are ready. 

It’s never too early to start promoting a pizzeria’s catering capabilities or facility rental. “Late summer and early fall is where the bulk of the holiday party planning and promoting begins,” says Niki Miller, director of events for Uptown Hospitality Group in Charleston, South Carolina. “Everyone wants to eat, drink and be merry.” 

Among Uptown Hospitality Group’s restaurants is Uptown Social, which serves pizzas crafted by Anthony Falco, International Pizza Consultant. The restaurant hosted over 200 events during the first half of 2022, and Miller expects the winter holiday season to be very busy, with every Thursday to Saturday booked, plus an occasional weekday event. 

For the holidays, the group outfits the venues with lights and garland. That lends some holiday spirit, and makes the place photo-worthy. “In our social media posts, we tend to post past seasons events and the amazing memories that were made as well as showcasing our festive décor,” Miller says. “These posts always get clients excited and thinking about planning their next event.” Miller also reaches out to the previous year’s clients early, giving them first choice of booking again. 

For some, the challenge is getting people to think about throwing the party downtown, which in many cities is still sparsely populated during this phase of the pandemic. The restaurant Zero Zero is located near Moscone Center, San Francisco’s convention and events center. So while the Neapolitan pizza and cocktails restaurant attracts business travelers, that industry has not completely recovered from the pandemic interruption. 

To remedy this, Zero Zero is working to attract non-convention events of all sizes. “We are a fun, casual, affordable event space that has great California Italian food and friendly service,” says chef owner Bruce Hill. “We feel really confident in what we offer.” 

Zero Zero invested in technology that allows guests to take a virtual 360-degree tour on the restaurant’s website. People can view the two full bars, the various table configurations and the different sized spaces within the restaurant. “We did a revamp of our event materials just to make everything clear and concise,” Hill says. “We have three different packages for large parties, and we do custom one-offs as well. We just always try to be amenable to people’s requests.” 

In addition to social media and other tech-related ways to engage with customers, local efforts are effective too. Andy Saray, chef and owner of Parm Pizzeria in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, says he reaches out to other small businesses, from the deli that provides proprietary ingredients to local offices of insurance companies, for winter party reservations. “I’ve always been a fan of being aggressive with marketing and going out to small businesses,” he says. “We’ve been promoting each other since COVID, supporting each other, because a high tide raises all boats.” 

Parm has a mobile pizza oven for private events, and as the weather cools, events will take place at the new permanent location of Parm Pizzeria, which opened in July, and at other venues. Saray says he is willing to take on these small events, as these event planners are enthusiastic about throwing a party this year. “People are willing to pay more than they ever have been, which is awesome,” he says. “They don’t mind paying but you have to make sure you capitalize on one, the experience and two, the service.”  

People also don’t mind booking early. Dave Lombardo, director of operations for Bardo’s Bar Pizza, Lombardo’s Hospitality Group in Boston, says the group already has substantial bookings for the fourth quarter, and expects more to come. “We are anticipating this season to be similar to last spring in which catering bookings came with high velocity at the last minute,” he says.  

The service methods are changing, as customers are gravitating to grab and go items. “For us, that doesn’t mean grocery store prepared food packaging, but elevated food presentations that are individually portioned and presented,” Lombardo says. “For example, instead of a big charcuterie board where guests are building their own plates and sharing tongs, we are doing mini mason jars portioned and packaged individually with the safety of guests front of mind.”

Staffing is always a challenge, including during the upcoming party season. As a result, Lombardo says, the group is being more selective with bookings. That helps protect the team, and it also helps Bardo’s Bar Pizza and the entire Lombardo’s Hospitality Group to maintain quality in product, service and execution. “To maintain that level of hospitality we need to be thoughtful in our booking process,” he says. “The events we do will be spectacular, but instead of doing four to five a day we will only do two to three a day.”

Catering helps offset labor costs, says Sammy Mandell, owner of Greenville Avenue Pizza Company (GAPCo), with three locations in Dallas. “The staff gets in early to do prep work, but when you are doing prep you are not generating revenue and you start the day negative,” he says. Instead, they can prepare the large catering orders. “You have the opportunity to generate revenue prior to the store being open to help with some of those costs.” 

A few years ago GAPCo hired a catering manager who spends time with customers that place these large orders. That way, there is a staff member offering cheesecakes and cookies and other extras, instead of overburdening a cashier who is working on regular orders. “We’re really trying to do everything we can to elevate the guest experience,” says Mandell, who in March also became a World Pizza Champion. The restaurant also purchased a vehicle that holds 90 pizzas at 190 F, and is a good marketing tool. “Our catering manager cruises around in that. It’s just another avenue that shows how far you want to take your catering.” 

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics. 

The post Booking Catering and Facility Rental appeared first on Pizza Today.

Forgetting Full Service

For some pizzerias, the front of the house looks and functions a bit differently these days. 

Pushed by the pandemic and labor market forces, operators across the U.S. have reevaluated their in-store service models. For many, this reflection spurred a shift, including doing away with the traditional full-service model in favor of hybrid models incorporating elements found at quick-service eateries.

Three veteran operators talk about the unique service models they employ. 

St. Angelo’s Pizza, Atlanta

For a dozen years, Sean Rowe ran his flagship St. Angelo’s Pizza location in Atlanta as a traditional full-service operation. Anticipating potential upheaval from a bubbling public health crisis overseas, Rowe assembled his team in February 2020 and detailed plans for a new fast casual-like service model. No more servers. Across-the-board raises. Required tip sharing.

When indoor dining resumed after a nearly two-month pandemic-induced shutdown, St. Angelo’s unveiled its new service model. 

After guests order at the counter, they receive an Italian-themed placard for their chosen table – some feature Italian celebrities like Joe Pesci or Robert DeNiro while others host relevant imagery like the map of Italy – and await food delivery. Staff then travel around the dining room with handheld tablets to follow up with guests and fulfill any additional requests. 

“We didn’t want to lose that element of guest engagement,” says Rowe, who eased into the new
service model by first incorporating the handheld devices before renovating the 2,500-square foot restaurant to alter traffic flow.

Even though Rowe’s labor costs have climbed about five percent, he holds no regrets about switching service models. Besides vanquishing his constant hunt for capable servers, Rowe says the move has transformed employee morale at St. Angelo’s, bolstered staff retention rates and enhanced teamwork since everyone is incentivized to hustle – all of which has elevated the guest experience.

“A better culture and an improved guest experience only helps us,” says Rowe, who maintained full-service operations at the 6,500-square foot St. Angelo’s in Cartersville, Georgia, given that restaurant’s large-group business. 

A tip for his fellow operators: “Carefully consider the impact of any change on your employees and your guests. If you’re the only one benefiting from the change, then you’re going to have a problem.”

Park Street Pizza, Sugarcreek, Ohio

After operating as a carryout and delivery spot for five years, Rocky Shanower built a new home for Park Street Pizza in 2008 featuring an eight-table dining room. Quickly, though, Shanower realized he erred.

“Full service just wasn’t my jam,” he says. 

So, Shanower adopted the familiar quick-service model. Guests ordered and paid at the front counter, where they also received their drink cup and a buzzer alerting them their meal was ready for pickup.

“But that caused a cluster at our pickup counter,” Shanower says. 

So, he shifted gears again. 

Today, Park Street customers order, pay and receive their beverage cup at the counter before selecting a seat in the eatery’s 100-seat dining room or on its 50-seat patio. Using a table tracking device, staff then deliver food to the table. Staff also roam the dining room delivering carryout boxes and bussing tables. 

Shanower says this service model puts guests in control of their experience, eliminating two frequent customer pain points when dining out – waiting on a check or a refill – while also driving faster table turns.

“We do everything we can to make this experience as seamless as possible for our guests,” Shanower says. 

Park Street staff are cross-trained, which empowers them to problem solve and contribute to steady,
efficient operations. A touchscreen expediting monitor near the kitchen allows staff to quickly fulfill orders while a subtle reserve sign system accelerates guest seating. An orange sign indicates a table needs to be cleaned; black signals a table is ready for guests. 

“All team members are engaged in customer service, so there’s no one person making or breaking the experience,” Shanower says.

A tip for his fellow operators: “Make sure you’re building in a focus on the guest experience. If you strip things down too much and rely too heavily on technology, how are you driving an emotional connection and winning the heart of the guest?”

Regents Pizzeria, La Jolla, California

One of the nation’s highest-revenue, single-unit pizzerias, Regents Pizzeria is a Southern California staple for tasty pies and craft beer, the latter being what drives the 150-seat restaurant’s unique service model.

Upon entering Regents, guests are directed to the rear of the eatery. If guests only want food, they veer left to order at one of three registers. If guests want food and beer, however, they head right to the Regents’ bar, which also hosts three registers.

“We force a choice,” Regents owner Bill Vivian says.

San Diego’s savvy and sophisticated beer crowd wants a beer authority sharing knowledge and smart recommendations, Vivian says. As all of Regents’ bartenders are Cicerone-certified beer servers, they can hold their own discussing the pizzeria’s rotating 32-tap selection. 

“You can’t BS a beer nerd,” Vivian says, who calls this model best for Regents’ beer-loving customers as well as its bartenders who receive tips on food and drink. (The three food-only registers tip pool.)

After guests place their order, they take a number to their table and await tableside delivery. If guests wish to grab another beer, they return to the bar. Though Regents experimented with roving bartenders, that practice failed to click. 

“We found our guests preferred walking back up to the bar for another interaction with the
bartender,” Vivian says.

A 40-year veteran of the restaurant business, Vivian says the Regents’ model mixes the speed,
efficiency and cost savings engrained in quick-service operations with the product knowledge and high-touch service present in successful full-service restaurants.

“It’s a model that gives us the best of both worlds and enables us to focus our resources on the quality of the food and personnel,” he says. 

A tip for his fellow operators: “All guests are looking for a fun experience and to connect with other people, so think about ways you can foster both to deliver on expectations.” 

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post How – and why – three pizzerias favor a hybrid service model appeared first on Pizza Today.

Once your doors are open and a combination of savvy marketing, word of mouth and plain-old good food has people flooding your doors, you’re about to face a new (and welcome) problem: How do you handle the pressure and challenges of being the new spot in town?

These are some key items to keep in mind during your first weeks and months:

Hiring and staffing

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Being understaffed might be the number one killer of a business — a lack of employees has a ripple effect that damages operations everywhere. Regardless of where you stand, never think you have enough staff and always keep hiring at the new location. Your best employees will rise to the top while others will probably find new jobs, so you’ll want a fresh roster of recruits. Refer to my previous articles on incentivizing your staff and promoting retention and
conducting interviews.

Bottlenecks

What’s slowing down your operation? Where are the bottlenecks? Whether the problem is related to systems, equipment or people, the quicker you take care of an operational issue, the better chance you have of retaining your early sales levels.

Managing volume

Your staffing and operational efficiency will play a large part in determining how many orders you can handle in a workday, but if things become overwhelming, limiting your operations, services or menu items is not an ideal way to manage volume. It sets expectations too low, so endeavor to be open every minute you can and sell a full menu. It sets a precedent with your new staff and sets customer expectations. 

In the aftermath of the last two years, being open late or open every day, along with offering a larger menu and full slate of services sets you apart. Most operators have taken the easier road. For a while it was a way to manage through the pandemic. But now, many have found they liked having Tuesdays off, so they never reopened that day. Don’t fall into that trap after you’ve just opened. There is a lot of your money on the line, so put in the hard work and it will pay off.

Self-care

It is rarely mentioned in our line of work, but caring for your own mental health and wellbeing is crucial, especially when opening a new restaurant. When you’re working long days without much of a break, follow these tips:

• Eat and hydrate regularly, and don’t skip meals.
• When you go home, go to sleep. Don’t stay up watching movies and surfing the web — get the rest when you can.
• Don’t be afraid to sneak away and take a 15 to 30-minute breather when you can. Maybe even grab a bite outside of the restaurant. 
• Enjoy the journey. Opening a new store is something to be proud of, so look back on with a sense of triumph. You deserve it.

This is all possible if you’re properly staffed-up, so we’ll be digging into that next month.

NICK BOGACZ is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh. Instagram: @caliente_pizza

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Lightning Fast

Whether your pizzeria has four wheels, is a takeout joint, fast-casual concept, or a full-service establishment, you must provide timely service. Although timely has a different meaning in each of these concepts, speed of service begins in the kitchen.

Efficiency in your kitchen starts well before your cooks step onto the line. With good planning, preparation and communication you can help your team be more organized, less frantic and lightning fast! 

Prep to the containers you use on the line 

For example, stock pepperoni into the pans you use on the line instead of a large container in the walk in that the cooks need to restock from. 

Prep as much as you can ahead of time 

Prep cooks are expensive, you say? Well, so is wasting time. If your line cooks have to stop in the middle of a dinner rush to slice tomatoes, that is time that they are not in production. 

Keep backups of commonly used ingredients handy

When possible, store backups of your most commonly used ingredients under the makeline. Any ingredients shared between two stations should be stocked in both stations to eliminate running back and forth. You can also create an area in your walk-in that is close to the door to store any ingredients that either won’t fit underneath the bench or don’t need to be restocked as often. Clearly mark the area as back stock only to ensure other items don’t add confusion and clutter the area. Additionally, “use first” stickers are a great way to help your team find what they need quickly. 

Steps count and not just on your Fitbit! 

Steps take seconds which may not seem like much, but if your team has to take 10 steps to the dough cooler, three steps to the dough table and another eight to the makeline, this adds up fast. Think of your kitchen as an assembly line, keep common stations together as much as possible and direct the flow of the product toward the expeditor.

Have a plan!

Have you ever seen a football team take the field and no one knows what position they are playing? Of course not. Aces in their places! Before each shift, assign positions. You can write it out or make a line map. In either case, on any given shift, each team member knows their area of responsibility. Tiffany is on skins, Joey is on build, Bob is on ovens and that is where they stay. Then you can assign a floater who can move from station to station during busy times.

Let me hear your chatter!

While some POS systems can fire items based on preparation times, it is rare and only somewhat successful. So, communication about timing is key. If we fire the pasta too soon, it will die in the window before the pie on the same ticket is done. 

More information please!

Utilize your menu item sales or similar depletion reports to set up your makelines. First, identify what your top three sellers are. Then make a list of the ingredients in your top three. These are your most reached for ingredients. Put those ingredients up front. Any outliers can go in the back and of course, items that commonly go together stay together.  

Stick to the Menu

Although modifications are common in our industry, your team should know which ones are acceptable. 

You’ll bring your line to a screeching halt if your sauté cook has to run to the walk-in to grab eggs because someone decides they want scrambled eggs in their ‘Boli on a busy Friday night. Every guest after that will have to wait that much longer for their meal. Menus and recipes are the backbone of what we do, they are the road map for a successful operation. Ad libbing not only causes chaos on the line but can wreak havoc on your food cost and inventory, especially if your team is using the dreaded “open food” button. 

MISE EN PLACE!!! 

For the Love of everything Wholly, put it back where you found it! Confusion and chaos are the enemy of speed and efficiency. If your cooks are wasting time looking for the “peel”, they will become flustered and make mistakes. You can apply this same philosophy to your walk in and other storage areas. A place for everything and everything in its place makes it easy to find what you need and move on.

Front of the House.

Think of your hosts as the gate keepers. They control the pace of the entire restaurant. They have the power to overwhelm your team or keep things running at a nice smooth pace. So often hosts just want to avoid the ugly of telling guests that they will have to wait when we have open tables, instead they slam butts in seats as fast as thy can. Now we have a full restaurant, and all of those orders will hit the kitchen at the same time. Your cooks are white knuckled — waiting for all of those orders to flood in. 

Wait times can be a matter of perception but we can control this to some degree. The clock starts ticking for your guests the minute they are seated. Remember that waiting in the “waiting area” is far more acceptable than waiting in the “eating area”

Wait times should not only be based on whether you have open tables, rather it’s more of a matter of timing. Don’t be afraid to pause between seating to give your servers a chance to give each guest the service and hospitality they deserve and keep the flow of tickets to the kitchen at a steady pace.

Reevaluate Regularly

Menus, guest behavior and technology are constantly changing. What worked for me five years ago is obsolete today. Times change and so must we. Take time to review your operation. Get in the kitchen and hop on the line with your team. Look at the workflow through a fresh lens and find those little improvements that collectively will increase your overall kitchen efficiency and speed.

Melissa Rickman  is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post Practical Approaches to Speed up your Makeline appeared first on Pizza Today.

Inflation Nation

Over the last two years, the Ohio-based Donatos Pizza chain has captured record sales, opened new restaurants, expanded its presence in Red Robin restaurants and welcomed a host of new franchise partners.

But it isn’t all rosy for Donatos and its president, Kevin King. Like pizzerias across the U.S., the 59-year-old, family-owned enterprise is battling runaway inflation as commodity prices soar alongside labor and rent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), wholesale food costs in March were up 17 percent year over year. Meanwhile, the average hourly earnings for restaurant and bar employees have jumped about 15 percent over the last year. Tack on accelerating prices for paper goods, pizza boxes and gasoline and the nation’s pizzerias face a stifling, profit-draining reality.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” says King, whose lengthy career in the restaurant game includes stops at Domino’s and Papa Murphy’s.

Though inflation eased a pinch in April, it still remained near a 40-year high, the BLS reported in May, and economists predict high inflation will remain well into next year despite government officials’ attempts to tame steep prices. Macroeconomic factors such as the ongoing labor shortage, persistent supply chain dilemmas and rising geopolitical tensions spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – two nations that together export about one-quarter of the world’s wheat supply – are having a mighty impact on everyone from pizza industry heavyweights like Domino’s to mid-sized chains like the 173-restaurant Donatos to the ma-and-pa eateries
dotting the American landscape. 

These inflation realities continue compelling – if not forcing – restaurant leaders to make calculated, prudent decisions to withstand the pressure, including: 

Re-evaluating purchasing habits

When faced with rising food costs, Gill Stansfield, a faculty member at Johnson & Wales University’s College of Food Innovation & Technology who also oversees the College’s purchasing and procurement, says operators must be in regular, respectful dialogue with their vendors. 

“Ask vendors about closeouts or bonus buys,” he says. 

If vendors have products they need to move, a creative culinary pro can likely craft enticing specials around those items, such as a limited-time rainbow pizza using rainbow tomatoes.

In addition, Stansfield urges operators to consider local product. While marketing dishes filled with local items is itself valuable, there is also sound financial rationale for purchasing local goods, namely the ability to escape onerous transportation charges.

Stansfield also recommends independent restaurants consider joining a group purchasing organization. In such a collective, operators can capture buying power akin to a larger chain as well as access to rebates and marketing perks. 

“Given what we’re seeing with inflation, it’s entirely worthwhile to investigate if a group purchasing organization is right for your business,” Stansfield says.

Reducing and revamping the menu

Doug Roth, a veteran restaurant consultant who heads Chicago-based Playground Hospitality, is currently working with various restaurants slicing their menus 25 to 30 percent to boost profitability and inform smarter purchasing.

To begin, Roth suggests pizzerias properly cost out each menu item. Thereafter, define which items are top sellers, have low food costs or possess high gross margin. Those are the keepers, he says. The rest, including items that rarely sell, carry inflated costs or require ingredients with volatile prices, are best eliminated.

Armed with popular dishes and low-cost, high-margin items, Roth says operators can then re-engineer their physical menu to encourage guests to order the most profitable items. The first or last items on the menu, for instance, regularly draw attention as do those placed in boxes or paired with photos.

“Create interest behind specific items and direct the eyes to items that will help you be more profitable,” he says.

Adjusting employee compensation and strengthening culture

King calls hourly labor the “first and most acute” inflationary pressure felt at Donatos. In the opening months of 2022, labor costs climbed nearly three points as a percentage of sales as the chain heightened its starting wage for hourly workers and drivers while also increasing the rate for those opening and closing stores. 

“There’s enormous pressure in the industry on raising wages at a time when we are already short staffed,” says King, whose company also introduced tip pooling at its restaurants. 

In response, Donatos has focused on enhancing its onboarding and training to create lively workplaces where employees feel valued and supported, which reduces turnover costs and boosts productivity.

“Our best managers have the least trouble staffing their stores,” says King, adding that Donatos also instituted an employee tracking system to respond faster to applicant interest.

Raising menu prices and reducing portion sizes

Though raising menu prices is not a popular option, such a move has been hard to ignore amid escalating costs. Pizzerias, after all, can only absorb inflation’s punishing hits so long. 

Eateries across the country have increased menu prices to offset surging inflation. In fact, restaurant menu prices jumped 6.4 percent from January 2021 to January 2022, the highest one-year leap the BLS had recorded in four decades. 

“As inflation looks permanent and not temporary, you have to adjust prices accordingly to compensate,” says King, whose chain raised its delivery fee from $3.85 to $4.49 in March to combat rising food and gas costs. “These are gut-wrenching decisions, but you have to layer in increases where there is opportunity.” 

One alternative to raising prices on menu items is reducing portion size, a practice commonplace with consumer packaged goods. A sleeker portion size allows a restaurant to hold the line on price and quality while countering inflation through reduced ingredient use or higher yields.

“Now, you have to be careful here because people are still looking for a value orientation, but reducing the size of items while maintaining price and quality can be a viable option,” Roth says.

To date, King has resisted altering portion sizes at Donatos. Instead, he’s pulled other calculated, inflation-battling levers, such as testing an automatic saucer at stores to improve productivity, drive consistency and reduce waste.

“We’re not changing portion sizes because we don’t want to sacrifice what people have come to expect from us,” King says. 

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Four Ways U.S. Pizzerias are Combatting Rising Inflation appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Good Offense

Kitchen turnover can be devastating to your food quality, but in many cases it’s inevitable. People move on — and in this labor market, they are doing it in record numbers. But your prized, carefully crafted menu items do not have to suffer when you get an influx of new team members in the back of the house.

The best defense to combat food quality issues with new staffers is a good offense. 

Spell It Out

I’ve been in a lot of pizzerias over the years, and I love when an operator hands me their recipe binder or recipe cards. They are meticulous. Everyone approaches them differently. Some use directions in pictures or graphics. Others write it out emphasizing the most important factors in making the dish. 

I’ve also seen laminated chart posters above the various makeline stations with the most popular menu items outlined. Quick references like these can provide a visual reminder when that new staffer gets hit with a rush on their first few days on the line. 

Recipe binders are still the tried-and-true, go-to tool keeping the food quality consistent. “Every single item has a detailed recipe,” says Mike Androw, owner of E&D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut. “It’s an ‘old school’ method. I know. I don’t use it because I’m stubborn. I use it because it works. Laminated pages in a reinforced binder are within reach at any time. Consistency is huge with me. This tool ensures that every item is prepared to the exact same recipe every time. Nobody ever has to guess as to what a recipe was. If you’ve forgotten, no problem, the binder is right there with the answer.”

Think through how the recipe binder is organized and updated. Pete Tolman, chef/owner at Iron Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania keeps a keen eye on his recipe binders. “We place our most used recipes at the front of our binders and our out of season recipes to the back,” he says. “We try to not let cooks remove the recipes from the binder and place them in the exact same place every day so the whole kitchen has access and knows where to find them. If you have cooks that aren’t organized or lose items often, buy the most neon-colored binders you can find and a different color for each station.”

When’s the last time you reviewed your recipe binder? Get it out now and take a hard look at it with objectivity. And answer this question: “If I have never made this menu item, could I successfully make it using this recipe and make consistently the same every time? You can even gain perspective from someone who doesn’t know your kitchen ops. See what questions they have if presented with the recipe as their only guide.

Set Them Up for Success

A new employee’s failures on the line are your failures. The sink or swim method does not work in a fast-paced pizzeria kitchen. Training is paramount. If you skimp on training because of time constraints or being short-staffed, your end-product will pay the price and you’ve placed retention at risk with that new cook. Set them up for success with proper training. 

Androw takes a stern stance on training the back of the house. “Training is imperative when it comes to maintaining food quality,” he says. “We utilize a hierarchy system of training for new employees. Regardless of what station someone is training in, they will work for two weeks with only the senior most employee on said station. This ensures that the person who knows that station better than anyone is training the new employee to prepare those items to our exact specifications.” 

Lean on Your Team

In addition to training, lean on your seasoned team to help guide the new staffer. Empower and encourage your crew to coach new teammates, taking the time to answer questions, provide demonstrations or shadow a preparation technique. Not everyone has a “team sports” mentality. Don’t expect that to be an automatic instinct. Incentivize your team to take on the role of team captain. 

“I depend on management and senior cooks to help train and teach new team members on how to set up, execute and flow through the kitchen,” Tolman says. “We try to cross-train everyone that is able on all stations so that in a tight situation, anyone of us can swap or help the other through the weeds. If every cook knew every station and could hold their own each night, it makes you so much more flexible as a company.”  

Make Their Job Easier

Look at your makeline stations from eyes of the new cook. Do you make the processes easier or do you stack the deck with constant hurdles that a new team member has to think through while performing their various tasks? 

One of the biggest hurdles is not having enough product on the makeline or not having it accessible during the rush. This is added stress for a new cook that is avoidable with proper preparation. Having the right amount of prepped ingredients in the right place is key. “We have pull/set-up diagrams inside our coolers laminated so that they can be cleaned and don’t move,” Tolman says. “The line cook knows exactly how many of each item they need every night. Example:  three quarts banana peppers, one quart marinated olives, three cases cheese, half case pepperoni. That gives us the ability to follow up on our cooks to ensure the kitchen is set for every shift.”

Make the time to re-evaluate your systems and processes to ensure that new kitchen crew members can make your products the same every time. It’s easy to get complacent with ops procedures until it bites you. Don’t let the labor crunch kill the quality of your end product.  

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Plan for Staff Turnover to Keep Your Food Quality Consistent appeared first on Pizza Today.

The robots aren’t coming. They’re already here.

A look into the dining room at East Coast Pizza in Pueblo, Colorado, might seem like a scene pulled directly from The Jetsons, the futuristic 1980s’ era cartoon imagining a world of flying cars and space colonization.

At the New York-style pizzeria, a robot named Bella seats customers, delivers food to the table, and clears dirty dishes. Someday, East Coast Pizza founder Dominic Mannino hopes Bella will interact with guests, sharing jokes and discussing the weather.

East Coast Pizza’s science fiction-like turn isn’t quite the outlier it might immediately seem. In fact, automation is already commonplace in mainstream restaurant operations, albeit in more subtle ways compared to a front-of-the-house force like Bella.

Consider digital ordering, which sees customer-entered orders roll directly into the kitchen, or QR code menus, a pandemic-era hero eliminating the need for staff members to deliver a menu or take an order. Both solutions leverage readily available technology to automate daily tasks. It’s automation “lite,” though heartier solutions sit on the horizon.

Behind the automation uprising

While an innovative spirit is driving restaurant automation, the greatest tech doesn’t mean much if the marketplace isn’t interested. Count restaurant leaders interested. According to Lightspeed’s Global State of the Hospitality Industry report, half of U.S. restaurant operators plan to deploy automation technology within the next two to three years.

Amid the nation’s persistent labor shortage – a National Restaurant Association survey last November found four in five eateries understaffed – many restaurants are hunting for technology to support an overworked, high turnover, and conspicuously absent employee base. Automation solves many frustrating staffing problems, especially since a machine doesn’t call in sick or ghost its employer.

Though labor might be the primary reason pizzeria operators are exploring automation, such technologies spark other attention-grabbing benefits, from expediting service and improving product consistency to reducing waste and jumpstarting profitability.

The robots are here

At Pizza Expo last March, Clayton Wood and his colleagues welcomed operators into Booth #2203 and happily demonstrated Picnic, a pizza assembly station enabling one kitchen worker to produce up to 100 pizzas each hour. 

With Picnic, a staff member places a sheet of dough on the system. That dough then moves down a conveyor belt where it is customized for size, shape and toppings. For a monthly fee, the company provides installation, training and support, Wood says. 

“Customers don’t much care if a human made their pizza,” he claims.

A recent Deloitte survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers supports Wood’s premise. More than half of the survey’s respondents had no qualms about ordering food from a partially or fully automated kitchen.

While the company’s foremost aim is to improve labor productivity, Wood says the system also helps pizzerias address high order volumes while minimizing waste, boosting product consistency, and informing decision making in areas like purchasing and marketing since data on ingredient consumption and customer ordering patterns is also provided.

Picnic, of course, is far from the only emerging player in the restaurant automation space. There’s robotic technology eliminating the repetitive, if not unsafe, tasks that tire staff mentally and physically, such as dicing veggies or frying chicken wings.

“The thinking is, ‘Let’s automate the really tough jobs and keep the best employees out front,’” says Massimo Noja De Marco, a seventh-generation restaurateur and the CEO of Piestro. 

A fully automated pizzeria that looks like a traditional vending machine, Piestro prepares, cooks, cuts and boxes a pizzeria’s original recipes before placing them into a smart locker for customers. Operators, Noja De Marco says, have been giddy at the machine’s prospects to deliver a consistent product in minutes, curtail food waste, and expand revenue since the white-label units can be branded and placed in venues like high-rise apartments or college dorms.

“We can’t build them fast enough,” Noja De Marco says.

And for pizzerias bemoaning driver shortages and third-party delivery’s outsized fees, how about a robotic version of Door Dash or Uber Eats? That’s Coco, a remote-controlled cooler on wheels. When a local delivery order is ready, a restaurant staff member places the order in the insulated cooler, Coco marketing specialist Erin Brown explains. Thereafter, one of Coco’s pilots remotely drive the robot to the customer – the radius extends about two miles – before returning to the restaurant to fulfill the next order. 

Where automation can go – and how it gets there

At present, high-tech restaurant automation is in its infancy, but it is growing – and fast. Richtech Robotics, for example, boasts the Matradee, a bot that waits and buses tables, a robotic bartender named ADAM, and DUST-E, a floor-cleaning robot. Domino’s, meanwhile, tested driverless delivery in Houston last year and has experimented with drones as well.

For certain, there are challenges to mainstream adoption of many automated solutions. First, most automated tech requires some level of human involvement, which means the technology does not vanquish staffing issues. Picnic, for example, doesn’t replace a human; in fact, it requires humans to make every pizza. Second, many manufacturers of these tech-fueled solutions face their own supply chain issues with components and parts slowing production. There are cost considerations, of course, but Noja De Marco says those are minimal since savvy operators see automation’s numerous benefits.

“Cost is not the but,” he says, adding that Piestro charges a monthly fee rather than an oversized upfront investment so operators can immediately use the technology. 

Brown, meanwhile, lists consumer trust and skepticism, government regulations and limits on operational capabilities, such as poor sidewalk infrastructure and narrow delivery radiuses, as some of Coco’s biggest challenges, while Picnic’s Wood calls the “human mind” the biggest hurdle to widespread adoption. Wood says operators are “future shocked” when they see Picnic in action, struggling to understand how the machine might exist in their restaurant. For those able to wrap their heads around the solution and other automated tech like it, though, he sees bright prospects.

“The future is unevenly distributed,” he says. “If you start to adapt to automation in near term, you’re getting on that learning curve that much sooner to stabilize your business and position it for long-term success.”

Daniel P. Smith   Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Automation is Changing the Way Restaurants do Business appeared first on Pizza Today.

How to win with outdoor dining

As Aldo Zaninotto plotted the 2020 opening of Testaccio, his Ancient Roman-inspired concept in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, he knew outdoor dining would be an
important part of his business operations.

The seasoned restaurateur, of course, had no idea just how important those outdoor tables and chairs would be to his fledgling operation. 

Amid COVID-19, outdoor dining became Testaccio’s primary touchpoint with Chicago diners after its June 2020 opening. The restaurant’s sidewalk set-up, some 80 seats, and a back patio with an additional 25 seats enabled Testaccio’s crew to serve up the eatery’s Italian comfort food and wood-fired oven specialties to guests and cultivate an early following. Absent outdoor dining, Zaninotto acknowledges, Testaccio would have struggled to gain any footing.

“Serving guests is why you’re in business, right?” says Zaninotto, who outfitted Testaccio’s sidewalk dining space with greenery, vintage furniture, overhead lighting and heaters to create a comfortable and safe dining experience resembling street dining in Europe. 

The rise of al fresco dining

Though pizza-peddling operations largely fared well amid the pandemic thanks to delivery and pickup capabilities woven into the industry’s DNA, dine-in business for pizzerias across the U.S. suffered. For many, outdoor dining became a lifeline to traffic, sales and, in some cases, even sanity, as it allowed operators to engage with guests and foster community in isolating times.

While some pizzerias already claimed defined outdoor dining spaces, others fashioned new al fresco dining environments. In cities, operators converted sidewalks into de facto front porches while suburban parking lots morphed into outdoor dining retreats. Pizzerias that once paid little attention to outdoor dining found it central to operational sustainability and discovered a compelling brand extension.

And outdoor dining’s intrigue continues into the present day, especially as some diners – one in four, according to a March 2022 report from Morning Consult – remain skittish of indoor dining and restaurants look to regain revenue and momentum lost amid the pandemic.

“We’re getting more requests for outdoor dining spaces because of the success people found during COVID-19,” reports Erica Diskin of Assembly Design Studio, a Boston-based design and branding firm that specializes in hospitality establishments. “Demand for outdoor dining hasn’t gone away even as people have been let back inside.” 

Outdoor dining done right

While operators embraced al fresco dining as an opportunity to rather seamlessly and cost effectively expand – if not manufacture – capacity over recent years, guest expectations for comfortable outdoor dining rose in tandem – and those heightened expectations are not “going away anytime soon,” Diskin says. 

Capitalizing on outdoor dining’s potential requires a thoughtful approach and careful attention to the guest experience.

Do: Be intentional. 

Yes, a pizzeria can plop folding chairs and metal tables on a sidewalk and call it a day, but it’s far better to fashion outdoor dining as an extension of the dining room. Noting that a little investment goes a long way, Diskin’s firm has incorporated outdoor booths and softer seating into outdoor settings while also bringing interior elements such as rustic wood tabletops and colored walls outside. 

“The most successful restaurants didn’t necessarily spend an exorbitant amount of money, but they also didn’t pull items from a party rental truck either,” Diskin says. “There was thought to carrying the inside out.”

Don’t: Ignore protection. 

Overhead coverage is critical to creating a positive dining experience for guests and minimizing Mother Nature’s intrusion. A fixed roof, canopy, awning or, at minimum, an umbrella offers protection from sun and rain while also limiting operational angst should the weather turn. 

“If you have a packed inside and it starts to rain, then where do you put those outdoor diners?” asks Jim Lencioni of Aria Group Architects, a suburban Chicago architecture and design firm whose client list includes independent restaurants and national chains.

Providing coverage from other environmental elements – headlights from the parking lot, car fumes on the street or trash bins – is also important. Creating a border around the outdoor dining space with planters or fencing, for instance, not only defines the dining area, but also minimizes disruption from external factors. And for those offering outdoor dining near car or bicycle traffic, substantial protection is necessary from a safety standpoint.

Do: Lengthen the season.

Even in areas of the Midwest and Northeast, restaurants can extend their outdoor dining season with some clever solutions. Enclosures and outdoor heaters can allow guests to dine outside well into the fall while Diskin has also seen restaurants offer guests branded blankets as well. 

Don’t: Fail to consider service.

From roll carts for bussing to a credenza or hutch storing rollups, plates and silverware, Diskin urges restaurants to consider how staff members function outdoors. Absent the right tools and service station areas, al fresco dining risks becoming an inefficient experience that frustrates staff and guests. 

Do: Incorporate lighting.

Whether it’s stringing patio lights above tables or placing individual lights on tables, lighting is an important consideration as people want to see each other and what they’re eating. Uplighting on trees, plants or even the building, meanwhile, can add a sophisticated touch and provide guests a more distinctive dining experience.

Don’t: Neglect nature. 

Bugs, mosquitoes and birds will naturally be outside, and they can – quite literally – pester an enjoyable dining experience. To combat this, Diskin has seen restaurants invest in three-season structures, while Lencioni notes that screens are available for the rolling garage doors now commonplace at many eateries. 

Do: Provide the extra touches. 

Restaurants can elevate their outdoor dining environment with greenery and plants, which make a patio feel finished; an evenly distributed sound system; and televisions, especially if sports are a part of the concept.

Lencioni also suggests operators add amenities that enhance the venue’s energy, such as water and fire elements or an outdoor bar, or activities that encourage guests to stay longer and spend more, including games like bocce and cornhole.

“During COVID, people did what they needed to do,” Diskin says. “Now, people are evolving and restaurants are realizing they need to step it up, too.”

Daniel P. Smith Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post The Outdoor Dining Experience appeared first on Pizza Today.

From kitchen display screens to AI, new tech can help pizzeria owners speed up orders

Everyone is in a hurry now. Customers have always wanted their favorite pizza to be ready quickly, but now people expect their orders, especially for delivery and takeout, to be completed almost instantly. Whether it’s due to the pandemic changing the way people order food, or a general increase in the use of technology, speed of service is more important than ever. Pizzeria owners are looking for technology that can help. 

According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report, more than eight in 10 operators said the use of technology in a restaurant provides a competitive advantage. Operators are planning to invest in technology this year, most likely towards to-go options, as 54 percent of adults say purchasing takeout or delivery food is essential to the way they live, including 72 percent of millennials and 66 percent of Gen Z adults. 

While much of these tech upgrades will be related to online ordering, some investments will go towards kitchen upgrades, from display screens and cloud-based solutions to faster ovens and smart prep tables. 

Key Investments 

Technology has made consumers impatient. According to the Oracle Food and Beverage Survey, conducted September 2021, 64 percent of survey respondents don’t want to wait more than five minutes to order at the counter or drive-thru window, and 71 percent of in-house diners get annoyed if they wait more than 10 minutes. Dining inside the restaurant, 54 percent were fed up if they waited more than 10 minutes for food. 

One essential technology that operators can implement to improve speed of service is a Kitchen Display System (KDS), a digital customer order viewer that replaces the printed paper ticket system. “KDS has widely improved over the last couple of years,” says Jay Bandy, president of Goliath Consulting Group in Norcross, Georgia. “There are a lot more players.” 

The basic components of a KDS include color monitors that show all the incoming orders, the time each order was received, and how long the tickets have been open. Each is designated green, yellow and red, to show whether the order was recently received (green) or has been aging for a long time (red). In addition to displaying the orders clearly so kitchen staff can prepare the food, the system collects data so the restaurant owner can decide how to schedule staff
appropriately. 

These systems are available from POS system vendors, Bandy says, and some of the more innovative companies offer artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for ordering and preparing food. When a customer orders online, AI shows up as a chatbot, and on the phone it can be an interactive voice response (IVR) system. “What it does is it reduces the number of phone calls that you get on a Friday night,” Bandy says. AI can automate the kitchen flow, which saves labor. “AI has learned the whole process of pizza ordering or sandwich ordering. Pizza has a finite number of ways a customer can order.” 

Connected pizza 

One way to optimize kitchen operations is by collecting and using data. That involves connectivity through the cloud, which starts with setting up the right infrastructure and the right equipment. Infrastructure refers to WiFi, Ethernet and cellular connectivity as a backup, and the kitchen equipment must be able to be linked so they can be monitored remotely. “You are connecting fryers, pizza conveyors and smart make tables,” says Omar Jacques Omran, vice president of digital transformation and managing director of KitchenConnect, a brand of Welbilt, Inc. “Each one of those is a different equipment category.” 

By applying digital technology to kitchen operations, the pizzeria owner can analyze the data coming from all the restaurant equipment. So while one piece of equipment can give the owner a glimpse of food cost issues – for example, the smart make table shows that the worker is weighing too much cheese for each pie – the cloud solution presents a bigger picture. “It offers an overview of the products cooked, peak demand hours, product utilization and cleaning cycles,” Omran says. “It allows cost savings through over-the-air recipe pushes and predictive maintenance, ensuring less downtime while maintaining food quality through online food safety report retrieval.”

A cloud solution can also warn the operator that the oven needs service, which can prevent downtime and lost sales. For even more connectivity, operators can integrate front and back of house technology. For example order pickup lockers can hold the food until the customer or delivery driver arrives with a code to open the locker and do contactless pickup. The system also collects information such as how long the order took to fill and how long it was in the locker, which can affect food safety. 

Some assembly required 

Robotics are emerging as a solution. In January a Pizza Hut franchisee in Israel announced the launch of an unstaffed unit in a parking lot, where customers order from the kiosk or their phones and the robotics inside the box assemble and bake the pizza. While not all pizza establishments have the resources to open a standalone pizza-making robot, some of the newest kitchen equipment has taken routine tasks out of human hands and into robotic arms, dispensing portion-controlled toppings and moving the pies into the oven automatically. 

 Restaurant owners should choose kitchen technology based not on novelty but on the measurable
improvements the equipment provides. “The ultimate goal is to reduce labor, increase menu offerings and improve speed of service,” says Richard H. Eisenbarth, president emeritus of the foodservice consultancy Cini-Little, based in Germantown, Maryland. “If you can reduce an FTE [full-time equivalent] of labor in back of house and put that person in front of house for service, you’re that much better off.” 

Eisenbarth, who is one of the judges for the annual National Restaurant Association Show’s Kitchen Innovation Awards, says new developments include high-speed ovens that do not need extra exhaust, and small combi ovens that take up little space and enable the kitchen to add a different menu item. High-tech prep tables have software that integrates with the POS system, which streamlines the ordering process, regulates the refrigeration temperature and alerts the owner that inventory is low. 

“The big issue is labor,” Eisenbarth says. “Anything you can do to reduce that labor or better utilize the people you do have is what’s really going to be important.” 

The post Kitchen Technology to Optimize Operations appeared first on Pizza Today.

Having Shelf Control

Inventory, especially in a pizzeria, is a very daunting proposition. The reason to take on such an arduous task is to pursue a healthier restaurant with a more considerable profit margin. Theoretically, classic inventory should do that, but not in all cases. So first and foremost, let’s identify why you would want even to do inventory.

The Roller Coaster 

The roller coaster effect is when you buy so much product one week that you don’t need to buy that much the following week. So if you’re going purely off how much you purchased versus how much you’ve sold, you could have a misnomer of what your actual food cost is. There are many other ways to fight the roller coaster effect without doing classic inventory. If you know how much a food item should cost versus how much you’re selling it for, and you know the cost of goods sold versus what actually occurs, then you have a solid footing. From there, you can seek to find out your variance. Any store that does not have a day-to-day awareness of the variance will end up with a roller coaster to some degree. But if recipes are followed to a very specific level, that will be avoided.

Theft

People steal product. If you can identify how much you have on-site versus how much you sold, you’ll have a variance report that will detail any waste or theft. People don’t steal flour as they steal cans of beer or bottles of wine. If you are wildly off on your tomato count, that’s a matter of waste and portion control. Another reason to have inventory is to gauge how much you should be purchasing and for general pricing follow-through to keep up on increases.

How to do It

So how to pull off inventory in a pizzeria. Classically, you would gauge how much product it takes to make any individual item on a recipe level. And then build it out on a more significant level and gauge how much you sold. You count all the items on-site, a Sunday night I find works best, then add all the things purchased during the week and compare to what is sold and what is still on-site as inventory. Then compare what should be on-site vs. what is to get your variance.

This process is straightforward when you have a hundred burger buns and a hundred burger patties, and you sell 68 burgers to know that you should have 32 burger patties and burger buns left. If you have 30 patties left, you know two went missing via theft, comp, void or waste. This process is not as simple for an item like flour, which is also the product used to make the pizza and possibly used to push out the pizza. Pizzeria flour might also be cross utilized to make knots or, when blown out, thrown back into the next batch of dough. All these instances run rough-shot on an accurate inventory. That’s not to say it’s not worth measuring flour for inventory, but it makes a lot more sense to get your inventory nailed down with cheese before flour.

Cheese is your most essential and also most expensive item. If you can nail down exactly how much cheese you should put on every pizza vs. what occurs, you can save thousands. Bear in mind you’ll need to consider all comped pizzas, voided pizzas and donation pizzas. Along with staff meals, testing pizzas and re-fires before blaming portion control and theft.

Tech Aware Inventory

My point is that there are many pitfalls in doing classic inventory in a pizzeria, but it is doable. It’s even more doable in the modern age by linking your vendor invoices with your POS sales and logging store pars into that same platform. The systems available that do this today work best when they analyze POS data for comps, voids and discounts. Having all these connected digitally is the future, and it’s as inevitable as credit cards. And even with that, it will require a ton of oversight and a very nuanced look on a consistent level.

The other option is to have someone working damn near full time to marry up what you purchased versus what you sold versus what you show as waste. And that’s just for one store. If you get a commissary involved or have multiple vendors, this will only get more and more tedious. Excel is a fantastic program, and you will have to create custom reports with data entry down to a line item to pull this off. I know a restaurant group that does this for their 15 locations, and they require three full-time accountants to pull it off along with buy-in from every general manager to do the work of proper inventory and par lists.

There are some other alternatives to classic inventory. A pure cash approach of how much you paid vendors vs. how much you sold will give you totals and also allows for the roller coaster. You’ll have to dive into trends to see average spend versus an average sales week to see an anomaly at play. This process is less tedious but still requires oversight. It’s not specific, but it does provide a gauge, and sometimes that’s all you can afford to do from a time perspective. 

If all your menu items have an average 25-percent food cost, but your food cost is coming in at 30 percent, you have a five-percent variance. But if you have a five-percent variance, you could drive down and say, “Now, why is there a percent variance in the food cost?” Is it because we’re not considering our pizza boxes, ad liners and comps in the price? Or is it because we genuinely have that much waste? Then it becomes an ROI exercise. Can you pay for someone to fix this cheaper than the problem itself?

Other Controls

Par lists can help a lot. If you and your staff understand how much you should have on-site versus how much you need to get by without over or under ordering, you can ride the line to proper on-site inventory. But when someone over orders, it’s usually because they’re not following a proper par. A food waste log is also very proactive. With a food waste log, anything that gets tossed gets notated, whether it’s on a simple piece of paper, a Google Sheet or a whiteboard. Nothing ever gets tossed without a notation. I’ve also seen the food waste trash can where all viable wasted food gets tossed in the can. Then it’s weighed at the end of the shift to gauge how much was lost for the day. Obviously, cheese is worth a lot more than flour, but this is a good idea in concept.

Bar Inventory

The bar industry is way more ahead of the game on inventory than the food industry. Bar waste can be hundreds in a few ounces depending on the product. Tap controls, digital inventory apps, even AI visualizers are all on tablets and getting better every year. Follow those like a hawk and find an app that works for you and your store’s setup. 

In Summary

Go after big heavy ticket expensive items first. Also, do inventory on simple to track items like cans of beer first. See your pitfalls adjust to what works with the protocol you and your team can work through. Remember that if you find 300 dollars in waste and it takes you over 16 person-hours to figure it out, it will be a net loss. If you hire a company to do it for you, it will cost double what it would take your team to do it. Proper pars, portioning, video cameras, spot checks and actual evaluated profit vs. loss food cost all need to play a role first.

The post Sound Inventory Management for a Healthy Restaurant appeared first on Pizza Today.

Equipment choices are key to an efficient kitchen

Your kitchen is your money-making zone. It needs to be highly efficient and functional for you to be profitable.

No kitchen is the same and deciding not only the best equipment but the most appropriate equipment for your intended outcome and footprint is paramount to your success. Your equipment is probably the first thing you thought about when you started thinking about what it would take to open a shop.

I’m sure you were surprised by how hard certain items were to get and felt the letdown of realizing a piece of equipment wouldn’t fit or wasn’t what you thought it would be. Making smart decisions early on helps avoid the financial peril of choosing the wrong tools for the job.

Pizza Oven

The most apparent and most considerable item is your oven. You might have a perfect oven in mind, but you need to consider some things before purchasing. Most importantly, will this oven crank out enough pizzas for you to hit your numbers? Better question. What’s your ideal catering order? Can this oven pull that off? I often see people who want to buy a small oven because that’s all they can afford or because they want to do a real niche style of pizza. The problem occurs when this oven can only do 12 pizzas an hour, and when the rush is over, you’ve barely made enough money to pay utilities, let alone rent.

Some ovens cannot sustain a full restaurant, let alone a catering order. People in this predicament would need to get multiple of that pizza oven, but then their kitchen might not have enough space. They haven’t thought out the repercussions of their choices. So choose an oven that can pump out enough product for you to pay your bills, or better yet, thrive, or it won’t matter how big your walk-in is, how robust your beer list is, how centrally located you are. You will fail. The next thing to consider is the learning curve. Is your oven super hard to use? Any oven can be learned and used effectively, but if you don’t know how to use it, and you’re planning on hiring a bunch of high school kids with little to no experience, then the top-of-the-line Italian import might not be the best idea.

It’s possible to learn it, develop your skills, become great and teach others. However, if you’re looking to buy an artisanal oven and hand it off to someone to say, “Figure it out,” that is a highly naive move. Along with the oven, think maintenance. You have to maintain it and take care of it. Different ovens require different levels of maintenance. Are you prepared to take that workload of more complicated to-clean ovens? Some ovens have windows that need to be cleaned often. Some have tons of tiny little parts where something goes wrong; everything will fall apart.

I suggest you have a heart to heart with yourself and answer: Do you want a Ferrari or a tank? The next big decision is variability. Are you looking to do one exact style of pizza, or pan, Napoletana, classic American? If you only have space for one oven, you need to get an oven with variable ability. Electrics are very good at this. Electrics have bottom and top heat with decks that can vary in style. 

Before choosing wood, coal, gas or electric, be in the know. I highly advise working in a pizzeria that uses the style you are looking to purchase first.

Mixers

There’s the classic American-style hook mixer with different parts you’ve seen in many American pizzerias. And that is a perfectly viable option. Before jumping in on them, check out the planetary mixers. Planetary mixers don’t rip the gluten net as much because the hook spins one way while the bowl spins the other. I’m a big fan of these styles of mixers because they’re highly efficient, and they create an excellent end product. 

A vertical chopping mixer or VCM is a fantastic tool to have in your kitchen. Just not for pizza making. A vertical chopping mixer cuts at your pizza dough and destroys your gluten net. But if you’re using a pizza press or a dough with little to no air, it’s a viable option. It’s just not going to be the most culinary astute choice.

I have vertical chopping mixers to make all my salad dressings and cut our blocks of cheese. It’s an invaluable piece of equipment in our kitchen. And I highly advise getting one if you plan to make a lot of items from scratch.

Slicers

A great slicer has a solid motor and a company with a good reputation. The classic stand-up Italian slicers are simply the best for slicing thin prosciutto and meats, but the American ones, especially those with automatic handles, work great for high capacity. Bear in mind slicers are a real dangerous piece of equipment, and no one under 18 should be using them or anyone without proper training.

And depending on the OSHA laws of your state, you might need to put a sticker on your equipment items that say this item must only be operated by 18 and over.

Additionally, protect your mixer when it’s not in use. Make sure the blades are not in a position where they could cut someone. It is not worth the hospital bill over laziness. 

Stovetop Griddle and Oven Combo

You’re going to need a stovetop, more likely than not. You can get a basic stovetop that heats up some water to cook off some pasta, and you’re set. Maybe a grill top if you’re making breakfast or sandwich items. Potentially it has an oven under it so you can cook meatballs or bread at a separate temperature than your pizza oven.  

This is all in the puzzle matching of your kitchen. Knowing your menu first, and what you want to cross utilize can help you limit the number of equipment items you have. 

Fryer

A good fryer is worth its weight in crispy gold because it can do heavy capacity and not lose temp will keep your kitchen running more efficiently with lower ticket times, which is highly valuable.

If you have many fried items, don’t underestimate the need for two fryers. Even better, the double fryers that can clean into each other will help clean up at the night’s end go more smoothly. And yes, you need to clean in your fryer oil at night, or else you’re a dirty, dirty pirate restaurant. 

Ice Machine

I have learned my lesson that ice machines are a massive pain in the butt. They break when you need them most, and they’re hard to maintain. I have switched to using a rental program on these where if the ice ever doesn’t create, it’s on them to replace the ice for me, or they will reimburse me, which incentivizes them to service my ice machine once and sometimes multiple times a month. Big fan of the rental ice machine because it costs about as much as the lease would. As for what ice machine you choose, you want the biggest capacity you can fit in your kitchen that makes the most ice the fastest. Don’t mess around; you don’t want to half-ass the amount of ice you’ll need.

Dish Machine

The same thing goes for a dish machine. You do not want your dish machine going down. It is a massive bottleneck, and a bunch of 18-year-olds learning how to use a three-compartment sink when they’re used to a dish machine it’s not something you want to teach on the fly.

Refrigeration

I advise you should buy new. I would never buy a used prep table. When it comes to what prep table is suitable for you, know exactly how much space you want and what amount of shelves and bells and whistles you need. And then don’t go cheap because there’s nothing more expensive in the world than cheap refrigeration and cheap lawyers. You always end up paying more in the end.

Your walk-in is a little more straightforward. It just needs a great compressor. You could save money if you have it built in a way where you don’t have the floor on it because that’s unnecessary. A tall walk-in takes more electricity to operate. But short walk-ins have fewer shelves. And I’ve learned that I like a tall walk-in to get a few extra shelves to have more prep staying in location; also, really good shelves that could be taken out and cleaned. The plastic ones I find are preferable to the metal ones that are locked in place forever.

Other items

You might need or want a pasta extruder, hot pizza box cabinet, secondary convection oven, or any number of other equipment items. The ones listed above will get you off the ground just fine until you decide to add the bells and whistles.

No matter what you decide for equipment, do not take the decision lightly. I highly advise going to Pizza Expo to see the items in person. Break out your measuring tape to know for a fact how it will fit in your restaurant. Also, will it need a hood and or fit under the one you have?

Talk to the manufacturer who created it and lives with that product every day, shake their hand, know their name, know who services and maintains this item in your area. Talk to other operators using that same oven and know what you’re getting yourself into.

It’s fascinating to me the number of people who don’t go to Pizza Expo and are surprised at what they don’t know. In 20 minutes of talking to an equipment rep, you could save yourself upwards of $50,000 over the next few years in screw-ups, wrong purchases and lost profit. Attending a trade show, namely Pizza Expo, is the most straightforward ROI in our industry.

So cross utilize, think ahead, do your research from the manufacturer and people using the product, and know why you do what you do for when you do it to make the most successful pizza restaurant possible. And if you’re already in the game, evaluate everything you have because there’s probably something better. There always is.

The post Kitchen Equipment: The Starting Lineup appeared first on Pizza Today.

Arm yourself with kitchen operations to streamline delivery

“The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought.” This truth is from Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’. The quote is the basis for our approach to winning the battle against the enemies of our successful pizza delivery kitchen operations: long kitchen times and higher labor cost. Step into my temple and let’s prepare for battle. We will address efficiencies in kitchen space and flow, delivery systems, and delivery workstations.

Kitchen Space and Flow

Often, we accept the battlefield as it has been laid out and adapt operations around that. Instead, let us design it to fit our purposes. Just as a general cannot change the hills and the trees, you may not be able to change the walls or your oven hood. For everything we can change, what criteria shall we use? Footsteps. A properly designed kitchen space begins and ends with footsteps.

An example of this is demonstrated in a Domino’s Pizza kitchen in 1980. That kitchen design has changed very little in 40 years, and has been copied by Pizza Hut, Papa John’s and Little Caesars. The order station is for carry-out and phone calls. They then turn around, place a label on a box, and place the box on a shelf for the oven tender, all within two steps of their ‘home’ position. Attached to the order station is the dough stretching table, which is attached to the makeline. The makeline is 30 inches from the oven. The oven is 30 inches from the cut table. The cut table is 30 inches from the delivery dispatch station and carry-out station. It is possible to have each crew member stay within an imaginary three-foot square on the floor.

Take these same components in your kitchen and move them or re-size them to reduce footsteps. Consider each checkpoint of your kitchen flow.

Order taking > Pizza > Oven > Cut Table > Driver Dispatch

Depending on your operation, you may have to include other stations such as fryer, sub, salad or grill. If you have dine-in, the method of delivery to the table is another consideration.

Observe your kitchen during the height of the battle. Count footsteps. This is caused me to make many changes to the kitchen design over the years, but I remember the first decision 20+ years ago. I counted 40 steps per trip, with five trips on a Friday night between 6:00 and 8:00 to restock dough. I added an upright dough refrigerator at the beginning of the line and saved 200 steps, which translated to a reduced kitchen time of two minutes. No longer did we have someone leaving their pizza making position, crossing the kitchen, and interfering with other positions.

Delivery Systems

You may have heard of the 80/20 Rule. The 80/20 Rule applies to most scenarios in life. Regarding our pizzerias, it means that 80 percent of our business happens in 20 percent of the time we are open. We call this time period ‘The Rush’.

We must design our delivery systems for The Rush. Start with the phone system. The number of customers who hang up without placing an order is called the Abandon Rate. A formula was invented to calculate how many phone lines you need and how many phone operators you need based on your acceptable Abandon Rate. This formula is called the Erlang Calculator. Having a One-Number Phone Center has allowed us to measure pizza customer tolerances. Based on these tolerances, I recommend the following: Goggle Erlang Calculator and input your incoming calls per 30 minutes, average call length (ours is 131 seconds), and 80 percent of calls answered within 120 seconds. The Erlang results will tell you how many phone lines you need and how many operators to schedule. We use Erlang to schedule our operators every week.

Your POS system should also be designed for the rush. I recommend production monitors which allow you to ‘bump’ the order from one station to the next. The less printers in the kitchen, the better efficiency.

The rush should also include a design aspect on your schedule. Add a position called ‘Router’. This person puts together the orders and routes doubles: two deliveries that can go with one driver.

Delivery Workstation

There are two types of delivery workstations. The first is a station with heating racks, so the pizzas are spending less time in hot bags. The driver loads the food into the hot bag when they are ready to leave.

I choose the second type. While sacrificing some dough quality, the efficiencies of time and complete/correct orders more than makes up for the potential for sogginess. With this method, here is what your delivery workstation should look like.

Ideally, two six-foot stainless steel tables with one under-shelf and one over-shelf. At the beginning of the table is the driver dispatch monitor and printer (part of your POS system). The remaining 10 feet will allow you to stage six deliveries. You will have to adjust the length based on the confines of your space. The undershelf is for hot bags. I prefer an assortment of two, three and six pizza hot bags along with some cold food/drink carrier bags. The over-shelf will have a ticket holder for your driver dispatch tickets that are waiting to be placed with food and a hot bag. Directly across from this table is a driver upright refrigerator. This can be single-door or two-door depending on your menu. Next to the driver refrigerator is another three-foot stainless steel table again with an over-shelf. This is used for assembling the refrigerated items (salads, drinks, desserts) for the deliveries, with packaging on the over-shelf. Next to this assembly table is a three foot, four-tier shelving for your car top signs. I recommend the car toppers that plug in and charge at this station, so they are lit up on the driver car with no cord needed.

OK Pizza General. You’ve prepared in your temple. It’s Friday night at 6:00. Time for battle.

DAN COLLIER is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Optimize Your Kitchen for Delivery appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Expo Exclusive by Michael Shepherd, owner of 600 Downtown in Bellafontaine, Ohio

Last year at the 2014 International Pizza Expo I gave a seminar on how to hit a 20 percent profit margin, which I will be doing again in 2015. I felt that it was important to discuss and share with others how to do so in light of the fact that I recently had found out that the industry average was a mere 7 percent. At the three pizzerias that I have owned over the last 18 years I have routinely generated 15 to 25 percent profit.

A 7 percent profit would mean for every thousand dollars in pizza sales you would only get to take home $70. Wow! I mean, who in the world puts their heart and soul into a business that can’t support itself? Sadly, more people than I ever expected. Over the course of the last year I have worked with many clients of my consulting business that have been struggling to be profitable and I believe I have determined the common factors that run through these unprofitable operations.

Last year I wrote a preview to my seminar highlighting the common practices of highly profitable pizzerias. This time let me tell you about the common threads I see running through pizzerias that are unprofitable or are generating low profits.

1: LACK OF BASIC ACCOUNTING KNOWLEDGE

If you’re planning on going into the pizza business you first have to remember that you’re running a business, not making pizza. You can’t pay your mortgage and taxes, and put your children through college, by making pizzas. But you can by running a business. Making pizza is a hobby, not a business.

Most unprofitable pizzerias have very little accounting knowledge, are unfamiliar with how to generate a profit and loss statement (P & L), or know how to read a balance sheet. It’s not OK to be ignorant of accounting. Get yourself educated.

2. LACK OF FOOD COSTING

The next common practice of unprofitable pizzerias is to arbitrarily set pricing. “How much does that 16-inch combo pizza cost? I don’t know, but I think we should sell it for $15. How much does bacon cost to put on a 14-inch pizza? I don’t know, but $1.50 sounds good.”

What? Are you crazy? What business in its right mind would ever set pricing based on what sounds good, or base it on what the guy down the street is charging? The pizza business, it appears—which is why we have a 7 percent average profit margin in our industry. Never mind that the 16-inch combo pizza you are selling for $15 cost you $10 to make and that 4 ounces of bacon cost you $1.65.

You need to know exactly how much your product costs you to make before you can set a selling price. Before you can determine your costs you have to have recipes set and portioning determined. You have to invest the time. Would Wal-Mart ever consider putting something on their shelves and pricing it without knowing the cost of it? No, and neither should you.

3. NO INVENTORY CONTROLS

Counting inventory is a pain in the rear. I get it. But you have to do it. How else are you going to know what products you are wasting and overusing? How else are you going to know what is getting stolen? How else are you going to know what your true food cost is? Operators who don’t count inventory don’t make 20 percent profit.

4. SHOTGUN MARKETING

Which of your marketing tactics is getting the best return? Are you measuring it? Are you tracking it?

“I dunno,” “nope” and “I don’t have time” are usually the answers I get to these questions. You might as well be throwing money out your front door and hope it attracts some hungry customers. Never rely on a marketing salesman to tell you how to market your business. They only have one goal—to separate you from your money. Try some marketing, track the results, do the math—your business depends on it.

5. NO LABOR CONTROLS

What are your target labor costs for daily, weekly and monthly periods? You don’t know? Well, most unprofitable operators don’t. Throw the schedule together and make sure all shifts are covered and we are good to go, right? No, no, no!

You have to know how many labor dollars you can spend to hit your targets. You have to set targets in order to have something to hit. Every percent you spend too much in labor is a percent you don’t get to take home.

Don’t feel badly if you are doing any of these common unprofitable practices, because you can turn it around! It is never (usually) too late to start down the right path today.

Please make plans to attend my seminar at Pizza Expo 2015 in Las Vegas to learn more about how I have successfully and consistently beat the 7 percent industry-average profit margin.

Michael Shepherd, owner of 600 Downtown in Bellafontaine, Ohio, and a consultant to the pizzeria industry, will give his 20 percent profit margin seminar on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, at Pizza Expo 2015 in Las Vegas.

The post Five habits of highly unprofitable pizzerias appeared first on Pizza Today.

Managing rising food and labor costs

Inflation is at roughly seven percent, a rate not seen since 1982. This will hit you where it hurts, your prime costs. And then while you are down on the ground bleeding profits, inflation will kick you repeatedly through 2022, until you give up and close your pizzeria or adapt and thrive while your competitors shut their doors. 

Food and labor costs are called prime costs because they are the two costs you must manage in your pizzeria business to survive. What weapons do you have to fight the inflation of your food and labor costs? Here are six of the most important for your arms cache.

Food Costs

• Ideal Food Cost

• Single Vendor Contract

• Vendor Allowances

Labor Costs

• Scheduling Techniques

• Technology

• Equipment

Food Cost: Ideal Food Cost

Do you know how many pounds of pepperoni you used last week? Second question: Do you know how many pounds of pepperoni you should have used last week? This is the essence of Ideal Food Cost. Your POS system has this ability. It requires setup work. You will need to put recipes into your POS system and then each week post purchases and input an ending inventory. Start with your meats and cheeses to keep it simple. For example, if your large pepperoni pizza has 10.5 ounces of mozzarella and 55 slices of pepperoni at 14-16 count (the number of slices of pepperoni per ounce) and you sold 100 large pepperoni pizzas, you would know how much you should have used, aka your ‘ideal usage’.

100 x 10.5 ounces / 16 ounces per pound = 65.63 pounds of mozzarella

55 x 100 / 15 slices per ounce / 16 ounces per pound = 22.92 pounds of pepperoni

When compared against your actual usage (beginning inventory + purchases – ending inventory) you will discover your over or short on pepperoni and mozzarella.

Food Cost: Single Vendor Contract

Help me help you. Jerry Maguire said it best. Simply put, get all your food and supplies from one vendor. Sign a contract with this vendor in return for cost-plus pricing. If your vendor makes a profit, they can help you to make a profit. Stop chasing the deal-of-the-week and manage one vendor. Monitor their pricing and audit them once per year. Stick with them for two to three years before asking for other vendors to bid for your business as a single vendor provider.

Food Cost: Vendor Allowances

There are two methods to receiving a discount on the food you purchase. A ‘rebate’ is money given back to you by the food manufacturer after you have purchased their food. This is no longer the preferred method. Better is a discount applied to the product as you purchase it. This is known as a ‘vendor allowance’. For example, the ‘street price’ for pepperoni may be over $5.00 per pound. You, or even better, your new partner the Single Vendor Provider, contact the manufacturer directly and ask for a discount. This may bring the price down by over $1.00 per pound! By having your Single Vendor Provider contact all the manufacturers of all the products you purchase, you will save thousands of dollars per year.

Labor Cost: Scheduling Techniques

Reduction of hours paid is the best way to control your labor cost. However, the challenge is to do this while still providing a level of customer service that is acceptable to your customers. This means you are constantly looking at your POS system to determine your sales for each half hour of each day and schedule the appropriate number of bodies to handle the expected business. Two weapons to add: schedule by the 15 minutes and schedule a maximum of 7.5 hours per shift with maximum 38 hour work weeks. 

By scheduling by the 15 minutes (for example, 5:15 p.m.- 8:45 p.m.) you will accomplish two things. First, your employees will realize how important the timing of their shift is related to customer service. Second, you will more efficiently bring bodies to work at the time the work needs to be done.

We all know that slippage happens. An employee who should clock out at 8:00 stays until 8:15. If your state requires paying overtime after eight hours per day or over 40 hours per week, by scheduling maximum 7.5 hour shifts and 38 hour weeks, you will avoid overtime. Paying an employee time and a half is not an affordable way to do business.

Labor Cost: Technology

Let’s get the customer placing their own orders. This will reduce the labor cost needed to take their order. It costs $1 to $2 per order in labor cost to take a customer’s order. POS systems today offer kiosks, apps and online ordering to eliminate this cost. Your ROI (return on investment) of implementing these technologies could be less than one year. The benefits are astounding. Lower labor costs, higher average tickets, less mistakes and remakes and better customer service. 

Labor Cost: Equipment

Every time minimum wage goes up, that is our government funding the purchase of more efficient equipment for our pizzerias. A $400 cheese grater attachment on a mixer has worked fine for 35 years. It takes one hour to grate 90 pounds of cheese. When minimum wage goes from $10/hour to $15/hour, the cost of grating cheese per week for an average pizzeria goes from $70/week to $105/week. A commercial cheese grater that can do the job in 30 minutes may cost $5,000. The ROI on the purchase of a $5,000 cheese grater is 22 months. That is a good investment.

Look at all your prep tasks and research equipment that will do it faster. Look at your production and do the same. More efficient equipment will reduce your labor costs and pay for itself.

You may have experienced seven percent inflation as a consumer if you are old enough. But not many of us have experienced that level of inflation as a business owner. It will not be over quickly, and you will not enjoy it. Sorry, sometimes movie quotes are so apropos that I can’t resist. Fight or perish. These are the weapons you will need for the fight.

DAN COLLIER  is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

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With a tight labor market, operators are looking at their open hours

When we first opened in 2004, we wanted to add delivery as soon as we could. This was way before third-party delivery. When we finally were able to, we only had enough delivery drivers for the dinner shift, a few days of the week. That only lasted for two weeks. This was for a total of 14 days, where we had limited delivery times of 5:00 p.m. till close Wednesday to Sunday. And then starting the 15th day, we had delivery from open to close, seven days a week.

Then something weird happened. For months I was asked almost daily, “I’ve called in the past, and you weren’t doing delivery yet. So, I wanted to see what time you start delivering tonight?” or “Are you not delivering today?” Calls like this went on for a long time from multiple customers. I knew if three people were calling with this question, another 50 had it in their mind. I learned the hard way, having odd hours of anything stays in customer’s brains for way longer than I gave enough credit to.

Customers don’t live in your world. They live in their world, and we, as hospitality purveyors, need to mold ourselves to their world and not assume they know our business’ ins and outs. If you can be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, then you should be open. You should be open without a break in the afternoon because when you do close from three to five, you disenfranchise your 5:30 p.m. customer. Now they might question, “Hold on, I know they close in the afternoon, but I don’t know if they’re back open yet. I’m not sure if these hours online are right. Let’s order online from someone we know for sure is open.” That’s the feeling you don’t want your customer getting. It’s more typical than you’d think. 

That’s the type of decision that costs thousands over time when you assume your customer knows your world. I will tell you with absolutely no ambiguity; they don’t. And it’s not their job to. It’s yours to make sure your customer is never confused or unsure of your restaurant’s status. So emphatically, with all the hiring problems in the world and everything else you are up against, if you can be open, be open. 

Now, if you just don’t have enough staff, and you’re trying to find a way that you could still stay open, here are some suggestions.

Rely on technology. There are so many advances in modern technology today that to not use them is just foolish. Take your current delivery drivers and switch them to in-house employees and rely on third-party delivery. Suppose you don’t have enough servers to run a shift. In that case, there are several QR code ordering at the table options available today for a minimal amount of investment. With table QR codes, the customer sends their order directly to the kitchen. In this scenario, your one server can go around filling drinks instead of taking orders or even dropping the check. It’s not nearly as welcoming as a great full-service waiter. If it’s a choice between closing or QR code ordering at the table, I’ll choose QR code ordering at the table every time.

If none of those is an option and you 100 percent just need to close one to two days a week, then decide using this math. When choosing what days to close, the most straightforward answer is what days are you the least profitable? More likely than not, it’s Monday and Tuesday. So, if you’ve dug your heels in the sand on closing, those would be the most appropriate days to do it. I’ve seen people close on Sundays, which I find odd because Sunday, by and large, is the third most popular day to order pizza. So, closing on the third most popular day is a foolish decision. A lot of other restaurants will close on that day for whatever reason. And if you’re not, it gives you even more potential for success. If religious reasons dictate why you’re closing on a Sunday, then that’s your choice as a business owner in America. But I would highly advise you to take your Sunday, staff your store and let your restaurant function outside of your direct oversight.

What if you now have no lunch business because of extenuating circumstances and no one comes in anymore during that time? You can still be a ghost kitchen to sell anything you can dream up on third-party delivery. If your classic clientele isn’t coming in, find a new group to feed. Cater to schools, churches, government organizations or anyone working from home. If Covid non-shareable boxed lunch items are the only way in the door, create them. Sell single-serve options instead of classic bulk catering pans. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it’s still profitable and proof you are not growing, not dying. 

Why am I pushing so hard to stay open? Because you live in a world of fixed costs and variable costs. When you close, your fixed expenses do not care. Sure, you’re not using as much electricity or gas, but you’re still paying rent. And you’re still paying for a lot of things in your restaurant.

Additionally, you have food deteriorating for a few days when you close. When you reopen, you need to restart the cycle, dispose of a lot of it and recatch the rhythm of running a restaurant after a few days closed. That is not an easy rhythm to just pick back up.

In regard to closing in the afternoon, DON’T. I cannot find a way that afternoon closing for a pizza restaurant makes sense. If you have staff there from 11 to 2 p.m. and from 5 to close, why would you confuse the customer over three hours? In this time, you can run lean but find a way to run. If you sell just one item an hour, they should be able to pay for themselves. Do not underestimate how confusing closing at random times is to a customer. If you have the mindset that “I don’t have anyone like me and the managers I do have need a day off,” you have a problem with an answer. You should work when your managers don’t, and your manager should get training to work the days that you don’t. If you have no managers, then you need to train, incentivize and build your workforce. If you don’t do that and have no managers, then you are a glorified employee. You will maintain your status as a glorified employee in perpetuity until you invest in training, systems and people.

For the ones who say, “but we make no money then,” Correction, you make less money then. But if you make no money, you will continue to make no money and pay your fixed cost if closed. Instead, find an afternoon promotion or something to make money during that time. Always choose ingenuity rather than acceptance of failure because ingenuity is a lot easier to work through. If nothing else, you could use that time to prep and handle a random order that comes in, but never, ever, ever, ever close in the afternoon.

I’m not saying the labor market isn’t crazy right now. It would be best to be aggressive in trimming hours, the hours it takes to close, and the hours it takes to get open. That is where you should cut hours right now. Do it by being more innovative and efficient in your prep and faster and more effective in nightly closing. This is where you’ll save on labor and where you’ll also mitigate the situation. As far as getting more employees to work, the workforce is out there. They need to believe that you are the place to grow and learn in this world while they work.

It could be enticing, even a feeling of relief to close for two days, but it is not the hallmark of success. There are no successful chain pizzerias in America that close. And there is a reason for that because it’s bad for business in every sense of the word. If this is your hobby, then yes, take two days off your hobby. But if this is your career, you need to dig deep and figure it out.

Mike Bausch  is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Restaurant Open Hours: What Days to Close, if at all? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Tips for sell more Pizza by the Slice

It would be hard to picture an America without pizza by the slice being served at shopping malls, ballparks, stadiums, megastores and school cafeterias. It would be hard to imagine not going to our favorite neighborhood pizza joint in our youth and grabbing our favorite slice. Yet, pizza by the slice, that big part of Americana and of all our upbringings, has been around less than 100 years. And like anything else pizza in America, its story began in New York. 

Italian Immigrants brought pizza over with them in the beginning of the 20th century. Lombardi’s in New York has the prestigious title of being the first pizzeria in America in 1905. The early shops had massive coal-fired masonry ovens built to bake bread primarily. The bakers used coal as opposed to wood they used in their native country because it took up less space and burned more efficiently, cutting their costs significantly. 

In the 20s, pizza became more popular, but it was amongst the Italian community, it was not part of the New York culture yet. Smaller stainless steel, coal-fired ovens became available, and there were a number of shops that opened up around the city. Much like the very popular Neopolitan wood-burning pizzas today, the pizzas being baked in the high heat ovens were sold whole because being cooked at such a high temperature for such a short time, it is best to eat quickly so that it does not get tough and chewy when it cools down. 

Like Elon Musk changed the auto industry and Howard Shultz revolutionized the way we drink coffee in America, Frank Mastro was responsible for pioneering pizza all over the country as we know it today. 

Frank believed pizza could be as popular as the hot dog in America. He believed it could take America by storm and create endless opportunities for his fellow working-class Italian neighbors, if only he could figure out a different method other than the bulky, costly, messy and high maintenance coal oven. 

Thus, in the 30s, amidst the Great Depression, Frank created the first version on the gas-fired pizza oven that we see all over the country now, and he convinced Blodgett to manufacture it for him. 

Being the visionary he was, he set up an operating pizza shop in the Bowery to model what he believed a modern American pizzeria should be, and to showcase and sell his ovens. He would finance his buyers, some with no money down, and share recipes and concepts with them and also help them set up their shops. 

This was not only the ushering of mainstream pizza in America. This was also the advent of pizza by the slice by “The Pizza King”, as news publications later dubbed him. At half the temperature of coal, the pizzas take longer to cook and bake up drier. But they also have a longer shelf life because water is cooked out, making them reheat-able. Pizza by the slice, most of the time needs to be reheated. So, his ovens changed the game, and it’s easy to see why in a hustling bustling city like New York, in time, there would be a pizza by the slice shop on almost every corner. 

My journey in the pizza industry began when I was only 13, working with my father in his first pizza shop. The mid-90s was a special time for my family, as many of them got their start in the business. Currently my family owns and operates over 20 pizza restaurants in the Chicagoland area and that primarily sell pizza by the slice. 

We are pizza by the slice “royalty” in these parts… 

Maximize your pizza slice business

Many factors come into play when setting up pizza by the slice, from correct product and ingredient selection to proper placement and marketing. Here are a few things that you must do in order to maximize your chances of success. 

1. Quality. Use the best ingredients possible, from flour to tomato sauce to cheese. A high-quality, high-gluten flour and low moisture whole milk mozzarella work best for this type of operation. Cheaper mozzarellas do not hold or reheat well.
2. Know your numbers. Yes, we always hear that pizza by the slice is very profitable, especially because you get more money per pie (ex. $20 for whole pie, but $3.5 per slice, 8 slices per pie $28) but if you are only selling two to three slice of the pie, you might be losing money. Know what every pizza costs you, know what every slice costs you.  Also know how many pizzas you are selling, so you’re not over making them and left with a lot of waste. 
3. Have a killer display. People eat with their eyes, so make sure your pizzas look fantastic and are always on display. There is something to be said about slices. People want to see them, and they love to pick out their slice.  Having signage or photos won’t be as effective as having them on display for your guests. You also want to make sure displays are always clean and well lit, so that your customers can get a good look at the slices. And have a nice selection. People don’t want to see only the usual boring cheese, sausage and pepperoni. 
4. Know your clientele. Like I mentioned before, when dealing with slices you have to be careful with waste. It can kill your margins and make you lose money. So don’t waste your time and money displaying an ecclectic pie if there are no people that visit your store who would order it. You will be throwing away money. Everything in that display case you need to look at as money.  Talk to your customers, ask them what they would like to see you offer. 
5. Keep it fresh. Really try to time the hours of your influx of customers to keep the slices as fresh as possible. We all know that a pizza straight out of the oven is always the best, but when operating a slice business this is simply impossible. Also keep it fresh in terms of your variety. Have a slice of the day; showcase some of your specialty pies; and be creative!

Pasquale Di Diana is the owner of Bacci in Chicago, IL

The post Pizza Slice Sales That Work appeared first on Pizza Today.

Speak like a human. There’s a tendency when people write to conduct the written speech as if it’s a formal term paper they’re submitting to a college professor. This formality is an attempt at “professionalism,” or what they think would pass for “professional.” Here’s the thing about professionalism. It’s super cold, and it comes off as less than genuine. Instead, speak like a human when you write. That goes for any social media post responding to a customer, coupon verbiage, etc. Speak like a human and you will get a human reaction. 

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Case in point: let’s look at the word patronage. I often see the word patronage in written form from small business owners, but I’ve rarely heard someone say it out loud.

Imagine this for a moment. A great customer of yours is leaving your restaurant after another satisfying experience. You know them and make small talk with them every week. Now they’re getting up to leave, do you say: “And, also, thank you for your continued patronage.” If you would actually speak like that, then cool, I guess, but I doubt you do. You’d probably say something like, “Hey, and thanks a lot for coming in. We always appreciate it.” Because that’s what a human says, not the Response Bot 5000 that uses a word like patronage. So, write as you talk. It doesn’t hurt to clean up your grammar, and I highly advise learning a decent vocabulary to use when you speak. But if it’s not something you’d say in daily conversation, it should not be in your written word. The caveat of this is not to be completely informal either.

So, let’s give an example of a customer response, for something that’s gone wrong: 

Too Formal 

“We at Mom and Pop Pizzeria strive for the highest food standards in quality, and sincerely apologize for the experience that you had at Mom and Pop Pizzeria. Our prideful expectation is to bring only the finest in quality and ingredients to your every meal. And we appreciate your patronage and continued loyalty and support.

Regards,

Management.” 

That sounds like gobbledygook horse manure to someone reading it. Another bad response would also be this: 

Too Informal 

“Hey, man. Like, for real, we’re super bummed about what happened the other night, but you know how it goes. Hope we catch you later.” 

That won’t fly either.

There’s the just-right approach of saying and speaking as you would if that person were right in front of you and you’re not an idiot.

How about this? 

“I’m sincerely sorry that that happened. It’s not okay. And I own that isn’t what should’ve happened. You trusted us with your meal, and we screwed up. We care, and I want to make this right. We appreciate all the times you’ve come in and hope to see you again because you’re a great customer, and that’s not lost on me. 

Sincerely, – Mike”

That level of genuine, while also to the point, gets way further than overly professional or not professional. Being genuine always takes the cake, and speaking like a human will always win.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch 

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Speak Like a Human appeared first on Pizza Today.

How to manage the three Ps of 2022

When Lombardi’s opened in New York City in 1905, America began its love affair with pizza. Each generation of pizzeria operator has had challenges unique to their time. Now, roughly five generations later, what are the challenges we face? What will be the three major pain points this year?

The Pizzaeria Pain Points for 2022 can best be labeled as Pandemic, People and Prices.

Holy Moly, that’s more Ps than Punxsy Pizza Pennsylvania.

Yes, each of these Ps will bring you pain as a pizzeria operator. However, with some planning and preparation, they can also bring you pleasure. OK, I’ll stop playing with Ps. It is time to get serious. Let us look at our challenges and what we can do to mitigate them.

Pandemic.

We’re close to the end, right? Not necessarily. The pandemic has fundamentally changed our business and we must adapt or die. Look at the results of the pandemic. Some pizzerias closed their doors. Others thrived. Why? Adaptation. Necessity is the Mother of Invention. Those who thrived saw the need for change and acted. And their customers responded. These changes are not temporary. They represent the new pizzeria business model. Outdoor dining, indoor distancing, employee masks, curbside service, no-contact delivery, mobile app ordering, touchless pay systems, carry-out incentives and improved to-go packaging are all successful adaptations made as a direct result of the pandemic by pizzerias that thrived.

The pandemic pain point can be mitigated by selecting three changes you made during the pandemic and making them a permanent part of your pizzeria. And by doing so, improve each of them. Let us use curbside service as an example. Do what it takes to ensure a place for your curbside customers to park. This may take communication with your landlord or the city. How do you know when they arrive? Perhaps a hotline, or a camera system or a triggered alarm. Consider the packaging. Will their pizza be cold by the time they get home? It might be time to consider re-usable hot bags with your logo. How about a curbside condiment package that includes paper plates, napkins, and other frequently asked for condiments? Curbside service came about because of the pandemic, but we’ve discovered that customers love the service even without the fear of the virus. The ideas are endless. The point is, select three changes to make permanent and make them yours. Make them part of your unique selling proposition.

People

What happens when you pay people to stay home? What happens when you pay them $300-$500 per week more than they were making while working as an incentive to stay home? You know what happens. Essential businesses are unable to field a team and cannot keep their doors open. We have all heard the accusation, “They would if you paid them more.” No, they wouldn’t. No business can compete with free government money. The good news is that most people want to work. Most people want to contribute to society. Most people want to be part of something bigger, funner (yeah, I know, but it should be a word), and more challenging. Most people get true satisfaction from work. And the minute it makes financial sense, they will return to work. So as the government reduces the financial incentives not to work, the lives of the pizzeria operator will improve. 

The people pain point can be mitigated by beginning with those who got you here. Now is the time to recognize those employees who stayed and worked. Now is the time to ensure they participate in the results of your success. Can you increase their wages? Can you send them and their family on a weekend vacation? The key is to demonstrate your appreciation with both words and actions. You will also need to build a strong team moving forward. Understand that there will be two different types of employees. There are those who want stability, growth potential and opportunity. And there are employees who are passing through. The pizzeria industry needs both. For those who want to be part of your company long-term, work to provide training and guidance so they grow to their full potential. For those part-timers, students, minors, second-jobbers, you must provide flexibility in their schedule. Honor all time-off requests. Give them shifts that fit their other commitments and availability. The combination will build a strong team.

Prices

Inflation. This is not a new word; we just haven’t been hammered by it lately. To quote Elton John, the b***h is back. Costs are rising faster than pizza dough left to proof too long. But unlike over-proofed pizza dough, they will not fall. Shipping costs, manufacturing costs, raw material costs, and labor costs are clearly rising out of control. We are not talking about costs that are under your control. Pizzeria operators need to keep up with measuring the cost of doing business and adjusting their menu prices accordingly. 

The price pain point can be mitigated by charging the right price for your menu items. The pizza industry lost a great resource for this when Big Dave passed on to the big pie in the sky. But if you need guidance in this, others have followed in his footsteps. Menu analysis is critical, and pricing should always be based on costs. If your target is 30-percent food cost, understand that any menu item that is over 30 percent is driving up your costs. Do not be hesitant to raise prices as costs increase. Traditionally, price changes for your pizzeria can be done annually. With rampant inflation, food cost analysis should be a weekly measurement, with menu price change quarterly.

To those of you who worked and provided food as an essential service through this challenging era, I salute you. You have proved to yourself, your people and your community that you can adapt and have emerged a stronger pizzeria operator and businessperson. Facing these three pain points this year will require you to continue to apply these skills. You got this.

Dan Collier is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Pizzeria Pain Points of 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Surviving The Storm

If there is one thing that is guaranteed in our industry…

You will face hard times. 

A global pandemic is not the only threat to our existence. While there is no silver bullet to surviving these storms, there are a handful of things that can stack the deck in your favor.

Educate yourself. Learn from the leaders in our industry. 

I attended the International Pizza Expo for three years prior to opening Wholly Stromboli and one of the most resounding messages that has been key to our survival was the idea that you should have at least six months of operating capital in reserve when the storm comes. You owe this to yourself and your team. Knowing that you have built a financially sound business that can withstand the turbulent times goes a long way toward making sure that your team will stay with you when the going gets tough. If they know you are well funded and have the operating capital to persevere, they will worry less and focus on taking care of the business and your guests. 

Often times operators run their businesses from payroll to payroll, praying there won’t be any unplanned expenses that send their bank account into a tailspin. We decided to put our cash sales directly into savings. It’s a small percentage of daily sales and you’ll have a nice cushion when you have to close your doors unexpectedly or your walk-in takes a crap. 

Community support. If your community isn’t afraid to lose you, you’re not doing it right! 

I’m not just talking about being the coolest spot in town, I mean really integrating yourself into your community. Seek opportunities to give back and don’t be a sponge only taking and never giving. A sponge can only absorb so much before you have to ring it out. So, give back regularly and from the heart. It will come back to you tenfold. People will remember that you gave back even when things were tough for you and your business. Think of it like this: if you had a good friend who was going through rough times you would do what you could to help them; and if they were a pillar in the community, people would rally around them to help.

Avoid gimmicks! Be creative and think outside the box, but stay true to your brand. Don’t do what everyone else is doing just to try something. Think about what will resonate with your guests and best represent your brand, mission and values.

There are many ways to run a restaurant. Just because something works for the guy down the street does not guarantee it will work for you and you run the risk of being just one of many doing the same thing. I often say “do what the other guys aren’t doing and do it well!’

Take care of yourself. You are key in this equation. You need to be strong mentally, and physically fit for the challenge. You can better face the challenges that lie ahead if you are not running yourself ragged, taking time to rest and properly nourishing your body and mind. 

We live a high stress life on a good day. When the going gets tough you will need to be at your best! Your team needs a strong leader. The demands on your mind and body are the greatest in these times. If you show up tired, whiny and dragging then your team will follow suit. You must be the guiding light in times when there may not seem to be one at all. The time to get right with your body and mind is not when the poop hits the fan, but rather now. So meditate, take time for you, hit the gym or walk the dog. 

Who’s steering? Someone must be at the helm! If you and your leadership team are rowing the boat, then who the hell is navigating? During the pandemic many corporate chains laid off their teams when the shutdowns began, leaving only salaried managers to answer phones, run carryout orders and cook. 

Wholly Stromboli took a different approach. We did not lay off any of our team members and our managers stayed in place to help navigate the uncharted territory. With so many unknowns we had to be ready to change course at a moment’s notice. 

Communication is key! Like it or not social media can be one of the most efficient ways to share your message. Not only were we able to keep our followers updated about the ever-changing status of our business, it endeared us to so many people that hadn’t ever been to Wholly Stromboli before. This brought new guests through the door at an unprecedented rate. Tell your story, tell people why things are changing and how it affects you and your team. If your guests understand why you had to 86 their favorite dish it may make the pill less bitter to swallow. 

Last and most importantly, know thy numbers! This pandemic was an opportunity to re-evaluate our businesses from a financial perspective. This was a time to cut the fat! Huge menus, and dishes that don’t sell no longer have a place in our restaurants. Inefficient practices need to go! Lean and mean is the name of the game. Keeping your vendors accountable is also vital; unapproved substitutions, price hikes and outstanding credits are problematic and wreak havoc on your operations and finances. 

In reality, these practices are just part of running a successful organization. Putting solid operational, marketing and financial practices in place every day will help ensure that our restaurants can survive the storm WHEN it comes.

Melissa Rickman  is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post Keeping your restaurant business strong during tough times appeared first on Pizza Today.

When you opened your pizzeria, it was supposed to create a good income and the life of your dreams. But instead, you’re exhausted from being the only one who can get the work done right. You work hard, you work a lot of hours and you do a lot/most of the jobs. The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way for you if you are willing to accept something you’re doing has to change. 

What I’m about to share with you is what I’ve learned in my 30-plus years of working in restaurants and with restaurants, including many pizza operators. I hope you’re ready to finally get the relief you need so you can stop living in your business and finally have the life you’ve been working for.

Principle #1: Do less. Lead more.

If your daily operations are dependent on you, then you’re fulfilling the wrong role as an owner. You’re showing up as a doer instead of a leader.

Contrary to many independent owners’ beliefs, burning the candle at both ends is not the secret to a successful operation. A successful pizzeria is not dependent on one person to make it so. The secret to running a successful pizzeria is for the owner to lead the team to success. 

I’m not saying your employees are prepared to step up… yet. What I AM saying is that if you continue taking over all the time, you will drive away the employees who take the most pride in doing the work. You will lose the people who have the most passion for their work.   

The bottom line is if you don’t have time away from your restaurant, if you struggle to pay your bills, if you’re so tired you can’t motivate yourself to do anything other than work in the business, then you have a leadership problem. It means you must do less and lead more.  

Principle #2: Delegate and trust.

If you’re not doing the work every day, who will? Well, like most owners, you’ve worked yourself into a chicken and egg situation. By doing all the work, you’ve guaranteed that you will only find and keep the people who want to do as little as possible. They happily take their paycheck then go home. Meanwhile, you’re stuck toiling away.

To have freedom from your restaurant — whether it’s financial, physical or mental — you have to have people who do the work. You must allow your employees to help you. Teach them what you want done and how to do it. People want to take pride in the work they do and are looking for a way to contribute. They want to do a good job and be recognized for their talents. There are people like you! And you want to know what motivates them? A good leader. 

Leaders own the most profitable restaurants, are “needed” the least, have a better quality of life and have the most financial freedom. And being able to lead someone to take ownership of their work and be part of that larger vision is what will make your pizzeria wildly profitable, too. 

Principle #3: Let systems lead for you. 

Here is what I know that not everyone wants to admit. You don’t have to be a natural leader to be a great leader. 

When you opened your restaurant, did you set a goal to become a great leader? Probably not. Restaurant owners are usually more interested in providing a great experience for their community, to create memories and contribute to the lives of others. 

But you do need to become a leader to accomplish these things AND be profitable without burning yourself out. How do you become a great leader so you can give your customers what they want and get what you want in return, even if you’re not a natural leader? 

SYSTEMS! 

What do I mean by systems? A system is a set way of doing any task and/or process in your restaurant. They can be big and small, minor and major. When you document whatever task needs to get done, you suddenly become in control of everything down to the smallest detail without having to lift a finger to do it yourself. Your systems are how your employees know what the job is and how to get it done. 

Systems also remove personality from the situation. Instead of managing a person’s behavior, you’re managing whether they followed the systems or not. When you run your pizzeria using systems, you can plug just about anyone into a position, train them how to do it and it gets done how you want it done. When it’s well documented, someone could read the instructions, jump into the role and do a decent enough job to get it done better than what you’re probably experiencing now. 

In this way, systems create great leaders. They replicate the excellence that you would bring to the task while allowing your employees to take ownership and pride in a job well-done. Once you have the right systems in place, you’re able to lead your team even when you’re not in the building. And that is the key to being profitable without being restaurant-bound.

That breakthrough you feel that’s so close – it really IS that close. It’s within reach but like I said at the beginning of this article, you have to accept something you’re doing has to change. 

If you’re interested in learning how to actively adopt and follow these three principles, I invite you to attend the two workshops I’m teaching at Pizza Expo 2022. They are Restaurant Business Essentials, Part I: The Proven Formula for Pizzeria Success and Restaurant Business Essentials, Part II: Systems and Formulas for Controlling Your Food and Labor Costs. I definitely recommend attending both sessions to learn everything you need to know so you can stop burning the candle at both ends and have a team of people you can trust.

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits to develop to run a profitable restaurant. Thousands of restaurants have worked with Peters to transform their businesses. Get his three principles to restaurant success at https://dsp.coach/three-key-principles.

The post Three Principles the Most Successful Pizzeria Owners Live and Breathe appeared first on Pizza Today.

Taking delivery in house

Technology and convenience have spurred increases in food delivery outpacing dine-in by 300 percent since 2016. 

Still deciding whether to use a third-party service for your pizzeria delivery or to do it yourself? To help you make the decision, let us look at the cost of Do It Yourself (DIY) Delivery from anchovies to zucchini.

Here are the considerations for adding DIY delivery with a sample estimate of costs. Read further for the wider range of costs for your budget:

Your drivers will be delivering in their own vehicles since driving a company vehicle for delivery is cost-prohibitive. Insurance for this is called Non-owned Auto Insurance and is purchased in addition to your regular business coverage. Operating DIY delivery without non-owned auto insurance would be the worst business decision you could ever make. The cost is based on the number of deliveries you make and can run anywhere from .10 to .25 per delivery. If you deliver 300 orders per week, your cost may run from $1,560 to $3,900 per year.

A good POS System, designed for pizza delivery, will manage the phone calls, the customer database, the kitchen logistics and the delivery logistics. Without this, you would be operating in the Stone Ages. The costs associated with a POS system are two-fold: initial hardware and software costs and monthly support. Costs for a POS system vary widely but a budget of $15,000 to $20,000 per location for the initial system (hardware, software, menu setup, web site, install and training) is a good place to start. Monthly support costs may range from $200 to $400 per location.

A website with online ordering is another must for DIY delivery. Digital ordering represents over 40 percent of all pizzeria orders. Last year, Dominos reported that 75 percent of their orders were placed digitally. Online ordering should be included with your POS package. The food photography is where you will have some additional costs. Depending on the size of your menu, and whether you take the photos in-house or hire a professional, expect to budget anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 for food photography for the online ordering.

Often neglected in the planning for DIY delivery is the kitchen equipment and design. Adding delivery can easily add 30 percent to your sales. Can your ovens, makelines, fryers and refrigeration handle the capacity? Do you have a driver station large enough to accommodate staging the hot bags? What about packaging? Do you have shelves for folded pizza boxes and to-go containers for your menu items? Adding delivery may require a kitchen remodel and additional equipment. Budgeting for this can run into the hundreds of thousands, but let’s look at the less expensive considerations. Adding a driver refrigerator, long stainless table for the driver station, and pizza box shelving can easily be done on a budget of $4,000.

The second most-neglected item in the DIY delivery plan is the phone system. While many of your delivery and carryout orders will come from your online platform, expect an increase in your phone calls. Answering phones in the middle of a noisy kitchen or at the same counter where dine-in customers place their orders leads to customer frustration and operator mistakes. Is your office large enough to accommodate phone stations? Is there another area of the restaurant that can be converted to a quiet place to take phone orders? The minimum budget should include a good phone system, able to queue orders and have messages or music for the customers on hold. Often, this can be setup using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), so you do not have to pay for extra lines. A good phone system can be had for $2,500.

Delivery driver pay is two-fold. You must identify the hourly wage and the ‘mileage’. Drivers are usually paid minimum wage because they make tips. The minimum hourly wage varies state-to-state. If available, consider using the ‘tipped minimum wage’. Another cost is driver mileage. This is the amount of money you reimburse the driver for using their own vehicle and their own gas. This amount must meet at least the Standard IRS Mileage Rate for that year. The rate for 2021 is 56 cents per mile. The amount you reimburse your driver (suggested to pay daily at the end of the shift) depends on the size of your delivery area. While the average delivery area can be created by driving seven minutes in every direction to determine boundaries, this is by no means the rule. Miles driven logs are not required but recommended when you first begin delivery to ensure you meet the standard. If you pay less than the IRS standard, it means that your driver was not fully reimbursed and the difference effectively reduced their hourly wage, which may put them under minimum wage. 

Driver Supplies include delivery bags and car top signs. Hot bags cost about $30 each. Consider insulated bags for the cold food as well. Budget $1,000 for 25 standard three-pizza hot bags, 10 cold bags, and a few larger five-pizza hot bags. Another consideration is your driver’s vehicle. Will you be providing/requiring the use of a car top sign? A six-magnet, automatic-lighting car topper will cost about $250 each. Budget six signs for $1500. If you are delivering alcohol, consider a scanning device that not only verifies age but stores the scanned information. These cost about $500 per device.

Whether you are planning your DIY delivery on a shoestring budget or going all-in, the potential for ROI (Return on Investment) is evident. DIY delivery offers you incremental sales; additional sales using the same resources. Many of your fixed costs remain constant when you add delivery. Rent, kitchen and management staff, marketing and utilities will be reduced as a percentage of sales, leading to higher profit margins. With studies showing over 60 percent of Americans will get food delivered this year, it is time to get your slice of the pie.

Dan Collier is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Do It Yourself Delivery: What Are the Costs? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Order Up

During the COVID-19 pandemic, delivery and carryout orders sustained Gino Shalaby and his upstart eatery, Memo’s Pizza in Zebulon, North Carolina.

For nine months, the 24-seat dining room at Shalaby’s one-year old pizzeria sat empty. Though Memo’s dining room has since reopened, carryout and delivery still account for 75 percent of revenue.

“For a new restaurant like ours, carryout and delivery orders have been so important to getting business and keeping things going,” Shalaby says. 

Largely driven by necessity, safety and convenience, restaurant carryout and delivery orders soared amid the pandemic – and they show no signs of relenting anytime soon.

Restaurateurs know it, too, which is why so many have adopted technology to help facilitate off-premises orders. In fact, all 150 respondents to a recent Panasonic survey of foodservice decision makers said the pandemic increased their sense of urgency regarding technological adoption. For so many restaurant operators, technology presents a path to alleviating labor pressures and costs while improving staff workflows, modernizing operations and ensuring customer satisfaction.

“The last [two years] have taught restaurateurs the importance of having the right tech strategy in place and the ability to pivot in line with changing market conditions,” says Chris Lybeer, the chief strategy officer at Revel Systems, a leading point-of-sale system for restaurant operations. 

Tech table stakes and beyond

With so many restaurant customer transactions – nearly 70 percent by some accounts – now conducted beyond the traditional face-to-face ordering experience and rapid technological growth in areas such as payments, digital ordering, delivery logistics and more, restaurants are not surprisingly embracing carryout and delivery tech like never before.

Online ordering has been the principal starting point for many, a way to offer guests the convenience of ordering ahead and selecting when and how they receive their order. This has naturally facilitated contactless operations, such as digital payments and curbside pickup.

But when it comes to tidying up delivery and carryout operations, restaurants still have a ways to go – and plenty of technology they might leverage to get there.

“The COVID-19 outbreak may have disrupted business as usual in the restaurant industry and caused some extreme changes, but it has also roused many concepts to an opportunity to accelerate tech trends, fast-track transformation and re-imagine operations,” says Shyam Rao, co-founder and CEO of Punchh, a popular restaurant platform that blends relationship management, loyalty and analytics.

Simplifying operations

In particular, restaurants have increasingly explored ways they might leverage technology to drive guest satisfaction and simplify carryout and delivery processes. 

Rao, whose company works with some 200 top restaurant brands, has noticed restaurants unveil self-service kiosks, automated checkout counters and smart locker solutions designed to accelerate getting orders into customers’ hands while freeing up staff. Meanwhile, Menufy co-founder Hoang Nguyen tells Pizza Today that his firm, which provides online ordering for independent eateries and small chains across the U.S., is currently developing a feature that will enable restaurants to assign a pickup slot for online orders so that customers and delivery drivers can grab their order from a designated shelf or counter spot upon arrival.

Revel’s Lybeer also notes the growing adoption of order-ready boards. These on-site display boards provide fully branded visual and color-coded order information for customers with real-time status updates on their order.

“With the capacity to directly connect to the kitchen display and point-of-sale systems, [these boards] create greater
order efficiencies for restaurants and their customers,” Lybeer says.

Escaping third-party’s grip

Though many pizzerias embraced third-party delivery as an important lifeline during the pandemic, that ready-made solution came with a cost, namely high commission fees and relinquishing customer data. Those downsides prompted many to embrace tech for mobile ordering, curbside solutions and in-house delivery programs to minimize reliance on third-party delivery. 

“This helps [restaurants] retain branding and data control and reduce customer confusion by offering a direct point of contact for issues,” Lybeer says. “The more entities involved in an order, the more risk there is of a bad customer experience.” 

Punchh Pickup, for example, allows operators to manage pickup orders from a customizable web-based console, providing real-time location and arrival estimates that enable clear, automated communication with customers through a personalized mobile and web experience. This, Rao says, helps restaurants “create that frictionless, end-to-end pickup experience for customers and employees in-store, at the curb or at the counter.”

Seamless solutions

In adding tech, savvy restaurant operators are also seeking solutions that either offer various capabilities in a single system or can be easily integrated with other offerings.

To that point, Delivery XT from Revel provides a logistical solution for driver and delivery management that helps restaurants strengthen their delivery service from their Revel POS. Key features include live delivery tracking, customer notifications, a driver app for delivery fulfillment and live driver monitoring. 

For restaurants wanting to maintain their own branded online ordering, carryout and delivery systems, tech integration isn’t merely important, it’s necessary. Automatically printing an online order to the kitchen printer, for instance, can accelerate fulfillment time and reduces the risk of human error. 

“It is increasingly imperative that businesses have a future-proof, transactional platform with an open API that can rapidly integrate new core and partner technologies as they are embraced by the market and consumers,” Lybeer says. 

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Keeping pace with carryout and delivery technology appeared first on Pizza Today.

Delivering a Guest Experience To Go

In early August 2021, 60 percent of adults stated they had ordered takeout during the previous week, according to the 2021 National Restaurant Association’s State of the Restaurant Industry Mid-Year Report. The percentage aligns with a consumer trend to dine offsite, which began when Covid-19 struck and has continued to remain high. Even post-pandemic, we can expect to see customers grabbing their dinner—and heading home. “Their habits have changed,” says Martin Murch, Chef & Managing Partner for Good Eats Group, which owns Sono Wood Fired, a pizzeria with two locations. Sono Wood Fired has a full-service location in Columbus, Ohio, and a ghost kitchen that offers delivery and carryout in Chicago.    

While putting pizza in a box and handing it to customers can be convenient, it also presents tough challenges. If a staff member is only in contact with a diner for several minutes, how are those moments used? Can a restaurant’s brand truly be passed on during that timeframe, and exceptional service delivered?

Consider these strategies to create an experience that lives long in guests’ minds, even if the carryout window of time is short.

Make the Packaging Count

Viewing an increased customer demand for sustainable practices, Sono Wood Fired invested in 100-percent eco-friendly, compostable, oceanic-friendly packaging. “For the pizza boxes, we also increased the quality of the corrugated cardboard boxes with thicker cardboard but smaller air pockets to best hold heat,” Murch says. The pizzeria specializes in authentic, Tuscan-style wood-fired pizzas, which are meant to be eaten right away. “These new boxes allow us to closer replicate the restaurant experience—and the ideal way the pie should be enjoyed—for those carrying out,” Murch adds.

To better portray its brand, Sono Wood Fired shifted from plain pizza boxes to packaging with its logo. “I see people walking in the South Loop near our restaurant carrying the branded boxes—it’s been great marketing for us,” Murch says. The pizzeria has received positive feedback from customers who appreciate the commitment to reduce packaging waste. “Others have commented on how great—and hot—our pizzas are when they arrive at their home,” Murch says.

Take it to the Curb

If guests typically enter the restaurant to pick up their pie, consider giving them a curbside delivery option. This way, customers can place an order online or phone, drive to the parking lot, and receive their order. “We had great success with some of our clients when the confirmation e-mail guests received when they placed their order offered them a link to click on when they arrived, allowing them to indicate they were in the parking lot and the make and model of their car,” says Bob Vergidis, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer for pointofsale.cloud, a restaurant point of sale solution. 

You might also consider sending out a text to notify customers that their order is ready. “This way guests know exactly when the order is ready, and they can show up at the right time,” Vergidis says.

Start a Drive Thru Window

A pick-up window also saves customers from having to step outside of their vehicle. “It is easier for the guest if they can stay in their car where they can relax and do something else while they are waiting, and it is especially helpful if parents have their kids with them,” Vergidis says.

At its newest location, Pizzeria Locale, which has four locations in the Denver area, added a pick-up window. The restaurant had seen a spike in carryout demand with the onset of Covid-19; at one point, 90 percent of sales were digital. While demand has now fallen, digital orders still account for about 50 percent of sales. Along with the pickup window, “we added an oven and separate line for these orders,” Donato says. The addition allows for more oven space to accommodate the number of takeout orders at the location. 

Train Staff to Shine

“You want no questions in the guest’s mind when they show up to pick up their food,” Vergidis says. “They should know exactly what the status of their order is, and you want to get the food to them in the way that is easiest and fastest for the guest.” 

One word of caution: don’t rush the experience. “Speed is great when it comes to putting the order together but the handoff to the guest is where pizzerias can shine,” Vergidis says. Train staff to make each interaction count during carryout. Servers can maintain eye contact, smile, carefully hand over the order, and check that the guest is satisfied. 

Support the Community 

“From 2011 to 2019, we had the same pizza box,” says Chris Donato, brand manager for Pizzeria Locale. The restaurant calls itself the Neighborhood Neapolitan. “We offer a relaxed Neopolitan, with four ingredients in the dough,” Donato says. “We also focus on the community.” 

To change up the pizza box design and help locals, the pizzeria runs an occasional fund raiser by placing art from a nearby organization on its pizza boxes. Recently it helped gather funds for Art from Ashes, a youth empowerment organization. The organization’s symbol, a rising phoenix, was featured on the pizza box for a month. During one day of the month, 33 percent of sales went to Art from Ashes.

“We work with organizations that can produce the art,” Donato says. “We already print pizza boxes, so it doesn’t cost any more, and we can still support the local organization.” 

Refine the Takeout Offerings

Pre-pandemic, Pizzeria Locale included four types of salads on the menu. With the onset of the pandemic, and a rise in takeout orders, the place used the changing trends to evaluate the options. “We got rid of two salads that had special ingredients and a lot of prep time but were selling at a lower level than our other two salads,” Donato says. The two salads that the restaurant kept involve less labor and continue to be popular choices. 

Takeout may be here to stay, but there are plenty of ways to still leave a great impression on guests. Make sure the waitstaff prioritizes customer service and streamline the delivery process. Guests will appreciate the
attentiveness at every step.

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Going the Extra Mile with Carryout appeared first on Pizza Today.

Keep up so you don’t break down

Dealing with repairs and maintenance is a pain; nothing is exciting about it. It’s just something we all need to deal with. How you handle R&M indicates how you approach this job, either as a business career or a hobby. Suppose you wait until the last second, living off hope; then this is a hobby to you. If you create a proactive plan to keep everything functional, then you are a business professional. When you don’t deal with maintenance or let repairs drag, they sneak up on you at the worst possible time, typically on a Saturday night when you need that equipment the most. It then costs you time and a half to get the one technician willing to work the weekend to slowly drive out to your pizzeria. To avoid this, have a preventative maintenance plan.

Preventative maintenance means a technician comes to check out your refrigerated and prep equipment every quarter. They perform maintenance checks, do some deep cleaning, and verify everything is in working order. In addition, you need a standardized deep cleaning schedule that your store abides by to make sure equipment is maintained correctly. You can get a lot done yourself by watching resource videos on YouTube, but certified technicians are trained to look for things you won’t be able to catch. That’s why you need both yourself and the technician consistently tending to the equipment that allows you to operate and create profit.

Make sure your preventative maintenance plan is scheduled out with dates from the technician. Set it in a calendar every year like you would a dentist appointment. Make it crystal clear when the techs should come out, and then you’ll have a record of when they’ve visited. If you don’t do this, your proactive payment for these techs might be for work that never occurs.

If possible, have a backup plan for everything in your store. In other words, what would you do if your walk-in goes down? Move items to the pizza prep units? Bring in a generator? Load up coolers with ice? Whatever you choose, have a plan for it that staff is aware of. If something breaks, do you have a second store you can use for mixers, slicers and fryers? If not your store, perhaps a restaurant friend’s store? Possibly a school cafeteria or a church kitchen. Suppose you have no idea, then start making friends and create a backup plan. Again, it’s a lot easier to avoid all of this and maintain the equipment properly in the first place … but equipment failures will occur.

When techs come out to do repairs, treat them like gold, give them a slice of pizza, get them a soda or water because you want them wanting to come to your store, especially when it’s an emergency on a weekend night. When the chips are down, they’ll work harder to get you operational faster if they dig you and your store. Some technicians are unethical; to be safe, always acquire the broken part they replace, so you know you’re dealing with a reputable technician who isn’t pulling a fast one on you.

Do your research. Understand how long each piece of equipment should typically last. Learn this from other industry experienced people or the manufacturer themselves. You might be able to squeeze 10 years out of a five-year item, but don’t expect to, and certainly budget for replacing these items. You don’t want to find yourself at year five doing tens of thousands of dollars in replacements that you never budgeted for. 

Avoidance of pitfalls is not luck. Avoidance of pitfalls comes from planning and being more proactive than reactive. The devil is in the details on repairs and maintenance. If you don’t spend money now, seeking to get by, you will eventually lose tenfold more when you take the hit on having to replace items at the worst possible time. You’ll also deal with not being able to operate at 100 percent as you search out and buy new replacements. Never be reactive with repairs or maintenance; proactive is always cheaper.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch 

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Repairs & Maintenance appeared first on Pizza Today.

These often overlooked smallware items can impact your kitchen efficiency

Smallwares are an annoying detail to any properly functioning restaurant. Having enough of them, the right ones, and having them all well maintained indicates a well-run restaurant. A pizzeria that can’t find a spoodle or has to resort to the wrong-sized plastic bin shows ownership is checked out. The only alternative is they value short-term dollars over long-term operational functionality. When that ownership style occurs, it shows the owner doesn’t value the dollar at all. Let’s get into all the stuff you’ll need to effectively manage it. 

Measurement Items

These small and easy-to-lose items cost a lot over time. Thermometers, small scales, measurement cups and spoon measuring tools are vital to proper recipe building. They are the first to disappear when you need them most. Some of these items go fast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a solid amount of wear out of them. To keep them from getting lost or broken, keep them in a set location, potentially on a chain or a hook of some sort. This action will ensure they’re always at the ready. When they get washed, they should go into a separate bin. These items must return to that set location each day consistently to minimize redundant replacement. 

Bins, Lids and Tubs

Think of the busiest sales day you could ever have. Think of all the bins of product that you would need to get through that day, take that amount of containers and double it. That is the number of bins you should have on hand in your restaurant. If you do make items in bulk, then large tubs are great for storage. This assumes that you can go through it quick enough without product quality diminishing. Never use bulk bins to transfer to small containers in the middle of a rush. I hate transferring a big tub to a one-sixth bin when everything is crazy. What’s even worse is topping off a one-sixth bin rather than changing it out completely. Not having enough containers leads to a lack of FIFO (first in, first out) which breeds product loss. Lack of FIFO also shows a lack of respect for the customer experience. 

Spoons, Ladles and Spoodles

Organize smallwares in labeled containers. Never leave a bucket of “stuff” to be where smaller items land. Spoons in the spoon bin. Knives in the knife bin or rack. A little investment in efficiency will reap the rewards quickly in a rush to reduce ticket times. Enough sauce spoons available in the height of a rush seems like pizzeria 101. Having enough tools to spread pizza sauce seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many pizzerias I’ve been in where the staff is all sharing one sauce spoon. All the while the only other two spoons are at dish station and that’s all they own. A few $3.15 investments in spoons, or lack of investment, has now crippled a rush with staff bottlenecking their production line. They can’t put sauce on fast enough because ownership was too cheap or unaware to spend four bucks needed to succeed.

Screens, Discs and Pans

These things are very individual to each pizzeria. The maintenance of these items is hard. Pans are the easiest because most dish machines can clean them. Disks and screens typically can’t. Correct maintenance requires hand washing and care to avoid losing the exterior coating of properly broken-in bakeware. All the while still cleaning them, so they’re safe and sanitary. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t seen some restaurants avoid cleaning them altogether. I suggest keeping these items separate at the dish station, so they are cleaned with a different protocol. Again, make sure you invest in your tools on hand so your staff isn’t cleaning these screens or disks in a rush because you didn’t buy enough. 

Peels and Palos 

These can be very expensive and easily broken. I suggest having two backups offsite. You want them accessible but not so accessible that staff assumes breaking one isn’t that big of a deal. It should be hard to get another, but you should always have one ready because restaurant supply stores are never open when you need them the most. 

Cleaning Items

Dish racks, sweepers, brooms and dustpans all need to get cleaned themselves. All these items require maintenance. It’s fascinating to me how the things we depend on to clean our restaurants tend to be the dirtiest items in the restaurant. The typical assumption is, “Well, it doesn’t need to be cleaned. It does the cleaning.” Descaling a dish rack, sending a dustpan to the dish station, or cleaning the dish sprayer are all necessary to maintain cleanliness in a restaurant. Clean it all and clean it often. If you don’t clean it, it becomes a broken window. When a restaurant has a broken window item, it makes it a lot easier for another window to be broken. Like when you’re in a part of town where grass can grow tall out of the sidewalk, building’s windows can go broken for a long time, and no one cares. That’s what happens when you don’t tend to the cleaning products and make sure they’re clean just like everything else. It gives staff a feeling of nonchalance to your store’s maintenance.

Cleaning schedule

Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks all need to be done for your smallwares and equipment items to ensure they stay at the top of their functionality. Perform an inventory of smallwares once a month, preferably once a week, to keep on top of how fast you’re using these items. If you have multiple stores, this inventory will show which stores are losing or breaking items the most. If you do see a store that’s going through items at a super aggressive rate, you might want to put that store on a budget for specific items and say, “You only get ($X) this month. Make sure you don’t waste it.” 

Ordering New Items

A local or online restaurant supply store should answer to someone who purchases based on the bottom line. Preferably that’s you. If you allow just anyone to order, other than you, it leads to overspending. Additionally, I’ve found that multiple people contacting the restaurant supply rep can overwhelm the reps. Smallwares ordering is more erratic than food ordering, so having numerous sites and people to answer for can go south quickly.

Other Items

I highly suggest casters for all equipment so that you can clean under it and maintain standards. Additionally, refrigeration seals need maintenance. Ensure that these aren’t cleaned with sanitizer, instead only water or soapy water at most because they will deteriorate with sanitizer, and these seals are not cheap. Regarding cleaners: sanitizer, floor cleaner and regular degreaser are as aggressive as you’ll want to get. Other items on the market will take carbon off pans quicker, but if you spray it on your skin and it burns, it means it’s corrosive. Now these acids are creating more nooks and crannies for more dirt to seep into your stainless steel or plastic item, to make them dirtier faster. I find these cleaners do more harm than good. 

As with anything, respect your smallwares, and they’ll respect you by being ready when you need them. Simple and intentional maintenance will help them last longer and not affect your budget any more than they should.

Mike Bausch  is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Smallwares, Big Results appeared first on Pizza Today.

A look at tipping issues pizzeria owners are recently facing

In an already challenging labor market, pizzeria operators have another thing to monitor when it comes to their current employees: tipping. From tip sharing to accelerating calls to eliminate the tip credit, regulations and debate at both the state and federal level continue swirling. 

“In some quarters, there is real hostility to the notion of tipping and the tip credit,” confirms Paul DeCamp, former administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division who spent summers of yesteryear working in Ann Marie’s Italian Kitchen in his hometown of Norton, Massachusetts.

As indoor dining becomes more prevalent and restaurants battle for labor in a tight market, tipping practices gain even more attention, especially since the stakes for noncompliance can be costly, including penalties and litigation.

“You have employees working more hours and more people paying attention to the specifics of compensation,” says Matt Feinberg, an attorney with Washington, D.C.-based PilieroMazza. 

There are three tipping issues that pizzeria owners would be especially wise to mind: 

No. 1: The 80/20 rule

The 80/20 rule from the Department of Labor (DOL) said that restaurant owners could not take a tip credit for work performed by a tipped employee if that individual spent more than 20 percent of their time doing side tasks that are not immediately tip generating. Common restaurant side tasks include setting up for a shift, rolling silverware and cleaning tables.

“So, if you have an employee who spends 30 percent of his or her work time setting up a restaurant before opening and doing other prep work, the Department of Labor takes the position that the employee should be paid at least minimum wage during that time,” says DeCamp, now the national co-chair of Epstein Becker Green’s Wage and Hour Practice Group. 

While the oft-contentious 80/20 rule was slated to evaporate last March, the Biden Administration halted the change. Currently reviewing comments, the DOL will not make any changes to the 80/20 rule until the close of 2021. Notably, numerous states, including California, Minnesota and Washington, do not allow the tip credit, while legislators in many other states are pushing for the same. 

An issue fraught with risk for restaurants, DeCamp suggests operators eliminate or reduce the time tipped employees partake in opening or closing tasks that count toward the 20 percent of non-tipped time; pay employees the full minimum wage rate during shoulder periods like opening and closing; and assign non-tip generating work to employees not taking the tip credit. 

“It makes sense to do what you can to minimize risk,” DeCamp says. 

No. 2: Combined tip pools

The DOL has long taken a stance against combined front of the house and back of the house tip pooling. As of April 30, 2021, however, DOL regulations implementing a March 2018 change to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act now permit tip sharing with back-of-the-house employees, such as dishwashers or line cooks, so long as the restaurant pays everyone at least the minimum wage. Going this route, restaurants also avoid any 80/20 rule uncertainty since no employees are subject to the tip credit.

Many in the restaurant industry saw the recent DOL rule as a positive development that could help in the recruitment of back-of-the-house employees and compel employees across the operation to work together to ensure positive guest experiences.

In some states, however, any tip pool must be purely voluntary – and what counts as voluntary is sometimes tricky. Camilla Hundley, Feinberg’s colleague at PilieroMazza, suggests restaurants develop a set of practices for operating a tip pool as well as tipping standards that management and employees clearly understand. 

“Have this posted in the restaurant or have tipping policies outlined in an employee handbook that employees then acknowledge and sign upon their hiring,” Hundley says.

No. 3: Supervisors in the tip pool

Another DOL rule took effect April 30 as well: managers and supervisors are prohibited from receiving employees’ tips as part of any tip pooling arrangement. While that directive might seem rather straightforward, DeCamp considers it a “red flag issue” given ambiguity around the term “supervisor.” Is a lead server considered a supervisor? What about a head bartender? 

The DOL is now trying to determine who is – or who is not – excluded from the tip pool. As a practical matter in today’s restaurants, these lines can blur as some employees take on added responsibilities amid labor shortages.

DeCamp’s suggestion for the time being: “To the extent that you have people with supervisory responsibilities serving customers, be careful about them being in the tip pool with anybody else. If this is something you’re going to do, then talk to counsel first. And if there’s any doubt, then keep these people out of the tip pool.”

DeCamp cautions that on this and many other labor and tipping issues, restaurants must comply with any state and local requirements, which could be more restrictive than federal law.

On the Horizon: The Raise the Wage Act of 2021

In January 2021, top Democrats in the nation’s capital introduced a bill that would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour over the next five years. In addition, the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 would phase out the tip credit and the tipped minimum wage. The legislation would immediately push the tipped minimum rate from $2.13 per hour at the federal level to $4.95 and then tack on an additional $2 per hour each year until it matched the federal minimum wage. 

While there is skepticism that the bill will pass at the federal level, at least as initially constructed, restaurants should know that the tip credit is on the chopping block in a few different states, including Michigan and Maine, as well as Washington, D.C. Recognizing that the feds might not drop the tip credit, grassroots groups continue lobbying state legislators to end the practice.

“There is this movement out there, so if you want to see current tipping practices remain, you need to get involved,” wage and hour expert Paul DeCamp says.

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post The State of Tipping appeared first on Pizza Today.

If you’ve read our past two installments — or are simply conducting your business — you know most of the restaurant industry is fighting a labor shortage and supply issues. Previously, we discussed solutions related to raising employee wages and increasing prices to facilitate that. The next solution is just as important: meeting with distributors and vendors to ensure you’re getting a fair price from them.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Over the last year and a half, we’ve experienced product shortages — with some products simply being discontinued — and price increases, as the vendors that service our industry also feel the pain of the pandemic. But the answer is not a simple renegotiation or just switching vendors. Rather, it’s having an honest conversation with vendors about where we’ve been, where we are now and where we go from here.

The Past

Vendors face challenges from all sides, from manufacturers to customers who bolt for small savings and big promises. But if you’ve been loyal to your vendors, keeping your business with them for a long period, then you owe it to yourself to start the discussion. Remind them of how your relationship started, how you’ve always found common ground in the past. Talk about how you both hung tough during the pandemic, and finally, remind them that when other vendors came for your business, you were always loyal.

The Present

The circumstances restaurants and their vendors currently are facing are quite similar. Supply disruptions and employee shortages are crunching both parties weekly. In your conversation, let vendors know you are concerned not only for your business but theirs, as well, and the state of the industry. We’re all in this together — and we’ll get through it and build a better tomorrow.

Beyond the emotional component, discuss what price structures are in place right now, be prepared to go through your invoices line-by-line, and identify areas where you can get better pricing immediately. This is to remind the vendor how long it’s been since such a detailed review occurred and make sure they are aware of where the prices currently stand. I’ve seen that when you review line-by-line with the right person, they are happy to find ways to save you money where they can. You can expect them to be honest and tell you where prices will keep going up or where they are at the mercy of the manufacturers.

The Future

Next, take it to the final step and talk about the future. What can you expect from them, in terms of service and price? Where do they see their business going in the coming months and years? How do they see your relationship evolving? Then let them know your own game plan — how you see your business growing and your vision for the future. 

Indeed, all great businesses, from the tech world to pizza shops, must have a vision. This is a dream or long-term goal that can be shared with your vendors and your team members alike. In the next installment of Building Blocks, we’ll discuss crafting a vision that resonates — and why now is the perfect time to build more stores.

NICK BOGACZ is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Negotiating with distributors and vendors appeared first on Pizza Today.

Increase Green Efforts on the Planet and Increase Profits

In its newest location, Noble Pie Parlor of Reno, Nevada, incorporated an herb garden into its décor. The addition is not only eye-catching; it is also practical. When appropriate, the herbs are used in cocktails served from the bar and incorporated into pizza sauces and other menu items.

The herb garden concept is on trend when it comes to consumer expectations. As diners’ behavior shifted during the pandemic from indoor eating to takeout and delivery, their environmental mindset changed too. In an April 2020 McKinley survey, 57 percent of respondents reported making changes to their lifestyle during COVID-19 to lessen their environmental impact. In a survey by GreenPrint released in February 2021, 77 percent of Americans stated they are concerned about the environmental impact of the products they buy. 

“Consumers are increasingly sophisticated in their understanding of sustainability and are paying much closer attention to how items are manufactured, how they are sourced and how they are packaged,” says Julie Brannen, Director of Sustainability Solutions at Monadnock Paper Mills. “Managing all aspects and impacts of sustainability requires a formal framework and a long-term commitment from leadership.” The process involves thinking through how you are sourcing food and products for your place. It also encompasses considerations of energy use and waste reduction. To truly be effective, however, the strategy will account for costs, benefits, and ultimately, an opportunity for higher profits. 

Take an inventory. Before making any changes, it’s good to know your starting point. “Look around at all of the materials you source,” Brannen says. This could include food items, food service items, décor, signage, and marketing items, such as direct mail brochures or flyers. Then ask, “Is this recyclable or reusable?”  

The survey can include energy and water consumption within the pizzeria. For instance, are staff members careful to turn off lights when they are not in use? What about appliances, kitchen equipment, food warmers and other items that use electricity? A study on how water is used can also serve as a beginning. If you look at utility bills from past months, you’ll be able to quickly see what the average overall consumption is for the restaurant. 

Consider moving away from plastic. “Paper is one of the most recycled commodities in the world,” Brannen says. Today’s selection of paper products for restaurants includes menus, signage, POP (point-of-purchase) displays, and even gift cards. If the idea of using paper sounds flimsy, research prices, look at reviews and consider trying a sample before making any commitment. Also keep in mind the paper industry has evolved during the last several years. “Paper can be durable enough when it’s specifically engineered for its intended purpose,” Brannen says.  

Increase conservation practices. Holding a meeting to gain input on ideas for increasing conservation efforts gives team members the chance to weigh in and feel part of the effort. They may want to make a chart or checklist that serve as reminders to turn off lights and other electrical equipment when possible. They may also come up with long-term strategies to reduce waste and cost, such as moving away from paper receipts and instead using digital tickets that are sent to an e-mail. Digital menus and staff communication also reduce the strain (and price) of paper consumption. “If offering takeout and delivery, only include single-use utensils, straws and napkins on request,” says Lauren Olson, zero waste manager at World Centric. “Most people eating at home will prefer to use their own reusable utensils.”

There may be opportunities to reduce food costs as well. A garden or potted herbs could provide fresh ingredients and be spotlighted, as in the case of Noble Pie Parlor’s newest location. A compost pile could be created if space allows on the property. 

Look at return on investments. “When it comes to environmental sustainability, reputational risk can prove to be more costly than you think,” Brannen says. “Consumers will choose establishments that align with their values.” Nearly two-thirds of Americans stated they were willing to pay more for sustainable products, according to the GreenPrint study. Moreover, 78 percent of survey respondents were more likely to buy a product that is clearly labeled as being friendly to the environment. 

Before shifting to alternative materials, such as pizza boxes made of recycled materials, it’s worth looking into costs. Consider how the material is produced, what happens to it after it is used, and how switching would impact your own costs. You might decide to increase prices to align with increases in green packaging. 

Publicize the process. “Once you’ve decided to take on sustainability, it gives you an opportunity to educate your customers,” Brannen says. “Marketing is important — let them know you care about them and the community and are demonstrating that through sustainable sourcing practices.”

Using products that can easily be recycled or are biodegradable will usually catch customers’ eyes if they are correctly labeled. Dough Boys Pizza, a pizzeria in Austin, Texas, uses the WorldCentric PizzaRound, which is a 100-percent tree-free pizza container made from plant-based materials. The PizzaRounds are compostable and break down in several months. Customers of Dough Boys Pizza have noticed the difference and the eco-minded efforts. 

There are tools you can use to quantify your impact reductions and better share your story. EPA WasteWise, for instance, is a free and voluntary program. You can use the tools offered through the program to understand and reduce your waste stream. You can then include the statistics in e-mail messages or on signs within the restaurant. 

One of the easiest ways to spotlight your green efforts is to simply share your journey as you experience it. Use social media like Instagram or Facebook, or videos on YouTube, to show what changes you’ve made. Consider sharing monthly or quarterly updates to track your progress. Team members might be interested in sharing their ideas with the public and noting how their suggestions have been implemented. Another idea: customer testimonials. Ideally, these satisfied diners will share how they’re pleased with the sustainability efforts they see, and then invite others to come and check it out.

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Sustainability for the Dual Win appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Perfect Pie at the Perfect Temp

If systems to serve food are unaligned and a once-piping-hot pizza arrives cold to a hungry diner, the customer will notice. Moreover, they likely will remember the meal—but not in a positive light. Nearly 70 percent of pizza customers report that getting the temperature wrong on their order ruins their dining experience, according to a survey from Alive & Kickin’ Pizza Crust. 

“Food needs to be served hot,” says Biagio Cepollaro, managing partner of Via Roma in Camp Springs, Maryland. Crossing the line into too-hot territory, however, is also a concern. “Our pizza is cooked in an oven at two different temperatures, one for the dome and one for the deck,” Cepollaro says. The bottom of the oven gets to between 350 F and 400 F, while the top can reach more than 600 F. This ensures the pinsa, which is a Roman-style pizza made with a blend of rice, soy, wheat flour and dried mother yeast, is cooked evenly. Once the pizza is taken out of the oven, it is placed on a griddle for about 30 seconds. Some of the heat evaporates from it, and then it is placed on a wooden carrier and delivered to the table. “By the time it gets to the table, it is not too hot that it burns the customer’s mouth,” Cepollaro says. 

With new online ordering systems, an increase in delivery demand, and more takeout options, providing food at the right temperature has been taken to a whole new level. To meet safety standards and keep customers satisfied, it’s essential to have a system that can be monitored and adapted as restaurant needs change. Use the following guidelines to make sure pies are served at their best—every time. 

Understanding Safety Requirements

Health codes use the term “TCS (Time and Temperature Control for Safety)” to refer to foods that must be correctly stored, heated, cooled and prepared to reduce the risk of bacteria which could cause illness. “For pizzas, a minimum cook temperature of 165 F is usually adequate for food safety,” says Chris Boyles, vice president of food safety for Steritech, a company that provides food safety and operational assessments to the restaurant industry. “Verify the temperature at the thickest point, which will be the last place to reach the target temperature.” For deep dish, the point will typically be in the middle of the pie. “Of course, a higher temperature may be necessary for quality, especially of the crust,” Boyles says.

If pizza or other types of TCS foods are not served immediately after cooking, you’ll want to make sure they are properly held. “Holding hot means 135 F or above for safety,” Boyles says. “The optimal setting may vary by product since thinner items and sliced items lose heat more quickly.” Cold foods require storing at 41 F or below. “Monitor time and temperature that is staged for pick up or delivery,” Boyles says. 

Putting Optimal Systems in Place

“Review procedures to ensure everyone has clear and accurate directions for proper food handling,” Boyles says. Include important food safety and storing information in staff training sessions. Equip managers to monitor the procedures for serving to tables, along with delivery and takeout. “Consider using an automated temperature sensor system to monitor temperatures continuously,” Boyles says. “Such systems can be used to track temperatures throughout the day to identify patterns and ultimately help identify root causes.” If a unit doesn’t hold temperatures during rush hours, there may be an underlying issue with stacking foods or door management. 

For items that leave the restaurant, a closed container will help pizza maintain its temperature. Other menu items might require different transporting units. “For fried items, we use containers with holes in them,” Cepollaro says. “This allows steam to get out.” 

Customers can also be provided with instructions on reheating and safety. “Leftover pizza should not typically be left out of temperature control for more than two hours,” Boyles says. In addition to including directions to promptly store leftover pizza in the refrigerator, you could add practical ways to serve later, such as warming for 10 minutes in a 350 F oven. 

Storing and serving at the right temperature can also ensure high quality in terms of nutritional value. “Some foods might lose their nutrients when subjected to incorrect temperatures,” says Elliot Reimers, a NASM certified nutrition coach at Rave Reviews. Spinach, for instance, can lose up to 60 percent of its nutritional content if it’s overly exposed to heat for a prolonged time. 

If you recently expanded your seating area, takeout or delivery segments, adding on warming methods may be needed. “There are a number of ways to keep food at the proper temperature,” says Jeff Ehrlich, manager at Restaurant City Warehouse in Waterbury, Connecticut. “These include various types of heat lamps, hot food serving counters, warming cabinets, insulated pizza delivery bags, pizza display cabinets, and reheating slices in the pizza or convection oven.” In his pizzeria, Cepollaro relies on empty plates kept warm under heat lamps. Once they are filled, they are served immediately.  

Correct Temperatures in Automated Pizza Solutions

Piestro, an automated pizza creation startup, relies on machines to produce pizzas in a matter of minutes. “We use pre-pressed, uncooked dough made of the freshest ingredients, and it is stored in shelves within the machine,” says Massimo Noja De Marco, CEO of Piestro. Toppings are added to the dough, which is then ready to be cooked.

“Our conveyor oven was built to work at 800 F to cook a pizza within three minutes,” De Marco says. “It uses a complex temperature isolation system that keeps the toppings and dough at proper temperatures from the heat of the oven.” The oven has a series of thermal reading sensors which can be monitored to ensure safety. After cooking, the pizza is dropped into a pizza box and delivered through a window to a customer or restaurant employee. “All of this is automated—so the pizza does not come into any human contact from cooking to packaging,” De Marco says. 

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics. 

The post Setting a Plan to Meet Customers’ Heat Preferences appeared first on Pizza Today.

How Clean is Your Ice?

The ice machine is a crucial piece of equipment in foodservice, but it can easily become the dirtiest place in the restaurant. The culprits are biofilm, or slime, and scale, which is calcium and magnesium buildup. Ice is food, so pizzeria owners need to make sure the ice maker works and is clean. 

“If the machine is making ice the maintenance is overlooked,” says Rodd Burger, director of technical support for Hoshizaki America, Inc. “That’s the tendency, but the machine is going to fail at the worst possible time.” 

Burger recommends having a professional clean the ice machine at least once a year. Pizzerias should schedule more frequent service, because airborne flour and yeast can get into the equipment. Although a restaurant manager or other employee can perform certain tasks regularly, such as wiping the exterior of the machine, the work of descaling and sanitizing is typically performed by someone who knows where to pour chemicals and how to toggle the various switches and valves. 

For owners or managers that want to perform the tasks, Hoshizaki offers a tutorial and instructional video on its website. “Make sure it gets done,” Burger says. “The last thing you want to worry about is if you’ve got ice or not.” 

Keeping the ice machine clean is a two-part process. Descaling is ridding the machine of the minerals that build up on components, which can impede the movement of the parts and cause premature wear. “Descaling is important because scale is very hard and creates an uneven surface that can host colonies of microscopic bacteria, known as biofilm,” says Aaron Brix, director of product management for Welbilt – Manitowoc Ice. Sanitizing gets rid of biofilm, or slime. 

The specific cleaning instructions will vary according to the machine’s software and other features of the machine. Some machines have a display screen with prompts, and some have certain automated features. 

Descaling 

There are several ways to tell whether the ice machine needs to be descaled. “One common sign of scale buildup is when ice sticks to the evaporator and doesn’t harvest,” Brix says. “Let the ice melt and fall off of the evaporator and clean the evaporator with a soft brush and an approved descaler.” 

Turn the machine off, harvest any remaining ice from the evaporator, and remove the ice from the bin. Ice machines have a “clean” button to start the clean cycle. One common error, Brix says, is people forget to add the proper chemical, or they add it too early, and the chemical gets purged before the machine starts the wash cycle. 

After the descaling cycle is complete, remove all interior food zone components, soak them and scrub them with a soft brush to remove any remaining scale. Rinse the parts with clean water, and descale the ice bin and rinse with clean water. “Never use a blade or a screwdriver to remove scale,” Brix says. “This can ruin the evaporator or gouge the plastic components, which creates an ideal space for biofilm to take root.” 

Sanitizing 

Next comes the sanitizing step, which entails placing the removed components in a solution of water and sanitizer. Let the parts air dry, and do not submerge electrical components. Also, take a spray bottle with the diluted sanitizer and spray the internal food zone of the ice machine and bin. “Again, do not dry,” Brix says. “Let the sanitizer do its work.” Reinstall the food zone components, and wait 20 minutes to let the sanitizer disinfect. Then press the clean button, add the appropriate amount of sanitizer to the ice machine’s water tray, and close and secure the ice machine so it can complete the sanitization cycle and automatically return to the ice making mode.  

Brix notes that larger operators, such as chains and franchises, often have a maintenance team to handle these tasks. They might also have a contract with the company that installed the machine to send a servicing technician on a regular schedule. If the ice machine is on the beverage dispenser, the beverage company might handle the cleanings. Still, it is possible to do the cleaning in-house. “NSF requires commercial ice machine manufacturers to print cleaning instructions on the inside of the front panel of the ice machine,” he says. “So there’s no reason that any employee, regardless of skill level, wouldn’t be able to perform a cleaning cycle on an ice machine.” 

Some operators might be unaware that they need to clean the ice machine, because they have a misconception that the cold temperature will prevent the growth of gross organisms. “But if you’ve ever cleaned a freezer or refrigerator,” Brix says, “you know that’s not the case.” 

Other tips

Green or pink slime indicates the ice machine needs sanitizing. “You’ll see that in the ice bin,” says Dan Bendall, principal at FoodStrategy, Inc. in Rockville, Maryland. “If you touch the sides, you feel the slime.” 

Bendall recommends descaling more often if the area has hard water, which means it has a higher mineral content. The water supplier, such as the municipality, can provide information about water hardness. A filter connected to the pipe can help limit the buildup of minerals. Replace the filter when needed. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, such as changing the filter when an indicator light comes on or lines on the filter change color. 

 Close the lid if the ice machine is in a food prep area, to further limit the amount of flour and yeast – which, Bendall points out, is a living organism – entering the machine. Train employees to gather ice with a scoop, not a glass that can break, and especially not with their hands. Wash the scoop, and the tray it rests on, daily in the dishwasher.

Finally, do not let anyone put their food or beverage in the ice machine. “If the health department comes through and they see a can of Coke stuck in there, they will stop service and have you empty the ice machine right away, not at the end of the shift,” Bendall says. “That could put a real damper on the meal period.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Descaling and sanitizing ice machines can prevent equipment failure appeared first on Pizza Today.

There are many inherent dangers to delivering pizza, from vehicular accidents to crime and, still, COVID-19. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019 there were 2,580 cases of nonfatal illnesses or injuries related to driver/sales workers in the private accommodation and food services industry, up from 2,380 in 2018. (The BLS does not break out pizza delivery drivers as a category.)

Pizzeria owners say they have systems in place to protect drivers from the risks of car wrecks and getting robbed. They also say some of the protocols related to social distancing and contactless delivery will remain post-pandemic.

Prevention is key

Hiring the right candidates is a crucial first step in protecting delivery drivers and other people on the road. “You cannot have a bad driving record,” says Joe Melton, senior vice president of operations for Denver-based Mici Handcrafted Italian. “We enforce that. Sometimes it’s tough.” After the applicant passes the interview process, management orders a motor vehicle report from the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Also, delivery drivers must have auto insurance, and Mici carries umbrella insurance to protect the company.

The six-location Mici also tries to protect drivers from other issues such as crime. Since Mici targets families as its customers, the restaurants close at 9 p.m. and do not take delivery orders after that. “We are not the 4 a.m. delivery,” Melton says. “We deliver to birthday parties, we do weddings. It’s a little different.”

Technology helps, with a system that assigns each driver to only two deliveries at a time to addresses in the same zone, so the driver is not stressed out and rushing around. Also Mici uses an app to track drivers. If a delivery takes longer than expected, or if the employee appears to be outside the parameters of the delivery location, someone will check with the driver. The restaurants also hold daily driver huddles. “Food is important but most important is safety,” Melton says. “We make them feel like it’s top of mind.”

It’s important to listen to drivers’ concerns, says Scott Mobley, chief operating officer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Stoner’s Pizza Joint. “We deliver to every neighborhood, but sometimes a driver might say they feel uneasy making a delivery,” he says. “The key is to listen. Drivers know the area better than you do.” Sometimes Stoner’s sends two drivers to “buddy up” on a delivery.

Drivers are instructed to text the manager once they are on their way back to the restaurant. If there is an emergency, they are to call 911 and stay in the car, or drive to a well-lit area. Mobley adds that customers are told drivers do not carry cash, so they will not make change at the customer’s door. “We want to make sure they are not fumbling around for change in their pockets,” he says. When they arrive at the store, they put the cash and receipts in a lockbox.

Cash is not king

Some pizzerias do not accept cash. At Firepie in San Francisco, a trailer with a 900-degree wood burning oven, all delivery orders are credit card only. Besides helping protect drivers from being robbed, the cashless system came in handy when the pandemic made no-contact deliveries the new routine. “All deliveries are leave at the door,” says Rick Richman, founder and CEO. “The driver doesn’t interact with the customer.” Richman, who worked in logistics software before opening Firepie, says the system has another benefit, in that it enables the pizzeria to increase the number of deliveries per driver per hour.

Training is important too, and Firepie drivers are instructed not to look at their phones until they are inside their locked car. “This came about because we had a driver who was looking at her phone as she was walking back to her car,” Richman says. “They pushed her down and took her phone. We bought her a new phone because that’s how much we value our employees.”

Cash is not always the motive for robbing a delivery driver. “All too often we see drivers robbed of their cell phones, their cars and even just a pizza order,” says Jacci Zach, claims director for Intrepid Direct Insurance, based in Overland Park, Kansas. “Owners should empower their drivers to hold a delivery when the lights are not on or otherwise looks suspicious – a call from the manager to the customer asking to get the lights turned on usually shows that everything is fine.”

There are many reasons to keep drivers safe, including financial. “Pizzeria owners face liability exposure for the actions of their drivers on the road, and for injuries sustained by their drivers in those accidents,” Zach says. “Drivers operating vehicles in a reckless manner, or simply not maintaining awareness, can lead to at fault accidents and responsibility for those accidents can fall on the employer if the driver doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to foot expensive vehicle repairs, or worse, hospital bills.” In fact, Zach says, in 2018 policyholders faced liability exposure in about half of all reported accidents.

No contact

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Seattle-based Zeeks Pizza already had a digital ordering system in place. The technology was updated to default to contactless delivery, and customers could stipulate where they want the delivery driver to leave the order. The challenge is that 60 percent of orders include beer, and the driver cannot leave the beer on the customer’s porch. “We have to check ID,” says Dan Black, president. “It’s the law.”

The person who placed the order must come out, set their ID down, then step back for social distancing. The delivery driver checks the ID to see if the person is 21 and is the same person who placed the order, and then sets the order down. “We call it the ID check tango,” Black says.

Contactless delivery, while meant to protect delivery drivers and customers from the novel coronavirus, can potentially remain relevant post-pandemic. “Contactless delivery is probably going to stick around,” Black says. “It’s more convenient for everybody.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Safety First: Pizzeria owners can help protect delivery drivers from accidents, crime and COVID-19 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Courtesy of Andolini’s Pizza, Tulsa, OK

Explore Catering Best Practices

“But I don’t know if catering is worth it for us?” said no successful restaurateur ever.

I get it, though, it can be scary to take on catering beyond the occasional 10 pizza order. To know how to handle more catering and corner your market share, you have to respect it. You have to regard it like its own business and run it as such.

What defines catering?

Catering is an ambiguous term. Is it catering when the order is over a certain dollar amount? Or is it when you’re taking it to a significant outside corporate function, is that when it’s catering? Is it for any big party or specific big parties? Can someone be a  catering customer if they’re eating inside your restaurant? The answer is yes to all of these.

I define catering as the cream at the top you get when you aggressively advertise your bulk order abilities. Catering is the easy money that takes a lot of planning and dedicated thought to achieve consistently. Excellent catering can turn a break-even restaurant into a highly profitable dynamo. The first thing to ask before engaging with catering is, are you ready to cater? Are you prepared for a 500-person order? Are you prepared for three 500-person orders out of your restaurant in one night while still feeding dine-in customers? That’s the ideal problem, but if you’re not able to do more than five pizzas at a time, you’re not ready for catering and the money it can bring.

Be Prepared

I wanted catering so bad when I first opened Andolini’s. Three months into being open, I got a call at 10 am for seven 20-inch pizzas delivered to a business park 15 minutes away, and it had to be there at 11:30. My crew wasn’t ready, our prep wasn’t set, and I wanted that money so bad that I said yes to the order. We failed, and I was 25 minutes late. I swore never to let that happen again. I knew they wouldn’t order from us anytime soon, so I comped the pizzas and promised to do the order again for free next week to show them we could cater.

Catering will beat you up if you aren’t ready for it and don’t respect it enough to plan accordingly for success. If you want to know if you are prepared to properly cater, perform this exercise. Plan out your biggest event ever. What would you do? How would you execute it? Would you still be able to do in-store dining and regular pick up? What could you do if you had all that off the table? Then think of the failure points that you haven’t accounted for yet. For example, could you deliver 100 pizzas if you had a pizza warmer? Do you own enough pizza bags to pull off something huge? Could you handle an entire wedding if you only had the right staff to hand out the food and work the event?

For issues like these, think like a caterer. They don’t all own their equipment or have daily staff.  You can use party/catering rental stores and do these things piecemeal until you’re willing to purchase it all and house it yourself. Pass the equipment charges on to the customer as an equipment fee. Eventually, you’ll know what you need and keep it on-site or in a storage container. As for the rare times when you need 20 silver chafing dishes, you’ll know where to rent them from.

Execution

Catering is all about coordination. It’s about coordinating and communicating the expectations of the day to your kitchen. It’s about knowing event details and day-of on-site contact with the customer.

When you’re given enough time to plan, it mandates you execute well. Not that you perform in an acceptable way, but in an exemplary manner.

I suggest you employ or become an execution manager. You can call it a catering coordinator or whatever you’d like, but someone who owns the task of setting up a game plan (A game plan is a document that details when food will go in the oven, be prepped, leave the site, etc.). This person is tending to everything being done correctly and checked up on several times leading up to the event.

So for that 500-person catering order, do you have enough product ordered earlier in the week? Do you have enough staff coming in to make all the food? Are you making the food with enough time to give it ample screw-up time if one or two pizzas go awry, but not so much time that you send out cold pizzas? Are you taking care of things you could do in advance, like gallons of tea and salads ready in your walk-in, and not trying to make them in your crunch time?

Do you have a delivery person with a reputable, serviceable vehicle prepared to take this order? Does this person represent you well? Do you have all this written down and communicated cleanly and clearly to your staff?

Catering Sales

That’s what an execution manager can do. With that said, a catering sales manager might have nothing to do with execution. Their job might only be to go out and get sales. I believe a catering sales manager, ideally, should have little to do with the execution. They should be credited on how much they can sell instead of worrying about how much work they will need to do later. Let the execution manager deal with that and have them both compensated and incentivized for an increased workload.

If you wait for people to come to you to order pizzas for their holiday party, then you’ll get a few orders. If you systematically go after those businesses in September and plan out their holiday party with you, you’ll no doubt be in a better position. It’s also important to tell these groups that you can do more than make pizza. And you can, you 100 percent can. Do you think the people you buy flour from won’t also sell you potatoes? You can make mashed potatoes. You can make chicken. You can do all of that.

If you invest a little bit of time and ingenuity into making a solid recipe, you’ll be set. Then all you need to do is put it in the same foil pans you use for your catering salad. This change-up is not difficult. It takes an investment of time and little R&D to acquire the ability to do something you don’t currently do on a daily basis.

How to Sell a Pizzeria Caterer

When that same client or potential client says, “Well, why should I go with you, a pizzeria instead of a full-blown caterer?” Your response should be as such. “I make food seven days a week with a staff that handles customers seven days a week. A regular catering company does gigs here and there on the weekends. You can see my prices. They’re set in stone. I’m not looking to see how rich I think you are, or how much you’re willing to spend per plate to decide what I’m going to charge you. I charge a fair price every day of the week. And I don’t need you to order for me for my business to survive. I already have a thriving business, but I make food for a living. And if you’d like to have a person who makes food seven days a week professionally taking care of your holiday party, that’s me.”

Taking Existing Catering Sales up a Notch

If you are already catering, and you’re getting pretty good at it, then dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Which means act the part. Act like those professional full-time catering companies. Get a catering logo, get a catering Instagram. Make unique special items that people are going to want to impress others with at their event. You will still get the kitschy wedding that wants pizza, but you could be getting the big dollar wedding that wants chicken or fish. And you can do it in your kitchen. You are a professional, career-oriented restaurateur. So let your catering match that same mindset.

Keeping Great Clients

To the repeat customers, give them a follow-up call and or text. Additionally, there’s nothing wrong with providing a pharmaceutical rep a gift card every time they order from you. It will keep them coming back to you, and it’ll make sure that they feel special when they do. If you have a massive order or wedding with a client, always send a thank you card afterward. Show that you are appreciative of the business, and they will appreciate your kindness as well. Call business clients up every few weeks and say, “What other things can I help you with?” As opposed to “Do you have any orders this week for me?” Do it from the mindset of how can we use my restaurant to make your life easier.

Always sell from the perspective of helping the client feed their friends and family impressively, so the ones who eat the food thank them for choosing your restaurant. Have the mindset that you have a restaurant that can help feed one of the meals of their day, potentially in a way that it’s the highlight of their day. Catering is easy money. Catering is doing more with what you already have. You can do more and make more money with your existing kitchen and existing workforce to create newly existing sales.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch.

The post Catering’s Big Comeback appeared first on Pizza Today.

I was so thoroughly terrified the first time I saw Terminator 2. The idea that artificial intelligence could bring on a global apocalypse seemed eerily realistic. It’s been 30 years since that movie came out and I’m no longer concerned about Terminators, but I am concerned about robots taking over…our pizzerias. These past couple of months I’ve received too many messages about robotic pizza makers for them not to be taken seriously.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

My first exposure to robo-pizza came in 2016 when I met Zume co-founder Julia Collins at Pizza Expo. She told me about the company’s vision of using machine learning and AI to train an army of pizza-bots. The idea was to send par-baked pizzas out for delivery on trucks outfitted with dozens of ovens, which were programmed to finish the bake while in transit. Wild idea, but maybe too large in scope. Zume raised hundreds of millions of dollars but discontinued their pizza delivery model in early 2020. Perhaps they flew too close to the sun.

The vision for these new robotic pizza solutions is much tighter; they’re more like vending machines than restaurant replacements. A touch screen lets the user select their pizza, which is prepped and baked inside the standalone unit in a matter of minutes. Once complete, the pie emerges in its own pizza box ready for consumption.

A good example of the model is PizzaForno, which currently has 28 machines across Canada. You’ll find their machines in parking lots or inside public spaces like airports and hospitals. Their machine pumps out a fresh pie in under five minutes. While your pizza bakes, the machine shows a series of videos about the process with a progress bar below. Customers even have the option of grabbing a take-and-bake version of any pizza for about a dollar less than a baked version. But that’s about the only option you have.

Since they store pre-made pies, there’s no option for customization. Based on the videos and photos I’ve seen, nobody has yet figured out how to bake a pizza properly inside one of these machines. The pizzas emerge from their boxes uncut, so the customer has to figure that part out on their own. It’s clear that speed is prioritized over quality. These robotic pizza stations aren’t an imminent threat to independent pizzerias. They’re either a novelty or they’re good for emergency situations.

That being said, I do think there’s a lot we can learn from the emerging robotic pizza making industry.

1. People value speed, accuracy and convenience.

2. The contact-free mindset we picked up during COVID isn’t going anywhere.

3. There must be something going on that I don’t understand because investors have already poured hundreds of millions of dollars into this technology. Either that or they’re all just wrong.

I think the potential rise of the pizza-bots is a good reminder that what makes independent pizzerias so special is the fact that they’re the opposite. Human contact, whether with the dough or with the customer, is what makes pizzerias so special.  Embrace that and you’ll avoid a Terminator apocalypse.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours.

The post Man on the Street: “The Robots are Coming!” appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Man Dan offers his opinions and insights on third-party delivery

The business of pizza delivery has changed. Third-Party Delivery Services like GrubHub, Uber Eats, and DoorDash have created options for both customers and pizzeria owners. Consider this: food delivery in the United States increased by 30 percent from 2019-2021 to 28.4 billion dollars. This unprecedented growth certainly was a result of COVID restrictions, but the growth in restaurant delivery is expected to continue at a rate of over eight percent annually*. If your pizzeria is to benefit from this growth by delivering your food to the customer, you are faced with a decision: Third Party or DIY (do it yourself).

Let us begin by defining what a Third Party Delivery Service (3PDS) is. 3PDS are like anchovies on pizza. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. There is probably more of the latter going around among our pizza peers, but customers must love ‘em because they are growing at a rate of 13.5 percent annually, almost five times the total food industry rate. Over 85 percent of consumers say they expect to use 3PDS as much, or more often, in the future**. If nothing else, this article will help you understand them so you can take Michael Corleone’s advice: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

A 3PDS has an app or online site for customers to view menus from all participating (and some non-participating, but we will get to that later) restaurants, and to place orders for delivery to their home or business from any one or more of those restaurants. In most cases, the 3PDS then send one of their drivers to the restaurant to pick up the food and deliver it to the customer. Some third party delivery companies will take the customer’s order and allow the restaurant to deliver the food themselves.

From the Customer’s perspective

The Good

• A single place where they can shop for any type of food delivery. A one-stop-shop.

• There is no need to speak with a
human. Everything is done through the app or online.

• Once their account is setup, their
address and card information are stored, so that step of the ordering process is eliminated.

• They can often place their delivery order with very few ‘clicks’, allowing the task to be completed in under a minute.

•  They receive promotion offers regularly.

• Problems with service encounter no argument, a refund or credit is given instantly.

The Bad

• Missing items. Since the 3PDS cannot open the bags, they cannot check that the order is complete.

• No human to help. Problems are generally dealt with through the app or e-mail. For food items, this means credit or refund, but for other issues, it usually means an e-mail that gets no reply.

• Mistakes are not corrected. If the food is wrong or missing, a refund or credit for the item is issued. If the customer wants the correct food, they must place another delivery order, and pay all the fees again associated with that delivery.

• Expensive. 3PDS add a delivery fee and a service fee. In addition, many restaurants have higher menu prices in-app to offset the fees the 3PDS charges the restaurant. With fees and the price hike, it is not unheard of to pay double the price for the same food if you dined-in or picked-up.

From the Restaurant’s perspective

The Good

• No need to staff delivery drivers: no hiring and scheduling.

• Marketing. By listing you on their platform, all their customers see your pizzeria.

• No overhead. Costs of do-it-yourself (DIY) delivery are huge. Here is what you save:

o Labor cost: no delivery driver or phone operator wages.

o Uniforms for delivery drivers.

o Non-owned (delivery) auto insurance.

o No need to setup online ordering or apps.

The Bad

• The customers are not your customers. They are customers of the 3PDS.

• The cost. Expect to pay on average 30 percent of your menu price to the 3PDS.

• Integration. While some POS companies are integrating 3PDS, most do not. That means the order will be coming to you on a separate printer in your kitchen, and the sales information will be on separate reporting. Or you could manually input into your POS system, which takes more labor cost and mistakes when entering the order.

• Unethical business practices by some 3PDS. When they list your pizzeria, they publish a different phone number than yours. They control that phone number. That means you lose all marketing you have ever done with your phone number, and this new number that is not yours is what gets stored in the customer’s phone.

• More unethical business practices by some 3PDS. They list restaurants that have not signed up with them, in essence competing to move your customers from your platform to theirs.

• Even more unethical business practices by some 3PDS. They charge a higher price for your products than you charge. The customer believes these are your menu prices.

• And yes, more unethical business practices by some 3PDS. They make changes to your restaurant’s information on Google. A customer may not notice that the link is not to your pizzeria’s site when it goes to the 3PDS site.

• Your pizzeria’s brand and marketing are diminished. Rather than using your website, your online ordering, or your app, the customer is more familiar with the brand and ordering process of the 3PDS.

• The customer will always blame your pizzeria for the problem, although you have given up control of your product and service.

• Food quality. The 3PDS driver may be placing the food in a dirty car, with no hot bag to maintain temperature.

• Delivery times. Since you do not control the scheduling or the driver, the delivery may take longer to get to the customer’s door.

Whether 3PDS or DIY is in your pizzeria’s future, I encourage you to attend Pizza Expo to learn more about both. Delivery is the fastest growing segment of the restaurant business, and your pizzeria can reap the benefits.

^{*Data presented by StockApps.com.}

^{**Pentallect report: Third-Party Food Delivery Service Market}

Dan Collier  is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Delivery Logistics appeared first on Pizza Today.

I read Dan Collier’s story about food cost in the March issue of Pizza Today and enjoyed the
article, but I do have a different perspective on food cost. I have met Dan a few times when we were both speakers at Pizza Expo, and really enjoyed listening to him and love his passion for the pizza business. With that being said, I have a different experience with food cost. 

When I was a Domino’s supervisor in the early 1990s, our priority and focus was always on food cost. The reason is simple: Nearly every other cost is fixed and cannot be controlled, so I understood the focus on food cost. I did “Food Cost & Profitability” training classes that taught the importance of watching every food item so carefully to the point that it became an obsession for many of the managers, many of whom would eventually become franchise owners. During one of these classes, a student asked me what would happen if his food cost went from the 24 percent that Domino’s said was the goal, to 34 percent or even higher. I then asked the class, “Would you rather run 25 percent food cost at $5,000 AWUS (Average Weekly Unit Sales), or run 50 percent food cost at $10,000 AWUS?”

The class went silent as if I were a preacher who just used the Lord’s name in vain in church. Most of the class then spoke up, saying it was impossible to run 50 percent food cost without going out of business. The remaining students then said that it was the same thing, since the second numbers were just doubled. I was shocked that no one chose the 50 percent food cost scenario. I said, “Let’s do some basic math. In the first example, 25 percent of $5,000 is $1,250, which is what you would spend on your food, with $3,750 remaining for other costs. In the second example, 50 percent of $10,000 is $5,000 which would be spent on food, with $5,000 left for other costs. So, would you rather have $3,750 or $5,000?”. Even with the numbers staring right at them, they could not accept that a higher food cost is not necessarily bad.

Over time I came to the realization that customer satisfaction and customer retention was more valuable than a few percentage points in food cost. What does it cost to keep a customer happy? Are you hoping to satisfy your customer, or trying to wow them with the product you are selling? How much do you spend in advertising trying to gain new customers when you really should just focus on retaining the ones you have?

In 1995, I bought my first Domino’s store on Long Island in New York. There were 34 stores on Long Island, and the store I bought was doing an AWUS of $4,600. My store was around 30th in sales of the 34. I made some big changes to the store, and with the help of my new wife Jessica, within five months our AWUS went to over $20,000 with a record week of over $25,000. Our store went from 30th to 4th. Some of the franchisees came to my store to see what I had done to increase my sales in this manner. I told them what I did, which primarily was increasing the cheese and toppings on the pizza. Yes, I did some other things, but the primary thing was simply putting more cheese and toppings on my pizzas and charged a reasonable price for the pizza. They saw the pizzas I was putting out and asked what my food cost was. I said I was running about 7-10 percent above the Domino’s food cost goal. Again, they could not believe I was still in business with such a high food cost. I asked them how much each of them spent on local advertising over the past month. It was about eight percent of their sales. I said that I spent nothing on local advertising, so my combined food and advertising costs were the same as theirs, but my sales were double to triple theirs. It was proof that I had done the right thing by running a higher food cost.

In 2000, my wife and I had a great offer for our two stores, so we sold them. I became a New York City EMT and Paramedic. I loved the job, but my family and I decided to move to Tampa in 2005, and I tried being a Paramedic down in Florida, but the pay was just above the poverty level. So we decided to give the pizza business another try!

On August 8, 2006, we opened our pizzeria in Downtown Tampa, and our sales were huge from day one. In our first year, we did over $1 million. Over the next few years, our sales continued to climb with little to no advertising. When you put out a great product, give great service, and do everything right to retain customers, word of mouth is about all of the advertising you will need.

Things were going well, but one day I came to work and saw my manager and one of my cooks
arguing over a half piece of chicken breast. Our chicken parmigiana hero recipe called for 1 ½ pieces of chicken breast, and the cook used two whole pieces. The Manager saw it and was irate, saying that it would kill our food cost. The cook said the two pieces were smaller than usual, so he decided to use the two pieces in their entirety. I stood there for an hour, listening to the two of them arguing over a half piece of a chicken breast. All I could do was ask myself repeatedly in my head, “Does my pizzeria that is doing over $2 million a year really needed to focus on food cost to this point?” After that, I told the crew to stop focusing on food cost and put more of their focus on making great food and great pizza. I told them this: if you make a great pizza, I will do a food cost analysis on that pizza’s ingredients and weigh them out, and I will charge a price that reflects its quality.

In July of 2017, we opened a second store in a small part of Tampa. Since our opening, four of the five pizzerias in that area closed. Our pizzeria, in an underpopulated area, does hundreds of thousands of dollars above the national average for an independent pizzeria. There are many reasons for this store’s success and for essentially putting other pizzerias out of business, but again I believe putting an emphasis on quality and big portions has helped it defeat the local pizzerias around it.

Unfortunately, a billionaire bought the building our first store was in and evicted everyone, so that store closed in 2018. In its last year, it was doing nearly $3 million a year. Yes, it ran a 36 percent food cost, but I was proud of the product we served. Even though the food cost was a bit higher than I liked, the fact that we did such great sales and spent nothing on advertising resulted in a very profitable store. We are constructing our new store nearby and hope to reopen in late May. Time will tell if we can recapture that magic and great sales that the first store had.

Yes, food cost is important, but never let it be the reason that you are not making money! With the current pandemic, cheese prices have fluctuated more than ever, so how can you control the food cost percentage when cheese prices have fluctuated so wildly? You cannot keep raising and lowering your prices with the fluctuations of the price of cheese to maintain an even food cost. So, what should you do? You can either create a pizza that you are proud of and then figure out the food cost on it and create a reasonable price for it, or work backwards and have a price that you want to charge for your pizza and then make the pizza cost fit into that price. I believe the first way is best.

RICK DRURY is the owner of Precinct Pizza in Tampa, FL

The post Portion Control: An Alternative View appeared first on Pizza Today.

Buffets, salad bars and even fountain beverages are adapting to safer formats

Restaurants with buffets did not disappear during the COVID-19 crisis, but they did adapt. As pizzerias reopen their all-you-can-eat pizza, salad bars and free-refill fountain drinks, the setups look different. Operators say that although there are costs involved in making changes to everything from buffet table setups to utensil holders to whether grated cheese is available in a shaker, the actions are necessary to keep staff and customers safe.

Cinzzetti’s Italian Feast, which has locations in Colorado and Kansas, reopened its restaurants with some changes to the service. Plates are available at the table as diners are seated, and at each food station. “Plateware used to be in one spot,” says Bobby Fitzgerald, cofounder and partner of Scottsdale, Arizona-based Slatebridge Restaurant Group, which owns Cinzzetti’s and other restaurants. “Now we have plateware throughout the dining room, so people are not congregating.”

The biggest change is in the serving utensils. Each guest takes a clean tong from a basket, helps themselves to a slice of pizza or other item, then drops the tongs in a container to be washed. “We had to invest in 3,000 pieces of each utensil,” Fitzgerald says, adding that the amount was quadruple the usual utensil order. “We have a dedicated staff to rotate those out to clean. You really have to stay ahead of it.”

Desserts are pre-plated in individual servings, so customers take one of those instead of scooping out the apple crisp, tiramisu or other treat. Cinzzetti’s made additional changes such as installing Plexiglas barriers between the kitchen and customers. Tables were removed and put in storage, and they might not come back even as capacity limits change. “You have to think not just about CDC guidelines but about comfort,” Fitzgerald says. “People are walking and carrying plates. You have so many customers getting up and going to the buffet, you’ve got to give them space to walk by.”

Making sure guests are comfortable is crucial as customers return to dining inside restaurants. That’s especially true in buffet concepts, which media reports hinted would not recover post-pandemic. In fact, Fitzgerald says, people are very eager to return to buffets, and reservations at the Northglenn, Colorado location were full for days when it reopened this past March, after being closed for a year. “The first thing you have to remember when people come back is they didn’t starve while you were closed,” he says. “They are going out for the experience, so what can you do to make sure they get that experience.”

Gloves and social distancing

For some, a fun experience means arcade games. The Amazing Pizza Machine in Omaha, Nebraska has a buffet and a large selection of arcade games. When the establishment had to close for 16 weeks at the start of the pandemic last year, it gave leadership time to evaluate the various changes it would have to make to accommodate social distancing and other protocols. The buffet reopened in July, and to adhere to local mandates had to switch temporarily to cafeteria-style service. “You come down, tell us what you want, and we serve it you,” says Allen Wachter, executive vice president. “We had to invest in lots of plexiglass and wall off customers’ ability to access their own food.”

Eventually the local mandates changed and The Amazing Pizza Machine was able to revert to self-serve, with safety enhancements. The buffet area has stanchions to control the flow of traffic, and there are gloves available for customers. “It’s optional, not required,” Wachter says. “We see a lot of folks wearing them.” The silverware island is gone, and staff hands out those items. Customers can help themselves to fountain beverages, but they must start a new glass each time, instead of refilling their glass.

The buffet and arcade games are popular, especially as families emerge from pandemic isolation. Every other game is turned off to encourage social distancing, and there are hand sanitizer stations throughout the space. In online post-visit surveys, customers indicate that they appreciate the safety measures. “We ask, ‘Do you feel like the COVID protocols kept your family safe during your visit?’” Wachter says. “We get 80 percent, or four out of five stars.”

Other self-serve

While buffets have been popular for decades, one of the newer self-serve variations is with wine and beer. The owners of Fringe Pizza in Boulder, Colorado, planned to open Fringe, A Well-Tapped Eatery with a self-pour draft system. The idea was that customers would check in, get a wrist band that they would then scan at the taps to open and meter the beverages. The customer would be charged by the ounce, and could sample several beers and wines. The eatery opened in October last year, during the pandemic, so the self-pour feature was put on hold. “We have not been able to use it as intended,” says chef and owner Nate Rajotte. “We have traditional table service, where someone orders beer or wine.”

Rajotte says the local health department did not allow the restaurant to offer the self-pour system. When that changes, some customers might still feel uncomfortable helping themselves to wine and beer. “We will have to offer some type of hybrid,” he says.

Other items, such as salt, pepper and cheese shakers are not on the tabletops. That’s partly out of safety and partly because the food is seasoned in the kitchen. “It was always my intention that we don’t have condiments on the table,” Rajotte says. “But if someone asks for grated Parmesan or Calabrian chilis we give them some in a ramekin.”

Others say they made some changes, big and small. Sam & Louie’s Italian Restaurant and New York Pizzeria, with locations in Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Iowa and Colorado, transitioned to carry-out and delivery at locations in larger cities, but locations in small towns maintained a strong dine-in business. “We removed the shakers and provided packets for Parmesan, pepper flakes, salt and pepper,” says Michael Nolan, president. “We are hoping that as vaccines are administered everything will return to the way it was very soon.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post More Utensils, Less Sharing: The Future of Self-Service appeared first on Pizza Today.

Packaging Options

Pizzeria owners already know how to package pizza, but it’s a challenge to wrap up salads, appetizers and pasta to go. As operators increased their carryout and delivery options during the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to find new boxes for these other foods. The containers have to be well made and inexpensive, and meet other requirements such as environmental sustainability.

Most of the takeout and delivery orders at Joy Hill Pizza in Denver are for pizza, but lately customers have been ordering appetizers such as the Walnut Ricotta and Hummus Plate and the Charcuterie Plate with meats and pickled vegetables. “It did take us a while to figure it out,” says Julia Duncan-Roitman, partner and managing member. “We wanted to streamline packaging so we didn’t have to order a ton of products, and we felt guilty about the waste we are creating.”

Duncan-Roitman says it would have been easy to use the cheapest option, Styrofoam clamshells, but she wanted to use recyclable and compostable containers. After much trial and error with many samples from vendors, Joy Hill Pizza opted for a nine-inch by nine-inch by three-inch compostable clamshell. The container works well for appetizers, such as the popular pepperoni rolls, as well as for salads and other items. For sauces and dips, the eatery uses small soup bowls, and sides such as salad dressing or burrata go in two-ounce containers. “We try to multipurpose everything as much as possible,” she says. “We are very crunched for space.” To defray the added costs, Joy Hill Pizza raised prices gradually and slightly.

Stay green

Environmental issues are top of mind at Sunny Hill in Seattle, where the takeout containers are made of expelled sugar cane. “It has to be highly compostable and recyclable,” says owner Jason Stoneburner. “Seattle is a very green area.”

In addition to environmental concerns, there were other considerations. Sunny Hill offers pizza as well as burgers, meatballs, waffle fries, salads and other items. The boxes had to be tall enough not to smash the top of the burger buns. To prevent the waffle fries from getting soggy in a closed box, they are packaged in bags. “We looked at how the packaging interacted with the food,” says Stoneburner, who also owns the restaurants Stoneburner and Bastille. “We are concerned about the guest experience, and about the unboxing of the food.”

The boxes had to be spill proof and sturdy, as customers often eat in their cars or at the park across the street from Sunny Hill. Also, the boxes had to reflect the premium branding of the restaurant. “We were worried about flimsy packs that don’t travel well,” Stoneburner says. “We have to think about keeping on par with what’s important to us. We use organic local ingredients and we wanted to carry that through our to-go packaging.”

To make up for the added cost of the eco-conscious packaging, Sunny Hill charges one dollar for orders placed on the Tock platform. “When you use the online ordering system, it shows up as a line item and you are aware,” Stoneburner says. “It’s a dollar. We’ve gotten almost zero pushback.”

Compostable is not the only eco-friendly option. During the pandemic, Brasserie Brixton in Denver became (Le) Brix Pizza and Wine. The owners built a Neapolitan wood-fired pizza oven and began offering pizza, salads and appetizers for takeout and delivery. Menu items such as Roasted Carrots or Beet and Burrata are packaged in plastic containers.

“I find a lot of people, when containers are compostable, they use them only once so it’s environmentally unfriendly,” says chef and partner Nicholas Dalton. “I wanted to get something people could take home, wash in the dishwasher, and use again to take to work.” Dalton says the plastic containers cost more than traditional clamshell containers, but less than compostable.

Presenting family meals

Some restaurants launched to-go family meals during the pandemic. Los Angeles-based Fresh Brothers, with 19 locations in California, launched a Wings Tailgate Bundle and a Lasagna Family Meal last year. “As people were eating more at home, they were looking for more creative ways to feed their families,” says chief executive officer Geoff Goodman. “We never had a family size offering other than a large pizza. We didn’t have another core entrée that we could offer to guests.”

The $39.99 Lasagna Family Meal features a fully cooked lasagna in a baking tin, plus an order of garlic knots, inside a large catering box. The $49.99 Wings Tailgate Bundle comes in a large box that features 50 wings on one side and six sauces on the other side. “It’s a nice case,” Goodman says. “You flip up the lid and it’s a beautiful presentation.”

Also last year, Fresh Brothers upgraded its salads, and started packing them in fully compostable containers with clear lids. The clear lids help consumers see the quality of the salad, and the compostable feature reflects the chain’s commitment to the environment. The investment paid off, as Goodman says salad sales are up considerably. “We always focus on getting better versus simply getting cheaper,” he says. “We are very in tune to what our guests expect from us. Even when things are difficult, those are times you work smarter and not just find pennies.”

Safety is also a factor in takeout and delivery packaging. Fired Pie in Scottsdale, Arizona packages its salads in clear clamshell salad containers. The pizzeria also offers Mac & Cheese, which comes in the foil container that it is baked in. “The only thing we did add was the safety stickers on all third-party takeout,” says Fred Morgan, co-owner of the 21-location Fired Pie. The stickers display the restaurant logo and are meant as a tamper resistant device. “There were some reports on the news of third-party drivers eating food from bags or boxes, [and they] even showed a driver drinking a shake then delivering.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post The ins and outs of today’s to-go containers appeared first on Pizza Today.

Every week in Vegas, there’s a different convention in town (Non-Covid Years). Electronic Expo, Car Dealership Expo, Builder’s Expo, etc. There are expos for every niche demo imaginable. These events are where exhibitors get to sell to their target customers. There’s one that directly applies to every one of us reading this magazine, of course, and that’s Pizza Expo. All the items on display relate and are directly targeting people like you and me. We don’t see hot food warmers for soccer Moms as well as pizzeria owners called “Insulated bags for busy people”; we see pizza hot bags explicitly designed for pizzeria owners. We don’t see cash registers for any business; we see Point of Sale systems geared and sold as ideal for pizzeria owners. Even the Point-of-Sale systems that can do more than pizza are designed to be shown off to pizzeria owners. Every item on the Pizza Expo floor could be used by someone in our industry and is sold that way. This approach isn’t new for expos, and it sounds completely normal to market to a specific demo. But why is it that so often we, as pizzeria restaurant owners, do the complete opposite?

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Here’s an example I’ve learned from previous failures. When you say, “we can cater any event and any occasion, we can do it all,” we hope we’re casting a big net to gain significant results. However, instead the customer hears this: “Here’s our run-of-the-mill catch-all approach that will give you run-of-the-mill catch-all service that’s not designed for you specifically.” All this because it’s a catch-all approach when the complete opposite is my hope.  The broader net theory leads to more effort and fewer results. What works significantly better, and what I’ve transitioned to, is going after niche groups.

Going niche is nothing new, but going after the niche in a highly specific way is. For example, instead of calling a car dealership and saying, “Our pizzeria can cater your big weekend sales events.” Try this instead: physically go to the dealership, with the Car Dealership Special information in hand. Show an offer like 10 pizzas and four two liters with plates, forks and knives with a dealership in the background. Say, “You can modify the special if you’d like, but we have found that this package works very well in this environment.” You’ve eliminated the guesswork, as well as given this potential purchaser a sense of purchase pride. All while alleviating their purchase anxiety of wondering, “Do these guys know what they’re doing? Will this work for my business?” Instead it appears as, “of course they totally know what they’re doing. They have a special named after the job that I’m in.”

This approach works for every group imaginable. Every job, every group, every club,  every hobby … yes, all of them. Instead of me naming them off, think of what is around you. Schools? Sports groups? Whatever it is, take a few different package deals and curate to that audience, make the sales materials resonate to that demo, and then name the package after the people you’re targeting. With that simplistic move, you have created niche marketing that will make the customer feel safer in the purchase with a higher propensity to seal the deal.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Niche Catering — Pitch to the Niche appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzerias made infrastructure changes to push carryout, and many of these changes will remain as the pandemic recedes

There was much construction during the COVID-19 pandemic. For restaurants, much of the renovation was designed to enhance their carryout options. When dine-in was closed or limited, operators built takeout windows, improved their food displays, and reconfigured traffic flow. Pizzeria owners, already adept at preparing pies to-go, say many of the infrastructure changes were more than just a temporary fix. The new setups reflect a shift in how these establishments serve customers.

In Los Angeles, La Morra Pizzeria used to focus on events and catering, and often hosted pop-ups featuring a mobile wood-fired oven. “That world shuttered,” says Marlee Blodgett, co-founder and operator. The first weekend that events were canceled, they took leftover product, made par-baked frozen pizzas, and sold them through the pizzeria’s website.

After a few months of delivering frozen pies throughout the city, La Morra Pizzeria built a carryout window in an available space. “It was a giant restaurant that fed lots of people in different rooms, so it was not suited for the pandemic,” Blodgett says. “We operate in one side, the opposite side is a bakery, and we do pizza in the evening.” Customers order hot or frozen pies online, park in one of the two spaces out front, then pick up from the window.

Blodgett believes the pandemic has changed what consumers expect from restaurants, and that demand for La Morra Pizzeria’s carryout option, especially for hot pies, will continue even after the catering side of the business returns. People expect convenience, ease of ordering and to be able to walk up to a window and get back in the car, instead of driving around and looking for parking. “That’s going to be lasting,” she says.

Offering pizza from a takeout window is also a way to respond to other trends, including on-the-go snacking, eating anytime instead of three defined meals, and the popularity of smaller spaces as commercial rents rise. When Joshua Pollack, owner of Bridge & Tunnel Restaurant Group in Denver, opened Famous Original J’s Pizza with two walkup windows in 2018, he wanted to replicate the slice experience that he had growing up in the New York metropolitan area. “The ease of being able to walk up to a window has always been a cool novelty in New York,” he says. “I wanted to bring it to Denver.”

One window faces the patio, and the other faces the pedestrian-friendly street. The windows helped Famous Original J’s Pizza continue to serve pizza during the pandemic, and Pollack would like to have walkup windows in future restaurants. “It’s a way for people out and about to get food on the fly,” he says. “People are moving towards that model of, let’s grab a slice as we walk.”

Limiting crowds

For some, the infrastructure changes serve multiple purposes. When Paulie Gee’s in Chicago had to close its dine-in operations and offered takeout only, too many people were crowding into the restaurant to wait for their orders. “That became an issue,” says owner and operator Derrick Tung. “We didn’t expect that much support.”

To remedy this, the pizzeria set up a display case by the window. The case features four 20-inch pizzas on tables that are slightly tilted so passersby can see them from outside. Customers can select a slice, and staff reheats it in the oven. “We brought back an oven we had in storage,” Tung says. “We were getting ready to sell it because we upgraded the oven, but we ended up wanting to keep it.”

The window is part of a large, garage door-type wall of segmented windows, so the pizzeria also installed a sliding window in one of the segments, to pass the orders to customers outside. Also, the point of sale system was moved closer to the window. The setup provided other benefits when dine-in was shut down last year. “It gave the front of house team and bartenders something to do,” Tung says. “This option gave us the ability to create three to five positions for front of house staff.”

While the changes helped Paulie Gee’s stay open, it was not super-successful from a financial standpoint. “We were 85 percent dine-in and the average check was $35 to $42,” Tung says. “Now we are 100 percent pickup and to go, and the average check at the window is $12. The volume is not there, and alcohol sales are not there.”

The restaurant will return to dine-in when it’s safe, which includes factors such as vaccination rates and staff’s level of comfort in switching back to that format. Still, carryout will continue to be an important part of the business model, as Paulie Gee’s recently opened a second Chicago location that offers slices only and has a carryout window that could serve as a late night slice place. “The entertaining part is I watch people walk down the street, and then people walk back,” he says. “We’re seeing a lot of new guests who had not heard of us stop by.”

Windows are not the only changes to accommodate carryout. Square Pie Guys offers Detroit-style pizza in San Francisco. Owners Marc Schechter and Daniel Stoller recently opened a location in Oakland, and temporarily configured it for carryout. The large diamond-shaped room has stanchions to direct customers to one side and third party delivery drivers to the other side. “There was a domino effect when one driver would come in early and get in line when the order wasn’t ready, and all of sudden we have 20 drivers,” says Schechter, who is chief pizza officer. “We want to make sure our guests are not crowded out.”

Customers are encouraged to order online. When they arrive, there is hand sanitizer at the entrance. “People can walk up and sanitize their hands,” says Stoller, who is co-founder and chief operating officer. “We make it a requirement to hand food off.”

Even when dining-in returns, carryout will remain important. “Before COVID you saw a trend in takeout and delivery,” Schechter says. “I don’t think takeout and delivery are going away.”  

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Pushing Carryout: Windows of Opportunity appeared first on Pizza Today.

Party of Zero, Your Table Is Ready

Pizza for table four is ready. Wings for table 12 are in the window.”  These are the common sounds that were heard in the restaurant every day. Then suddenly one day in March 2020 everything as we knew it changed. There was a Global Pandemic.  The state mandated that all restaurant dining rooms be immediately shut down. The only thing that would be allowed was takeout and delivery. They told us it would take about two weeks to “flatten the curve.”  “Well, that’s not terrible”, I thought. “It’s a pain, but I can deal with two weeks.” The two weeks came and went, then two more, and then another month. Suddenly the whole script had flipped. There really was no definitive end in sight.

Before it all began, business was always very brisk. Once pandemic life hit us things changed. Now my normally busy takeout and delivery had become insanely mobbed. As one revenue center plummeted to zero,
another one skyrocketed. The total overall sales number was actually higher, way higher! That certainly made this new pandemic way of life easier for me to accept. But other issues started to arise as a result. My kitchen that is designed for volume and speed was now getting overtaxed. In the new world of social distancing my staff was crammed in way too close while trying to pump everything out. I needed more space and I needed it now. On top of that I was walking into my restaurant every morning only to see all of my tables and booths pushed over to the wall since they weren’t in use. The wasted space in my dining room really began to eat at me as I was struggling for space in the kitchen.

Then came the epiphany. What if I got rid of all of the tables, moved my takeout counter forward by 30 feet, and opened up more kitchen space?  We could become strictly delivery and takeout. I quickly dismissed the idea. We were 85-percent takeout/delivery and 15-percent dining in during normal times. The idea of scrapping my 45-seat dining room was nothing short of insanity. I needed to come up with a better idea.

Day after day went by. I continued walking in every morning and staring at those tables and booths pushed up against the wall. I revisited the idea in my head, but after 30 plus years in the restaurant business the notion of no dining room was too radical. That was not how I was brought up in this business.

Another week went by and I was finally at wit’s end. I could no longer look at my scuttled dining room while the kitchen struggled for more room to handle the volume. I called my building contractor and told him how I wanted to change it all. He said, “Are you nuts?”  I quite possibly was, but I instructed him to start as soon as possible before I changed my mind. Low and behold a week later I had a restaurant with zero seating. Now there was a wide open, comfortable area for folks waiting for takeout orders. Delivery drivers had their own pickup area. The counter staff had expanded space for expediting takeout orders. The kitchen now gained that all so valuable room needed to handle the surge in business. One question remained in my mind. “Did I just destroy my business?”

Being located in a family saturated suburb always contributed to a high volume of takeout.  Our name is a locally known brand with a large loyal following, so we had a good foothold moving forward. The results were shocking. We got even busier. The pandemic shutdown had forced people to change their dining habits. Since there were no more dine-in options available anywhere, those folks were now ordering takeout from different restaurants most nights. We began to see an increase in new customers. The physical changes in the restaurant allowed us to handle the surge very efficiently.

After about a month I was able to compare my numbers to what they had previously been. The results were shocking!  By eliminating the servers, I was now saving on payroll, the matching of the taxes being withheld, and the unemployment insurance. Since there was no longer a dining room, I got rid of the liquor license and the associated high-cost liability insurance. Now there was no need to constantly be buying china, silver and glassware. Labor hours were also decreasing for my dishwashers who no longer had to deal with a million bus pans at night’s end.

The only remaining issue was the staff. I could not lay off my servers in good conscience due to the concept change. The answer became clear. Since takeout and delivery was now so much busier, I shifted the servers over to become supervisory counter staff. This enabled the former servers to help refine the methods of communication and interaction between staff and customers picking up orders. They were now teaching the conversational flow and friendliness they exhibited with dining guests to a younger and less experienced counter staff. The restaurant staff circle of life was happening right before my eyes.

As I stand here a year later with the pandemic seemingly subsiding, I see that the decision was prudent. Costs dropped dramatically, sales went up, and margins increased. As the world starts to reopen there is still some trepidation in my heart, but I know one thing for certain. Dining habits have changed. Families will soon start to dine out again and that will inevitably create a small decrease in DELCO sales. One thing that remains, though, is that it has become a very viable and profitable model in our industry.

Make no mistake, my soul is still crushed daily when I see that once beautiful dining room now gone. But I rest easy knowing that, though I may be archaic in some of my ideas, I fought through it and learned how well the DELCO model works. The pandemic hit us, but we adapted, we survived, and we thrived!

Michael Androw owns E & D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut.

The post One Pizzeria Operator’s Perspective on Permanently Going DELCO appeared first on Pizza Today.

Setting up Al fresco dining post-pandemic

As of spring 2020, Peel Wood Fired Pizza, with two locations in Illinois and one location in Missouri, had outdoor dining available for some guests. “Two of the locations had a dining patio, but one did not,” says Patrick Thirion, co-owner of the restaurant.

To accommodate new dining restrictions in the area, Thirion rented large tents to create more outdoor dining options. During cooler months, he brought in propane heaters and furnaces to warm the space. “We have a very good following and customers were very happy with how seriously we took the mitigations and still offered them a place to dine with us,” Thirion says. With plans in place to open another restaurant, Thirion is looking at incorporating even more outdoor seating. “We’re focusing on the outside patio, which will be more extensive and have more outdoor options,” he says.

Whether you’ve set up an outdoor dining area or are getting ready to open one during the warm months, the layout you include and the atmosphere you create can make a big difference. Read on to learn about what to keep in mind when creating and maintaining an outdoor eating space.

Start Planning Early

Before constructing or expanding an outdoor dining space, talk to all parties involved, such as your landlord, contractor and architect. “They will be able to advise you on any requirements from your municipality during the early stages of planning,” says Tim Spiegelglass, owner of Spieglglass Construction Company in St. Louis, Missouri, which builds restaurants and pizzerias. “Depending on your situation, you might also be able to work with your landlord on a tenant allowance, where you are allotted a certain dollar amount to improve the property.”

When laying out plans, think about prevention and safety features. For instance, consider how you’ll deal with water from rainfall or other potential flooding. “Ensure your patio is level and consider where the water is flowing through the property,” Spiegelglass says. Also check on putting up a barrier, such as a fence or wall, to protect diners from cars and other hazards. Some locations may require bollards, which are vertical posts, around the edges of the seating area.

If possible, line up the seating area so it is close to a restroom. You might give guests the option of accessing a restroom from the outside, so they don’t have to go inside. If not, try to place the outdoor tables in a spot that is close to an indoor restroom.

Consider Timing

If you’re located in a seasonal area and only offer outdoor dining during warm months, evaluate when it makes sense to open up the space in terms of revenue. “Know when having everything set up is profitable,” says Elizabeth Kelly, marketing specialist at Speedline Solutions, which provides software solutions for point of sale demands of pizza and delivery chains. If you have records from previous years that identify sales made from the outdoor patio, you can look through those to see when sales were at their highest. Thinking through how frequently the outdoor space has been used in the past works too. For instance, if you typically open the area in May but it doesn’t fill up with customers until June, it may be more cost-effective to wait until June. You won’t have to worry about cleaning the space, paying for lighting, and supplying staff until enough customers come so it makes sense financially.

If you do keep your outdoor space open during cold months, factor in costs associated with heating. “We have a heater and blankets, and table lamps,” says Antonio Ferraro, owner of Napoli Pasta Bar in Washington, D.C. and Napoli Salumeria in Arlington, Virginia. Covered areas also help keep customers warm when it’s chilly outside. Before adding heaters, however, it’s important to think about costs from heating, especially the propane needed during cold temperatures. The expenses may be worthwhile if customers are willing to brave the cold. “We incurred those outdoor costs to retain customers and give them a safe option for eating,” Thirion says.

Create an Efficient System

If your outdoor patio is far from the kitchen, and your staff will be spending time moving back and forth between the indoor and outdoor areas, look for ways to streamline processes. “Instead of having a server run back and forth, they can take an order on a tablet,” Kelly says. Some tablets offer additional features, such as flagging tables that haven’t received their food or noting an item that is taking a long time in the kitchen. This can help staff immediately spot any issues and work to resolve them, saving time and helping diners finish their meals and clear tables for the next set of guests.

Carrie Jeroslow, the owner of Elkin Creek Vineyard in Yadkin Valley, North Carolina, set up a reservation system to increase efficiency in the place’s outdoor eating area. “We have a traditional wood fire brick oven where we make handmade-to-order brick oven pizzas on the weekends,” she says. “Pre-pandemic, we used to take reservations for the dough only, because we make a certain amount that rises overnight and can’t make more when we run out.” The place would make about 60 to 70 pizzas during a six-hour timeframe. They also held about 40 percent of the dough for walk-ins. “People would wait up to an hour to get their pizzas since they are made one at a time,” Jeroslow says. “Because we are very well known for our pizzas, people would wait that long.”

Recently she and her business partner switched the system, and now take reservations and pre-orders only. This way, customers receive a reservation time and the place gets their order ahead of time. “People don’t wait at all for their food—everything is done right at their reservation time,” Jeroslow says. Guests can eat in the place’s covered pavilion. While they only make about 35 to 40 pizzas now, Jeroslow says she loves the new system. “People are really happy, and everyone moves in and out at a good rate. We also have lower stress in the kitchen.”

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Maximizing Outdoor Dining appeared first on Pizza Today.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

When restaurants started closing their doors back last March, all anybody could talk about was when they could reopen. More than 11 months later, we’re finally starting to get optimistic with several vaccines in distribution and stronger  governmental focus on tackling the virus. Municipalities are even lifting restrictions, giving restaurants the opportunity to shift back to indoor seating. Sounds like we’re on our way back to normalcy except for one pesky issue — lots of pizzerias aren’t interested in going back.

I knew something was up when I saw an Instagram post by Derrick Tung of Paulie Gee’s Logan Square in Chicago. Having just heard the news that Chicago had lifted its ban on indoor dining, he made an official announcement that his pizzeria would remain takeout only. He detailed his reasoning in the post as a method of communicating to both customers and colleagues. Beyond the obvious health and safety concerns, Derrick also reasoned that opening with Chicago’s restrictions (25 percent capacity or 25 people, whichever is less) would actually cost more than it would profit.

That all sounded reasonable to me, but I needed to find out if others in the industry shared Derrick’s perspective. Within minutes of dropping a post in the “Pizza Assassins” Facebook group, I had a flurry of responses and every single one of them agreed that staying closed was the way to go. Michael Androw of E&D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut, even went so far as to remodel his entire dining room. He ripped out all his seating, shifted the counter 30 feet, and extended his kitchen. Although he’s still coming to terms with becoming a DELCO restaurant, the 40 percent increase has made that an easier pill to swallow.

Patti and Jim McGraw of Good Eats on 6 in Eastham, Massachusetts opened their shop just a few months before COVID hit, so they’ve been riding the rollercoaster even more than most. A health inspector saw how well they’re doing with curbside pickup and mentioned that most restaurants in their situation wouldn’t benefit by opening up for seating. The risk of having to shut down for two weeks in the event of an infection could crush an already precarious situation.

As frustrated as I may be that I can’t walk into a pizzeria and sit down, I actually have no current desire to do so. And I’m not alone. Kevin Houghton is open at 25-percent capacity at his Fox’s Pizza Den location in Wilmore, Pennsylvania, but very few people are dining in. Bill Carmine Cornell at Carmine’s Wood Fired Pizza in Joplin, Missouri, is open with 50 percent max capacity and says his dine-in has been extremely slow while takeout is up. Even in NYC, where going to restaurants is an important part of our culture, people choose to stay in. Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, tried to open with 25-percent capacity but the public just wasn’t interested in dine-in at the moment.

There’s quite a bit of chatter about how this will change restaurant culture forever, but I still see people returning to pizzerias once we’re out of the woods. We’re ordering so much takeout because it’s the only option. Sure, it will take some time to get back to pre-pandemic behaviors like sitting elbow-to-elbow in a tiny pizzeria, but I do think we’ll get there. After all, the last pandemic was followed by the roaring ’20s!

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Keeping the Doors Closed appeared first on Pizza Today.

Best practices for protecting employees from falls, burns, cuts and other harms

The kitchen can be a dangerous place, and not only because the close quarters make it difficult to prevent the transmission of the novel coronavirus. The fast-paced work environment has hazards related to slippery floors, sharp objects and hot appliances. Safety experts say operators can prevent slips and falls, cuts and burns by training their employees and by monitoring the many details that can cause harm.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in full-service restaurants incurred 93,800 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in 2019, up from 91,800 in 2018. About one-third of these occupational injury cases required at least one day away from work. The incidence rate of cases involving days away from work in full-service restaurants increased to 88.3 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, compared to 73.1 in 2018.

The BLS also noted that the injuries with the highest incidence rates were cuts and lacerations, which accounted for 8,110 cases. Also common were sprains, strains and tears, soreness and pain, and heat (thermal) burns.

Train and remind

Workers’ compensation insurance carriers are good sources of information on how to keep the workplace safe, and often list safety tips on their websites. Among the best practices is to train workers on safety protocols, and that education should start when the worker is hired. “Formal onboarding is important,” says Matthew Zender, senior vice president, workers’ compensation product management for AmTrust Financial Services, a multinational insurance holding company headquartered in New York. “It sets the expectations of employees coming in for how to work safely. It also gives them the impression they are valued. They want to feel the employer cares about their wellbeing.”

There are many elements to training, such as learning how to use different knives, reducing clutter around stairways, and requiring workers to wear closed-toe shoes. Non-slip mats are good for preventing slips and falls, and workers must clean spills, make sure the floor is not slippery with grease, and clean equipment and change filters often.

There is much to remember, so managers should review often. “Do something every day,” Zender says. “It could be reminding your team in a five-second meeting, hanging some type of notice to remind people, or doing a sweep of the operation every morning before employees come in.”

As restaurants adapted their business models to boost food sales during the COVID-19 crisis, some installed new equipment such as fryers. Some also added or enhanced their delivery and takeout options, but for various reasons were not able to increase the number of workers handling these orders. While having fewer people in the kitchen might reduce the chances of bumping into each other, the negative effect is the pace speeds up, and workers might make safety mistakes trying to keep up with orders. Also, Zender says, the equipment will have to be serviced more often if there is a higher volume of orders. Even if that service is outsourced, kitchen staff should do routine cleaning of the equipment.

Cuts and slips

The pandemic had an effect on the incidence of certain injuries. According to Intrepid Direct Insurance, a provider of property and casualty coverage for pizza delivery franchisees, the team is seeing certain types of workers’ compensation claims, given the new dynamics of the pandemic environment. Intrepid Direct’s claims director, Jacci Zach, says that slips, trips and falls in addition to lacerations (mostly to a hand) were the most prevalent injury types pre-COVID, and still are today. However, slips, trips and falls from April 2020 to January 2021 were four percent more frequent than cuts as compared to pre-COVID times.

Intrepid Direct offers several prevention tips. For cuts, operators should implement knife safety education, invest in chain mail gloves for cutting, and teach workers not to submerge knives in dishwater where they cannot be seen. Knives are not the only sharp objects, so do not compress trash bags because metal can lids may be present. Also avoid using box cutters and sweep up broken glass instead of picking it up. For slips and falls, require employees to wear non-slip shoes, use sturdy stools and ladders when stocking supplies, always clean up spills immediately and mark wet areas.

Prevent fires

According to the Quincy, Massachusetts-based National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from 2014 to 2018 there were an average of 9,100 structure fires each year in eating and drinking establishments. Of those, 7,300 were in restaurants or cafeterias, 800 in bars and nightclubs, and 900 in other unclassified eating and drinking establishments. These fires resulted in an average of 125 civilian injuries and one death each year, and $162 million in direct property loss each year.

Even if there are fewer workers in the restaurant, pizzeria owners still must work on fire prevention. “The hazards are the same with 20 people in the kitchen or two people,” says Gregory Harrington, P.E., principal engineer with the NFPA. Make sure there aren’t any empty fire extinguisher brackets with no extinguisher, and check extinguishers to make sure the pressure gauge is not showing red, or the low side. Also, Harrington says, if the kitchen uses a wood burning or other solid fuel oven, clean the creosote in the vent.

One COVID-19 related potential fire source is hand sanitizer. “In general, alcohol-based hand-rub solution, which is the technical term, is a flammable liquid and it needs to be treated accordingly,” Harrington says. Hand sanitizer started to appear in healthcare settings and other workplaces more than a decade ago, so the NFPA fire codes include specifics about storage and placement. Don’t store more than five gallons of alcohol-based solutions, and don’t put a hand sanitizer dispenser over carpet, because it can drip and affect the fire performance of the carpet. It’s better to put the bottle over a tile or ceramic floor, and even better, in an area with an automatic sprinkler. In the kitchen, keep the hand sanitizer away from cooking equipment and light switches, and instruct workers to rub the sanitizer on their hands until it evaporates.

“The key takeaway would be for restaurant operators to maintain as high a degree of fire prevention vigilance as they can,” Harrington says.  

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Common Kitchen Injuries and Prevention appeared first on Pizza Today.

Here is a story about Dan.

Dan was ready to open his first pizzeria. As part of his business plan, Dan had to plan what food to sell and how much to charge for each item. “I need to consult with an expert.” said Dan. “Where can I find the top pizza experts in the world? The International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas!” Sure enough, one of the seminars offered was exactly what Dan needed. Dan attended Big Dave’s menu pricing seminar. With Big Dave’s guidance, Dan did the analysis of his pizzas and his food cost. Dan structured menu pricing to achieve 23-percent food cost. He now knew that his perfect Large Pepperoni Pizza needed to have 55 pepperonis.

Dan opened his pizzeria. Dan worked seven days a week for the first year. He saw every pizza that went out. He controlled his food portioning by coaching his pie makers every day. Sure enough, the food cost was 23 percent. Dan made enough profit to open a second pizzeria.

Dan started to work at his second location. The crew at his first pizzeria was honest, but with no measurement of portioning, and no daily reminder from Dan, the food cost was 2.5-percent higher. That was an increase in costs of $25,000 for the year. But Dan was too busy working seven days a week at his second pizzeria to notice. Dan still made enough profit to open a third pizzeria.

Dan started to work at his third location, but discovered he had to split his time amongst all three locations. With no portion control besides ‘Buddy Training’, two of the pizzerias had food costs roughly 2.5-percent higher, and one pizzeria had food costs five-percent higher than the 23-percent goal. It was later discovered that a shift supervisor was stealing at this location. Without measuring tools, it was not difficult for the employee to take customer’s money and make their food without ringing up the sale.

At the end of three years, Dan had three pizzerias and was losing $100,000 per year in food cost and making less profit than he was when he had only one pizzeria. “This was not part of my plan.” said Dan.

What did Dan learn? No portion control costs about 2.5 percent of sales with an honest crew. No portion control costs about five percent of sales with a less-than-honest crew. “Something has to change.” said Dan.

Once again, Dan turned to the Pizza Expo. By attending the seminars and talking with other pizza owners and managers at the Expo, Dan came up with a plan. Dan added three tools to his pizzerias.

• Visual Aids
• Scales
• Ideal Food Cost

Let us review the tools.

Visual Aids

Although Dan had a training manual, and written procedures for how to make a pizza, the manual sat on the shelf most of the time. “How can I remind pizza makers what pizza should look like if I can’t be next to them every day?” thought Dan. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, it is certainly worth 1,000 pepperonis. If you sell 200 pizzas in a day, and the pie makers put five extra pepperonis on each pizza, you are short 1,000 pepperonis for that day. Dan took pictures of his pizzas and posted them at the makeline. Pie makers did not have to weigh ingredients or count slices of meats. The simply made the pizza look like the picture. That was easy.

Scales

Cheese is gold in the pizza business. Cheese cost is usually one-third of the cost to make a pizza. Dan discovered there were two primary methods used by successful pizzerias to control cheese cost. Cups and scales. Dan tested cups first. He bought one cup for each pizza size. He put 11 ounces of cheese in the cup for the large pizza and then cut the top of the cup off, so the 11 ounces of cheese came to the top rim of the cup. He then did the same for the other sizes of pizza. However, since Dan’s pizzerias shred their own cheese, this method proved to be inconsistent. Next, Dan bought a scale for each pizzeria and added lines on the scale face indicating the amount of cheese for each pizza size. The only ingredient the pie makers were required to weigh was the cheese. They were required to weigh the cheese for every pizza. This worked perfectly for the shredded cheese. That was easy.

Ideal Food Cost

Dan’s POS system had an option for ideal food cost and inventory. The POS company said that although this was part of every POS package, fewer than five percent of their customers utilized that portion of their package. It seemed like a daunting task to implement until Dan realized that 80 percent of the food cost was from 20 percent of the ingredients. Dan started with just those ingredients: meats and cheeses. With the help of the POS company, Dan programmed recipes for his menu in a single day. Then Dan had his managers input purchases and inventory every week. The POS system told Dan he was no longer short 1,000 pepperonis each day. That was easy.

Dan now has seven pizzerias with over $10M in sales and estimates that these three tools are responsible for over a million dollars in cost savings over the past five years.

That is the Million Dollar Lesson.

It cost Dan over $100,000 to learn this lesson. Don’t be a Dan. “Let me share this lesson with other pizza owners so they don’t waste the money I did.” said Dan.

Dan decided to give himself a daily reminder of the importance of portion control. “What if I wrapped my car in the very ingredient that started me on this journey?” thought Dan. Sure enough, Dan did exactly that to his 1972 Corvette.

How many pepperonis are on the Pepperoni Vette? I will give you a hint. Enough to make 11 perfect Large Pepperoni Pizzas!

Dan Collier is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post The Million Dollar Lesson: A Story About Portion Control appeared first on Pizza Today.

After all the hard work, customers are flowing into your pizzeria, drawn by a unique menu and attractive marketing. However, are you seeing there are parts of your operation that are working great when you’re slow, but as soon as you get busy, they back up everything? You probably have a bottleneck — and it needs to be cleared up quickly.

This isn’t such a bad thing. After all, if you weren’t busy, it would never have been exposed. However, you can’t just shrug it off. I’ve certainly seen my share of bottlenecks, so let’s take a look at three types of these problems and how to fix them.

Systems bottleneck. Your systems or procedures are broken, leading to interruptions in production. Sometimes, in fact, systems must be built around the way a kitchen or floor plan is designed. For example, in one of my restaurants, we had delays that would stack up simply because our makelines and cut tables were not very close together. Our employees would lose valuable time simply taking steps between stations to drop off tickets. In some instances, an oven-tender would be waiting for tickets before someone would drop off 10 at a time, confusing the oven-tender. You can imagine how that creates a bottleneck and backs up orders.

What was the fix? We placed a printer next to the oven-tender that prints all the makeline tickets, along with a trash can to dispose of old tickets. This made things far more efficient, allowing us to work better within a less-than-ideal space.

Equipment bottleneck. In another restaurant, we experienced a major bottleneck daily, as we found night cooks were performing prep work during dinner shifts, slowing up the amount of time it takes to make orders. This meant morning cooks were not getting their prep done. It would be easy to jump to conclusions and say we just needed better morning employees, but that wasn’t the case — it was an old, raggedy meat and vegetable slicer.

Rather than cutting all the meats and veggies in an hour, the morning cooks were taking three to four hours because the slicer’s blades were destroyed, parts were missing, and it hadn’t been oiled in at least a decade. Because of this, food had to be cut very carefully. The slicer was even shorting and overheating.

Depending on your budget, buying new equipment can be a big hit, but broken tools cost you money, too. We bought a new slicer, moving the old one into my junkyard of old equipment — problem solved. The morning cooks were getting things done on time, and the night guys went back to just making customer orders.

Training bottlenecks. The last bottleneck might be the most common. If your team is not trained on procedures correctly, it leads to massive bottlenecks. The short version to fix this one: proper onboarding and ongoing training. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

But as we’ve seen, you can widen bottlenecks. So, next month, we’ll explore employee training.

NICK BOGACZ is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Three Bottlenecks, and How to Fix Them appeared first on Pizza Today.

AccuForecast

Restaurant forecasting for your pizzeria is as vital to your restaurant’s health as your recipes or your customer service. To not forecast is as reckless as driving an 18-wheel truck with a blindfold on. It’s imperative not only to know where you are going but to plan for the pitfalls along the way proactively. You’ve dealt with these pitfalls before, but this time you can inform your future self on how to prepare for them.

Proper forecasting breaks down into several categories. The most predominant is sales forecasting, and typically you’re going off of last year’s sales. But to be more proactive about it, look at last year’s sales along with whatever else could affect that trend. COVID significantly
affected the trend this year; nonetheless, it is still a trend. Depending on how much you were producing in revenue this time last year, you might adjust it by a set percentage less. While on a typical year, you would want to have a minimum of three percent above the previous year in line with the average national GDP.

Forecasting is best done on a spreadsheet, applying your point of sales computer’s previous sales records. Additionally, take into account last year’s weather and then use notes of large events related to the pop or decline in sales. For example, if there was an ice storm last year, and the weather this year looks sunny, you don’t want to budget the same and assume a lackluster week. Meanwhile, if you had a massive event last year that won’t occur this year, then that sales pop should be out of the forecast.

The forecast, in and of itself, doesn’t do anything if not put into practice. The forecast must get utilized by all managers to gauge how much to spend on payroll and food costs. This forecast needs to be a real legitimate sales expectation, not overly confident or overly negative. This expected revenue can’t be a hunch because you will decide how many hours you schedule based on this figure. Your food ordering will have to fall in line with that sales figure as well.

Labor and Schedule Forecasting

The beauty of most modern online schedulers is they take your forecast and tell you the exact amount of hours and labor you can afford to schedule. My POS integrates with my online scheduler program, which is a fantastic asset. I’ve wanted a highly functioning integration between a POS and scheduler for the last decade, and it finally exists. Now I can see what our payroll number should be and how far from it we land daily. We can now match up projections to actuals and avoid a large variance. This allows us to dependably hit our labor targets.

Food Cost Purchase Planning

You need to decide your set percentage ideal food cost. Once you know how much you plan to sell, you’ll know exactly how much you can afford to spend. Take your budget and break down how many days of the week you plan to purchase and what you can afford for each invoice. Have whoever places the order know what the number is and where the purchase for that invoice will land. If you purchase online, this is simple; if you don’t, you’ll need your vendor to tell you the full invoice cost before you approve the order. Not purchasing this way will kill your budget early in the week with an overspend invoice. Overspend doesn’t always fix itself by less spend in the next week. Instead, overspend leads to staff acting wasteful with an excess of product on hand. Riding the line and budgeting daily is how you save from waste and a mismanagement of funds.

Utilities and Misc. Random Costs

Forecasting is a tool for your staff and your finance supervisor as well, which is most likely you. Forecast and plan for large spending events on your calendar. Events like large insurance bills, new menu printing, Christmas gifts, equipment maintenance, and every other random quarterly, bi-yearly or annual costs you incur. Budget appropriately to avoid a surprise you should have seen coming because you didn’t appropriately forecast. Use a calendar in tandem with your spreadsheet to be aware of all these events ahead of time.

Three Tier Planning

I find it easiest to break the expenses down into a typical week, a busy heavy week and a slow week. By going with tiers of what kind of week we’re planning for, staff can plan correctly for food purchases and labor schedules. Each year right after Labor Day, we’re flying high with tons of sales and labor hours, then boom, next week school is back on, and it’s dead. If we don’t predict that and assume each week will be like the one before, we will blow out our budget.  With three tiers, you’ll find yourself saying things like this to staff, “This is a heavy week we’re coming into, so don’t understaff.” OR “I know last week was bonkers, but this week is historically one of our slowest, budget for a slow, low tier week.” This way, YOU decide your fate, lead the charge, and are proactive instead of reactive.

A 13-Month Operating Calendar vs. 12-Month Accounting Calendar

Accounting software like QuickBooks runs on a 12-month calendar. You need a 12-month fiscal profit and loss for your accounting, reporting, and taxes. You’ll need to have solid books in this format, but this is not what you will or should use for staff. You also need an operating profit and loss statement and forecast that runs off a 13-month calendar. Comparing a February with four Fridays to a January with five Fridays will always skew the metrics. That’s why it’s essential for any operational forecasting to be in a 13-month calendar with 13 sets of four, seven-day periods. My business operates with each week starting on Monday and ending on Sunday. We base our budgeting for labor and food cost on these seven-day & four-week increments. That way, we can compare apples to apples and not apples to
oranges. To do it on a 12-month calendar is skewed before it even starts.

Doing the proactive work of calendar planning, event planning and weather comparison will maintain order. Never allow yourself to forget planning large utility expenses either. Demand your staff abide by the forecast for food cost and payroll based on a 13-month operational budget. This will allow you to create a clean accountant-ready, 12-month calendar you’ll be proud of. If you do all these things, you’ll have your books tight and your head above water.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post How to conduct proper restaurant forecasting appeared first on Pizza Today.

COVID-19 has made constant cleaning paramount

It’s not enough to wipe down guest tables with a damp cloth any more. In the COVID-19 world, restaurant operators need to clean and sanitize everything that anyone touches. Pizzeria owners are establishing protocols and processes to keep employees and customers safe and keep the eatery open.

While nontraditional methods such as UV light and disinfectant fog machines have gained attention lately, most operators are using sanitizers they can buy from their current cleaning supply vendors. While certain details about reopening restaurants vary from state to state, guidance on how to clean surfaces is pretty consistent, and available from sources such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Restaurant Association and state restaurant associations.

Here are some best practices for cleaning restaurants during the coronavirus crisis, and after.

Make a list

Maintaining a list of tasks can help clarify each staff member’s responsibilities. “We start each shift with checklists to ensure all safety requirements and COVID-19 procedures are being followed,” says Tony Ciola, third generation restaurateur at Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza, with two locations in Austin, Texas.

First, Ciola says, employees complete a Daily Health Screening Checklist each day before working. Another checklist, the COVID-19 Take-Away Checklist, shows processes and procedures. Managers sign off on each item, and if one area needs improvement, the manager notes the corrective action they took. Among the tasks: high traffic areas must be cleaned and sanitized every 20 minutes, and sanitizing supplies and sanitation solutions must be checked regularly.

Assign tasks

At Tony C’s, the checklist provides specifics about each job function’s cleaning tasks. Bartenders and servers provide single-use condiments and garnishes to customers upon request, as there are no condiments on the bar or table. Bartenders and servers provide guests with a sanitized pen for credit card transactions, and after the guest uses the pen it’s placed in a separate area for sanitizing. Hosts wash their hands and wear gloves to roll silverware. Servers do not pre-clear tables, but inform bussers that a table or booth needs to be cleaned or sanitized. Bussers use different gloves for cleaning and sanitizing. The menus are disposable, or guests can scan a QR code to order.

Clean early and often

At The Backspace in Austin, Texas, an employee that has been with the eatery for 10 years performs a detailed deep cleaning of the restaurant before opening. “He gets here a few hours before anyone else and follows the detailed checklist which includes sanitizing all counters, door knobs, chairs, and tables,” says general manager Tara Davies. The staffer also sanitizes prep areas and restrooms, and ensures that the food-safe sanitizer and other supplies are fully stocked and accessible.

The rest of the staff uses the food-safe sanitizer on high contact surfaces after each guest leaves. “We have a checklist for them to help them ensure they get all of the surfaces and so our management team can double check that it’s getting done with our new expected frequency,” Davies says.

End self-serve

John’s Incredible Pizza Company offered all-you-can-eat buffet dining for 23 years, until the pandemic. “COVID-19 forced us to completely rethink the way we serve food to our guests,” says Brad Jashinsky, director of sales and marketing at the Rancho Santa Margarita, California-based chain. “We knew that we had to move away from being a buffet to be able to reopen.”

Today customers at John’s Incredible Pizza can order from a smartphone app, plastic menus, or from a kiosk in-store. Team members deliver the food to the table, and they also clean the plastic menus and table numbers. The host meters the kiosk line and ensures that a team member cleans every kiosk before the next group is directed to it. The chain, which has locations in California, Nevada and Oregon, hired additional staff who are dedicated to bussing and cleaning.

Show and tell

The former Ernie’s Bar and Pizza recently reopened in Denver as Earnest Hall Pizzeria Birreria Coffeehouse. The eatery had closed for renovations in 2018, and reopened during the pandemic. Employees sanitize high traffic areas such as customer pagers, door knobs, payment devices and the bases and legs of tables after a guest interaction with the item or every 15 minutes. “Guest pagers get wiped down before they are handed out and after they are dropped off when food is ready,” says Dan DeVito, director of special projects for parent company City Street Investors. “All front of house staff from general manager on down wear a protective mask, while disinfecting with a spray bottle and towel.” After the items are clean, staff display signage noting that the space has been sanitized and is ready for guest use.

At Dallas-based Pie Five Pizza,  a subsidiary of Rave Restaurant Group, Inc., all team members wear masks, and many of the restaurants have installed Plexiglas partitions at the register to minimize person-to-person interaction. “We’re stringent about the front of house cleanliness,” says Aaron Archuleta, director of operations. “We think it’s important for guests to see a clean restaurant where team members are constantly cleaning so that they have the confidence to know that we’re also adhering to those same standards in the back-of-house and behind the line.”

Make permanent changes

Pie Five plans to continue its strict cleaning regimen for the future, but certain details will likely change. While single-use items such as disposable flatware can help keep everyone safe now, they have an impact on the environment, so Archuleta says Pie Five may go back to reusable items in the future. What won’t change is the frequent  cleaning and sanitizing, and ensuring team members wash their hands every 30 minutes.

No one knows what a post-pandemic environment will look like, but operators say the way they approach cleaning will change. “COVID has taken already high standards in dining experience and has demanded a new permanent attention to every detail,” says DeVito, from Earnest Hall.

Others agree that the changes will be permanent. “Our cleaning practices are something we’ve always taken seriously,” says Davies, from The Backspace. “However with COVID-19 it’s definitely brought to our attention the importance of consistency, thoroughness, and accountability.”

For more information:

www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s list of more than 400 surface disinfectant products that meet the agency’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html

CDC steps for how to clean and disinfect.

www.restaurant.org/articles/news/association-issues-reopening-guidance

National Restaurant Association guidance

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Cleaning Best Practices appeared first on Pizza Today.

Learning to cope with the tremendous stress of these times

“Scott…two weeks’ notice. This job currently is leaving me mentally exhausted after every shift and causing enough stress for me where I am jeopardizing personal relationships.”  The devastation and uncertainty around COVID-19 is causing stress, anxiety and depression in many Americans. Reports state that hospitality workers are two to three times more likely to experience these. At my own business, Punxsy Pizza, we’ve experienced a 40-percent loss of staff and a 30-percent sales increase. The stress caused by the surging work load plus the constantly changing health guidelines contributed to many resignations.

The pizza industry is seeing either a huge loss of revenue in more upscale dine-in concepts or increases in pizzerias already doing a larger percentage of take-out and delivery. Either scenario comes with its own angsts. Hospitality workers are left to deal with extraordinary stress. Pizzeria owners can’t turn in a two-week notice, and with no light at the end of the tunnel, they must learn coping strategies.

Dennis McQuinn owns DYO Pizza in Duncan, Oklahoma. DYO is a fast-casual shop with seating for 60 people.  McQuinn comments on the pandemic’s effect: “At first we were holding our own, and all was good even though they shut down dining rooms, because we had a drive thru. Now that the dining rooms are back open, we have seen a decline in customers since they have an assortment of different places to dine again. We are also in the oilfield area that was hit hard at the beginning of this mess; we have seen a lot of people move away.”

McQuinn looked to industry leaders for inspiration. He implemented pizza kits, contactless delivery and take and bake to maintain sales. McQuinn saw the need to step out of his comfort zone by doing live videos on social media to convey DYO’s message.  Even with expert help, McQuinn had concerns. “Some days are better than others, ”  he says. “It gets me upset when I hear people say they love the place, and I just wish they would share that to help drive sales up. I do feel hopeless on some days when we hardly cover the Labor and COGS. We are the only fast casual within 30 miles.”

Anxiety runs amuck in the full service segment of our industry. Greg Wadlow runs the family owned Italian restaurant Monte Cellos in Wexford, Pennsylvania. Pizza put them on the map back in 1980 and Monte Cellos evolved into a full-service restaurant.  Wadlow told us, “The pandemic initially caused great concern because no one knew what things were going to look like and turn into. We (as instructed) had to close our dining room and were only permitted to have delivery and takeout as our only source of revenue. The initial panic brought on by Covid made quite a few people uncomfortable with home delivery. Many of our customers seemed to prefer the curbside pickup.   With the closing of our dining room, we lost quite a few employees because we just didn’t have a need for them at that time.  Servers, bussers, hosts, bartenders and dishwashers were all areas of significant scaling back.”

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) recognizes an invisible impact the coronavirus has on those, a daily struggle to maintain good mental health. Alas, our industry sees its share of substance abuse. Speaking with a doctor I was told that while anti-anxiety medications can help to take the edge off, it is not the complete answer. Eight hours later the effects of medication wear off but your stresses remain.

Wadlow makes daily adjustments in his approach. He adds: “There have been some major changes, but none were made by us, but rather made for us by the health department, CDC, governor’s office, etc. We just went with the flow and made the best of things. We didn’t really have many options.” He further says that, “As for the stress, we have been talking about it lately here at the restaurant. Although most of us are working less hours per day, the stress level has not diminished in direct correlation with the hours. The whole thing is just odd — we work less, but feel like we worked more, and all the while the sales are down and we close earlier than we used to. When the pandemic hit, we shortened our hours for the first time.”

Sales are not the only concern. McQuinn adds, “The biggest issue we have here is finding quality workforce. With the government giving the extra unemployment stimulus it was hard to find anyone who wants to work. This has required the family to step up and help out more than usual, which causes the wife and I to get a little short with each other. We do have our times, but she is my rock and my biggest cheerleader.”  Many call this workforce shortage the ’second wave’ for our industry.

McQuinn opts for some self care to cope with anxiety.“I am dealing with this one day at a time with the help of my family and friends. There are days I just don’t know if I can keep it going, but as long as it covers the bills, I will do all I can to succeed. I take extra time with my grandson to help me get the store off my mind. We are closed on Sundays so that we have some down time and that is when I get refueled.”

Wadlow adds: “I have been here for 31 years, and I have learned the only thing you can count on is that you cannot really count on anything. As far as how I am dealing with the stress…what can I do about it? I chose this business for a living and I know that it could always be worse.” Certainly, the restaurant industry has always been known for long hours and slim margins.

A webinar sponsored by the NRA offered suggestions for navigating the crisis.

• Enhance your spiritual life or self-care. Do a small bit of yoga, needlepoint or a crossword puzzle. For some, just playing a game of catch forces you to focus on something else, an incredible stress reliever.

• Do service work. Check in on an elderly neighbor, drop off a meal somewhere or volunteer. It will take you away from your own problems.

• Start a journal. Write down what you’re grateful for. Focus on gratitude and kindness, and have compassion for yourself when you feel hopeless or upset. This is an unprecedented moment in history.

• Use technology to attend sobriety meetings. People in recovery, especially early recovery, rely on their interactions with other recovering people, whether it’s through 12-step meetings, cups of coffee, or regular contact. There is a whole network of Zoom meetings for recovery. Or, pick up the phone and do it the old-fashioned way. Avail yourselves of all tools to stay on top of your sobriety.

Many restaurants now see the advantage of offering mental health benefits to their employees. Here are a few apps and websites recommended by the NRA that can benefit you and your employees at little or no cost.

1. ActiveMinds – a resource hub offering tips on stress management

2. PatientsLikeMe – Helps people find treatments, connect with others and take action to improve your outcome.

In the words of Winston Churchill: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

SCOTT ANTHONY owns Punxsy Pizza in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The post Mental Health: Happy Hour is Not an Option appeared first on Pizza Today.

Netflix was started by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings while they were in job limbo. Not too dissimilar from a COVID limbo of wondering where life would land. They worked for a company that got acquired, and they were getting paid to go to work and do nothing.

They talked about their harebrained idea during each morning drive. The crazy dream of sending DVDs in the mail for rent … and would it even work? They kept arguing and theorizing if it were feasible. Would the DVDs scratch, break, and would the post office send it? What other things might not work?

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

After going round and round talking about it, it dawned on them to stop thinking and just test it. They made a U-turn and went back into the town of Santa Cruz, where they lived. They bought an envelope and a DVD and went to the Santa Cruz post office to send it in the mail to their own address. When the DVD arrived the next day unscathed, they realized they had something.

The lesson I take from this is theory should be a short-term relationship. It should be followed up by action with new theories and new revisions. You just need to go out and do it. If it sucks, fix it. If you fix it somewhat, but it still needs work, then it’s progressing. So often, a great idea remains just that, an idea. Practically nothing comes out fully formed. Everything needs development, but the fear of having imperfection, the pain of the process leads to no process at all, and no progress.

Whatever crazy harebrained, off-kilter idea you have, it’s time to get it out of your head and put it into practice. Turn it from a dream into a goal, because a goal has a definable path to success. A dream stays as only that until it becomes a goal. Dreams live in your brain, not in your hand — because a dream alone isn’t reality.

If you still have yet to open your second store or are just reading this magazine as you are planning out how you’ll one day open your first pizzeria, just go out and get it wrong already. It’s not going to be perfect. That’s okay. Prepare financially for pitfalls, but your time is precious and is worth more than money. Time wasted can’t come back; money can. Perfection is super overrated, but progress and incremental gains are heavily undervalued because they don’t give you an immediate joy reaction. Go off and get it wrong. Try new menu ideas, jump into a new social media approach, take your alcohol menu in a completely different direction. Yes, you will screw up. It’s an absolute fact that this will not go perfectly, but through that, and only through that, you will progress to places you would have never reached otherwise.

If you’re comfortable now, that’s great; know your comfort gives you no progress. Every time you get comfortable, you become stagnant. Every time we have steered off and tried something wildly different, that is when we got to something better than anything we could have ever dreamed otherwise. We’ve had more failures than hits, but the hits have always more than made up for the failures.

Netflix would reinvent their brand and fail countless times along the way. But by always betting on themselves, they surpassed Blockbuster, paid cable and now the movie studios.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @andopizza

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Just Get It Wrong Already appeared first on Pizza Today.

Much Needed Attention

Dining restrictions amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic have resulted in restaurant operators taking a hard look at their interiors. Without guests filling seats, some have taken the time to spruce up their dining rooms.

When we surveyed pizzeria operators this summer on the impact of COVID-19, we asked if they were making any capital improvements while dining was limited or closed. We received scores of responses that front-of-house updates were a priority during the pandemic, everything from deep cleaning and maintenance to refreshing paint and floors (and even complete remodels). Let’s look at five improvements to make the most impact for the investment:

• Clean, clean, clean. Giving the dining area a good scrub from floor to ceiling can make a good impression without dipping into your updating budget. Remember to find all of those nooks and crevices that are often missed with packed dining rooms day in and day out.

• Walls/Ceiling. A fresh coat of paint is a great way to spruce up your dining area. But before you go to the store and buy the paint, take a good look at your walls. Are they drab or discolored? Are there dings in the wall that require plaster? Does the color palette and art best represent your restaurant?

If a touchup is in order, calculate square footage of the area to get a close estimate of how much paint you will need. Don’t forget to factor in supplies and labor. A project can quickly turn into thousands of dollars.

Color selection can be overwhelming. Are you satisfied with your current color scheme? Walk into your location with a critical view. Notice how the room feels. If it seems dark, lightening it up may be in order. Evaluate your restaurant’s brand. Does the color on the walls fit your concept? If not, it may be time to look into a new color scheme. Paint companies and home improvement retailers offer apps that allow you to digitally paint a room. Still lost on color selection? Call in a professional interior designer or branding expert.

Another way to freshen up dining space is by adding focal art on the walls. Bring the community into the restaurant with local wall art or a mural. Contact your local art organizations about featuring local artists.

• Flooring. If you are still curbside and takeout only, now’s a good time to replace or restore flooring. Filthy and fadded hardwood, cracked concrete or dirty and ripped up carpet is a troubling red flag for customers. Can your current flooring be repaired or does it need replaced? Get estimates for both. If you decide to replace flooring, know your options. Hardwood is timeless, and carpet and laminate are budget friendly options. Operators are trending away from carpet to easier-to-clean hard surfaces. Today’s flooring trends include polished concrete, luxury vinyl tiles and quarry tiles. A few things to remember: the flooring selection should be able to withstand the demands of a high-traffic dining area and fit your overall concept brand.

• Furniture. If there are salt and sugar packets under table legs, it’s past time to attend to your furniture. With years of wear and tear, restaurant furniture needs constant review. Is the upholstery in dire need of replacement? Can furniture be reconfigured for better dining room flow? Flexible seating has become more valuable with the uncertainty of varying dining capacity restrictions. Communal tables have been all the rage for the past several years. But during and after COVID-19, versatility is the key. How can tables be put together, pulled apart or removed?

• Full Remodel. Some ambitious operators used the dine-in closure to overhaul their front of house completely. Many did so to emphasize carryout operations. Remodels are a huge undertaking. Be sure to know what you are getting into and know when it’s too extensive or complex to go DIY. With permit issues, supply ordering and scheduling, hire a good contractor.

Whatever type of project you undertake, do the research and set a budget. Your time and that of your staff is a commodity. Know when to outsource. Follow your local authorities on requirements and permits needed to undertake a project.

In the Air

HVAC is now playing a critical role in the fight to limit the spread of COVID-19. Several pizzeria owners who were surveyed in our Pizza Industry Special Report indicated they repaired or replaced the HVAC system. It’s a system that often gets overlooked until it breaks. Now is the time to review your maintenance schedule and the effectiveness of your HVAC system.

Many states have offered HVAC strategies in their safe dining guidelines. The State of Minnesota outlines several HVAC-specific practices, including: “continuously maximize fresh air into the workplace, and eliminate air recirculation; maintain relative humidity levels of RH 40-60 percent; keep systems running longer hours (24/7 if possible) to enhance the ability to filter contaminants out of the air; add a flush cycle to the controls of the HVAC system, and run HVAC systems for two hours before and after occupancy, check and rebalance the HVAC system to provide negative air pressure whenever possible; supplement ventilation system with the use of portable HEPA filter units whenever possible; minimize air flow from blowing across people; and consult an HVAC professional or the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to ensure proper ventilation is provided, and ventilation systems are properly maintained.”

ASHRAE has also provided businesses with guidelines for mitigating COVID-19 risks. “Key elements of a strategy to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus are to perform needed heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system maintenance, including filter changes, and to run HVAC equipment, prior to re-occupancy,” said ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force chair, ASHRAE Environmental Health Committee voting member and 2013-14 ASHRAE Presidential Member Bill Bahnfleth in a release.

The post Pizzerias focus on front-of-house updates appeared first on Pizza Today.

Survey Participants Detail Improvement Made Since March 2020

Bought a food truck right before the pandemic happened. Also now just getting that

food truck wrapped Working on full new me nu and decals/wraps for pizzeria. Looking to

push our brand and have better brand recognition.

Bathroom and kitchen remodel

Improvements to kitchen

Changed our menu; improved our order flow

Renovate room and start building outdoor seating

Updated computer hardware, updated integrate d online ordering, added tablets to

kitchens and bought some new equipment.

Delivery services. We had to change our layout on how we reach customers.

Parking lot repairs

More cross training and have counter service only at the moment.

outdoor seating area and decking

Pos

We just cleaned up paint jobs and redid floors and new tables and chairs.

Improved sanitation, deep cleaning, improve d patios

Replace d the facade

Streamline d the whole operation and removed unnecessary equipment. Purchased

additional outdoor tables and heaters.

still waiting and planning on making improvements

Website and online ordering

Invested in Mobile Pick Up Units, Safety, Hazzard Pay.

Larger prep room, carryout windows, more heating cabinets, more computers, more

phone and phone lines, more freezer and Refrigeration, fix parking lot, add electrical

pane ls, add signage, add awnings, storage of table s and chairs, built walls, add

plumbing.

creation of outdoor dining that we will attempt to make permanent, and modification of

indoor seating to shift from 95% family-oriented to 60% family and 40%

adult/lunch/older/single

New POS and phone systems.

Upgraded kitchen equipment

New booths, paint, furniture

Umbrellas for outdoor seating at 4 tables

Delivery, takeout set ups. Marketing

Dining Room improvements

painted/major cleaning / re furbish outdoor patio for seating / plumbing changes/

Grinded kitchen floor to re-coat, new refrigeration

New oven that requires less staff to operate

new equipment and updates to locations

Adjusted operating procedures for FOH & BOH. Small remodeling projects throughout

New dining room floor and chairs

New flooring in part of restaurant and painted entire dining room.

cleaning protocols will be staying as well as contactless delivery and carryout to stay

added 3rd party delivery

CLEANING, MOVING EQUIPMENT AROUND TO ACCOMIDATE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Did some remodeling, painted, new freezers and convection oven,

Refrigerator and mixer repairs

In process of adding a game room / billiard hall / golf simulator. Doubling square footage.

Updated dining room

Floors redone, painting, electrical work

New carpeting New walk-in cooler

new counters fixtures and paint

Added a local grocery are a to our shop.

New owner is refurbishing chairs, painting, small remodeling.

Better cash register. Square. Reduced contact with customers

Reconfigured our dine in area and changed up some policies for working during this

time.

Converted front to curbside – Moved labor around from front of house to kitchen

Built outdoor fencing with lighting to enclose patio, fixed bathrooms, restructured

storage

Changed our open hours. No more lunch service, we are dinner only.

increase in take-out area, car toppers for delivery vehicles, marketing investment

Outdoor patio installed pos upgrade

New tables reupholster seating Air handlers

Reorganized close d dining space, changed front of house model for quicker interactions,

remodeled customer bathroom

Some remodeling by painting and new flooring

install walk-up window, changed POS for remote (blue tooth) card reading. reduced

store hours. no lunch, dinner only. no slices, whole pies only.

We are adding curbside /delivery retail & grocery instead of returning to dine-in seating

restaurant remodel

window and a/c

Purchased new equipment

New physical location from food truck. Expanded equipment purchased from closed

restaurants.

Painting, cleaning, dry cleaning chairs, new tables

Added patio, revamped bathrooms, tore out kitchen walls and rebuilt. Rebuilt walk-in.

Replaced water heater. Put in generator switch for blackouts. Painted building outside.

New flooring new roof equipment repairs

Cut employee hours

Remodeled the bathrooms Painted the whole interior Installed a new hood

New equipment, oven, prep table, additional outdoor seating and tables

Upgraded Current HVAC system Starting the process of building a new store to

downsize to a delco concept instead of dine-in

Booths with higher backs, repairs

We ‘re still waiting on permitting from the City, but our HVAC unfortunately died last

week and needs to bereplaced (at a cost of 15-20 K) and our Landlord is not helping

with the cost.

Remodeled bathrooms and dishroom and upgraded some equipment

Wood fired pizza oven

Minimal improvement projects – painting and small repairs

We did some needed maintenance

New furniture some new equipment

We received a g rant from our state to help us buy equipment in order to pivot to selling

our pizza frozen, online and shipping across the country. We are planning on this

enhancing our bottom line and keeping our business viable.

Additional equipment and storage

Streamlined toppings, setup glass shield, setup kiosk

Remodel

We built a new outdoor patio area with seating.

software and app

put new a/c unit

additional 3200-sf beergarden

New dough roller, gift cards, paint and repairs

Upgrading walls and floors, adding additional equipment etc. replacing some old

equipment

Cooler

Refinish wood floors.

Re-shifted our FOH to food runners, phone orders, etc.. streamlined our kitchen as we no

longer have to wait for tables to turn.

added a pizza warmer and cooler prep table

HVAC

new Kegerator

New Dough Press, New walk in Freezer system, New heating and cooling system.

Updated patio and training manuals

NEW EQUIPMENT

Bought a catering van as catering has incre ased.

Purchased new equipment that replaced expired units. Paint and also coat floors.

renovated dining room and added outdoor patio

Spent $125,000 on new sewer system water pipes a new weight bearing wall and

some electrical work as well

Repairs and repainting .

None . Not putting money into something that is still teetering on the edge .

Painting …. Deep cleaning ….

We installed a computerized data system and FOB using blockchain technology. The

payments are made via touchless and the software we developed pings the customer

with a sensor when the y have the app turned on.

enhanced outdoor seating area with oscilating fans and misters. also install sun shades in

front patio.

Upgraded seating area and kitchen.

new seating

We will be closing our “open kitchen” forever

Fix stuff

We started offering Delivery And catering and kids pizza kit make pizza at home

Clean and paint

Cleaning systems, temperature checks for employees, cosmetic improvements, social

distancing measures

Remodel flooring in dining area, painting dining area and other areas of restaurant.

deep clean on entire building , added online ordering , painted inside of building, worked

on deck area

Bought new equipment. Repaired floors & walls. Upgraded our pos & compute r systems

We did a partial remodel of the dining room to better accommodate social distancing

and separation.

Moving to a new larger location with the purchase of a new building

Backend Technology improvements.

Added more glove and mask stations

We are opening our second brick n mortar!!!

from basic deferred maintenance to new kitchen equipment.

replaced floors, new phone system with auto attendant so we could use less employees

Thorough cleaning and decorative renovation

Expanded dinning to adjacent space

Refinish dining room floor Install new misting system for patio

Refit of part of kitchen area. We needed to do it and have had the time since we are only

offering curbside service right now.

4 Flat screens on patio, Umbrellas & Cantilevers for better coverage for the patio

replaced some equipment

We updated our ceiling tiles, reupholstered booths, and changed the carpet.

Re-paved parking lot, paint building inside and out, new hand railings outside .

Improvement

Keeping all aspects of store very clean and sanitary. All PPE equipment has quadrupled

in the last few weeks…making that work and keeping our heads above water is a grave

task

New coolers

Reupholstered chairs, deep flush cleaning of hoods, restoring table surfaces (wood),

general deep cleaning …

Reinstalling a new 3-hole sink, repaint the outside, Replace commercial blenders

Outdoor. New planters, tables, paint, awnings, lights

Painting, developed new menu offerings, small repairs

Replaced front floor, partial repaint new sign on front

We had the time to put better inventory practices in place , we upgraded our bar area

Invested in new equipment because our takeout increased overnight

Bought new dough cutter and roller

adjusted locations i am mobile concession pizza

Computer upgrades New delivery car

Trimmed the fat ~ got rid of the cancer

While I was close d for the month of April I did a de e p cleaning of kitchen, replaced tile

and baseboard behind line, under sinks and in hard to get places. Remodeled counter

in front of house to separate 3 POS systems and added a 3rd phone to help expedite

heavy call volume. Added tables and shelves to help packaging process.

moved out of brick and mortar into a truck

New POS system, utilized space to further improve our production. Looking forward to

making more improvements as we ride this situation out.

Remodeling to both bar and dining room

Repainted, upgraded a few pieces of equipment.

New equipment

replacement of kitchen floor and front counter

replace make line – it broke down every summer and we had to discard lots of food

MORE prep stations and added another oven

Spiral mixer, expanded footage

POS upgrade

Equipment

Remolded Bathrooms

Other avenues

Paint dining room put new flooring in and redo the bathrooms

Closed 2 days a week (Monday & Tuesday) instead of just Mondays Plastic dividers between cash register & customers Masks on all employees Added another band washing sink in prep area

new flooring , new security system, new tables, cleaning

Carpet, paint, extra cleaning.

Operational….maintaining Social distancing for customers and employees…mandatory

masks for employees and customers…bought new ice machine and pizza make table

rearranged certain areas of the restaurant for cleaner and more safely ran operations

Increased offerings, streamlined operating standards

Additional A/C Added multi head mini split heat and air system. Replace smallwares

Install new 50 sq foot walkin freezer to support increase in volume And to stockpile

pork and beef products. Added additional early morning prep shifts to support increase

in dough/sauce production. Hired a dozen more staff.

Equipment Purchases, Expanded Kitchen

Repairs, repaint, retraining staff. Installed sanitation stations. Reconfigured tables,

installed barriers, customer spacing measures, signage

Replaced flooring .

enlarge kitchen to help keep staff separated. installed additional hand sink put soda

fountain behind counter

Liquor license approved

Replaced carpet with vinyl stone flooring for easier cleaning and look.

Added staff for cleaning implemented stations to reduce contact

Had to have a new mixer. Old one broke

New gas pumps, UV treated HVAC

Reorganizing for next season with greater safety precautions

50 9 Menu Facilities Processes

cleaned, painted, washed and scrubbed every inch of this place .

Fixed issues that arose during tornado closure. Ovens, Doors, Floors and tile in kitchen

Less staff with increased hours. Couldn’t get our same product so had to learn how to

use other product, for example went to cooking fresh chicken wings when could no

longer get any from the purveyors. Had to increase the cost of certain pizza toppings

due to all the pork production problems.

Removing self-serve pizza slices (we serve them now), highly increased sanitation of

food prep surfaces, masks and screens.

Remodeled the entire shop while lobby was closed.

Invested in equipment to speed up production. $12,000

We modified our whole store to make it work. We shifted from individual slice s at 90%

sales to 0% and started selling whole pies, make your own kits and other extras. The

thing we learned is when were turn to normal we will be more versatile and have more

options on our menu.

Some new equipment that we needed

Operational

Remodel

Expanded patio Redesign the bar seating and dining to more of a dry storage

Repaint, improved signage , lighting , electronic Menu boards

Driveway sealed. Gelato bar

New Equipment, Plumbing improvements.

Repainted

Refreshed the lobby

released updated menu, and added employees!

Cleaning, repair

Expanded our bar area and added an outdoor patio. Update d HVAC system and

electrical infrastructure.

New counter tops, some new equipment. New signage

Shields

LED for all lighting, deep cleaning and Maintenance

Paint

cleaned the food truck and equipment

We developed a crust made with gluten-free flour.

re-engineered our menu

Improved advertising and delivery efficiency

Building and equipment

Paint and siding re pair- roof

Zoom meetings Floor markings

improved outdoor dining capacity

Bought one more food truck and took the time to improve our systems and procedures

we had been building a private dining room and we have been using it as a second

dining room. So, our new 50% capacity isn’t too different from our previous 100%

capacity

Modernized equipment, retrained staff, optimized organizational size.

Added dessert bar Switched POS Added online ordering Added warmers for carry out

orders Changed kitchen layout and workflow

Added curbside service and additional 3rd party delivery.

Everything necessary mandated in our county.

We are remodeling our Bar & Dining Room areas

Cosmetic work in dining room. Repairs in kitchen

operational changes to be more precise . Our primarily in house service was devastated.

Our pick up and curbside options up-ticked 35%.

New kitchen floor, Plexiglass, cleaning supplies, paint, steam cleaning the equipment, new

stainless steel tables, new shelving units, remodel the employee restroom

New technology to support curbside pickup. New design in the shop to accommodate

new flow.

Bought a dough rounder to streamline production

Purchased a meat cooler and food warmer

Closing off dining. Pexiglass everywhere.

Removed inside dining and expanded kitchen/work area. Applied efficiencies revealed

by pandemic social distancing and other protocols/health orders.

paint

Recovered my booth seats. New patio furniture. New online services. New equipment.

Better Social Media Another 3rd party ordering system to reach more people Replaced

old tables

so busy no time for improvements

We had enough employee to help out with whatever needed to be done

closed dining room, expanded capacity for delivery and carryout, upgraded pos and

phone system

painting

Painting and overall odd fix ups

We did some maintenance /remodeling

Started delivery, extra cleaning employees

Cleaning processes Opened up new geofence advertising to expand delivery area

Trying to make salad bar more profitable. Corporate has suggested not bringing buffet

back at all, and likely will not.

Total remodel of Restroom and Main Dining room.

We repainted the dining room

New equipment. Expanded our menu in a small space. We will not return to dine in

Capitol: Trying to get a new roof. Outdoor dining improvements that will continue.

Hoping to upgrade POS Operational: Completely changed our hours of operation.

Changed the schedule -who and how many are doing what at what time. FOH and BOH

Added another phone line. Might add one more , but then I need another terminal.

Changes to website Added in house delivery-so ready to eliminate 3rd party delivery

Hoping to add online ordering and qR menus. using paper menus and discarding after

single use. So much paper!!! Everyone in masks. providing masks for team and

customers. Its the new after dinner mint! lol Service staff in gloves. So many gloves! So

much hand washing! The paper and vinyl/late x industry is making so much money right

now. Did they create corona? JK so many thing s! – It feels like everything is different.

This is so challenging. But it’s what we do. People are so hungry for social experiences.

Restaurants and bars are our “safe places”. It’s up to us to interoperate what our leaders

(from very local to national to global) are not able to define. WE are left on our own to

decide what is safe and right-and ethical!

New pizza make line , new shelving in walk in and kitchen. Brand new front window and

deep cleaning with fresh paint throughout the restaurant.

painting, carpet and lighting capital investment never stops.

outside table area

new cooler

kitchen remodel

The post Operational and Capital Improvements During the COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on Pizza Today.

Supply Chain Solutions

Even in the challenging age of the novel coronavirus, John Patrone and his crew at Patronies Pizza in Supply, North Carolina, were dishing up more than 500 pizzas on a summer Friday night. That’s high demand the 11-year-old pizzeria would have struggled to meet if not for Patrone’s intense focus on the eatery’s supply chain.

“If you’re not careful,” Patrone says, “the supply chain can bite you.”

As COVID-19 infiltrated the country earlier this year, the pandemic rattled businesses across the supply chain continuum, from producers and distributors to restaurant owners. A volatile market characterized by fluctuating volumes and product accessibility concerns forced pizzeria operators like Patrone to closely monitor their supply chain and unleash new or seldom used strategies to secure goods, appease guests and drive a sustainable, profitable business amid trying times. Patrone, for instance, found himself purchasing excess cheese, adjusting menu prices and substituting items, all while food costs inched up “two to three percent.”

Such nimble moves, especially amid supply chain disruptions, are often necessary to ensure a restaurant is never left empty handed and can continue to serve its guests. Here’s how pizzeria operations can accomplish just that:

Favor flexibility

Sara Matheu, spokesperson for US Foods, one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors, urges operators “to stay closely connected with their distributor to help mitigate any concerns” and to be flexible above all else.

“Flexible with using frozen or fresh products or alternative brands and consider rotating menu and specials to accommodate,” Matheu says.

Rigidity or strict adherence to the status quo, after all, can be damaging.

At Farrelli’s Pizza, an eight-unit chain in western Washington, director of kitchen systems Mike Rutledge sourced alternative pepperoni products after a supplier shuttered its factory for two weeks to address a coronavirus outbreak. And throughout the summer, Rutledge found himself in weekly communication with his broadline distributor to find substitutes for two-to-five out-of-stock items, ranging from takeout bags to salad dressings. He considers flexibility and a solutions-oriented mindset essential to navigating supply chain disruptions.

“You have to be flexible to get product in your doors and serve guests,” Rutledge says.

Investigate alternative providers

Steven Rodgers, vice president of business development and global account management at HAVI Supply Chain, a company that helps restaurant brands optimize and manage their supply chains, encourages operators to actively explore opportunities to offset risk and cost pressures by diversifying their supply chain. He suggests starting with local providers first before moving onto regional and national players, especially as the pandemic continues affecting different parts of the country in distinct ways.

To that point, Rutledge encountered a short supply of chicken wings – Farrelli’s second most purchased item behind mozzarella – after his long-time supplier shifted much of its production to the consumer market following a precipitous drop in orders from foodservice clients. In response, Rutledge interviewed five different suppliers and partnered with a new vendor who guaranteed a 12-month supply.

“And we’re saving five percent in the process, too,” he says.

To accommodate immediate restaurant supply needs, Farrelli’s set up Instacart accounts with three major foodservice supply stores in its area. For about an $8 delivery fee, store managers can receive goods like takeout materials, pizza toppings or condiments within hours.

“Most of these stores have comparable products so we don’t have to 86 items from our menu,” Rutledge says.

Simplify operations

Simplified operations, something many restaurants employed throughout the height of the pandemic with smaller menus utilizing fewer, more versatile ingredients, stand another antidote to supply chain concerns. Rodgers says simplified operations can “reduce operational complexity and minimize the impact of short supply.” He suggests restaurants focus on serving their most frequently purchased and profitable items, identify alternate sources of key ingredients and remove specialized items that are complex to serve or require difficult-to-procure ingredients.

Based on a simplified menu, Rodgers says operators can then ask their distributor “to monitor demand of key items and work … to centralize the ordering process.”

Strategic ordering

Having already endured a significant jump in cheese prices – from $83 for a 30-pound case in April to $120 per case in August – and with rumblings that the per-case cost could leap as high as $135, Patrone increased his cheese orders 25 percent this fall and stored the excess product in an extra refrigerator. He considers such forward-thinking purchasing necessary to mitigate risk and cost pressures.

“I look at items we use the most like flour, tomatoes, cheese, beef and chicken because that’s where we can really get hurt,” says Patrone, noting that futures prices on the commodities market and regular contact with providers help him anticipate potential price increases.

Rutledge, who has “bulked up” some of Farrelli’s purchase orders and asked broadline distributors to store excess product in their warehouses, remains in regular contact with suppliers and distributors to monitor the costs of pork, beef, chicken and, especially, cheese.

“When cheese moves, percentages move all over our P&Ls,” he says. “We continue to work with our partners to stay above the market.”

HAVI’s Rodgers notes that an array of factors – local guidelines on restaurant openings, capacity, traffic and customer preferences among them – can also inform operators’ planning and purchasing.  

Should you communicate supply chain issues to customers?

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Patronies Pizza’s supply chain and its ability to secure certain items, owner John Patrone did not conceal that trouble from his customers. Rather, Patrone embraced transparency. The restaurant’s website carried this message: “Because of issues in the food supply chain as a result of Covid-19 shutdowns, prices for various items may be higher than normal.”

“By and large, our customers get it because they see it themselves at the grocery store,” he says. “If we keep the quality and quantity the same, then people don’t mind paying for that and we’ll charge what we need to charge.”

HAVI Supply Chain’s Steven Rodgers encourages restaurants to “empathize and communicate” with guests.

“Help your customers understand the disruption,” he says. “Find a way to market that you are still ‘serving the classics.’ Help them understand why you’ve simplified [while noting] that other options will be back soon.”

Daniel P. Smith  Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post How to successfully navigate supply chain disruptions appeared first on Pizza Today.

It’s the end of a long day, and you see a message come through. Maybe it’s an e-mail, a review, a direct message or a voicemail from someone complaining they got violently sick a few hours after eating at your restaurant. What do you do? How do you respond thoughtfully and apologetically without putting yourself into a legally precarious position for something you might not have even caused?

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

There is a misconception with a foodborne illness that whatever you ate last must be the culprit. In talks with my local health department and other medical professionals, I now know that typically, foodborne illnesses happen many hours later. Reaction to a foodborne illness could occur as many as three weeks after the initial pathogen enters someone’s system. Nonetheless, this misconception is pervasive in our industry.

Whenever any customer has a problem, I always tell the staff to analyze it as if it’s true but don’t own it until you verify and know it to be 100-precent correct. That’s extremely hard to do with foodborne illness. If someone says that they got sick at 9 o’clock after having a pepperoni pizza at 8 o’clock, the likelihood that a fully cooked (at 550-F) pizza containing pepperoni, mozzarella and pizza sauce on cooked pizza dough could cause a violently sick reaction in a non-allergic customer is next to nothing. Nonetheless, we’ll look at cameras, make sure our health protocols are followed, and check all of our food dating, which are incredibly meticulous. Additionally, we check that staff washed their hands while working, and contact surfaces are clean.

This all assumes you run a clean kitchen. If you don’t, you very well could cause someone to get sick. Assuming your pizzeria is clean and following proper protocols, the next step is mitigating the fallout respectfully and conscientiously without owning the potential legal fallout. If a diner threatens to call the Health Department, encourage them to do so and call them yourself. If you have nothing to hide, this should go well, and the Health Department, more likely than not, will affirm to this person that the odds of it coming from your establishment in such a short timeframe are small.

Never preach to a customer but rather inform with facts from the Health Department. Show them links to the health department sites that verify this information. Then take this opportunity to overshare all the precautions you take. Gather up all your labeling procedures and security camera footage of their pizza being made. If someone threatens to go negative against you on social media, don’t let it rile you up and don’t retort negatively. Make sure you take their concern seriously and openly show that you genuinely care about their health. It’s our duty as members of the hospitality industry to create a safe environment for our guests.

Movies and TV shows have not helped this perception. In The Last Dance basketball documentary, Michael Jordan is sure he was food poisoned by a local pizzeria before his big “Flu Game” in 1997. Upon further review, the guy who served the pizza was a fan of Jordan’s who was a new manager to a large chain pizzeria. The man blamed for the sickness says he was just excited to deliver to Jordan and brought some staff with him in hopes of meeting MJ. The assumed cause is always what the person ate last. We might never know the truth, but I do know that in the 20 years I’ve been making food at restaurants, I’ve NEVER seen someone sabotage a customer’s food.

In the worst scenario, I’ve seen people mock a customer behind their back, complain about them or even call out a name improperly, but never actual harm to the product that is being created. This is pervasive misconception diners have of food workers; that if they complain, someone’s going to go to the back and spit in their food. Which, as disgusting as it is, would not likely lead to food poisoning. Improper temperature controls and out of date food cause that. In a pizzeria that is bustling and cooking at high temps with fast product turnover, that probability is even smaller.

The way to handle any customer complaint is to always be on the side of the customer, to figure it out with them, to work with them. All the while informing them of all potential scenarios and reasons for their illness and educating them on all the proactive measures you do to make sure that they are in a safe environment. Do this, and you’ll get past this in a very conscientious and successful way that shows the customer you care and are safe.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Food-Borne Complaints Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Like it or not, you’re in the DELCO business now. The foreseeable future doesn’t look good for restaurants relying on huge dining rooms. Fortunately the pizza business has been thriving on mobility since the industry’s birth. As profitable as pizza delivery may be, it doesn’t overrule the fact that pizza is an inherently difficult product to transport. Pizza’s two components, the bread base and the toppings, are diametrically opposed in their ability to stay fresh. We don’t want the bread to get soggy but we also want the pizza to stay hot, which is usually achieved by trapping steam that’s harmful to the bread. The result is a soggy slab that tastes like paper. Fortunately there are several solutions.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

The ultimate irony of holding a Guinness World Record for largest collection of pizza boxes is that I never eat boxed pizza. Your pizza is most dangerous when it emerges from the oven, spewing steam from both your toppings and your crust. Giving the pie a 20 second rest on a wire rack before hitting the pizza box is a great solution that doesn’t interrupt your flow. I first saw this at Varasano’s Pizza in Atlanta, where they do the same thing to every pizza that emerges from their oven.

The same theory can be applied to your pizza when it’s inside the box. The flat cardboard surface quickly traps steam and degrades the pizza, so creating the wire rack effect inside the box is ideal. One solution comes from India, with a box that uses its own internal corrugation to channel out steam. Another box from Italy has an elevated slotted panel that offers the same effect. You may have seen a series of space age round pizza containers made of compressed fiber particulate, such as those introduced by Zume Pizza and Pizza Hut. (The Internet loves attempts to disrupt the pizza box industry, even if they have yet to catch on.) They all have textured bases with channels and dips to allow for moisture and oil collection.

If you’re not ready to blast into the future of pizza box technology just yet, you can meet your destiny halfway by employing a box insert. Your pizza box supplier probably has corrugated sheets available, which prop up the pie with steam channels below. The sexier option is a textured pizza box insert. They’re manufactured specifically for clean food contact so they provide lift and circulation space for delivery pizzas without contributing the essence of cardboard to your flavor profile.

Perhaps you don’t think your customers will appreciate your efforts in delivering a crispier product, but you can use the opportunity to market the change as a competitive advantage. Dominos’ customers didn’t care that the product they were eating was lackluster, but when the company revised its recipes in 2009 and used it as a marketing advantage, sales jumped up and haven’t settled down since. Brag about how your new technology delivers a better pizza. If you’re concerned about the expense of a fancy pizza box, make it an upgrade so customers can opt in to cover your cost. People like this kind of thing on social media and the press might even pick it up as a story about what local businesses are doing to embrace the changes brought on by COVID. Or you can keep doing what you’ve been doing for decades and wait for the competition to call you out for it. Yikes.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: DELCO, Keep it Crispy appeared first on Pizza Today.

Now, more than ever, is time to give thanks

I’ve been thinking a lot about pizza consumers lately. Strange, I know. My job requires me to think about pizzeria owners 24/7. We have a Man on the Street,  Scott Wiener, whom we task with keeping the pulse of consumers so that he can translate what they want from pizzerias. But ever since this pandemic hit our nation, I’ve seen a big shift with the American consumer.

It started in my own household. Or at least my awareness of it did, I should say.

Not long after restaurants in my home city reopened, my wife asked me to place an order to a locally owned restaurant and instructed me to give the server a large tip. These people are the lifeblood of our community — the restaurant owners, managers, servers, bar staff, etc. So I called a spot we like to frequent. It’s a bar with some killer food, and I knew with no sit-down dining/drinking allowed at that time (this was around early April), it had to be hurting. I knew the bar staff and servers were mostly furloughed, and that those still working to take phone orders and run them curbside to my car probably weren’t getting tipped too well. So I ordered food for my family of four. The bill was around $70. I gave the server a $40 cash tip.

Just a few moments later, as I was driving home, my cell phone rang. It was the server. I could hear the tears in her voice as she thanked me. She said things had been very rough for her and that the tip my family “blessed her with” would go a very long way. It was only $40, but the impact on her situation was nonetheless large.

Just moments later my cell rang again. This time it was the owner. She told me she was very sorry that the server forgot to bring the drinks I had ordered to my car. She informed me they’d bring them to my house right away if I’d give them the address.

I live 15 minutes from the restaurant, and it was raining. I knew they forgot my drinks and didn’t care. I didn’t want her running them back out to me in the rain the first time, and I certainly wasn’t going to have her drive 30 minutes round-trip and miss more tips from other callers just to bring me beverages.

As my family talked about the phone calls I had received on the way home, it dawned on me that the pandemic had helped make me, personally, a more empathetic customer. Pre-COVID I would have been upset at the restaurant’s carelessness. I would have wondered, possibly aloud, how it was so difficult to double-check an order before taking it to the customer.

It wasn’t long before I was noticing small acts of kindness everywhere I looked. Friends and
co-workers were telling me stories of supporting this business or that restaurant because they knew things were tough and did not want to see these small businesses go under. The community, at least the one I live in, rallied to support its own. That was immensely refreshing.

Then the stories from pizzeria owners started pouring in. Yes, many were devastated by the effects of COVID-19 and the requisite down time. Yes, many closed up shop permanently. But, having said that, for every message we received along those lines, we received several more saying the opposite. The number of pizzeria owners telling us sales were actually up were eye-opening. How could this be?

We all knew pizza was ideally suited to carryout and delivery. So while other restaurant segments struggled to figure out how to survive without dine-in, the pizza industry already was accustomed to generating a large portion of its business from takeout or delivery. The pizza industry already had a product that travels well, already had packaging figured out, already had procedures figured out.

But, still. This was a new animal that was drastically changing the game in an instant. How did pizzerias fare so well?

I believe it’s partly because pizza people are “people people.” You understand hospitality. You know how to tell a good story about your product. You cultivate a family atmosphere. You’re collegial. You’re genuine. You give to your community. And, as a result, people want to support your business.

Just like my family started being more conscious of who we supported and how we supported them, it turns out the rest of the country’s consumers reacted in much the same way. Your success today is a direct reflection of your community involvement yesterday. I truly believe that.

So, with that said, let’s go back to the phone call I received on my way home that night when my family decided to step out from the fear and order food for the first time in a very long time. That call touched me. Why? Because the gratitude was sincere. They meant it when they said “thank you,” and I felt it. And it made me want to order from them again and again.

It’s quite possible that you’ve been twisting your brain into a thousand different knots lately in an attempt to figure out how to market or what menu items to offer during a pandemic. I get it. That’s important. But … have you paused to simply look your regular customers in the eye and deliver a sincere “thank you” to them? It might go much further than you think.

Jeremy White  is Editor-in-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Customer Appreciation appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ticket Time Management

A restaurant’s ticket times and speed of service are the heartbeat of that restaurant. Every time I walk on the line as I go from store to store, my first question to the person running the line is:   “where are we at?” They immediately know I mean, where are we on ticket times? How long is it taking pizzas to get into the oven? And what is our average time of stabbing the ticket? Ticket times determine your ability to get another round of service in a night. Ticket times also determine someone’s likelihood to return to your restaurant. The American consumer is never mad about food delivered quickly. Sure, at some high-end restaurants, the customer might want a slower dining experience. But by and large, America loves speed.

If you’ve been to Italy or anywhere in France, you know that fast ticket times can be interpreted as rude. In America, speed means selling more pizzas and more return visits. Compare the fast-food drive-through in your town that never has a line with the one that’s always packed. Their dead restaurant isn’t because of the food quality compared to the busy drive-through. It’s because that drive-through line takes too long. In turn, the slow fast-food restaurant with no line is still less preferable to a drive-through with five to 10 cars. The busy restaurant has established itself as churning out a dependable, timely product. As an independent pizzeria, we need to capture that efficiency and do it with craft, experience-driven items. The attention span of a consumer has found a way to shrink even more in the last 10 years. Quicker execution with a robust experience is at the forefront of a successful pizzeria.

To get great ticket times, establish your baseline. What is the fastest possible amount of time your best employee can make your easiest, most basic pizza? That tells you the ideal of your easiest item. Then take a brand-new employee fresh out of training and find their average speed of your hardest and largest pizza. That’ll show you the best and worst variance of speeds per pizza in your shop. Now, look at your average ticket times on slow rush nights and busy rush nights. Have someone clock and note when pizzas leave the expo station compared to when they were ordered. This will help you determine your average with facts. From that baseline knowledge, you can then create progress.

I want to know the absolute best ticket time, the acceptable average ticket time and the cut-off ticket time. The cut off ticket time is where one minute before that mark is barely acceptable, and anything past that time requires management attention.

For my restaurant, Andolini’s Pizzeria, seven minutes for an appetizer, 15 minutes for an entree or pizza are my ideal standards. I will accept up to 10 minutes on an appetizer or 25 minutes on a pizza. Anything later than that and a manager needs to speak to the customer and inform them of the situation. From there, the manager will determine if a free appetizer or dessert is necessary or, potentially, more.

To-go orders are a little trickier because sometimes, predetermined third-party apps will say when an order should be ready. Sometimes that’s not the case, and you’re held accountable to that time. As you become more aware of your averages, load them into these platforms and make whatever delivery or online ordering platform you use aware of your average. Estimate it to be longer so you under promise and over deliver in terms of ticket times.

To create faster ticket times, there are several things a skilled operator will enact. No. 1 is a well-trained staff that is capable of more than one role. A well-trained staff will always know the most important thing to do at any given moment and not waste time on superfluous tasks. A crew might be filled with incredible pizza makers, but if they don’t know how to do prep in the midday and find the need to do it during a rush, you don’t have them as a pizza maker. Instead, you have a glorified prep worker killing your ticket times. All prep has to be done outside of the rush. If you ever find you or any member of your crew doing prep in a rush time, you have colossally failed.

Next is the cross-utilization of product and a flow to your makeline that supports your menu. If your staff is running to the walk-in to get ingredients that are rarely used 20 times throughout the night, you’re failing. Slower times will affect your return rate and your sales for that evening. Slower times even affect the ability to make more money on that single table. If a customer has sat for upwards of an hour and they’re just finishing their pizza, they’re less inclined to stick around for another drink or dessert.

Curbside and delivery are more important now than ever in the wake of COVID-19. Executing swiftly will ensure people want to purchase from you when they choose your restaurant as their impulse decision of the night. “Let’s just get pizza” cannot turn into a two-hour ordeal.

For dine-in customers, servers can help with the speed of service as well. When a server takes multiple table orders before putting them into your POS, the start time for your kitchen is delayed even though the customer’s clock has already started. I have it as written rule that servers must go directly from the table to the POS station after getting that table’s order. No food running, checking on another table or worse, taking another table’s order. It’s right to the POS. If they have a huge table, I have multiple servers at the table so that way, the order gets put in quicker. Additionally, handheld POS systems are becoming more and more prevalent. These get the kitchen the order immediately after the last person at the table is done giving their order. This technology saves 15-90 seconds per person at the table. I believe handheld POS’s will become the norm over the next five years.

Another technology uptick is kitchen display systems or a KDS. Whether you have them on your makeline and your expo station or just your expo station, they enhance speed. I like them at the expo station because when the expediter taps that a table is complete or a to-go order is done, it logs that time. KDS allows you to see the average ticket time from a factual metric. A KDS report lets you compare times over days, weeks and years. KDS also allows you to know which team is the quickest and most efficient. That will enable you to incentivize the staff for speed from a reliable, unbiased source. They also cut down on lost tickets and paper costs. These measures translate into increased revenue—the new revenue resulting from happier customers and a more functional restaurant.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Instagram: @andopizza

The post How to Improve Ticket Times appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Carryout Upsell

People are not going to stay home forever, but they might not rush to dine in either. As states lift the COVID 19 pandemic shelter-at-home orders, restaurant customers might prefer to continue their carryout habit over sitting at a table in a restaurant. While pizza establishments have long been the model for delivery and takeout, operators must adapt to a new normal of half-full dining rooms, increased online and phone orders, and curbside pickup. They also have to figure out how to upsell when the customer is ordering online or by phone.

Upselling carryout is different than upselling dine-in. “Whenever we take an order over the phone, our staff will offer an additional item, such as an appetizer or a dessert to all guests,” says Kris Wallenta, chef and co-owner of White Pie Pizzeria in Denver. “This is an effective method, obviously not as effective as a server looking you in the eyes, but it works.”

Wallenta notes that staff members try to make a connection and keep it conversational. For example, “Our Burrata is amazing and would go great as an app for your pasta, have you had it before?” is more effective than, “Do you want an appetizer to start?”

The challenge is that the majority of orders are now coming in through the White Pie website or through third-party vendors. So, there is no opportunity to verbally upsell the burrata appetizer or other items. To get customers to place larger orders, White Pie added The Pack, a combo kit that includes salad that serves two to three, one 12-inch pizza, one loaf of house focaccia, an order of burrata (cheese, tomato medley, basil, EVOO and hot honey) and a small order of cannoli, for $39. When a web visitor clicks on Takeaway, The Pack is the first selection on the list. There is also a Lasagna Kit and Baked Rigatoni a la Vodka kit, which are take-and-bake kits that include house greens, focaccia and cannoli.

“We offer several different meal kits,” Wallenta says. “We have noticed that while it can have an impact on our food costs, it creates higher check averages and more total margin per order.”

More Is Better

Combo meals are a great way to boost carryout orders, especially when dining rooms are closed. At Ian’s Pizza, which has locations in Wisconsin as well as in Seattle and Denver, the Meal Deals include a signature pizza, gluten torpedoes (breadsticks), dipping sauce and beer, wine or cider. “We are definitely promoting higher dollar value promotions,” says Nick Martin, a managing partner and owner of two Ian’s Pizza locations in Madison, Wisconsin. The to-go menu also offers locally made cold brew coffee and sparkling water, to appeal to customers who want to support local businesses.

Both in person and online, upselling is effective only when the offer makes sense. “The most important thing is to be genuine and have a valuable offer,” Martin says. “Not the classic, ‘Do you want to super-size that,’ which comes off as, ‘We want every dollar that you’ll give us.’”

Since many customers are ordering online, it’s important to make the website simple to navigate. On the Ian’s Pizza website, it’s easier to order family meals than to select each component separately, and the deals suggest value. “It’s not just, ‘Do you want to add this for five bucks,’” Martin says. “It’s ‘if you order this and this, you can get more food for less money.’”

Martin recommends logging in as a customer to see how the ordering process feels, how many clicks it takes to complete an order, and in what order the food appears. For example, pizza, not sides and extras, should be the first item that shows up on the online menu.

Be Clear

The absence of a live person can actually help in upselling, says Sonu Chandi, a Mountain Mike’s franchise owner in Eureka, California, and president of Chandi Hospitality. “When the consumer has time on their hands when they are making the decision, they don’t feel like someone is trying to sell them something,” he says. “They don’t feel pressure and they automatically end up ordering more.”

The key to upselling online, Chandi says, is to make the food photos appealing and to have clear and concise descriptions of the menu items. People often place large orders online because they are feeding their families or other groups, especially during shelter at home. “The ticket average ends up higher,” he says.

As with other pizzerias in other areas, it helped that states and other entities relaxed some rules regarding sales and off-site consumption of alcoholic beverages. Chandi’s Mountain Mike’s location partnered with local purveyors to offer beer and wine for delivery with food. “We worked hard to get more local beer and wine and make it available for carryout and delivery, and beverage control has allowed us to do that,” he says. “We are seeing additional sales coming in, and people are saying, ‘We are glad you are making this available.’”

Think Big

Offering a variety of menu items can encourage customers to buy not only tonight’s dinner, but also purchase something for later in the week. “Order dinner on a Tuesday, grab a reheatable chicken dinner and some stuffed shells and our guests can take care of two nights or more worth of dinners in one order,” says Brandon Gillis, founder and co-owner of Fiorella, with two locations in San Francisco. Another tactic is to offer an interactive experience. Fiorella offers pizza kits, so parents order those for the kids, and pasta and appetizers for themselves.

Fiorella is adjusting to the new way of ordering and eating. The Clement Street location is constructing a new takeout window, and each location will have separate entrance and pick-up areas for dine-in and take-out patrons. “We will really need to get a good grasp of what our guests are desiring from takeaways,” Gillis says. “We will make sure we are creating safe and seamless takeaway experiences with menus designed to meet the needs of patrons that prefer takeaway.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post How to increase check averages when customers order takeout appeared first on Pizza Today.

Crisis Takeaways

There is a consensus among pizzeria operators, “We will come out of this a stronger pizzeria industry.” Moments of crisis force business owners to take a hard look at how they operate. Many pizzerias adapted to dining restrictions, not by shuttering, but by changing the way they do business or taking what they excel at and doing it better.

We witnessed curbside pick-up come out of the fringes and dominate the market and menus change on a dime. Months long processes have been instituted in a day.

This moment has created a time of reflection to streamline business and institute operational strategies that will help them be more efficient and effective long term. We reached out to five high-performing pizzeria owners from around the U.S. to find what they are taking away from this crisis.

Jon Bortles of Woody’s Wood-fired Pizza in Golden, Colorado, has used this time to advance his pizzeria. “We’ve been in business for 27 years,” he says. “This pandemic has taught us that we cannot rest on our laurels. The motto ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has been turned on its head. We are now in a perpetual state of ‘fix,’ or evolution, which stands to raise the bar for us all.”

As the state of Colorado instituted restrictions, Bortles and his team had to act quickly to help compensate for its 80- to 90-percent dine-in business. “Among the most beneficial of changes we made were technological in nature; utilizing handhelds for curbside order taking and payments, adjusting prep times for online orders in real time, integrating third-party deliveries with our POS, and developing an expo system using our Kitchen Display Screen (KDS) were all game changers for us,” he says. “We are a volume-dependent business, so these efficiencies are crucial.”

Once full dining capacity resumes, Bortles says, “Honestly I don’t see any of these new systems going anywhere. To echo an over-used term, this is indeed the ‘new normal.’ Whereas before maybe we could afford to lose a few covers during peak times, now we need to capture as close to 100 percent of orders to compensate for sales we’ve lost elsewhere.”

Adding text messaging has been pivotal for Back Road Pizza in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Cheshire Pizza and Ale in Cheshire, Connecticut. Both pizzerias added the service to free up their jammed phone systems.

Piper Kapin, who owns Back Road Pizza says, texting and curbside pick-up will live on at the pizzeria after the pandemic subsides. “We switched quickly (before dining got shut down) to a 100-percent no contact curbside pick-up system with a text # for folks to send their name when they arrive. The text line has opened up our phone line, which was impossible to get through when this all started with everyone calling when they were there to pick up.”

Cheshire Pizza co-owner Dimitri Magriplis says they “send out automated text messages to customers once their order is ready to be picked up, which has mitigated the long wait times due to high volume. High volume during peak hours has been the biggest issue most pizza places have had to face because of COVID-19 (resulting in disgruntled customers).” Automated texts will definitely remain, he says.

Last fall, Magriplis says, Cheshire launched in-house delivery. It’s a move that has paid off well shifting to DELCO only amidst COVID-19.

Online ordering has been a critical during the COVID-19 crisis and customers will continue want to order online. Reese Browning, who owns the three-unit Old Town Pizza in Auburn, California, focused on making it easier for customers to order both online and over the phone. “We will continue to work on improving online ordering and encourage this even for dine in customers,” he says.    

Honing in on menu strengths has been echoed by countless operators. Jeff Janik of Milton’s Pizza in Raleigh, North Carolina, drastically cut menus at his two locations presenting an opportunity to dial in his training program. “The biggest thing for us is more direct, clear, efficient and consistent training,” he says. “In order to make that happen we have had to greatly change our menu. We are going to try and stop being everything to everyone. We are getting back to our core business. The items that we sell the most of have remained constant for 40 years. We will focus on executing those well FOH and BOH.

“Training consistently and following up with same expectations helps all staff to succeed. When we try to teach and train that so many things are important…nothing stands out as important. We are better now!”

How will we as the pizzeria industry grow and evolve from this uncertain time?

Jeff Janik: “Guests will remember how well they were treated by their favorite local pizzeria during the crisis. So many pizzerias treated the community with KGR ..Kindness Gratitude and Respect and the guests will be more than willing to pay that forward. We have all been essential. We have helped to keep the community fed. I am proud of the work and innovation that has been shown by restaurants and super excited to grow as the world gets back to work!”

Piper Kapin: “We are a vast industry and the growth and evolution will look different for many along the spectrum. For small/medium size independent operations I believe our resilience, community relationships and scrappy hard-working ways will get us through these challenging times and into a brighter future.”

Dimitri Magriplis: “The hospitality industry is suffering greatly. Amazingly enough because of the systems that certain businesses have put in place it has been an amazing opportunity to grow our customer base. Always have the capability to pivot and make it a goal to stay ahead of your competition.”

Reese Browning: “Be increasingly easy and quick to do business with. Being actively involved in the communities we serve helped build loyalty that then got paid back to us with the support we received during this time. We will not stop giving back and supporting our communities.   Our customers are passionate about many things and it just makes sense for us to support their passions since they support us and our passion.”

Jon Bortles: “Pizza is a cuisine that weathers all storms. When the economy is booming, people eat pizza. When the economy crashes, people eat pizza. The question is how can we adopt/adapt sustainable safety standards for dine-in while exploring a business model that demands more and more off-premise sales.”

The post COVID-19 provides reflection, new operational strategies moving forward appeared first on Pizza Today.

Learning by opening new doors

I’ve ordered pizza 534 times in the past four weeks. That’s not hyperbole; I’ve literally gone through the motions of placing an order for pizza delivery 534 times over the course of one month. That’s not to say I’ve eaten any of it; the orders have all been sent to hospitals across the country as part of Slice Out Hunger’s Pizza Vs. Pandemic campaign. Despite being quite possibly the world’s only pizza box collector, I never order pizza to be delivered to my home. Ever. My normal life has me buying pizza at pizzerias every day, but this situation of placing orders online and over the phone has presented a real educational opportunity for me. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

I like online ordering way more than ordering by phone. It’s so much faster and more accurate. You better believe I ran into some errors over the course of placing so many orders, but those problems were solved quickly and with less frustration when there was a clear paper trail to follow. When the order was placed online, I didn’t hear “we wrote it down correctly, you must have ordered the wrong item” or “I’m positive I heard you say pepperoni and not peppers and onions.” There was just, “Oh now I see, we didn’t notice that request when we made the pizza. We’ll just make it again for you.” When the mistake was mine, the evidence was clear. No misremembering and no miscommunication.

One thing I did miss about ordering by phone is the opportunity to ask questions and request modifications that aren’t available through an online portal. You can tweak as many things as you want, customers will always find something you left out. An operator can give an employee live updates about menu options, but some don’t have time to constantly update the menu on an online platform (or even worse, multiple platforms). It’s easy to forget about the online stuff because it’s invisible. It’s not standing in front of you every day, in perfect earshot for you to instantly pick up on the mistakes of a phone operator.

In the process of placing all these orders, I find myself dreading the ones that need to be placed by phone because they take so much longer than orders placed online. Today I hit a busy signal four times before getting through. Last week the genius who answered the phone placed me on “hold,” put the phone on the counter, then walked away and forgot about me. I tried calling out to the staff only to hear their confused response as they tried to figure out where the tiny voice was coming from. If two pizzerias in my town were identical besides their ordering options, I’d definitely go with the one that offered online purchasing.

Realize that my strong preference has been a hard pill for an analog guy like me to swallow. I like talking to people. I like making phone calls. I resisted text messaging for YEARS before finally acquiescing to the demands of modernity. But delivery pizza is a comfort food and it’s hard to be comfortable when wasting away on hold or arguing with a manager after the wrong pizza arrives at the doorstep.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Delivery — Ordering Online or By Phone appeared first on Pizza Today.

Bouncing Back from COVID-19

Consider the legend of the Phoenix. How can your pizzeria rise from the ashes of the COVID-19 crisis stronger than it has ever been? From crisis comes opportunity.

As the requirements and restrictions from your local Health Department plateau, and you no longer find yourself adjusting your business operations daily to meet these mandates, it is time to plan the future of your pizzeria and your team.

Consider the operational changes you may have made: reducing tables to adhere to the six-foot rule, changing business hours, laying-off or hiring more employees, closing salad bars and dining rooms, adding curbside service, expanding delivery service, adding third-party services, additional safety precautions and sanitation, adding beer and wine for delivery and dozens of other small alterations designed to stop the spread of COVID-19 at your pizzeria.

Just as these changes did not happen overnight, the return to normalcy will also be a gradual process. What factors should you consider as you form your plan? How can you come out on the other side of this crisis with more sales, more profits and a stronger team of people? I propose three steps to achieve this.

Step One. 

Ask yourself these questions to take stock of the state of your business.

1. As restrictions are lifted, what health safety measures do I want to add or keep in place and for how long?

2. What operational changes do I want to keep in place permanently?

3. Did I develop new relationships with third-party companies for the ordering or delivery of my pizza, and do I want to continue those relationships?

For our restaurants, we plan on the following: Implementing temporary health safety measures once our dining rooms are allowed to re-open, such as screens between tables, employee assistance with self-serve drink machines, a salad bar protocol to prevent customers from using the same utensils and dedicated dining and bathroom employees for cleaning and sanitation. For more permanent changes, we learned that our customers enjoy curbside service and no-contact delivery. We decided against third party relationships, but if you formed new relationships maybe now is the time to consider whether you will outsource that entirely, share it or keep it all in-house.

Step Two.

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” –Andrew Carnegie.

You did not build your business by yourself. And you will not re-build it by yourself either. But your team looks to you for the vision.

Ask yourself these questions to take stock of your team.

1. If I laid employees off, do I plan on bringing some or all of them back?

2. Did any of my employees elect to stay at home for personal health reasons?

3. For the employees I plan to bring back, how should I support them while they are out?

4. When and how do I begin to bring these employees back to work?

5.  Do I have employees who continued to work, but at lesser hours due to changes in the business?

6. For the employees who continued to work, is a reward in order?

In step one, you crafted your vision, your plan. Now it is time to communicate that plan. Remove uncertainty for your team. Begin with the employees who are still working. Describe what the business will look like one month from now, two months from now, six months from now. Explain that the plan is fluid and adaptable to the potential of Health Department restrictions in the fall and winter. Next, reach out to anyone who is no longer working. The CARES Act allows for two weeks of emergency sick pay and 12 weeks of continued pay for qualified workers in addition to anything that was already in place for their employment. See if they qualify and get them paid if they do. As a business, you can take 100-percent credit from your payroll taxes. A payroll company can help you navigate this. Share your plan with each of them and describe how they fit into that plan. In the worse case scenario, their job has been eliminated and you explain this and direct them to unemployment. If their delivery job has been eliminated because you switched to third-party delivery, perhaps direct them to apply for the third-party company. If you are offering to bring them back, tell them when that will occur and describe any changes they can expect resulting from your vision of what your ‘Phoenix’ pizzeria will now look like.

Also, consider rewarding those who continued working. Hopefully you have applied for and received the SBA PPP loan. Seventy-five percent or more of this money must be used for payroll, which is an excellent way to reward the team members who stayed on with you though this crisis. One possible reward would be higher hourly wages paid in arrears for the “Stay-at-home” period that your business remained open as an essential business. If no money is available, explore other ways to reward them.

Step Three.

Have your team implement your plan, your vision. That is worth restating for clarification. Have each member of your team identify what they will do to get results toward your vision. Rather than direct their actions, point them at their new job and ask them how they can work that job to achieve your vision. It is certain that every job has changed. Maybe temporarily, maybe permanently. How can they make curbside service better than the competition? How can they ensure a sanitized restaurant for their customers? Ask them to consider what tools they will need to accomplish their new jobs and supply those tools. As this will be a fluid, gradual return to normalcy, continue the conversation. Weekly updates of the progress towards your vision is your job. Implementing the vision is theirs.

The legend says that the Phoenix rises reborn; new and strong. So shall your pizzeria.

Dan Collier  is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Your Pizzeria: The Phoenix Rising appeared first on Pizza Today.

As ADA lawsuits related to website accessibility climb, pizzerias are put on notice

Don Reddin and his colleagues at Pizza My Heart weren’t taking any chances.

Already interested in improving the accessibility of their 26-unit, California-based pizzeria’s redesigned website, those efforts accelerated and intensified as a lawsuit against Domino’s captured headlines and the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court. A blind man had sued the national pizza chain after he was unable to order food on its website and mobile app despite the use of screen-reading software. Reddin feared the legal repercussions if Pizza My Heart ever encountered a similar lawsuit as well as the potential brand damage such action could inflict, especially given how much Pizza My Heart’s Bay Area clientele prizes inclusivity.

“The Domino’s lawsuit shuffled around our priorities,” says Reddin, Pizza My Heart’s chief marketing officer.

Working with BentoBox, a leading builder of restaurant websites, Pizza My Heart unveiled a commercially viable website that met key accessibility criteria, posted an accessibility statement online and reviewed accessibility with its third-party partners – a multi-tiered effort to improve accessibility and mitigate risk.

“Opening yourself up to this type of legal risk is not something you want to do as a business,” Reddin says. “We weren’t going to sit around and wait.”

ADA in the digital world

While restaurant owners are keenly aware of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) in respect to a store’s physical environment – wheelchair ramps, handicapped parking spaces and the like – many are only recently recognizing ADA’s place in the digital world as well, largely the result of mounting litigation. Some 2,250 website accessibility lawsuits were filed in 2019, according to BentoBox estimates. That’s approximately one lawsuit every four hours – and a figure accelerating year over year.

“We’re seeing this rise because the website is the first place so many interact with a brand and where so much commerce happens,” explains Shawn Pike, president of User1st, a Washington, D.C.-based company that helps businesses improve web accessibility.

To be certain, the lawsuit alone can be a costly endeavor. BentoBox reports that the average settlement for these lawsuits is approximately $16,000, a figure that includes neither legal fees nor the cost of website accessibility upgrades.

Given how much pizzerias lean on their websites and mobile apps to drive business and the bullseye restaurants naturally wear – only retail operations have endured more website accessibility lawsuits than the hospitality sector – ignoring digital accessibility stands a particularly perilous move.

“You’re talking time, energy and money to respond to a lawsuit, not to mention the brand and [public relations] risk,” Pike says.

Yet more, there are almost certainly consumers who never file a lawsuit, but who simply take their dollars elsewhere upon encountering an unaccommodating restaurant website. Those with visual impairment, motor limitations and the like hold immense buying power and cut across all social groups, Pike reminds.

“User abandonment means lost revenue opportunities. If you’re accessible and inclusive, that can mean business,” Pike says.

Website accessibility and you

While it is difficult for a restaurant to know the full extent of its website’s accessibility without a full manual audit, ownership might employ accessibility firms or a company like User1st to assess risk. User1st, for instance, offers automated scans and hybrid testing to ascertain risk before determining reasonable recourse.

But ownership might perform a few simple checks themselves to gauge immediate risk.

First, visit the pizzeria’s website and begin hitting the tab key. In doing so, a box should appear over different navigation links – location, menu, about us, contact and so on. This mimics how a screen reader picks up the website. If no box appears, it’s a warning that accessibility lags.

“That’s a best first step,” BentoBox channel strategy manager Perry Rahman-Porras says. Another red flag: PDF menus. Rather than a PDF file or uploading an image of the menu, neither of which screen readers can pick up, restaurants should provide text-based menus.

Restaurant owners should also contact their web developer, who should be able to explain and demonstrate the steps taken to address ADA, a federal law.

“Ask them what they did to make the site accessible or what they can do to improve it,” Rahman-Porras says, adding that owners should also talk with third-party partners, such as online ordering, delivery and gift card providers, about their accessibility measures as well. “Do your research and have these conversations early because being reactive can be costly.”

Mitigating risk

While ADA guidelines for physical environments are rather specific and prescriptive, such clarity lacks on the digital side, an undeniably frustrating piece of this puzzle.

In Domino’s Pizza v. Guillermo Robles, the pizza chain argued that ADA, which was instituted in 1990, does not apply to online platforms and that no clear rules define proper website accessibility. The Supreme Court, however, decided they would not hear the case, thereby leaving an earlier court’s decision in place against Domino’s and putting companies on notice: address website accessibility – or else.

“The risk is growing so companies need to do something,” Pike says.

As the U.S. Department of Justice has not issued any hard-and-fast guidelines regarding website accessibility, most point to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as the prevailing standard and most courts have upheld WCAG’s use in accessibility lawsuits.

“WCAG is the Holy Grail playbook for how to do it,” Pike says, though he reminds that “nothing stops anyone from suing anyone.”

An evolving set of guidelines that any credible web developer should grasp, WCAG details ways to make web content more accessible to those with disabilities. This includes providing text alternatives, making all functionality available from a keyboard and ensuring content appears and operates in predictable ways.

“Follow WCAG and there’s a good chance you won’t receive complaints,” says Rahman-Porras, noting that websites on the BentoBox platform exist on certified accessible templates with best WCAG practices inherent in the design.

In addition, restaurant websites should feature an accessibility statement acknowledging efforts to make the website more accessible and sharing contact information for consumers to report issues.

“Show you care and are working toward accessibility,” Rahman-Porras says.

Chicago-based writer Daniel P. Smith has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post ADA: Online Accessibility appeared first on Pizza Today.

How I righted a wrong

I messed up huge. I over-promoted an event. I didn’t even know that was possible. Our 15th anniversary for Andolini’s Pizzeria was on January 8th of this year. Typically, our anniversary goes off with little to no fanfare. As a fun one-day promo, I decided to have a 20-inch pizza (San Marzano and fresh mozzarella with basil) and an order of garlic knots, typically over $30 value, for $15. One day only, pick up and dine-in. That’s the promotion.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

I do promotions like this pretty regularly. Not that deeply discounted or with that small of a timeframe — but nothing that’s too dissimilar — for the Super Bowl or Halloween. I sent out an e-mail one week ahead of time and followed it up with another e-mail the day before to my 35,000 followers for my five main brick-and-mortar Andolini’s locations in the Tulsa metro area. Along with that, we ran it on Facebook as a promoted post a few days ahead of time.

The day was going pretty standard until people started to call in to reserve their $15 pizza. I didn’t think much of this at the time, but that’s never happened before. In my experience, people don’t typically reserve a discount in advance. Come 4:45, every Andolini’s location started to get annihilated. By 6:00 pm, it was on, and we were in full nonstop pizza mode at every location with a crowd that looked like a grunge-era mosh pit.

Now to put this in perspective, I expected three to four times the regular sale of that one particular pizza that was only available for this promotion. What occurred is we sold 25 times what’s typical for that pizza. I’m not saying that to be braggy. I’m saying that because we pissed a lot of people off.

At the location where I was making pizzas, I paused to communicate with my other managers via text streams and coordinated re-supplies to each site. That meant San Marzano tomatoes, more basil, more fresh mozzarella … every item beyond dough had to be restocked.

Once it started to settle, I could see I was getting annihilated on social media from people who had long wait times. One person called it a scam and that we were ill-prepared. Well, we were. But at five times preparation I thought we were set. People who called in to order mostly got a busy signal because our lines were jammed, so they thought we stopped answering the phone.

What seems like a catastrophe was the birthday gift I didn’t expect and absolutely loved. All of my staff came together on a sleepy Wednesday in our slowest month of the year. Everyone was running on adrenaline, stoked about where they worked, and the customers were a part of a scene. A scene that was super annoying, but a scene nonetheless.

The second I could pull away, I went and wrote this response to my customer base and sent it out via Facebook. I explained the situation clearly and rationally and told people to e-mail me if they ran into problems. The ones that did e-mail me, I sent them a certificate in the mail for a completely free pizza on me for any style to use whenever they wanted. I wrote over 150 direct e-mails to customers. That’s not counting all the social media exchanges or review responses.

What we do in this business is capitalize on opportunities. This crap scenario gave me my largest opportunity ever to go wow factor on hundreds of people and build brand awareness and tap emotional heartstrings. I did my mea culpa, but the extra thing that people want and love is the comeback. That’s where the win is.

I dealt with the situation head-on, took my punches and turned a bunch of angry customers into ecstatic customers. Andolini’s had enough press off the event that the news wanted to run a story on it because it dominated social media that day. Fifteen years down, however many more to go, and I love this industry for moments like these.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: The Glorious Mea Culpa appeared first on Pizza Today.

Building Customer Service into your Culture

In food and beverage businesses, 70 percent of employees in customer-facing roles don’t receive any customer service training, according to the 2019 TalentLMS Survey. For eateries that do, however, incorporate a holistic approach to solid service, the rewards can be high. “Pizza is your product, a mere starting point for what’s really happening when a customer orders a take-out, delivery or dine-in experience,” says Kevin W. McCarthy, a business advisor and chief leadership officer of On-Purpose Partners in Winter Park, Florida. “A seamlessly delightful pizza experience serves them well and wins a repeat customer.”

Breaking down the logistics to form a culture that focuses on treating clients well can take some time and planning. It often begins with leaders outlining their vision and flows into employee training techniques. It also encompasses additional touches that can be implemented throughout the restaurant. Following are several straightforward strategies that can take your customer service culture to the next level in your pizzeria.

• Consider your pizzeria’s purpose
  “Customer service is ultimately a matter of the cultural norms,” McCarthy explains. “These customs, however, are rooted in the deep strategy of the business.” Think about your overall vision for the restaurant and evaluate what values are important. If you don’t have a clear vision and set of values, ask the question, “Why do we exist?” The answer will help define your overall purpose. You might come up with a response such as, “We exist to inspire customers through a creative menu.” You can then lay out ways to communicate this answer to diners. You might highlight photos of unique dishes on social media to build awareness and ask customers for their opinions on new menu items.
• Set an example
  Showing respect and concern to staff members makes it easier for them to imitate a caring attitude to others. “Happy employees make for happy customers,” says Tiffany Beres, owner of three Marco’s Pizza locations in Deltona, Longwood and Winter Springs, Florida. Meeting regularly with employees and listening to their input is one method to put this approach into action.
  Another technique: show staff members through your actions how you value customers. Walk around the restaurant and check on customers throughout their dining experience. Maintain a pleasant posture when chatting and follow up on any requests, such as bringing more sauce to a table or wiping up a spill right away.
• Outline expectations
  Rather than starting to train new employees on their first day, address customer service in the interview phase, says Nancy Friedman, a two-time International Pizza Expo speaker and founder of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training. When sitting down with a potential hire, ask, “What type of customer service training have you had in the past?” If interviewees respond they haven’t had any, you might have a clean slate to work with. Those that have had customer training in the past might have ideas that differ from your policy regarding how to treat customers. Asking further questions on his or her experience can help you determine if the new hire will be a good fit and open to learning your guidelines.
  During the training phase, “lay your own groundwork,” Friedman says. State how you greet customers, such as “We smile at clients, both on the phone and in person.” Those calling in will hear the positive tone of voice that accompanies a smile. Present phrases that can be used, such as “I am so glad you called” and “I am happy to help.” Note what not to say to customers, including “We are so busy” or “We never do that.” A script outlining phone etiquette and common customer conversations could also be given to new hires.
• Showcase extra touches
  During a business trip to Siloam Springs, Arkansas, McCarthy ate at Fratelli’s Wood-Fired Pizzeria, where he saw a message indicating that customers in need could eat for free. Inspired by the restaurant’s generous policy, McCarthy decided to pay it forward. When he spotted two college students dining on pizza and soft drinks, he covered their bill anonymously. “I took joy in participating in the store’s public policy of giving back,” he says.
  Employees who go above and beyond can be highlighted as well. If you have a wait staff member who is a teenager and regularly conveys a friendly face when interacting with diners, you might contact the individual’s parents to let them know the effort is appreciated. Extra measures taken for customers can also be written up and posted on a bulletin board or break room area for others to see.
• Create pathways to satisfaction
  In the locations Beres oversees, staff members are prepared to respond to dissatisfied clientele. “All employees are empowered to make it right,” she says. They might offer a free meal or discount in response to a complaint. If the customer still isn’t satisfied, employees can call on a leader to address the situation.
  Beres also sees that all real-life complaints are collected throughout the year. Then staff periodically gather to look at the material and role play the scenarios. “We see how leaders handle them,” she says. Employees can benefit by seeing how to handle criticisms and prevent future negative feedback.
  The technique, coupled with an ongoing focus on customer satisfaction, doesn’t go unnoticed, Beres adds. “You’ll see it instantly in reviews on Google or Yelp.” Customers are more likely to include their thoughts on customer service if a restaurant’s staff impressed them or surprised them by going above and beyond to make their experience memorable.

5 Ways to be More Personable

“We try to make everyone feel like family,” says Don Lurie, owner of Fratelli’s Wood-Fired Pizzeria in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. “We make a point to personally connect with all who come into our restaurant.”

To create an atmosphere that prioritizes relationships, add these guidelines to training manuals:

• Use customers’ names when speaking to them
• Get to know regular clients
• Ask diners how their meal was before they leave
• Invite dissatisfied customers to share their ideas for improvements
• Include well wishes in farewells, such as “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Customer Service Culture: Pizza with a Smile appeared first on Pizza Today.

Self-Ordering Kiosks Offer Customers Customization Options

In-store self-ordering kiosks offer customers the convenience of placing their orders exactly how they want them on an easy-to-read and hopefully, easy-to-use digital interface that isn’t dependent on a Wi-Fi connection, their cell phone’s provider or the restaurant’s app that might be buggy. Self-ordering kiosks are
designed to cut down on long lines at the register, encourage larger orders from hungry patrons and negate any errors in the order process.

But, is this digital convenience too severe a threat to customer engagement?

Benefits of self-ordering kiosks

According to Brittain Brown, president of GIVEX, kiosks actually empower customers, because at a kiosk, the customer is completely in control of his order; by taking the “ordering” out of the human customer service equation, an operator or restaurant staffer is able to focus on the product, which is really the reason a customer patronizes a restaurant in the first place.

“The main appeal of self-checkout kiosks is to make the ordering process more efficient. Operators are not looking to hire fewer staff members but to utilize them in other roles that help with improving the experience of patrons,” says Tim Powell, managing principal of Foodservice IP. “Staff is able to walk around and strike up conversations with guests to make sure they are satisfied.”

Kiosks can also offer customers information that staff members can’t as well as deliver operators vital data that can help their restaurant grow.

“Kiosk software also offers important features such as customer analytics, sales reporting across multiple locations and immediate menu updates with transparency around ingredients and nutritional information,” according to Saleem S. Khatri, CEO of Lavu, a restaurant management platform.

Brown adds that kiosk software can offer operators an easy way to present loyalty programs to their customers. The upsell opportunity is greater with the kiosk, too, thanks to clear imagery and immediate pricing.

Powell agrees, “Another benefit is that customers actually tend to spend more — with the added ability to display bundling and final pricing. Seems to be paradoxical to the hospitality dogma, however.”

Drawbacks of self-ordering kiosks

Operators hesitant to lose face time with their customers for even one second, might also be swayed from installing a self-ordering kiosk in their restaurant due to cost.

“Cost is a barrier to entry especially since there’s a variety of costs depending on where you want to be,” Brown says.

According to Jovan Milenkovic, co-founder of KommandoTech, costs can range from $200 to several thousand dollars depending on the kiosk you choose — a tablet or a full-blown wall-mounted device.

“Industry estimates put the typical cost per kiosk (which includes the display, scanner, credit card reader and receipt printer) at about $5,000, $10,000 depending on functions,” according to Powell.

Then there’s the software itself. You need the kiosk to be as versatile, complete and programmable as possible for every item on your menu and every customer preference. You’ll want a complex system that allows for customization, advises Brown.

“And it’s not just about creating a menu. It’s about offering the customizations to the items that customers have become accustomed to. I need to be able to order a Caesar salad with no capers. I need to order my pizza with pepperoni on only half… All of these things need to be accounted for when you design the kiosk interface,” according to Shayne Sherman, CEO of TechLoris.

Customer perspective on self-ordering kiosks

Efficiency, upsell opportunities, nutritional data and analytics, although valuable to operators and important to some customers, might not be interesting to everyone who walks through your door eager for a slice of pizza or your famous calzone.

“There is also the possibility that people just won’t like having to rely on technology to order and pay for their meal. Our data shows that more than three-quarters of consumers still prefer to order in-person at a restaurant — so there is work to do,” according to Powell.

Of course, customer perspective and opinions are ever-changing.

“Shockingly, people were not thrilled with the concept of the self-ordering kiosks when they first started popping up. In 2018, 78 percent of people said they wouldn’t go to a restaurant that offered a self-ordering kiosk. In 2019, conversely, 65 percent of those surveyed said they’d visit more often if a restaurant offered them. And, 30 percent of those said they’d prefer the kiosk to an actual cashier,” according to Sherman.

Front of house prep for self-ordering kiosks

If your restaurant already offers online ordering and/or an app or you’re ready to implement a digital interface because your customers have indicated they prefer a tech option when ordering, a self-ordering kiosk in store can serve your customers well and help with so much more than just customer orders in your operation.

“For operators looking at the future of their front of house operations, they can now streamline operations with one integrated system. This means a restaurant can have its point of sale, self-ordering kiosk and back of house software synced up to ensure accurate communication and comprehensive data analytics,” according to Khatri.

But, don’t forget to factor into your operational budget upkeep costs in your tech investment.

“I think it’s important to remember that there are maintenance and replacement costs with every technology you invest in. So the bigger and more complex the infrastructure and devices in your establishment, the more it will cost to keep them running over the years,” according to Milenkovic. “However, I still think that the overall increase in profits and savings from installing self-serving kiosks outweigh the yearly maintenance costs, not to mention intangible benefits such as an
improved customer journey. ”

A self-ordering kiosk offers customers more control over their order and as long as you provide a comprehensive platform, you’ll benefit not only from a more efficient ordering process but also upsell opportunities leading to larger orders. In order for customers to embrace the functionality of a self-ordering kiosk, make sure your staff takes special attention to engage with your customers throughout every facet of their visit, including ordering, especially if they are new to the kiosk.

DeAnn Owens is a freelance journalist living in Dayton, Ohio. She specializes in features and human-interest stories.

The post Self-ordering Kiosks: Help Yourself appeared first on Pizza Today.

The recipe for increasing guest frequency and earning returning customers 

Dan Costello understands regularly returning customers remain the lifeblood of any restaurant business.

“If you’re one and done with customers, then it’s not a sustainable business model,” says Costello, the CEO of Home Run Inn, a celebrated pizzeria with 10 Chicago area locations.

Nick Makris, a veteran restaurateur and associate professor of food and beverage management at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in Providence, Rhode Island, acknowledges much the same. Citing research from his colleagues at JWU’s well-regarded College of Hospitality, Makris says the likelihood of a first-time guest returning for a second visit sits at 30 percent, while a second-time customer is likely to return about 40 percent of the time. If that customer patronizes the restaurant a third time, however, their likelihood of returning shoots up to 70 percent.

“These become your regulars,” Makris says, noting that these ongoing visits stabilize a business and drive its overall performance.

While restaurants can sometimes devote oversized attention and resources to capturing new guests, it’s often return guests – and particularly those individuals an eatery can compel to return more frequently – that determine the ultimate success of a restaurant operation, especially given that the cost of acquiring a new customer can run upwards of five times more than retaining an existing customer.

But getting customers to return – and return frequently – is no easy feat. The recipe to elevated guest frequency includes steady operational performance, meeting contemporary expectations and savvy marketing.

Start with the right base.

Consumers frequent restaurants they believe will deliver, which demands eateries hit on the blocking and tackling of product and service time after time. Prompt, courteous service and tasty food are unflinching requirements in the quest for repeat business, while getting to know people on a first-name basis also goes a long way to driving frequency.

“If you can’t get them to come back, then there are gaps in your execution and product,” Costello says.

In addition, the environment looms large.

Costello confesses Home Run Inn was guilty of thinking that high-quality service and tasty food were enough. Those days, however, have vanished, which compelled Home Run Inn leadership to order a nearly two-year renovation of the company’s flagship Chicago store. The revamped space features seating for 250, a full bar and a modern aesthetic complemented by touches of Home Run Inn’s storied past, including the Tiffany lamps that once adorned the original pizza pub.

“When you’re trying to get guests to visit you more frequently, the look and feel matter, and we now have something much more fresh and comfortable,” Costello says. 

Add ample amounts of engagement.

Through social media and loyalty programs, two digital age concoctions, pizzerias have more opportunity than ever to connect with guests and entice an order.

According to Makris, posting appealing food photos on platforms like Instagram and Facebook allows people to eat with their eyes while also enabling one-on-one conversations between restaurant and guest. This, Makris notes, can help drive fandom and spur more frequent visits.

Though loyalty programs are rather easy to administer, especially so with modern point-of-sale (POS) systems, and have a strong track record of driving results, former Taco Bell chief marketing officer Kip Knight says too few restaurants have even a simple loyalty program featuring rewards tied to visits.

And even when restaurants offer a loyalty program, they often struggle to hit the right notes. A recent report by CFI Group and Radial found that more than one-third of customers generally avoid participating because they don’t see enough value.

“Loyalty programs definitely work, but restaurants often make the mistake of catering the program to their needs and their pocketbook rather than catering it to their guests,” Makris says.

Loyalty programs also help restaurants build their customer database. A report-rich database can provide metrics to help a restaurant better understand its customers needs, likes and ordering patterns, which can then inform special offers or timed messages.

“These digital tools are getting more sophisticated every day and that opens the door to greater frequency and higher tickets,” Costello says.

Stir in convenience.

People value their time more than ever in today’s fast-paced world, which heightens the importance of offering a convenient experience. While pizza has a strong hold on convenience given the delivery element engrained in the category, that alone isn’t enough, especially as the available culinary options swell with third-party delivery.

With its aggressive approach to faster, more streamlined digital ordering, Domino’s was one of the restaurant industry’s highfliers over the last decade. Following that lead, Home Run Inn has invested heavily in its mobile ordering over the last two years to make its carryout and delivery business as accessible and convenient as possible.

“We’ve reduced the time needed to complete an online transaction and made it a smoother, more convenient process, and that’s helped to drive frequency as well as higher tickets,” Costello says.

Finish with pinches of clever marketing.

With special events like beer-and-pizza pairings and wine dinners, pizzerias invite guests to return for a unique experience, while limited-time offers (LTO) tied to seasonal goods or hot culinary trends can similarly entice added visits.

“People joke about the McRib all the time, but it does bring a certain amount of traffic to McDonald’s,” Knight says of the prominent LTO.

Makris says off-day promotions communicated through social media or a loyalty program can also spark traffic from regulars during a slow day in the restaurant.

“This way, you’re not just inviting guests to spend money, but rather to save money,” he says.

As another traffic-boosting vehicle, Knight suggests pizzerias align themselves with an outside event like a sporting event or community celebration.

“This doesn’t need to be an NFL franchise. You can take this all the way down to the local high school or college,” says Knight, who runs California-based KnightVision Marketing. “When you understand what your target audience cares about and then get beyond your four walls to network in the community, there’s an opportunity to create win-win arrangements with others.”

Chicago-based writer Daniel P. Smith has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Returning Customers: Go Where Everybody Knows Your Name appeared first on Pizza Today.

Getting a sidewalk permit for outdoor seating is a complex process, but can result in higher revenues

Outdoor seating can help a pizzeria accommodate more people during busy times, and it can also attract more customers. A full patio makes the place seem inviting, and people that walk or drive by see a lively eatery where guests are enjoying food and fun. While outdoor seating can be a plus, it’s not as simple as just setting out some furniture and umbrellas on the pavement. Before adding a patio or other sidewalk dining space, operators must negotiate with their landlords, and get permits from their local governments.

“We would suggest before you put tables outside you make a couple of phone calls,” says Tim Stannard, founding partner of San Francisco-based Bacchus Management Group. The restaurant group includes three Pizza Antica restaurants in Lafayette, Mill Valley and San Jose, California, and all three have patios.

The first call should be to the local planning department, to ascertain whether the business needs to have a permit for outdoor seating. There are construction permits to build a patio, and many jurisdictions also issue permits to use the sidewalk. The application process is usually straightforward, Stannard says, but it’s better to check before signing a lease.

The second call should be to Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), or similarly named department that handles liquor licenses. “They can get finicky about how alcohol is moved from an indoor area to an outdoor area,” Stannard says. “If you’re walking from an enclosed area across a public area such as a sidewalk, you’re walking through what they call an uncontrolled environment.”

Permits, zoning and other requirements vary from city to city. For example, Denver restaurants need a Tables, Chairs and Railings (TCR) permit for seating areas adjacent to the establishment. There is an initial processing fee, an annual fee, a field inspection by a city inspector, and the restaurant has to have a Certificate of Insurance. The railings have to define the space and be bolted into the ground. The tables and chairs must not leave the space and create an obstacle for people walking down the street or using wheelchairs.

Even restaurants that have space that is not in the right-of-way have to get certain permits. CRUSH Pizza + Tap in Denver turned an empty space in the front corner of the building into a patio. “We did have to get construction permits in order to have a patio,” says owner Jason McGovern. He also had to get a permit to serve beer, wine and liquor on the patio. “We had to make sure we have a secure patio with a gate, with signage that says, ‘No alcohol beyond this point.’”

Some cities get more specific about sidewalk seating. In New York City, a restaurant that operates a portion of its business on the sidewalk must have a Sidewalk Café License for one of three types of sidewalk cafes: enclosed sidewalk café, unenclosed sidewalk café or a small unenclosed sidewalk café, a single row of tables next to the building. In Chicago, the Public Way Use Unit of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection issues Sidewalk Café Permits that have nine-month term, March 1 to December 1, and must be applied for every year.

In Seattle, where the wood-burning oven pizza restaurant Bar del Corso opened in 2011, businesses have to apply for a permit from the Department of Transportation. “As long as there is adequate space for foot traffic they will issue you a permit, upon which you have to pay yearly fees,” says chef/owner Jerry Corso.

Bar del Corso also has a patio in back, which Corso negotiated for with the landlord before signing the lease. “We built our patio after we opened, but that is because we had the space out the back door,” he says. “The patio is on the property, therefore the city has nothing to do with it.”

Some cities make it possible for operators to add outdoor seating even if there isn’t enough space on the sidewalk. Seattle has a program in which businesses can convert on-street parking spaces into parklets or streateries. Philadelphia permits parklets through its Streets Department. Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California have tested the parklet concept. Setting up tables in parking spaces is supposed to encourage pedestrian traffic, improve the aesthetics of a block and enhance neighborhoods.

Many municipalities see the benefits of outdoor seating, and so might landlords. “Most good landlords will want you to be successful,” says Brent LaCount, principal at Design Collective, a design and architectural firm in Columbus, Ohio. “A patio can significantly increase your sales by providing extra seating as well as creating a vibrancy to the exterior that drives customers.”

LaCount adds that because most patios are not considered leasable areas, the outdoor seating can significantly increase the eatery’s bottom line without increasing expenses. Leasable area refers to the total enclosed floor space designed for the exclusive use of the tenant.

Restaurant owners should not pay rent on outdoor patios, says Stannard, from Bacchus. “The mistake I see people make is they calculate the rent and they include the patio as part of their lease,” he says. “They pay rent for 12 months, but in some places they can use the patio only six months.”

Stannard says for Pizza Antica leases, the restaurants pay a small percentage of patio revenues to the landlord. “We’re not paying for something we don’t use,” he says. “For the landlord the advantage is when the patio is in use they participate in the sales.” When projecting sales figures, operators should estimate only the amount they will earn with the inside tables, and consider the outdoor tables to be extra. Also, he says, don’t forget to assign enough staff to the outside seats, and also set up a convenient server station.

If a permit is denied, try offering a new plan, with fewer or narrower tables. Every jurisdiction has its own way of handling right-of-way issues, construction permits and liquor licensing related to outdoor seating. Landlords have their own issues, so the key is to handle landlord negotiations and city permits upfront.

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Sidewalk Seating: Dining Right-of-Way appeared first on Pizza Today.

Servers and food runners work together for more efficient front of house operations

How many people does it take to serve a pizza? More than one, it turns out, because bringing food to customers’ tables involves much more than carrying a tray from the kitchen. Consumers expect much from their restaurant experience, and that often means having enough staff to take care of many details related to service. Pizzeria owners say having servers and food runners make service more efficient, which can result in satisfied customers.

The difference between servers and runners is servers take the orders from customers, and runners deliver those orders to the tables. “The food runner is often the go-between for servers and kitchen staff helping the restaurant operations to run smoothly,” says Antonio Matarazzo, co-owner of Stellina Pizzeria in Washington, D.C. “They are essential to helping servers do their best job.”

Teamwork is crucial, and servers and runners must work together and make sure their skills complement each other’s efforts. Servers use their vast menu knowledge and good customer service skills to engage with diners. Runners not only assist servers by bringing food to the table, but also clear tables quickly so the host can seat new customers, so they don’t have to wait long for service.

For some, the server and runner model is used only as needed. At the three-location Lucky Pie Pizza, runners are on the schedule on busy nights. “We understand the loads on the server, and we want them to spend as much time tableside as possible, giving our guests utmost attention,” says Dylan Schwab, general manager of the location in Niwot, Colorado. “The runners are offering cheese and chili flakes or watering the table.”

While servers and runners each have their own responsibilities, they are also expected to perform other tasks. Runners mostly bring food to the table, so they typically do not take orders. However customers do sometimes ask for an item from runners. “If someone asks for a beverage they definitely go get that beverage, then tell that server about it afterwards,” Schwab says. “There shouldn’t be a designated person who can only get one thing.”

The team model extends to helping servers and runners at other tables. “Food is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of whose table it is,” Schwab says. “They are all our tables, and they are all our guests, and they all have an experience when they’re here. Even though they are not your table, they are going to come back and they will be your table.”

The server and runner model is also useful for training. At The Masonry, with two locations in Seattle, runners are entry-level workers who gain knowledge and experience while assisting servers. “They get a crash course without having a role that is directly accountable to the guests,” says Emeline Prince, the pizzeria’s general manager. “You kind of get the lay of the land. You become familiar with dishes, the fire times, where everything is held in the restaurant and restaurant inventory.”

Unlike servers, runners don’t have to study the beer and wine list, and they don’t discuss menu items or answer customers’ questions about dietary restrictions. While servers try to spend more time with diners, runners are taking care of details that can make service go more smoothly. For example, after a runner drops off food at one table, they can pick up a check from another table ready to close out their meal. “That’s a pinch point for guests,” Prince says. “They might say, ‘Great food but I had to wait to pay the check.’”

Having an extra worker on the floor enables servers to cover more tables. As a result, everyone benefits from the team model. “We pool gratuities,” Prince says. “There is ton of accountability.”

One of the locations of The Masonry has a heftier bar business, so the runners there are bar backs. They perform similar functions, as they assist the bartenders and help the operation run smoothly. “It’s a role the establishment gets to define,” Prince says. “It kind of exists in a lot of different forms.”

In fast-casual settings, runners take the place of servers, which can streamline operations. Roppolo’s Pizzeria, with three stores in Austin, Texas, uses the runners-only model. The business is counter service, so there aren’t any servers to visit the table to take an order. “Ninety-five percent of what we sell is pizza,” says owner Mark Roppolo, who opened the business 30 years ago. “And 80 percent is pizza by the slice.”

That’s a menu that needs little explaining, and the service is not labor intensive. The eatery uses the typical counter service model. Customers order a slice from the display case, or order a whole pie, and pay right away. They can sit at a table and wait approximately five minutes for a slice, or 12 to 15 minutes for a pie. A runner brings the food to the table. “You don’t have all that extra transaction time,” Roppolo says. “They order pizza, they order a drink, you collect the money. The transaction is clean and crisp.”

Not only does the eatery get the money upfront, but the process is faster and easier than table service. “You’re not going back and forth,” Roppolo says. “You’re not spending more time waiting for people to settle the check, thinking about how much to tip or how to split the check.”

He adds that customers leave substantial tips. Since the restaurant does not have servers, and therefore does not have to adhere to tip credits and other rules, everyone can share in the tips. “Everyone gets a piece of that,” he says. “It’s advantageous to everybody, a win-win for customers and employees.”

The only downside to having runners and no servers, Roppolo says, is possible missed opportunities to upsell. “In the big scheme of things, it’s okay that we didn’t sell an extra glass of wine.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post A Run On Good Service appeared first on Pizza Today.

To capture the benefit of digital ordering through a Web site or mobile app, pizzerias must nail the basics

Kevin Myers sees it clear as day.

The chief marketing and information officer at Ohio-based Donatos, Myers says the pizza delivery business has always been about meeting customers where they are. The rise of e-commerce, namely online ordering and mobile apps, merely accelerated this notion, unlocking new possibilities capable of driving traffic and sales.

To Myers’ eyes, digital ordering benefits everyone. Customers enjoy improved order accuracy and the convenience of ordering when and how they want; staff are freed from phone lines to focus on customer service and contributing to a more efficient restaurant; and operators gain access to a vehicle often celebrated for propelling revenue and repeat business. At Donatos, for instance, the average digital transaction tends to be $4 higher than phone orders, while online customers return nearly twice as often, according to Myers.

In today’s digitally charged age, then, it’s no wonder pizzerias of all shapes and sizes continue pushing for potent digital ordering solutions.

While well-heeled national chains such as Pizza Hut and Dominos grab headlines with newfangled ways to secure a pizza — from pizza lockers to ordering by way of Twitter or Alexa — many other operations prioritize the basics, confident that a strong and professional digital ordering platform helps to drive relevancy, happy customers and smooth operations.

Digital Ordering Necessity #1: Secure and responsive

If a pizzeria’s Web site consistently crashes or its mobile app prompts security concerns, then trust and credibility with the consumer wanes. Hope Neiman, chief marketing officer of Tillster, a Los Angeles-based digital ordering solutions provider, calls secure digital platforms an “absolute necessity.” Yet more, the ordering platforms must be dynamic, robust and flexible enough to accommodate substantial streams of traffic, especially on those prime occasions — the Super Bowl, the Final Four and amid inclement weather — when orders can soar.

“Unless you scale operations to handle simultaneous users, you will have people timing out, incomplete orders and customers not knowing if their order went through,” Neiman says.

Digital Ordering Necessity #2: Frictionless

Cris Jucan, CEO of Tacit, an Ontario, Canada-based company that develops branded digital ordering solutions for foodservice brands, calls a no-hassle customer experience a non-negotiable.

“Customers will try an app once,” Jucan says. “If they have any issues with the app, they won’t use it again.”

Ordering on a digital platform must be quick, easy and intuitive. There should be a clear and direct path to purchase with technology — both in design and functionality — that guides the customer through the process in an orderly and timely manner.

While a frictionless experience is table stakes today, pizzerias might consider adding a “reorder” tab given how pizzeria guests tend to favor the same purchases. Such functionality, which is commonplace at many major e-commerce players, accelerates the ordering process and provides a touch of personalization, says Kriti Lodha, senior product marketing manager for digital ordering and consumer at Toast, a leading restaurant technology provider.

Digital Ordering Necessity #3: Full menu availability

When ordering through a digital platform, customers don’t want to be shortchanged or minimized, Jucan says. They want the full menu available and at the same prices present in the store. With pizza, in particular, this also means the ability to customize an order, such as splitting the toppings on a pizza or requesting a well-done pie. Sans the ability to customize their order the same as they would in store — albeit in a clear, streamlined way that doesn’t confuse or overwhelm — customers are prone to become disenchanted.

“Be intentional about setting up your digital menu,” Lodha directs.

Digital Ordering Necessity #4: Point-of-sale (POS) integration

Digital ordering is certainly about appeasing the customer, but it can also bring valuable efficiencies to operations. That’s why POS systems and digital ordering platforms should be tied together. Having POS integration reduces the opportunity for human error, eases end-of-day reconciliation and streamlines staff responsibilities.

“With POS integration, you’re not dealing with multiple tablets or manually writing orders where there is an investment of time and room for error,” Lodha says. “Speed is one of the most critical drivers of customer satisfaction and POS integration plays a huge role in that.”

Digital Ordering Necessity #5: Accurate, up-to-date information

Restaurants are living, evolving beasts. On any given night, a pizzeria might run out of a menu item. Delivery zones, meanwhile, might shift based on the time of day while operators might alter store hours given external conditions such as weather or a power outage. As such, Neiman says it’s important operators can control and modify information on their digital platforms.

“This way, if you run out of pepperoni, you can go in and take it off as an option so you’re not disappointing customers,” Neiman says. “There are things the store itself has to manage and you should be able to alter those accordingly.” 

Chicago-based writer Daniel P. Smith has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Five Digital Ordering Necessities appeared first on Pizza Today.

Mastering the POS System

Nils Kravis has big plans for Rad Pizza.

A long-time restaurant executive who began his career with Pizza Hut in Canada before becoming the chain’s director of operations in Australia, Kravis has been involved in more than 500 restaurant openings in his career. His latest one, however, represents his most daring endeavor to date.

Last April, Kravis and his wife, Jennifer, launched Rad Pizza in Hamilton, Ontario, a scenic Canadian city of some 600,000 located southwest of Toronto. As the flagship unit for Rad Pizza, Kravis knows the 3,400-square foot unit’s early success is paramount to the larger pizzeria empire he aims to create. As a result, Kravis has crafted everything – the menu, the mission, the operations – with growth in mind.

But before Kravis reaches 100 units, or even 10 units, he understands the mothership must shine.

Long viewing technology as an enabler, Kravis looked for a point-of-sale (POS) system that was intuitive and user friendly. Such a POS, he reasoned, would help Rad Pizza employees serve customers craving speed and convenience alongside a good pie, but also ensure accurate data that Kravis could later analyze to tweak his upstart fast casual.

“Given the growth we envision, an intuitive POS and, just as important, employees trained to use it is critical,” Kravis says.

A restaurant’s nervous system, the POS connects servers to the kitchen to the back office, and employees’ ability to learn and navigate the POS positions the operation to work seamlessly and successfully. Poor POS training, after all, can dampen profitability, heighten wait times, result in incorrect product being delivered to the customer and lead to ill-informed decision-making.

“Effective training on the POS is fundamental to fast service, order accuracy and good customer experience,” confirms Graham Campbell, chief operating officer of Givex, a cloud-based operations management solution that pairs POS capabilities with other key functionalities like gift cards, loyalty and tableside ordering.

Though confronted with the challenges of time, labor costs and staff turnover, savvy pizzeria operators nevertheless prioritize employee training on the POS and see it as a critical piece of business operations. Here’s how pizzerias can get employee POS training right:

Start with menu knowledge

Before employees ever touch the POS, Kravis first ensures staff understand the menu, namely what the restaurant sells and what the kitchen can produce. Thereafter, he says, it’s much easier to dive into the POS.

“If they know our product first, then the POS is simply a visual graphic of the menu,” Kravis says.

Leverage training from POS vendor

From online tutorials to in-person training from a POS vendor rep, many POS providers provide training tools restaurants can use to introduce a system’s basic functions or as a supplement to existing store training programs.

Drill the basics

Campbell says restaurant operators are most often concerned with employees being proficient with the order flow, interface and the specific requirements of their specific restaurant. As such, these core functions should consume much of the training. Kravis, for example, has focused Rad Pizza’s POS training on those core actions.

“We get them comfortable navigating forward and backwards and moving around the POS to accommodate our orders,” Kravis says.

Have trainees shadow top employees

Having new front-of-the-house hires follow your best servers helps trainees learn about the job in general, but especially the POS, says Ryan McSweeney, marketing coordinator at Upserve, a cloud restaurant POS used by nearly 10,000 restaurants. He recommends having trainees shadow their mentor over a variety of different shifts, which will allow new hires to see how someone familiar with the POS interacts with the system throughout the day.

“This will also make [trainees] feel comfortable using the POS in any environment,” McSweeney says.

Utilize training mode

Most POS systems feature a training mode – and that can be an operator’s premier training tool. In training mode, employees can receive guided practice, input mock orders and tinker with the POS without unleashing real-world consequences.

“They can practice navigating the menu, inputting orders and making transactions all without any of it being processed or sent to reporting,” McSweeney says.

While in training mode, Kravis has employees role play, being both customer and order taker so they can see both sides of the POS. He instructs staff to come up with out-of-the-box orders and to remove and add items after the fact, which helps a trainee learn how to troubleshoot various situations.

Turn employees loose

Kravis says most employees are comfortable using the POS themselves after a day or so of training, especially given how intuitive many of today’s systems are.

Though operators might be hesitant to turn employees loose, it’s a necessary part of training. Kravis prefers new employees work their first solo shifts during slower periods and he provides ongoing coaching as employees work their way toward independent proficiency.

Of note, Campbell reminds that many POS systems have permission and access settings that allow management to configure the accounts of new employees so that they only have access to basic POS functions as they learn the system. After employees have proven their ability to navigate the POS, restaurant leadership can then expand access accordingly.

Don’t put POS training to bed

Though an employee might have the POS basics covered, keep the training going and leverage all the data a POS can provide to identify opportunities to retrain individual staff or fuel the restaurant’s performance.

Upserve’s server performance feature, for instance, provides information on the servers who are turning tables the fastest, upselling products most frequently and boosting ticket sizes. With this data in hand, operators can work toward improved efficiency and profitability at the pizzeria.

“Using the POS to see repeat guests and knowing what their favorite meals are, having servers look at the analytics behind which menu items are performing best and utilizing other integrations of the POS like inventory and tableside payments can make sure your servers and business are performing to the best of their ability,” McSweeney says.

Chicago-based writer Daniel P. Smith has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Seven Ways to Get Employee POS Training Right appeared first on Pizza Today.

Inadequate quality control can destroy restaurants

Quality control is what makes your restaurant a success. It breeds consistency and dependability, which in turn leads to repeat visits. As the owner, you alone are not equipped to be the only one in your restaurant responsible for a perfect product. This notion is a tough pill for some to swallow, but you are not enough.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

One of my first restaurant jobs was working at a high-end steak house in the East Bay of San Francisco, California, as an expediter. An expediter, or “Expo” for short, is someone who looks at the kitchen tickets and organizes the flow of plates leaving the back of house. They are also the last line of defense against a plate that should never reach the table. At a restaurant like this, it was a lot of memorization and organizing because we delivered to each seat, not just the table so that we were never asking “who ordered the ribeye” when we were dropping food. I was also responsible for quality control.

At that restaurant, as an 18-year-old kid, I was surprisingly omnipotent in the kitchen. I had full autonomy as to what food passed the window and what got sent back. I was telling professional chefs and seasoned career servers, “No, this isn’t right.” I answered to only the owner and the GM. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the reason for that is when a quality control person is also a part of the people making the items, it inherently becomes a conflict of interest. When the cooks can overrule quality control, then there is NO quality control.

If you look at any great product that you buy now, I guarantee they have a quality control division that does not answer to the production division. Pay grade, seniority, rank, none of that matters. At that moment, quality control is only valid when they have the power to overrule even the owner when you’re producing pizzas on the line. I have to say to any new Expo, “When I’m on the line your job doesn’t stop; if it’s not right you have to speak up, and you’ll never get in trouble for it.” The GM at my Steak House Job said to me when I was 18, “It’s good you’re likable because to do this job right, everyone has to hate you a little bit.” He couldn’t have been more right.

So, what does this all mean to you? At your pizzeria today, can a pizza get sent back? And not only that, are pizzas getting sent back often? If it’s never happening, it’s not because your place is perfect. It’s because you and your crew are lazy and don’t want to make the pizza again when something inevitably goes wrong. And I get it. There’s the fear of food costs skyrocketing, and the bottleneck reorders and refires caused along with the crappy morale refires can create. That leads to phrases like: “It’s not too burnt” or “The pizza’s not that soggy” or “We’ll just cook it off some other way and doctor it” or “Well, that’s on them. They shouldn’t have ordered it that way.”

These are all the phrases of mediocrity. These are all phrases of a dying restaurant.

I’ve learned to fully embrace the refire and send out the original pizza (pending it had no health or allergy concerns) to the customer and say this to them; “This really isn’t up to our standards. So, we’re making you a new one and we can either box it, or we’ll bring it back out, and you’ll have two at the table. We fast-tracked your order to the front of our cook line, but we wanted you to at least have this to eat while you wait for the new pizza, which we’re making the right and correct way. Again, we sincerely apologize.”

By saying and doing that, we create a wow factor that, for the few bucks in food cost of that item, is worth one hundred times what that would take me to achieve in marketing dollars. That’s not hyperbole. I calculate that word of mouth value in the hundreds vs. the few dollars it takes me to remake a pizza. It gives the customer a story to spread organically and preserves our brand integrity to keep them and the people they talk to as a repeat customer.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Quality Control appeared first on Pizza Today.

Server and counter service stations are much more than storage areas

Server stations are places where front of house staff does everything from refill beverages to box up leftover pizza to close out customer checks. In fast-casual concepts, the counter service stations are self-serve areas where guests get their own sodas, load up on paper napkins, and help themselves to some red pepper flakes.

These are small spaces, and they can help operations run smoothly. Before designing a station, consider how it will be used. “What is its function, what is its intent,” says Wes Pikula, chief brand officer for Detroit-based Buddy’s Pizza, which has 15 locations. “The goal is to get something that’s going to help the staff serve guests.”

Get input from top servers about what they need in a station. They know what the PAR (periodic automatic replenishment) levels are for plateware, silverware and other items. “If you need 100 glasses, you have to design it to hold 100 glasses,” Pikula says.

Don’t overlook the amount of counter space. Pikula points out that with a soda machine, point of sale system, plates, napkins and condiments, servers need enough counter space to sit down a tray while refilling a glass or picking up a bottle of hot sauce. The counter should be a cleanable surface and should not be so deep that the person cannot reach the shelves above. Also, the station has to be easy for staff to enter and exit, and large enough so more than one person can use it.

Consider building more than one server station. That saves time because a server doesn’t have to walk across the floor to grab an extra napkin, and also it helps when one station is full because staff are using it.

Fong’s Pizza in the Des Moines, Iowa area has several server stations in each of its four restaurants. The primary stations are in close proximity to the bar, so servers can pick up items from the bar, including slices, tiki drinks or other bar beverages. “We also have smaller server stations located in the dining areas for ease in providing guests with plates, napkins and silverware, as well as an additional point of sale for ordering items and printing checks,” says Gwen Page, managing partner.

Several workers contribute to the stations’ upkeep. “It is the responsibility of our serving and host team members, along with management to make sure these areas are stocked, cleaned and kept organized,” Page says.

Maintaining the station is especially important in counter service pizzerias, where guests use the areas. “What the guest sees is what influences their perception of the pizzeria,” says Jordan Wallace, culinary director for Pizzeria Locale, with two locations in Denver. “So, if tables have crumbs, floors have trash or in this case the self-serve beverage and condiment station has spills and dirty condiment bottles that is what the guest will use to decide whether or not the pizzeria is clean and ultimately if they trust the pizzeria is cooking and serving food that is safe to eat.”

It’s everyone’s responsibility to clean the beverage station, and the food runner keeps an eye on the area. “Every time the food runner brings food out to the dining room and then walks back to the kitchen, they are scanning what areas need attention,” Wallace says. “This path always leads the food runner directly past the beverage station.”

Keep a checklist of all the items that need to be set out. “For example, 32 forks, 32 knives all clean and ready to go, and x number racks of glassware,” says Christopher Quirk, chef and member of the culinary faculty at Kendall College in Chicago. “Convenience for service staff and for the customer is probably the most important thing.”

Quirk, who also runs the quick service concept at the culinary school, says quick serve customers are often in a hurry, so they expect to find everything they need immediately. Speed is important in full service restaurants too, as every search for a grated cheese packet or a straw adds a minute or two to the transaction, which creates a ripple effect. “It starts piling up and the whole system goes down in flames,” Quirk says. “Customers will say, ‘How come I’ve been sitting here for 45 minutes? I need a lid so I can get back in the car.’ All of those things mean lost revenue because people are not going to be repeat customers.”

Don’t let the server station become a place for workers to hide. At Zeeks Pizza, with 17 locations in the Seattle area, the stations are designed to keep the service crew on the floor and close to the customers. “We want our stations close to the action, not tucked away in some corner,” says Dan Black, president. “We want them to be as efficient as possible for getting work done, but also be visually appealing to the customer.”

The stations’ countertops have blinds, or 18-inch walls, that hide the point of sale system and wires. “We care about aesthetics,” Black says. “We want people to be more focused on the food, the people they’re there with, the music. When there is a bunch of clutter and just stuff that isn’t awesome it detracts from the experience.”

The blind is short enough that servers are visible in the dining room. “If they are there ringing in an order or getting more tableware or glassware, they can do it without losing sight of tables and customers,” Black says. “Our whole mantra is to keep servers where the action is.”

For some, a percentage of the action has moved to takeout and delivery, and that changes what’s in the server stations. “We didn’t realize how much takeout business we would have,” says Bill Oechslin, general manager of Ciao! in Ithaca, N.Y.  “Now it’s 15 percent of our daily business.” The eatery built high shelves to hold empty pizza boxes, and plastic bags hang from hangers in the server stations.

The restaurant seats 140 and has five server stations, and staff have to be very careful about what is stored in the areas. “You always find things to put into the space you have,” Oechslin says. “Make sure you keep them organized.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Center of the Front of House Universe appeared first on Pizza Today.

Why eating and drinking in your own establishment is a good idea

Should I eat or drink inside my pizzeria? The answer is yes …  and no. When it comes to eating and drinking your product, served from your staff, there are particular ways to accomplish this, without compromising your integrity and food cost. For starters, pay for everything. Don’t have a discount code for owners or a comp list that says owners or XYZ person eats for free. The reason is you’ll find that that comp ends up getting used for a lot of people who aren’t owners. The solution of, “Well, I’d fire anyone who does that”  isn’t that solid because you might fire people who are good workers that fell into temptation. If your restaurant is littered with theft temptations because more likely than not, no one will see it, you’re setting your staff up for failure as well as destroying your food cost. An unkept array of comps that no one reviews are a massive cause of fraud in this industry.

• Pay for your food. If you’re ordering a pizza to go or dining in, use a credit card. Make sure all orders get a ticket, NO TICKET NO TACO! That’s the phrase we use at Andolini’s; nothing is called out to the line and then blindly made without a ticket. All orders must go through the point of sale system to get made, no exceptions.  That card could be a debit card linked to your bank account that pays you back, but use a card. Show the transaction occurring so the staff sees that no one is special.
• Eat Like a Customer. Additionally, when you have a friend come in from out of town, and they want to eat at your pizzeria, and you want to comp them, pay for it on your card. If you’re going to enjoy the meal with them, then sit down as a civilian, preferably in non-work attire, and be an everyday customer. Again, when finished, pay like a customer, pay full price, not with an employee discount. You will incur the credit card fees of using your card, which is a small price to pay (and that’s well worth it to maintain your integrity and set a leadership example for your staff).
• Don’t get sauced in your own pot. When it comes to drinking alcohol on-site, the best practice is to never drink in your restaurant. If you do feel the need just to see how your bar is doing as a customer from time-to-time, then again, wear civilian attire, do it outside of routine work and never before you’re about to go back on the line or do any more in-store work. Even if you just killed a significant order or had an insanely great night, it’s preferable to just go like a regular person, that doesn’t own this restaurant, to another restaurant or bar with or without staff at that point, and just enjoy yourself rather than potentially setting up the cynical viewpoint that you’re wasting food cost and that you’re another drunk owner abusing their power.  If that sounds absurd, bear in mind perception is 9/10ths reality and your staff’s perception of you, their leader, must always be protected. Also, it puts your bartenders and service staff in an awkward position to serve you because they’re not sure if they should charge you or not. Or worst-case scenario, if they should ever cut you off.
• Use Third Party Delivery to order in. If you do love your pizza, and I love mine, I find it best practice to order it from a third party and have it delivered to my house. This way, I get to see how the third party is doing and also get a truly unbiased view of my end product, without my staff knowing that they’re making something for the owner. It’s a really clean way to spot-check your crew. These proactive measures allow you to be in control of your restaurant. They also let your staff believe in the mission of excellent service and low food cost by holding your integrity in high regard.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Become Your Own Customer appeared first on Pizza Today.

Five factors to consider for background music

Playing songs that reflect your restaurant’s style can go a long way when it comes to sales: music that matches an eatery’s brand can lead to an increase of 9.1 percent in sales, according to a study by Soundtrack Your Brand.  Tunes affect after-dinner treats profits even more, with a 15.6 percent rise in dessert sales when brand-aligned music is played.

“Sound is one of your customer’s senses that, if you can connect to it in a positive fashion, will evoke a positive and memorable experience,” says Tim Pickett, CEO of Chicago-based Encompass Audio Visual. Diners may not directly notice a great playlist, but the vibes will play a role in their overall impression of your pizzeria. Extreme cases of poor audio, such as music that isn’t evenly distributed throughout a place, may get comments. If you hear feedback that includes phrases like “I sat by a speaker and it was hard to communicate,” a change may be in order.

Finding the right balance between volume, tune selection and audio quality are the main ingredients to making music play its part in your pizzeria’s profits. Consider the following criteria when creating a playlist that will lead your customers to reach for another slice of pie:

1. Align the selection with your image. The music played communicates key information about the restaurant,” says Vassilis Dalakas, Ph.D., professor of marketing and chair of the department of marketing at California State University San Marcos. To avoid confusion, background sounds should fit well with the target market and a pizza place’s overall image.

This means the right song selection will reflect your unique offerings. “What would be appropriate or even great music choice for one case may be a poor choice for another,” Dr. Dalakas says. Loud, upbeat music could work for a casual, high energy atmosphere. Soft, slow music might be a good fit for a quiet restaurant with tablecloths and dim lights. If a pizzeria has an Italian name, Italian flag colors, and pictures of Italy on the wall, “it does not make much sense to be playing Rick Astley and other ‘80s pop songs,” Dr. Dalakas says. Opt for Italian songs to fit the décor.

2. Match tunes with the time of day.  If your lunch crowd consists of workers in a hurry, while the evening brings families looking to sit down and relax, you might customize the music selection to fit the guests. “Two main factors that influence our actions are music tempo and volume,” says Victor Bailey, a musician with experience consulting eateries on their music choices. “If you play slow tempo, you’re more likely to get your customers to order more from your menu. If you increase the tempo, customers are more likely to leave quicker, which might be a good strategy during peak times.” A fast tempo might work well for busy lunch customers, while soft jazz could be appropriate for the evenings and weekends.

Background music played at a quiet volume can encourage lingering and create a calm atmosphere. “A higher volume means higher heart rate, which translates to us doing things faster, including eating,” Bailey says.

For businesspeople carrying out meetings over a meal, “play background music that encourages consumers to remain in a good mood and the feeling of abundance,” says Lexi Montgomery, founder and lead strategist at The Darling Company, a neuromarketing agency. “When deals are regularly closed at your establishment, your customers will subconsciously associate your pizzeria with what they value most.”

3. Focus on quality within your budget. If you have several small speakers in a large room, the sound might not carry throughout the place. To improve quality, add more small speakers to distribute the audio evenly. “The more speakers you have aimed at your clients, the more direct sound they get which means higher intelligibility and better quality,” Pickett says. The volume can be lower, since there isn’t a need to cover as much footage with a single unit. “That also means the customer next to a speaker is not getting ‘blasted out,’” Pickett says.

For help setting up a new sound system, “have two or three AV contractors with good references come in,” Pickett says. Tell them your budget and ask for the best system for your price range.

4. Be mindful of copyright issues. If you have a personal music subscription or streaming service, that won’t be enough to legally play music in your restaurant. A proper music license is needed to avoid legal issues and potential fees. Fortunately, just three licenses will cover the majority of music needs:

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers)
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
• SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers)

“These three companies represent millions of artists and musical works,” Bailey says. “Make sure that your licensed playlist has at least 300 songs so customers don’t hear the same song twice.”

5. Bring about change slowly. If you’re concerned your current playlist doesn’t match your ideal customer, it may be worthwhile to evaluate your target audience. “Collect data on existing customers both in terms of visits to the restaurant and social media followers,” Dr. Dalakas says. Identify potential patterns and look at social media followers’ posts to get a sense of their taste of music.

Menu changes might lead to song adjustments as well. If you begin showcasing new recipes, compare them to your playlist. “An authentic Italian recipe would be complemented by authentic Italian music,” Lexington says.

To tweak your selection, consider asking customers for feedback. Have staff deliver a comment card at the end of a visit, where diners can rate the current music and offer suggestions for change. Or make a contest to identify crowd favorites. This could involve small signs at tables, or posts on social media asking, “Do you like our selection of songs? Do you have a favorite we’re not playing that you’d love to hear?” Then offer the chance to enter for a prize, such as a free dinner for two, to those who participate.

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post The Sounds of Dining appeared first on Pizza Today.

The savvy steps pizzerias can take to reduce kitchen waste

Toppers Pizza has its eyes on waste – and for good reason. After all, food waste has an impact on profitability, the environment and, increasingly, consumer sentiment.

Over the last 18 months, Donette Beattie, vice president of supply chain for the 69-unit, Wisconsin-based chain, says Toppers leadership has investigated various “opportunities” to reduce kitchen waste.

And Toppers is far from alone. From national names to regional players to single-door independents, better managing kitchen waste continues gaining traction among pizzerias.

For many, diminishing profitability prompts waste reduction efforts. Robb White of Leanpath, a pioneer in food waste prevention technology, says typical foodservice kitchens waste 4-10 percent of their purchased food. When food enters the trash, money follows.

“Food waste comes right off the bottom line,” Beattie reminds.

Food waste also contributes to labor inefficiencies. Staff preparing unused dough or washing trays that held discarded dough, for instance, squanders time and money, Toppers director of franchise operations Matt Martin says.

Yet more, there is escalating societal awareness about issues such as greenhouse gases emanating from landfills, food insecurity and the sheer irresponsibility of wasting food. Running a kitchen mindful of food waste holds growing sway with employees and consumers, who continue to express interest in companies favoring sustainable practices and sound ethics.

Prevention: The best way to manage food waste

The Food Waste Hierarchy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides an unambiguous look at the best – and worst – ways to attack food waste. At the bottom of the inverted pyramid, the least desirable result, sits sending food to a landfill, where it decays and produces methane, the most powerful greenhouse gas. Thereafter, the EPA identifies, in ascending order, composting, industrial uses such as fuel conversion, animal feed and donation as increasingly preferable options.

And topping the list?

“[Source reduction is] the most favored approach because it stops food waste from being created in the first place, saving kitchens money and reducing their environmental impact,” White says.

Here’s how savvy operations can reduce kitchen surpluses:

Leverage technology: A data-based inventory system will help operators manage ingredient use and highlight purchasing needs in accordance with sales, thereby helping management find opportunities for both cost and waste reduction, says Matthew S. Hollis, co-founder of Elytus, an Ohio-based firm that helps restaurants streamline waste and recycling operations.

Sales forecasting: Pizza Hut’s first step in preventing waste at its 18,500 worldwide locations is one other pizzerias can mimic: accurate sales forecasting based on a mix of historical data and upcoming events, Pizza Hut U.S. chief customer and operations officer Nicolas Burquier says.

Avoid over-ordering: As enticing as bulk deals might be, excess inventory can lead to product “code dating” before use and cause rotation issues, as hustling staff might grab product without respect for code dates.

“Try to monitor what actually gets used and adjust your purchase orders from there,” Hollis says.

Assess purchasing: In sourcing its products, Toppers focuses on optimal optimization. While a bigger pack size might cost less per ounce, it’s a futile purchase if contents go unused. Toppers also explores different packaging options. Some pouch packs, for example, can produce better yield than cans.

Align quality, operations and cost: Toppers manages waste by cutting and prepping produce in house, which allows stores to respond to the demands of a given day.

“While the convenience of precut items is nice from a labor standpoint, their shelf life is shorter and the cost per pound larger if you don’t use them on time,” Martin says.

Educate employees: Provide proper training on food waste protocols and stress the importance of minimizing waste to all staff.

“If one employee incorrectly disposes of something,” Hollis notes, “it may contaminate the entire batch of recyclables and prevent recycling.”

Track inventory: White advises operators to check for quality on delivery, install a first in-first out system and monitor expiration dates. Operators, he adds, might also track food waste, if not with an automated solution then at least by investigating a metric like returned items. Some food waste trends might underscore the need for staff training. 

Shift operations: Toppers continues testing different operational tools to minimize waste, including catch trays on the make line to capture cheese and toppings that fall off during production and a cup portioning system for cheese and higher-cost proteins. The chain is also exploring equipment such as sheeters, presses and cutters that might help kitchen staff use less product, achieve better quality and/or ensure uniformity in portions.

Think small: While the kitchen might prefer to produce one oversized batch of a given item, bulk production can increase waste. Instead, White suggests creating small batches relative to the day’s demand.

Turn excess into opportunity: Perhaps the restaurant ordered vegetables for a new salad that didn’t resonate with guests. Repurpose those excess ingredients into a daily pizza special so the veggies don’t go to waste.

Ax the dogs: An oversized, bloated menu requires more food to be on hand and increases the risk of expired goods. Toppers has addressed this by eliminating slow-moving menu items that add to complexity and waste. 

Involve staff in solutions: Solicit thoughts from staff on how the eatery can further reduce waste.

“Sustainability requires a consistent commitment to waste reduction from every single member of the team,” Hollis reminds.

Chicago-based writer Daniel P. Smith  has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Waste Management appeared first on Pizza Today.

From cash to mobile wallets, there are many ways to accept payments

Cash is not king anymore, at least not in restaurants. Consumers are paying with credit and debit cards, and some are using trendy new methods such as digital wallets. Meanwhile restaurant owners say they would like to update their technology to accept mobile pay, pay-at-the-table and other methods. While these systems expand the ways in which customers can pay for their meals, independent restaurants should be aware of certain details when investing in these payment solutions.

According to 2018 research by Capital One, one in four Americans rarely carries cash, and among Millennials, it’s one in three. Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau, founder of Dimo’s Pizza, with two locations in Chicago, has noticed a shift away from cash. Ten years ago, the ratio of cash to credit/debit card paying customers was 50/50. Now only about 10 percent of people pay with cash. “There is a proliferation of credit cards that provide rewards points,” he says. “There is a more educated consumer base that understands how to make their money work for them.”

For Dimo’s Pizza, less cash handling results in a better flow of operations. For even more efficiency, a few years ago Dimo’s added Apple Pay and LevelUp. With Apple Pay, the customer loads credit or debit card information onto their iPhone or other Apple device, then can “tap to pay” at the restaurant with a contactless reader, or by ordering online. LevelUp is a digital ordering platform that was acquired by GrubHub in 2018.

The rise of online ordering has led to the increase in credit card payments, which offers a benefit. “It ensures that when someone places an order that we receive money for it,” Syrkin-Nikolau says. “With cash we have to wait until we deliver the pizza, and if the person is asleep or isn’t there, we’ve already done the work and we’re not getting paid.”

Online ordering platforms have their own drawbacks, including concerns that the third parties do not represent the restaurants well, the food arrives compromised, or the third-party Web sites are confusing to customers looking for the restaurant’s Web site.

Controversies aside, online ordering is growing. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Technology Survey, 37 percent of restaurants offered online ordering for takeout or delivery in 2016 (the most recent data available), compared to only 23 percent in 2011. Also, 34 percent of restaurants offered smartphone apps, compared to 12 percent in 2011. Also, in the 2016 survey, 32 percent said they use mobile payments.

Operators hope to update their technology, and 25 percent said payment options will be the most important area of development over the next five years.

Mobile pay such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay have gotten much attention as innovative new ways to pay, but these credit/debit card payments via smartphone are more popular online than in-store, says Milo Vinson, CEO of LineSkip, which provides online ordering, point of sales systems, and customized apps for restaurants. He estimates that 70 to 80 percent of restaurant-related online orders use these smartphone platforms, while at the store, five to 10 percent of customers are waving their phones at a reader. “The big reason for that is not many merchants have been able to implement that technology,” he says. “They are using old credit card readers or point of sale systems.”

Restaurant operators that are considering getting new systems that can accept mobile pay should pay close attention to whether to rent the equipment or buy it, how soon they will have to replace the technology and processing fees.

Fees are an age-old challenge for any business that accepts credit cards. “All of the different payment systems have fees and the processors offering new unique technologies feel that they can charge more,” says Robert Livingstone, president and founder of Cooper City, Fla.-based IdealCost.com, a merchant advocacy and credit card processing auditing firm. “Processing is a commodity. The big secret to the industry is that all processing vendors buy the same rates from the same place and then choose how much to mark them up to the business.” He adds that fees from the big banks and credit card processors are among the top five expenses for many pizza restaurants.

The biggest change in restaurant payment acceptance, Livingstone says, is the incorporation of EMV chip readers, which became standard in the U.S. in 2015 and is a way to avoid losing chargeback disputes from customers. “Social pay, tap and go, and pay at the table are at very low levels of adoption nationwide,” he says, and mostly in metropolitan areas and high-volume tourist destination chain restaurants.

Also, according to the NRA survey, 48 percent of operators agreed that customers prefer to pay their restaurant checks themselves by using mobile payment, kiosks, or tabletop or wireless devices. However, operators also noted barriers such as cost (63 percent) and lack of infrastructure (50 percent) to implementing new customer-facing technologies.

That was the issue for Aaron Baumhackl, who with his wife Suzanne is co-owner of Solstice Wood Fire Pizza, Cafe and Bar in Hood River, Oregon. More than four years ago, he signed a contract for table-side processing. Solstice was an early adopter of the technology and might have been too early. “The technology wasn’t ready,” he says. “The compatibility piece with the main system wasn’t there.”

The three handheld tablets made the restaurant’s three point of sale terminals slow down or crash, making what was supposed to be a streamlined process cumbersome. Neither the technology company nor the merchant services provider would take the blame or fix the problem, so Solstice was stuck with four years of paying for an unruly system. Besides the technology issues, Baumhackl says bringing the tablet to the table and waiting for the customer to view and sign the bill presented another problem. “It was awkward,” he says. “Customers felt pressure to tip.”

That contract has ended, so Baumhackl added a fourth POS terminal and is not using the tablets until a better system comes out and other restaurant owners give it good reviews. “I’m sticking with the tried and true,” he says. His advice: “Be more skeptical about these new technologies and do your homework before signing a contract.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

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