Smart Design Making sustainable decisions can start long before you open your doors or reopen when it comes time to renovate. In some cases, it doesn’t have to be a complete remodel but an opportunity to evaluate where you can improve upon the init...

It’s not time to hunker down, it’s time to get strategic Inflation is everywhere, all while a recession looms over all our heads. What comes next? No one knows. No economist, no politician, no stock trader knows anything for sure. Everyone just h...

Though many pizzerias don’t think much about filing taxes until the calendar turns and deadlines approach, getting a jumpstart on tax preparation in the year’s final quarter provides numerous benefits More than two centuries ago, American statesm...

Power to the People Most pizzeria ownership reflects three standard models: a single proprietor with one or more shops; a corporate chain; or a franchise. However, there’s another model that’s gaining traction around the U.S.: employee ownership....

Last month, our guide to opening a new store in a hurry was all about what to do before you had the keys to the front door (quick reminder: plan, plan, plan). This month, the deal is finalized, the keys are in your hands — and the fun begins. Openi...

There’s a five-alarm fire going on right now with commodities. Every recipe item is crazy-expensive. Customers are spending money right now, but it doesn’t matter when the actual yield or profit margin has never been tighter. We are gearing up fo...

As mentioned in the last installment of Building Blocks, I recently opened two new locations in four months. But the time spent between getting the keys and opening the doors was far shorter — 15 days for the first and 30 days for the second. Thirt...

Usually when I write this column, I hope to teach something — and this month will be no different, but it’s from a more personal perspective. For most of the life of this column, I’ve had five Caliente Pizza & Draft House locations. In the ...

Cash on Hand Highly disciplined people tend to have been through something that made them that way. Discipline is not an inherited trait; it’s learned. People in recovery never want to go back to their rock bottom. People who fanatically work o...

After two turbulent years, some operators are ready get out of the business After four years of hustling to build Pizza Head into one of St. Louis’ go-to pizza joints, Scott Sandler tired of the day-to-day grind. Operations became increasingly comp...

When Patrick Fruin purchased Flingers Pizza Pub in Bloomington, Illinois, in 2006, he took control of a three-year-old, by-the-slice pizzeria nestled in between college bars and capturing about $250,000 in annual sales. Over the subsequent 13 years, ...

Work smarter to get to the next level Sales reporting is fundamental to business. Reporting is essential to making informed decisions about your restaurant. Not having a Point of Sale producing real-time reports is akin to letting a ship float withou...