The 2025 food truck season is nearing an end, and yet I feel like we never truly got started. It’s been a whirlwind of stress, anxiety, excitement, happiness and frustration. Through it all, there have been many lessons learned and adjustments made.

Every time we go out and set up, we experience something different and learn something new. It’s exciting, but it can also be exhausting. Below are some of the key points I’ve learned.

Mobile Pizzeria Challenges

As much as I love that we have a mobile restaurant – I feel that’s a huge selling point, especially once we open to catering weddings and other important events – I find myself often daydreaming about how much easier our life would be if we had a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

With a permanent location, every piece of equipment would have a dedicated spot, everything would be easier to clean and maintain, and we’d be ready for service at any time. The physical demand of unloading and loading equipment just to make some pizzas for a few hours wouldn’t be a thing.

We wouldn’t have to figure out when we can squeeze time into the shared space at our commissary based on the booking calendar. Nor would we have to wait for someone to finish in the dish pit before we could wash our dishes and go home.

Finally: Pulling a trailer is stressful. Backing it up into a tight spot is even worse.

I say all that not to discourage you from opening a mobile pizzeria. I would do it again, without hesitation. But looking back at all of the classes and seminars I attended, not once did someone talk about how physically demanding it is to set up and tear down.

Admittedly, if we had opted for a truck or enclosed trailer, the physical demand would be much lower, but not fully eliminated.

Little Will Go As Planned

Coming into this year, I had a grand vision that we’d open, and like clockwork we’d set up every two weeks (our target cadence) for the entire summer and into the fall, picking up a private or public event here and there. In my mind, it would be smooth sailing. Along with that, I pictured us offering complicated specials with advanced toppings and finishing steps.

Just as we were getting into a rhythm of placing food orders, making dough and setting up, I got injured and we were unable to open for roughly two months. Instead of opening over a dozen times this season, it’s looking like we’ll be lucky if we get eight services in.

I had so many plans that just aren’t going to come to fruition this season.

While I was recovering, I had a lot of time to reset my personal expectations for what this season is going to look like. However, I am frustrated by how far behind my personal goals and schedule we are.

Had we been able to get into a routine, our confidence level about all aspects of running our business would be far ahead of where we’re at now, and we’d be more efficient as well. In our short time of being open, we’ve sped up ticket times and increased the complexity level of our specials, but we’re nowhere near ready for online ordering or booking large catering events. And that’s exactly where I wanted us to be at the end of season one.

I can’t remember which class it was during Pizza Expo 2025, but I remember someone saying that if you’re treating a mobile pizzeria as a hobby, you’re doing it wrong.

I smirked and wrote it off at the time, but I get it now. Setting aside the financial implications of not being consistent, it’s incredibly difficult to refine your workflow and end product if you’re only doing this occasionally.

It takes practice to be great, and we need more practice.

Share Your Knowledge

The morning after our first service, I sat down with my wife and kids and talked it through. Where did we go wrong? What did we do right? Where could we improve?

As they talked about aspects they wanted to change, I started to feel really guilty. Guilty that I didn’t properly prepare them. I had spent the last two years soaking up knowledge from industry experts and YouTube influencers, and I had done my best to share it with them. I didn’t do enough. I let them down.

Since then, I’ve done my best to take their feedback, integrate it into our service and refine it as needed. I’ve also set out to make sure I talk through everything I’m envisioning. I’m not perfect, and we still have a long way to go, but every time we go out, things run more smoothly.

Take Notes

Every time I make dough, prepare a special, or we go out for service, I tell myself I need to sit down and journal or take notes about how it all went. What did I like? What didn’t I like? What do I want to change? I’ve yet to do it, and each time I run into a situation where I could easily have the answer if only I’d taken notes. I kick myself for it.

For example, we had a spinach pizza special ready to go right before I got hurt. We’d spent an afternoon and 12 pizzas going over the recipe, trying different cheeses and figuring out precisely how we wanted to finish it. We were ready to launch it that same week.

Then, the doctor hit me with bad news, and we didn’t do anything pizza-related for weeks. When it came time to actually serve our special, it took my wife and I a few days of discussing the finer details to fully remember exactly what we did. Heck, even as we set up for service, we were still questioning it.

So, I’m including taking notes as some sage advice for you, but also as a reminder for myself. Take notes! Future you will thank present you.

Thank You

There are countless other stories and lessons learned I could have shared here – or in any of the weekly installments we’ve published during this series. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my experience, and hopefully those insights have helped you – even if just a little bit.

Even more so, I’ve enjoyed talking to everyone who has reached out with kind words, cheered me on or asked for advice. I continue to be amazed at how welcoming this industry is when it comes to sharing knowledge and offering advice.

I want to say thank you to everyone I’ve interacted with along the way. You’ve made a newcomer feel right at home.

Cheers.

JASON CIPRIANI is the owner of Sips & Pies, a mobile wood-fired pizzeria serving Neapolitan-inspired pizza, in Colorado.

The post Launching a Mobile Pizzeria: Lessons Learned (Part 16) appeared first on Pizza Today.

Michael Androw knows it well. The owner of E&D Pizza Co. in Avon, Connecticut, shared hard-earned wisdom about keeping great employees in an industry notorious for high turnover during his presentation at Pizza Expo 2025. His message? “Maybe the problem is you.”

That might sting, but while some operators love to blame “lazy millennials” or complain that “nobody wants to work anymore,” the truth is simpler and more actionable than that.

The Real Cost of Losing Good People

Employee retention is one of the most critical elements to success in your restaurant, according to Androw. When you have that established crew – the ones who know your systems, understand your expectations and can train new people – magic happens. You can actually leave the shop without wondering if it’ll burn down.

“The Holy Grail, absentee ownership, is possible. But without starting with that established crew, we’ll never get there,” Androw explains. “Therein lies the point: When we have that established crew, we’ve got to keep them.”

Here’s what you get with experienced employees who stick around:

• They know your systems inside and out.

• They understand your culture and maintain it when you’re not there.

• They can train and lead newer staff members.

• They handle procedures without constant supervision.

Androw says has kept 80% of his original staff for over 11 years, which is practically unheard of in the restaurant industry. How does he do it?

Restaurant Hiring Challenges

Before we dive into retention strategies, let’s talk about why people leave pizza shops in the first place. Sure, our industry has challenges – low wages, long hours, difficult working conditions. But Androw points out something crucial: The people are out there. Chili’s has staff. Applebee’s has staff. “You ever hear of Chili’s shutting down because it didn’t have any staff? Oh, these places have got staff. Maybe the problem’s you.”

Ouch. But also … maybe?

So, what makes employees want to stick around? It starts with finding the right people and treating them right from day one.

Find People Who Need a Job

Androw has a specific hiring philosophy: “Personally, I look for the guy who’s in trouble. You’re married, you’ve got a wife, you’ve got 2.5 kids, you’ve got a mortgage, you’ve got a never ending cycle of bills that don’t stop.”

This isn’t about exploitation – it’s about reliability. “That guy needs a job. … That guy ain’t going to the beach. He’s coming to work.”

When you’re hiring, look for people who have skin in the game. They show up because they have to, not just because they feel like it. And once you find these people? “Find the right person that you like. The skills are meaningless. Every one of you that’s in this room is overqualified to teach a person the skills. Get the right person, teach them the skills.”

Be Patient with New Hires

A lot of employers hire someone new and expect them to perform like a five-year veteran from day one. Androw calls this out: “New people aren’t going to do it right. You have to understand that. You have to be tolerant,” he says. “You were that new person at one time. … Be patient.”

Give new hires clear job descriptions, realistic expectations and what Androw calls “an abundance of early support.” Don’t make them walk on eggshells every day wondering if they’re doing things right.

Pay Employees What They’re Worth Before They Ask

Money is the elephant in the room at every pizza shop. They say money can’t buy happiness, but it does cover your employees’ car payments.

Androw’s stragegy: If you have a fantastic employee whose absence would negatively impact your business, consider giving them a $2 per hour raise.

“Is $2 an hour at the end of the week going to impact your payroll so bad that you’re going to be out of business? No, absolutely not,” says Androw. If that $2 buys you peace of mind that your operation is in good hands, it’s a bargain. And when competitors try to poach your people, they will have a harder time meeting your per rates.

Show Basic Respect

Androw says respect is “a lost art” in the restaurant industry. It starts with simple interactions:

• “Good to see you.”
• “How are you?”
• “How’s the family doing?”

Don’t be the owner who walks in, grabs money from the register and ignores everyone. A little of common courtesy and respect goes a long way, according to Androw.

“Look someone in the eye, shake a hand. Thank them. Ask about their family, engage in their life,” he says. “It’s a connection. It’s a bond.”

Work-Life Balance

Remember, your employees aren’t you. They didn’t sacrifice everything to build this business, and they shouldn’t be expected to.

Be flexible with scheduling. If someone’s in college, don’t schedule them during class time. If a parent needs to leave at 3 p.m. to meet the school bus, don’t expect them to stay any later. “Help people out. Be sensitive to their needs because you want them to be sensitive to yours,” Androw says. “These people need to have this work life balance.”

Show Genuine Appreciation

This isn’t about participation trophies – it’s about recognizing that your staff members are real humans with real lives. Androw shares examples of simple gestures that make huge impacts:

• Taking the staff to a minor league baseball game.

• Buying lunch for the crew as a surprise.

• Having Christmas parties where employees’ kids get gifts.

• Handwriting thank you notes.

Create Real Growth Opportunities

Don’t make people feel stuck in dead-end jobs. Have conversations with good employees about their future. Show them you see potential and have plans for them.

“Give them a path to grow. … Create them to be the manager that you want,” Androw says. “People know … there’s opportunities to grow, to learn or take that expertise elsewhere.”

Listen to Your People

Your employees do the job every single day. They see things you might miss. “They know what they’re doing. Just because this is your way of doing it doesn’t mean their way is wrong. Listen to your people,” he says. “They’re gonna think of better ways be open. You don’t know at all.”

Create an environment where people can approach you with ideas, concerns or feedback. Be the approachable leader – not the person everyone’s afraid to talk to.

Don’t Let Competitors Become More Attractive

Here’s Androw’s bottom line: “Don’t ever let our competitors become more attractive than us. … They want our good employees. The good ones are hard to find. You’ve got them, you keep them.”

Employee retention isn’t rocket science, but it does require intentional effort. You can keep complaining about “kids these days” and wondering why good people leave, or you can look in the mirror and ask: “What kind of boss would I want to work for?”

The choice is yours. Your employees – current and future – are watching to see what you decide.

The post How to Keep Your Best Pizza Staff (So They Don’t Walk) appeared first on Pizza Today.

Consistency. It’s the one word that makes or breaks the quality every pizzeria strives for. While consistency can be manageable in one or two locations, producing the same quality product across several locations can be challenging.

Enter commissary kitchens. They are commonly used by food trucks, pop-ups and ghost operations, often known as shared kitchens. For brick-and-mortar pizzerias, adding a commissary can be the move that points the needle to growth mode. When executed effectively, commissaries can produce cost efficiency, scalability, flexibility, a source of innovation, operations efficiency and quality controls for a growing pizza business.

Two independent pizzerias with eyes on expansion share with Pizza Today why launching commissaries has been a gamechanger for their businesses.

Philadelphia-based Pizzata Pizzeria | A Commissary Built Out of Necessity

For Pizzata Pizzeria in Philadelphia, a commissary was built out of survival. “Our tiny take-out pizzeria was getting overrun by dough production. Every day felt challenging and, frankly, unsustainable,” says co-owner Vinny Gallagher.

With two locations, Gallagher and partner Davide Lubrano Lavadera searched for a commissary location that was perfectly positioned between the two spots. “To keep our options open, we scouted locations as though we were launching a brand new pizzeria,” Gallagher says. If the commissary idea bombed, we’d at least have a solid Plan B. That mindset helped us evaluate the market more clearly.”

They secured a space with a good lease and low rent in their target area. Building out the space was not cheap. “To give you an idea: Wall upgrades and whiteboarding came to about $12K, a new double front door for moving the big mixers ran us $2K, electrical upgrades including a phase converter cost around $20K, and plumbing fixes like installing sinks and resolving bathroom issues added another $7K,” he says.

Pizzata’s commissary is a dough-production facility. “The commissary’s pretty decked out,” Gallagher says. “We’ve got three roll-in dough fridges, a mixer lineup that ranges from 10 quarts to 200 quarts, plus a proofer and a divider. Up next, we’re adding a water meter, a chiller and a rounder to streamline things even more.”

It is still in the early stages, Gallagher says. “But the commissary’s been a gamechanger. We’ve expanded our hours, added new workstations since the dough gear got relocated, and our product quality’s way more consistent. Plus, our payroll’s trimmed down. It’s not all smooth sailing, of course, but problem-solving is how we’ve made it this far. Solving issues quickly (and correctly) is what we’re banking on to keep us moving in the right direction.”

Up next, Gallagher says they plan to add mozzarella and pasta production. “We’re taking a close look at both our shops to see which items we can centralize, and which ones make financial sense to tackle in-house.”

Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio |  A Commissary Built for Growth

Dayton, Ohio-based Old Scratch Pizza has grown to four locations over eight years. Owner Eric Soller saw a need for a commissary with store No. 3. “Our food is handmade, and we weren’t willing to compromise on consistency, quality or labor efficiency,” he says. “A commissary allowed us to centralize time-consuming or complex prep, reduce redundancy across locations and elevate consistency.”

True to its scratch concept, teams were making everything at each location. “But with everything made from scratch – sauces, dressings, meatballs, condiments – store-level prep became overwhelming,” Soller says. “The commissary relieved that burden and created space for better execution and guest focus.”

Soller lucked out on a commissary location when a space adjacent to one of the locations became available. “Having the commissary right next door has been incredibly convenient – especially for recipe testing and sharing labor or resources between teams,” he says.

Old Scratch’s commissary serves multiple functions. “On the dough side, we use 140-pound spiral mixers, a water doser and an automated divider/rounder,” Soller says. “For cooking, we have combi ovens and a large tilt skillet. For prep, we rely on slicers, a 40-quart food processor and industrial immersion blenders. We vacuum-pack all prepped products for safe and efficient transport to our stores. One of the most critical investments has been walk-in refrigeration – lots of it. And, of course, a refrigerated truck to handle distribution.

“We produce as much as possible at the commissary for consistency and quality,” he continues. “We have around 35 products that we produce centrally and distribute to the stores. That includes all dough, dressings, sauces, pickles and toppings like roasted garlic and caramelized onions. We also slice all meats for sandwiches at the commissary, which has allowed us to eliminate slicers from the stores and improve safety.”

Several items still are made at a store level. “Things that are best prepped fresh, like lettuce and salad toppings, are still done in-store. Some items – like mushrooms, croutons, and meatballs – are also still cooked on-site for quality reasons,” he says.

Soller already is planning for commissary 2.0 as the pizza company expands, including a tilting mixer with 600-pound capacity, a scissor lift to make loading easier, ambient temperature controls in the dough-production area, and more walk-in refrigeration space.

The expense to build a commissary is a broad spectrum, according to Soller, and costs are heavily dependent on the infrastructure exists. Dough production equipment alone may run $60,000-$100,000.

Another area often missed in the planning is required certifications. “In Ohio, our inspections and licensing are handled by the state Department of Agriculture, as opposed to the local health department,” Soller says. “You will also need people on staff with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) training and certification.”

Upfront costs to build a commissary can be high, but pizza companies looking to scale should run the numbers on their store-level outputs and a projected commissary. It just might be the gamechanger that Pizzata Pizzeria and Old Scratch Pizza have found in their markets.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post When and Why Use a Commissary Kitchen for Your Pizza Company appeared first on Pizza Today.

For many pizzerias, inventory management has long been a necessary evil – a time-consuming, mundane and often error-riddled endeavor that is nevertheless essential to the health of the business.

But artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the game.

Once the futuristic concoction of science-fiction novels, AI’s application to restaurant inventory management – still a novel, albeit fast-evolving field – is helping pizzerias achieve appropriate stock levels, reduce food waste and bring heightened efficiencies to a historically maddening process.

Adoption of AI applications for inventory management has been swift. According to Deloitte’s “How AI is Revolutionizing Restaurants” report published earlier this year, 55 percent of restaurant operators are using AI in the inventory-management process on a daily basis. In addition, another 25 percent of operators reported they were testing AI applications in inventory management.

Those numbers should accelerate as comfort with AI jumps, too. Four in five restaurant executives surveyed by Deloitte said they planned to increase investments in AI technologies over the next fiscal year – and inventory-management solutions will be a prime target for many.

AI in Inventory Management: The First Wave

AI’s arrival in the restaurant industry began with two common use cases: first, customer experience, such as in-app or kiosk recommendation engines that create personalized experiences for consumers; and second, inventory management.

According to Oliver Ostertag, general manager of Operator Cloud at PAR Technology, AI in inventory management largely started with traditional regression forecasting based on historical data. Looking at past numbers and trends, AI suggests purchasing amounts for specific goods or recommending food-prep levels for the upcoming day. In addition, the technology compiles orders for specific vendors based on inventory counts and sales data.

Early inventory-management AI functions also help in “notifying and actioning things in real time,” Ostertag says. For instance, the technology can automatically place orders if stock of particular items fall below a defined limit or alert operators about a vendor’s purchasing deadline while simultaneously sharing a proposed order.

In many cases, AI’s growing role is uplifting restaurants’ bottom lines. For example, AI warns operators when stock is nearing expiration and helps prevent restaurants from tossing food into the garbage. It also highlights vendor promotions and tracks price trends so operators can take advantage of a special offer or pursue an alternative supplier if prices jump.

AI’s multi-layered ability to align inventory levels with sales, deliver thoughtful forecasts, improve kitchen operations and elevate performance has sparked high praise from many restaurant operators. In fact, about one-third of respondents to the Deloitte survey reported their AI investments in inventory management were generating “high impact.” Meanwhile, 65 percent of restaurant operators surveyed by Popmenu last year said AI was increasing their margins and profitability.

AI Inventory: 10 Times Faster Than Manual Inventory

AI is continuing to push further into the restaurant inventory management arena with new capabilities aimed at improving operations and driving results.

Particularly compelling to many restaurants – especially staff members who have been tasked to regularly count inventory items by hand – is a solution like NomadGo’s Inventory AI, which combines 3-D spatial intelligence with augmented reality. Using a smartphone or tablet, staff scan inventory from shelves, walk-ins, thaw racks and more, and NomadGo’s technology provides near-instant counts with 99 percent accuracy.

“It solves the manual inventory counting problem and turns one of the most hated jobs in the restaurant into something far more manageable,” NomadGo CEO David Greschler says, adding that the AI-powered process is 10 times faster than manual inventory counting and produces about 15 hours of labor savings each month.

NomadGo then sends an inventory report to the operator. Through its partnership with PAR Technology, NomadGo also can shoot the data right into PAR’s Data Central back-office platform. There, it feeds PAR’s AI engine and enables better predictions for purchasing.

“AI needs data – and with highly accurate data around counts, AI’s predictions can be that much better,” Greschler says.

Indeed, AI is producing more robust forecasting models that factor in a range of variables, such as weather, holidays or even local events. The functionality is helping restaurants bring a more strategic, data-driven approach to purchasing, which can then fuel results.

“Insights are getting smarter and better utilizing real-time data,” Ostertag confirms, adding that AI also can benchmark inventory-management data, thereby allowing operators to see “what good is and what great is.”

Increasingly, too, AI applications across the restaurant operation are working in tandem with other technologies and creating new use cases. For instance, inventory management is seamlessly working with point-of-sale data and loyalty programs to push out profit-driving promotions.
So-called smart promotions offer deals at the time people are most likely to be interested in expiring inventory, thereby helping operators generate cash, not waste.

“The real umbrella function here is optimizing inventory, and AI is helping operators do just that,” Ostertag says.

Where Will Restaurants Use AI Next?

Artificial intelligence continues capturing the attention of restaurant leaders who see the technology as a way to improve operations and bolster profitability.

While customer experience and inventory management were the first frontiers, restaurant operators are far from done looking for ways to leverage AI in their establishments. Pizzerias and other restaurants currently are investigating ways to deploy AI to increase customer touchpoints, advance consumer loyalty and develop new products.

For many restaurant technology providers, the overriding mission is to push frictionless technology and make it as easy as possible for operators to succeed.

“We want to help restaurants use the newest solutions in ways that drive more benefits,” PAR Technology’s Oliver Ostertag says.

When operators understand AI applications and are trained on the full usage of products, the technology can be “incredibly powerful,” he adds. It will be up to operators, however, to determine how many decisions they want driven by AI.

“AI can certainly help contribute to a smarter, more efficient operation, but operators still need to have their hands on the wheel,” Ostertag says.

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

The post AI Inventory Management | Smarter Slices appeared first on Pizza Today.

There’s a story I like to tell about a kid on Christmas asking why the family cuts the corners off the holiday ham every year. The answer goes up the chain – first to his Mom, who says Grandma did it, then Grandma says Great-Grandma did it. Finally, it turns out Great-Grandma says the only reason she ever did it was because she had a very small oven and a large ham wouldn’t fit in the small pan she had to use. That’s it. No grand reason. Just a small oven.

This is the same logic I see play out every day in restaurants. People blend their cheese because “that’s how we were taught.” They pre-blend their flour mix because “it’s just what we do.” These are decisions that affect your labor costs, your brand quality and your ability to grow – and they’re being made based on nothing but historical habit, sometimes rooted in no real logic.

There’s no shame in learning from tradition, but holding tradition above scrutiny? That’s laziness dressed up as loyalty.

Measure the Results

We have a hard rule at our restaurant, Andolini’s and all our brands. No ego, only results. We experiment, track and repeat what works. That means challenging what’s always been done. It means cutting your own cheese instead of paying a premium for pre-shredded. It means comparing recipes in blind taste tests because that is all that matters, what your palate says, not the label. Everything is evaluated from a scientific perspective, not an emotional one.

Why does it matter? Because in this business, your time and your margins are too thin to waste on assumptions. Doing something “just because” is not leadership. It’s autopilot. And autopilot doesn’t work when you’re flying blind through a storm of rising costs, shrinking labor pools and ever-changing customer expectations. To not question if things can be better – or, even worse, assume you’ve peaked – goes beyond lazy to the realm of delusional.

We all need to act like scientists. Form a hypothesis. Test the outcome. Measure the results. You’d be amazed at what you uncover when you look at every part of your operation, that means every recipe, every process, every price tag, and ask, “Is this still smart? Is it still serving us?”

Sometimes it is. Often, it’s not.

Making Changes

I’m not saying overhaul your entire operation overnight. I’m saying treat nothing as sacred unless it’s been vetted. If it makes you more profitable, more consistent, and more aligned with your brand’s mission, keep it. If not, replace it. This will not only build your pride in product, but your staff will see this as well and know nothing is taken for granted. Additionally, if they are part of the vetting process for menu items and processes, they’ll have that much more buy-in on your goals.

The restaurants that progress are the ones that know why they do what they do. They’re willing to try new things, iterate and evolve.

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

The post Stagnation Is Not a Business Strategy | Mike’s Monthly Tip appeared first on Pizza Today.

Sometimes, trying to figure out where to start is the hardest part. I love this analogy that I have always used. Day One of deciding you are going to start to become an active marketer is like you’re a warship like back in the days of the pirates getting ready to set sail and leave the dock. Day after day, it is a voyage to parts unknown. As long as each day you are actively doing something with your marketing, you will look back in a year’s time and not only see a difference, but your war chest will be filled, and your ship will be ready to go to battle year after year.

Where do the ideas come, from, you may ask? We had a managers’ meeting where I had a giant easel and wrote down every idea that the 40 managers came up with.

Marketing Ideas

Events

• • All-you-can-eat wing night
  • Anniversary parties
  • Beer/pizza tastings
  • Bike night
  • Book It
  • Beer events
  • Cocktail contests
  • College nights
  • College specials
  • Holding car washes for charities in our parking lots
  • Host live podcasts
  • Guest bartenders
  • Holiday parties
  • Kids cooking classes
  • Kids eat free day
  • Late-night happy hour
  • National holidays (including brand-new ones)
  • Open mic nights
  • Pizza-eating contest
  • Secret menu
  • Ticketed events
  • Trivia night
  • VIP events

Specials

• • Adding a “challenge” menu item
  • Bar exclusive specials (dine-in only)
  • Beat-the-clock specials
  • Buy-one-get-one frees on slow weekdays
  • Catering promotions
  • Coupons
  • First-responder special
  • First-of-the-month special
  • Hospital staff discount
  • Hotel front desk incentives
  • New dessert promotion
  • Sell slices for lunch
  • Sports uniform discount
  • Senior citizen discount
  • PTA partnership
  • Report card rewards for straight As

“A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.”

– Gen. George S. Patton

Advertising

• • Business-building flyers
  • Handing out menus at local conventions
  • Customer surveys
  • Door hangings
  • Sell merch
  • Trick-or-treat coupons
  • Ten receipts, free pizzas

Other

• Business card fishbowl
• Business of the week
• Cooking classes
• Customer sweepstakes
• Early-bird specials
• Hot-and-ready pizzas
• Selling pizzas at sporting events
• Staff contests for upselling

Marketing That Resonates

As you can see, there are a ton of random ideas, but I am sure there are a few that resonate with you. Many resonated with us, and we implemented many of the ideas. We have done specifically really well with offering discounts on specific days, along with taking advantage of having so many holidays, such as “National Calzone Day.” In the next installment, I will break down exactly how to implement ideas into your pizzeria and marketing plan.

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

The post Pizza Marketing Ideas that Resonate | Building Blocks appeared first on Pizza Today.

Coming off the high of our successful private preview in October, I was certain we were ready to immediately open. But with winter looming, going through the licensing process and paying all the necessary fees just didn’t make sense. And so, we decided we’d officially open in the spring, a full six months later. So, we continued to learn and ideate while we waited.

I’ll never forget the very first order we took for Sips & Pies – not because it was a milestone I’d dreamt about my entire life, but because of how horribly wrong it went.

Everything started according to plan. We got to an empty lot next to my wife’s office with plenty of time to set up, get the fire roaring and have everything in place for a 4 p.m. opening. Our kids arrived shortly after school let out. The five of us were nervous but excited.

We were ready early, and with a line already forming, I took our first order around 3:45 p.m. My wife began stretching and topping each of the three pizzas. When the first one was ready, I slid it onto the launch peel, walked over to the oven and, as I began to slide it off onto the oven floor, a giant hole appeared. It stuck to the peel. First pizza ruined.

After getting rid of the mess, I turned around and put the second pizza on the peel, double-checked it wasn’t sticking, and went to launch it into the oven, when it happened again. Another giant tear, another ruined pizza.

It was now 4 p.m., we had a line of at least 15 people, already had five orders on the board, and the first two pizzas we sold were ruined. I couldn’t bring myself to turn around and tell my wife we needed to remake another pizza.

What the Heck Am I Doing?

I vividly remember resting my head on the oven’s shelf as my mind filled with self doubt about whether or not we could even do this. What was I thinking? Why did I think I could open a mobile pizzeria? Should I turn around and tell everyone we were just going to close for the day? Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself that feeling frustrated is a sign that you’re learning, and it was time to learn.

I walked over to my wife, let her know we needed another remake, and strategized potential fixes with her.

By this point – probably 4:15-ish – the line was longer than I imagined it being on our opening day, we had a stack of tickets, and we hadn’t even finished the first order yet.

But the five of us regrouped and started to slowly and methodically work through our orders. Our ticket times were far too long, a problem compounded by a giant gust of wind blowing all our tickets off the prep station, mixing them up in the process, but we kept moving.

We must have apologized for the long wait and thanked customers for their patience at least 100 times that day.

By 7 p.m., we’d sold 76 pizzas, had $1,382 in sales and were as exhausted as we were relieved.

Did We Make Any Money?

The next day, after licking my wounds, I sat down and looked more closely at the numbers. I created yet another spreadsheet to track how much money we spent on that service, including supplies, commissary fees, paying our kids and our amortized insurance, and within that silo, we’d made $491 in profit. Not too shabby. (Granted, my wife and I are not paying ourselves yet. We’re investing as much as possible back into the business for now, so our profit percentage is going to be higher than normal.)

As proud as I was of my wife and kids after our private preview, I was even more proud of them after our first service. We got our butts kicked, but we kept working hard together, as a team, and got through it.

We learned a lot that night. I learned a lot. And that’s exactly what I’ll cover next week in the last installment (for now) in this series.

JASON CIPRIANI is the owner of Sips & Pies, a mobile wood-fired pizzeria serving Neapolitan-inspired pizza, in Colorado.

The post Launching a Mobile Pizzeria: Grand Opening (Part 15) appeared first on Pizza Today.

Shortly after bringing our trailer home, we decided we wanted to host a private tasting as a soft opening at our house. We thought it would give us a chance to test our processes – albeit in a very controlled environment – while also getting feedback on our pizza. And so, in October 2024, we invited around 75 people, split up over two days, to come to our house and experience what we’d been working on.

Who to Invite?

Prior to our preview weekend, I’d never run a wood-fired oven on my own, managing the fire and turning pizzas. My wife had never prepped multiple pizzas to order, with a line building. My kids had never taken an order, let alone cut and boxed pizzas.

We were a bunch of rookies full of fear. And with that in mind, we decided to invite only family and close friends – people who would be patient with us should anything go wrong – to our Saturday session.

For Sunday, we opted to invite friends, acquaintances and complete strangers that followed us on Facebook and Instagram.

We made it clear in our private Facebook invites that that pizza was on us. We just wanted to test, learn and have some fun.

All told, 75 people RSVP’d: 30 on Day One and 45 on Day Two.

Deciding on a Menu

With invites sent out and RSVPs pouring in, it was time to decide on a menu. Initially, I was dead set on doing a cheese, pepperoni, sausage and a pickle pizza with white sauce. I wanted to show our full vision for the menu. But after some back and forth, my wife convinced me to keep it simple with just a cheese, pepperoni and sausage pizza.

At this point in our journey, our dough and sauce recipes were pretty much set, as was our cheese selection. We were undecided about which pepperoni and sausage we were going to use, however.

I reached out to the only food supplier we had an account with at that time and asked for samples of their best/most popular pepperoni and sausage, on top of placing an order for the rest of our ingredients and a few other small items.

We also used this time to test customer reaction and test various types of drinks we were considering selling. We bought almost every major brand of sparkling water and a few different flavors of hop water.

Talk is Cheap

We had a few weeks after sending out invites to prepare for our debut. During that time, I tried to walk my family through what to expect, our process and how to handle various situations. But the truth is, there’s no substitute for getting your hands dirty and gaining experience.

The first day went smoothly. We had set a three-hour window and told people to show up when it was convenient for them.

Attendees slowly trickled in, allowing us methodically to go through each step of our process. We served 25 pizzas that day, allowing us to confirm our workflow was valid. Perhaps more importantly, we all gained confidence.

Day Two, however, was the exact opposite experience. Instead of some people showing up right at noon and the rest slowly filtering in, not a single person showed up at opening time. Fifteen minutes after the hour, still nobody. When the clock struck 12:30, it was as if everyone we invited had waited around the corner and walked in together, as a giant group.

We were slammed.

Everything I had taught my family, along with everything we learned the previous day, was put to the test. Instead of making 25 pizzas over three hours, we made nearly 50 pizzas in 35 minutes.

It was as stressful as it was exhilarating to see the five of us work together as a team, doing something we’d never done before, and kicking butt while doing it.

After Day Two, I made sure my wife and kids knew how proud I was of us. I also felt like we were ready to open the next day. I still smile from ear to ear thinking about that day.

Feedback is Invaluable

In exchange for feeding people, we asked that they take a few minutes to fill out an anonymous survey. I created a QR code they could scan after ordering that took them directly to the Google Form.

The survey included eight questions:

• Which pizza did you order?
• What did you think of the dough/crust? (Scale of 1-5)
• What did you think of the sauce? (Scale of 1-5)
• What did you think of cheese? (Scale of 1-5)
• What did you think of toppings? (Scale of 1-5)
• How much would you pay for the pizza you had today? ($13-$16)
• Did you like our drinks selection? Why or why not?
• General feedback. It’s OK, don’t be shy

We got 28 responses, which we attribute to families filling out the survey together instead of each person individually.

The responses confirmed we were on the right track with our dough, sauce and cheese. The toppings (pepperoni and sausage) also were well received.

Forty-three percent of survey respondents said they would pay $14 for the pizza they ordered.

The most valuable feedback was on the question about drinks. Our selection was a giant miss. A handful of people said they liked sparkling water and healthier selection, but the majority asked for some sort of iced tea or soda. So, we went back to the drawing board.

The feedback section is my favorite. Multiple responses started with some variation of “I normally don’t like pizza crust, but …” while others asked for more sauce or adding basil on top of the cheese instead of under it.

All in all, it was valuable feedback that we took with us into the winter, as we finished preparing for our grand opening, also known as one of the scariest days of my life.

Check back next week to see why. …

JASON CIPRIANI is the owner of Sips & Pies, a mobile wood-fired pizzeria serving Neapolitan-inspired pizza, in Colorado.

The post Launching a Mobile Pizzeria: Soft Opening (Part 14) appeared first on Pizza Today.

“In a sense, they are helping us build our brand,” Lacz says during a session at Pizza Expo 2025. “The better we do, the better they do.”

Negotiating With Vendors

Tyler Carlson, Lacz’s co-founder and partner at TyMark, says it’s the job of the restaurant owner to protect the bottom line and product quality, and ideally their vendors have the same objective. At all TyMark restaurants, Carlson looks to keep food costs below 28%.

Recently, the restaurant group experienced its own Coca-Cola versus Pepsi showdown. After years of loyalty to Coke, the beverage giant approached them with a new five-year contract featuring higher prices.

That’s when they decided to play hardball. They contacted Pepsi, which was “very eager to get our business. They offered cash up front, change out all the equipment, their service program, ice machines. They were really willing to throw the kitchen sink at us.”

The result? Coca-Cola came back with money upfront, dropped prices, showed them rebates they didn’t know existed and even threw in some Celtics suite tickets. “It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Lacz says.

Revolutionary Spreadsheet System

One of the session’s most requested takeaways was Lacz’s custom Excel pricing comparison system. Frustrated by vendors’ inconsistent pricing formats and promises of “best pricing,” he developed what he calls his “master order guide” spreadsheet.

“What I did was put together a snapshot of our master order guide – something like 580 products – and asked them to make sure they stay in order with pricing in the same format,” Lacz says.

The spreadsheet uses conditional formatting to color-code pricing differences, making it instantly clear which vendor offers the best deals on specific items. While one major distributor promises the world, the spreadsheet reveales the truth: “All the red ones in this column – that was the distributor that promised us the best pricing,” Lacz says.

Product Specificity

TyMark emphasizes the importance of knowing products inside and out. The company’s “shelf to sheet” system ensures that what’s on the shelves matches order guides exactly.

“You want to be very, very, very specific,” Lacz says. “Your product list helps you stay consistent with ordering. It also helps you when comparing costs with other vendors.”

Carlson illustrates this with a practical example: “We use a local company that grinds our fresh burgers for us. They went up 50 cents a pound just the other week. We ran some reports, we realized we’re spending about $70,000 a year in burger meat alone. We took that information to some of our other vendors” to negotiate pricing.

Vendor Management Tips

Carlson and Lacz offer the following tips for pizzerias to implement when selecting vendors, negotiating and managing ongoing relationships.

Choosing Vendors

• Align vendor values with your brand

• Consider delivery schedules and minimum orders

• Evaluate online ordering capabilities

• Ask about test kitchens and software offerings

During Negotiations

• Everything is negotiable – pricing, terms, delivery schedules

• Ask about rebates (both vendor and manufacturer)

• Inquire about equipment and merchandising support

• Don’t be afraid to leverage your buying power

Vendor Management

Pay bills on time to maintain good standing

• Track order accuracy and provide feedback

• Maintain organized product lists with specific descriptions

• Compare prices regularly but don’t sacrifice relationships for pennies

Bottom Line

With food costs capped at 28%, Lacz and Carlson say vendor relationships aren’t just about getting the lowest price – they’re about building partnerships that support long-term success.

“The goal for your vendor should be to work hard to save you time and money and allow you to focus on growing your business and your brand,” Lacz says.

Relationships matter and data-based strategic thinking beats reactive purchasing every single time.

The post Restaurant Vendor-management Strategies That Cut Costs appeared first on Pizza Today.

Throughout the process leading up to opening day – from picking a trailer to getting licensed and insured – we purposefully didn’t approach any local business owners to ask if we could use their parking lot or facilities to sell pizza.

Once we were licensed, however, the hunt was on. Truth be told, we didn’t have to look very far to find two locations we’re happy with. Although, we’re open to (and plan on) exploring other options in the future.

Lucky Locations

So far, we’ve set up at two different locations. One is an empty lot next door to where my wife works. Her boss was kind enough to offer us the space to use whenever we want, free of charge. We had a great turnout and reception from the local neighborhood at this location.

However, the lot is located in the city, which effectively doubles the tax rate. If you read my column about pricing, you may remember that we include taxes in our listed prices, making tax rates important to keep in mind.

To use the empty lot, we had to provide the property owner with proof of liability insurance for Sips & Pies and have them sign an agreement required by our local government stating we have permission to use the space.

The second location we’ve been using is a place I’m familiar with; it’s the same exact spot where I operated my drive through coffee shop over 20 years ago. The small building we had placed there was relocated years ago (leaving a literal imprint from a paving job that occurred while it was still in place).

It’s only a couple of miles down the road from us, outside city limits with a lower overall tax rate, has power running to the nearby light pole to power our prep station, is next to a busy highway with easy access, and the businesses in the shopping center drive a lot of traffic.

The only problem? We didn’t know the current owner of the shopping center. After asking around, we discovered not only who he was, but that he’s a longtime friend of the family. A couple hours later, I was on the phone with him, getting permission to use the spot and electricity connection whenever we want.

As a form of payment, I offered to make him a few pizzas each time we set up. He’s yet to come by when we’ve been there, however. He also signed the same agreement showing we have his permission to use the property.

Both locations we’ve relied on so far happened somewhat organically, and for that, we’re fortunate.

That said, several months prior to opening, we were in talks with a local brewery to have our grand opening there. They told us they wouldn’t charge us anything to set up, nor did they want a cut of our sales. They just wanted their customers to have food available.

Fast-forward to us being ready to do a grand opening and, well, they’ve added a kitchen to their brewery and have stopped working with food trucks. So it goes, I guess.

Food Truck Groups and Unions

Over the past few months, a local food truck group has approached us on a few occasions and asked us to join. We’ve yet to do so.

Part of the reason is there’s a $100 membership fee, and then you’re required to pay $50 each time you set up at one of their events. Their main event takes place once per week at a local park, with a rotation of fellow food trucks and vendors.

One piece of advice that stuck with me from Pizza Expo 2025 was to avoid joining any food truck groups that charge fees. Instead, once you get into a routine of setting up at various local events, you’ll begin to network, and more opportunities will develop.

And so, my wife and I decided that – at least for the near term – we don’t plan to join any food truck unions or groups. We’re happy with going it on our own, for now.

Ask for Municipal Guides

I wasn’t aware until right before our first service that our municipality has a map showing where food trucks can and can’t be set up.

Not only is there a color-coded Mobile Food Vendor Location Restrictions map, but I also have to reference the city’s Zoning Map to identify the specific zone we’ll be in, and include that detail on the permission slip we need signed. It’s a little confusing to navigate either map, so you might need a decoder ring.

To be clear, I only need to reference these maps when I’m operating in city limits. In the surrounding county, which is where I live and our second location is, we don’t have to worry about it at all.

I’m not sure how other municipalities decide where mobile food vendors can and can’t set up, but I encourage you to ask if your location has a zoning or restriction map for food vendors.

JASON CIPRIANI is the owner of Sips & Pies, a mobile wood-fired pizzeria serving Neapolitan-inspired pizza, in Colorado.

The post Launching a Mobile Pizzeria: Where to Set Up (Part 13) appeared first on Pizza Today.