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Tony Gemignani, the famed pizzaiolo behind Tony’s Pizza Napoletana and Slice House by Tony Gemignani, never slows down, it seems. His Slice House franchise concept has been expanding around the country over the past year, which should keep him busy enough. But he also found time to release a new cookbook, a successor to his acclaimed The Pizza Bible, published in 2014. But this cookbook, The Pursuit of Pizza: Recipes From the World Pizza Champions, was a collaborative effort: It features nearly 50 recipes from pizza industry luminaries like John Arena, Chris Decker, Laura Meyer, Lee Hunzinger, Nicole Bean, Nick Bogacz, Audrey Kelly, Leo Spizzirri, Melissa Rickman and others.
Along with the recipes, the book provides QR codes linking to how-to videos that teach skills like stretching dough, making a poolish, assembling an Old Forge-style pizza and cutting Roman-style pizza with scissors. The co-authors also share personal insights into their “passion for craft and community, what drives them to reveal their secrets, and a window into humanity’s enduring love affair with pie— that humble, shareable feast that’s brought us together for millennia, feeding body and soul.”
CONTENT
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Rick Hynum rhynum@wtwhmedia.com
SENIOR EDITOR
Charlie Pogacar cpogacar@wtwhmedia.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Tracy Morin tmorin@wtwhmedia.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/USPT COORDINATOR
Brian Hernandez bhernandez@wtwhmedia.com
VP, ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Allison Dean adean@wtwhmedia.com
VP, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Greg Sanders gsanders@wtwhmedia.com
ART & PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR
Eric Summers esummers@wtwhmedia.com
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Tory Bartelt tbartelt@wtwhmedia.com
DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Blake Harris bharris@wtwhmedia.com
CONTENT STUDIO
VICE PRESIDENT
Peggy Carouthers pcarouthers@wtwhmedia.com
WRITER
Ya’el McCloud ymccloud@wtwhmedia.com
WRITER
Olivia Schuster oschuster@wtwhmedia.com
SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Tom Boyles tboyles@wtwhmedia.com
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Ashley Cyprien acyprien@wtwhmedia.com
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Jerry Moschella jmoschella@wtwhmedia.com
NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
Eugene Drezner edrezner@wtwhmedia.com
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
Brandy Pinion bpinion@wtwhmedia.com
FOUNDER
Steve Green
For this one-of-a-kind pizza style from Steubenville, necessity led to innovation. Copycats abound across the state today— because it’s that good.
Four pizza marketing experts share the promotions, events and menu items that will keep customers streaming through the door all season long.
With Gen Z shying away from the hard stuff and the non-alcoholic beverage category growing, it might be time to rethink your drink menu.
It’s gotten harder to cut through the noise on social media, but these two operators make content that touches the heart and tickles the funny bone.
The co-owner of Taylors’ Pizza House shares tips for finding your unique selling propositions (USPs) while keeping your brand authentic.
When Giorgia Caporuscio first came to the U.S., she got teased for her lack of cooking skills. Now she’s her legendary dad’s successor at Don Antonio—and an inspiration for women industry-wide.
BY CHARLIE POGACAR
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WHEN BRIDGET MURPHY, JOEY PUCCIARELLI AND SOON HO SIM started Extra Extra Pizza in Buffalo, New York, two years ago, they knew didn’t want to see their employees barely eking out a living on tips. In fact, they wanted every team member to become an owner. So the trio—all of whom previously worked as servers or chefs—created Extra Extra Pizza as a tipless co-op business that puts staffers on track to become worker-owners in 18 months, with everyone paid the same and cross-trained on every
station. “Because we’re tipless, instead of adding a 20% service charge onto the bill, we roughly add that to the menu price,” Murphy says. “We’re still able to maintain a profit margin, because all ‘owners’ work as employees on the floor and are paid for that work. We recognize that there are so many tasks—and risks—that owners take on, but we share in that workload and burden, so the profits don’t need to pay for a full owner’s salary.”
Brothers Frank and Austin Battaglia put a lot of thought into the name of the restaurant they opened on Chicago’s South Side in 2019: Stunod’s Pizzeria. “Stunod” is slang for “goofball,” Frank says, and it fits Ma Battaglia’s boys. Aside from making locally renowned pizzas based on recipes from their mother and grandmother, goofing around is the other thing they do best. Take, for example, their all-male kissing booth for Valentine’s Day, with offers like $5 for a smooch and $100 for a date. For $500, the booth’s sign stated, “We’ll call you our girlfriend.” Pony up $1,000, and they’d “beat up your ex-boyfriend.” A post about the booth racked up 596 likes on Instagram. “The handsome fellas manning the booth were my brother and I, our manager, Joe, and Drew, one of our kitchen guys,” Frank says. “Sadly, we had no takers, but a lot of folks got a good laugh and ordered a heart-shaped pizza.” Frank also appears in Stunod’s on-trend social media videos, delivering lines like, “I own Stunod’s. Of course I’m a short, hot-headed Italian named Frank.” This “just-beyourself” marketing approach resonates because Stunod’s is a “down-to-earth” gathering spot for railyard workers, cops and other blue-collar Chicagoans who come in to relax after a hard day’s work, Austin says. “I think people appreciate our authenticity,” he adds.
Elli Darmoyslis, the longtime pizza maker for The Varsity, encourages her favorite Syracuse University students to call her “Yia Yia,” which means “grandma” in Greek.
For a lesson in the value of retaining employees, consider The Varsity in Syracuse, New York. During her 53 years running the pizzeria’s kitchen, Elli Darmoyslis has made millions of pies—literally—for Syracuse University students, locals and sports fans. “I stopped counting at 3 million,” she recently told Syracuse.com. The Greek immigrant started working for the family-owned shop in 1971 and still welcomes guests five or six days a week with her trademark infectious joy and energy. Darmoyslis has helped make the pizzeria a Syracuse institution; stopping in for a pie on home-game weekends is a ritual, and alumni seek her out to say hello. More than a fixture, Darmoyslis is an iconic figure for The Varsity and has been featured on Today and profiled by area newspapers and websites. “I see people coming back from 45 years ago,” she told Today. “And when they see me—you’ve got to see their faces, [marveling] that I’m still here.” THE VARSITY
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There’s little room for error in the complex process of making this bread recipebased pan pizza.
BY TRACY MORINTHE STORY IS NOW LEGEND AMONG OHIO VALLEY pizza buffs: When Primo DiCarlo returned home from serving overseas in WWII, he suggested adding pizza to the offerings at his parents’ established bakery and Italian grocery store. The humble business—named DiCarlo’s, owned by husband and wife Michael and Caroline DiCarlo—was located in Steubenville, Ohio, in the eastern part of the state, just west of Pittsburgh. Today, the pie style they pioneered, Ohio Valley pizza, is sometimes referred to as Steubenville-style.
A few years after Primo’s return, in 1949, his brother Galdo partnered with him, eventually helping spread the DiCarlo’s name (and pizza) to other states, like West Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina. But despite their focus on growth, they didn’t know they had inadvertently spawned a pizza style that one day would be beloved throughout the region—and beyond.
When Primo introduced the idea of pizza to his parents, the DiCarlo family was already famous for its bread, which served as the base for the new addition. “They used big sheet pans to stretch out the bread dough—that’s why it has a crunchy crust,” explains Anna DiCarlo, Galdo’s daughter, who co-owns two Original DiCarlo’s Pizza locations in the Columbus, Ohio, area. She estimates that each tray spans 24” by 18”. Years ago, they’d cut one tray into 28 squares, but modern-day appetites require bigger slices— now there are 24 to each pan. Customers can order by the tray or slice.
tenders’ job easier is welcome, she explains, because the proper method of baking the Ohio Valley style is fairly complex. “Our pizza requires skill and time,” Anna says. “You have to pop bubbles, because the dough is sensitive. You have to play with it, turn it in the oven, make sure it’s done to perfection. It can’t be underdone or too done. We ask ourselves all the time why we want to do this—it’s more complicated than other pizzas!”
Doing things the hard way is also why Anna believes some customers might shy away from the Ohio Valley style—though hardcore fans remain a passionate bunch. “It’s hard not to love when it’s prepared correctly, but I also understand why people would not love it,” Anna says. “When you have a pizza maker who doesn’t care, it can come out soggy or burned. The margin of error is huge for the way we do our pizza, so you have to find the right people, who take pride in what they’re doing.”
One of the most unique aspects of the style is that two of the most commonly ordered toppings—cheese and pepperoni—are added after baking, not before. Anna believes this tweak was merely a requirement of the pizza’s preparation, rather than the DiCarlo family trying to pioneer a new style sensation. “I don’t know for sure, but I think the cheese is added after baking because the pans are so huge,” she says. “To cook that style, it’s a 15- to 20-minute bake, and the cheese would burn in that time, so they put the cheese on when it came out of the oven. I don’t think it was intentional.”
When made correctly, Anna notes, the cheese topping melts deliciously on the post-oven pie, a process further assisted by placing the pizza in a to-go box. That points to another difference worth noting: There’s no mozzarella in sight on this pie. The cheese added after baking at Anna’s operation is provolone-only, freshly shredded in-house to avoid any caking agents added to preshredded varieties.
Other ease-promoting updates, however, are not off the table, as Anna’s locations recently switched from gas to stone-deck electric ovens. Anything that makes the oven
Though DiCarlo’s is known as the originator of the Ohio Valley pizza style, it has spawned plenty of other pizzerias following suit. Some operate under the DiCarlo’s name, owned by family members in Ohio and neighboring states. Several were formed by employees who worked at DiCarlo’s, while others are altogether unrelated, simply performing their own interpretations of the style.
But the number of pizzerias offering Ohio Valley slices, even beyond the confines of Ohio, solidifies its legendary status, despite being a lesser-known style. “There are so many copycats, the list is endless,” Anna says. “Years ago, my dad even had a commissary, where people could buy the ingredients to open up their own shops.”
Despite growing competition, Anna’s operation continues to thrive—proof of the enduring allure of this Steubenville original. She’s on the cusp of opening a new DiCarlo’s location in Westerville, while its Columbus outpost is relocating to a larger spot to accommodate demand. “When it’s done right and there’s love behind it, I’ll hold [our Ohio Valley pizza] against any other pizza,” Anna says. “I understand why customers love it. It’s just that good.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
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Giorgia Caporsucio, one of the world’s leading pizzaiolas, is taking over Don Antonio, her legendary father’s famous pizzeria. She earned that right.
BY CHARLIE POGACAR | Photos by Noah Fecks
CAPORUSCIO FIRST ARRIVED IN New York City from her native Italy in 2009, people teased her. How could an Italian woman—and the daughter of a renowned pizza chef— not know how to cook pizza and pasta? “So I said, ‘Why don’t I start making pizza to show them?’” she recalls.
Nobody is laughing now. In January, Caporuscio took over New York’s globally acclaimed Don Antonio from her father, Roberto Caporuscio, and his mentor, Antonio Starita, both iconic pizza makers. Handpicked for the role by Roberto himself, she is now set to carry on the Neapolitan pizza restaurant’s legacy, along with her husband/partner, Matteo Bassani, who runs the restaurant’s beverage program.
But Caporuscio’s influence spans far beyond the kitchen and dining room of Don Antonio. Over the past 15 years, she has inspired women around the country— even the world—to step up and find their place in the pizza industry. As Alexandra Mortati, marketing director of Orlando Foods and founder of the Women in Pizza movement, puts it, “She is proof that the possibilities are limitless when you work hard, stay true to yourself and don’t let the fear or doubt of others hold you back.”
Despite her family ties, Caporuscio took a humble road to running Don Antonio, which is ranked No. 37 on 50 Top Pizza’s current U.S. rankings. The journey began when she was 19. After graduating from high school, she followed her father to New York City, where he’d recently opened Kesté on the Lower East Side. The move from her family’s farm in Terracina, Italy, to New York came with a great deal of culture shock—Caporuscio barely knew how to speak English at the time. “The transition was not easy,” she says. “I cried a lot and kept wondering, why am I here?”
“[Giorgia] is proof that the possibilities are limitless when you work hard, stay true to yourself and don’t let the fear or doubt of others hold you back.”
Alexandra Mortati, Orlando Foods and Women in Pizza
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She found the answer to that question in the form of authentic Neapolitan pizza. Though her father did not immediately start her on the make line—she had to work her way up at Kesté—he was soon sharing insights with her. An eager student, she was enraptured with the pizza making process.
“Making Neapolitan pizza, you’re working with really simple ingredients,” Caporuscio says. “But if you change a little on each ingredient and the quantity of that ingredient, the result is completely different. That’s what I fell in love with: It’s so simple and so complicated at the same time.”
In 2012, Don Antonio opened as a joint venture between her dad and Starita. The latter descends from the family behind a historic pizzeria in Naples, Starita a Materdei, which was founded in 1901. Starita a Materdei was immortalized in L’Oro di Napoli, a 1954 film that famously starred Sophia Loren as a pizza maker. That movie can now perhaps be viewed as a prophetic sign of things that were to come for Caporuscio: She has been at Don Antonio from the beginning, learning the business inside and out and earning a reputation as a barrierbusting pioneer who has paved the way for female pizza makers.
Caporuscio began to turn heads on the international stage when she became the youngest woman to win the
“Making Neapolitan pizza, you’re working with really simple ingredients….That’s what I fell in love with: It’s so simple and so complicated at the same time.”
Giorgia Caporuscio
prestigious Caputo Cup, held in Naples in 2013. At just 22 years old, she had joined her father on the trip without expecting to compete. Roberto had other ideas; perhaps knowing she would refuse if she had time to think about it, he told his daughter she would be competing about five minutes before the event started—and that she’d best get ready.
With just a few minutes to prepare, Caporuscio opted to make a pie that has become her signature: the Montanara, named for its origins in the mountains surrounding Naples. The pizza dough is fried first and finished in the wood-fired oven—hence, it’s also known as pizza fritta. “What I specifically do is stretch the pizza dough and put the pizza in the fryer, then [later] add toppings and put it in the side of the oven,” Caporuscio says. “The extra oil has evaporated. It’s the crunch from
the pizza being double-cooked that makes the Montanara so special.”
Caporuscio recalls being shocked when she won, but perhaps others weren’t all that surprised. A keen student of the craft, she had been absorbing any and every pizza making detail that her father and his mentor, Starita, had taught her for more than four years. Essentially, she had earned the equivalent of a college degree in pizza making—and now it was clear she had world-class talent, too.
Of course, some might have been surprised by her championship win simply because Caporuscio was a young woman in a male-dominated space. While the industry has since benefited from grassroots movements like Women in Pizza—for which Caporuscio is a passionate ambassador— and Women’s Pizza Month, neither existed in 2013. Today, Caporuscio takes a lot of pride in serving as a role model for other women entering the industry.
“For me, it’s been really important to break down this idea that the pizza world [should be] predominantly male—little by little, by just being in the pizza shop and going to competitions and promoting the idea on social media that everybody can make good pizza,” she says.
During Caporuscio’s 15 years of pizza making, she has helped open several restaurants. She’s slowly put her fingerprints on the Don Antonio menu, too, which now features pizza fritta—another point of joy and pride for her.
Overall, the Don Antonio menu showcases more than 45 Neapolitan pies, such as the Macellaio, inspired by Italian butcher Dario Cecchini and topped with mozzarella, sausage, porchetta, salame Toscano, prosciutto di Parma, basil and extra-virgin olive oil. Then there’s the Pistacchio &
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Advice for 2024 graduates:
• Be thankFULL for what you have.
• Visualize what you want in your life.
• Write down your goals, pray about them, focus on them, tell everyone about them, work your butt off to hit them.
• When you do reach your goals... CELEBRATE.
• There is nothing wrong with “here,” but there is a lot to see in this world. Go see it while you’re young.
• Don’t stop learning. Keep reading. While you drive, listen to something that will stimulate your brain.
• Pray every day for a minute or two.
• Get up early. Don’t be late. Work hard.
• Always save room for dessert at a nice restaurant!
• Don’t hang out with knuckleheads. They’ll bring you down. You’re the average of your five closest friends. Be careful who you spend time with.
• Don’t settle for average. You are better than average. Rise above!!
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• Take action!
Funny, this is great advice for us “vintage folks” too!
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Eric is the VP of Sales & Marketing for Perfect Crust Pizza Liners and Incrediblebags.com. Eric is a goal driven optimist that uses his positive attitude to lift up those around him. He’s a father to Nycholas, Alayna and Ruby. He’s a public speaker and show host. You can find him on all social media @TheEricBam.
Salsiccia, made with mozzarella, fresh pistachio pesto, sausage and basil. Caporuscio describes the latter as “a meld between my father and I.”
Don Antonio also offers gluten-free pies that are prepped in their own designated area and baked in a separate oven. For Modernist Cuisine’s Stephanie Swane, who hosts the Women in Pizza Live streamcast on Instagram, they’re standouts on an already outstanding menu. “Her gluten-free Neapolitan pizza is the best in the world,” Swane says, “and one [that sets] the highest bar for when I try others while I’m traveling.”
Caporuscio says she has some other menu tweaks in mind to ensure Don Antonio is always evolving for the next generation of diners. “We have a huge pizza menu with so many options,” she says. “My hope is to partner with more local farmers and maybe offer some limitededition pizzas with seasonal ingredients. In the past, for example, during the fall we made a pizza with butternut squash, and I’d like to do more things like that.”
Caporuscio has relished the opportunity to work with her husband, Bassani, whom she credits for elevating the beverage program to match the world-class pizza served at Don Antonio. And that’s not the only fruitful partnership she and Bassani have entered into lately—in 2023, the couple welcomed their first child. Baby Leo has already accompanied Caporuscio to the restaurant, and she and Bassani coordinate schedules to ensure the restaurant is running smoothly while juggling child care duties.
“It’s really a big challenge,” she says. “I just came back to making pizza, and I was very excited and happy, but it’s also totally different. I still need to find a balance between my first baby—that is, Don Antonio—and my
“I still need to find a balance between my first baby—that is, Don Antonio— and my actual baby [Leo, age nine months].”
Giorgia Caporuscio
actual baby. That’s an area where Matteo has really helped me a lot.”
Striking that balance has meant building a team strong enough to maintain the restaurant’s high standards—whether Caporuscio is in the kitchen or not. She’s proud of her team and notes that even when she wasn’t physically in the restaurant during her maternity leave, she stayed up to speed on all the goings-on via a group chat with Bassani and the management team. “With pizza and the restaurant business, every day is a new day,” Caporuscio says. “As much as you organize, you can rarely be prepared for what’s going to happen next.”
So what will happen next?
Caporuscio hasn’t ruled out the possibility that she will open more pizzerias in the future. She even floats the idea of opening a Don Antonio location near the beach or developing a new concept that solely focuses on pizza fritta. For now, though, she’s content raising her two babies: nine-month-old Leo and Don Antonio.
Mention Giorgia Caporuscio’s name to other women in the pizza industry, and they’re guaranteed to gush. PMQ asked three industry leaders to share their thoughts about this pioneering pizzaiola, and here’s what they told us:
Giorgia Caporuscio is a pizza powerhouse who blazed trails for women in the industry from a super young age. Her success isn’t just inspiring; it’s a reminder that barriers are meant to be broken in this male-dominated field. Her impact is undeniable and flavorful, and will leave a lasting impression on generations to come. —Christy Alia, pizzaiola and founder of Women’s Pizza Month
Giorgia was the first woman in the pizza industry I met. She made me a beautiful pizza montanara that I will never forget. Watching her stretch and create this beautiful masterpiece over seven years ago is still an amazing memory. Giorgia was the first person I contacted to peer-review Modernist Pizza when we translated it into Italian, since her knowledge of Italian and the pizza world were a perfect match. She exemplifies leadership and is always there to help others in their pizza journey. —Stephanie Swane, publisher/ editorial director, Modernist Cuisine’s The Cooking Lab, and host of Women in Pizza Live
I met Giorgia when she first came to the U.S. While we didn’t speak the same language at the time, there was an instant connection and sisterhood. Over the years, I’ve watched her flourish both personally and professionally. She’s a master at her craft and objectively one of the best pizza makers in the world. She has a magic touch that perhaps was inherent but was also meticulously honed. She has shown and reminded me to be bold when obstacles felt overwhelming and has reminded me to appreciate every step of the journey. And now I get to watch her embark on a new chapter in her journey—as a world-renowned pizzaiola, businesswoman and a mom. There aren’t many people who work as hard as Giorgia does. She was the first woman I reached out to about Women in Pizza because, while remaining extremely dedicated to her work, she’s also been exceptionally generous, open and empowering. I’m so grateful to not only be inspired by Giorgia, but to also call her a friend. Alexandra Mortati, marketing director, Orlando Foods, and
founder,
Women in Pizza
Heat up your warm-weather sales by taking cues from these diverse seasonal marketing strategies, successfully employed at pizzerias nationwide.
BY TRACY MORINAS THE TEMPERATURES SOAR AND REGULAR CUSTOMERS flee on vacations, some operators notice a sales slump during summer. But savvy pizzeria owners know that the right promotions, events, menu items and partnerships will have customers streaming through the door all season long. “We usually see an increase in sales during the summer, but the sales shift from weekend-heavy during the school year to all days more evenly distributed during the summer,” notes Hengam Stanfield, co-founder of Mattenga’s Pizzeria, with six locations in the San Antonio area. “By actively promoting our summer offers to clients, the pizzeria stays competitive and top-of-mind during the hot season.”
Read on to hear Stanfield and other pizzerias around the country share their top successful strategies in their own words. Then start planning now for a blazing summer season!
Many of our patrons frequent community pools or relax in their neighborhoods, choosing our pizzas as their go-to dinner option. To stay top-of-mind, we’ve tailored our social media content to resonate with these summer moments, ensuring our brand is associated with fun, leisure and group gatherings. In a social media ad, used in a three-mile radius around each of our stores, we mention, “Come try San Antonio’s voted-best pizza.”
We’ve also forged partnerships with local businesses to create unique experiences, such as our Pizza and Pottery events. Children have the joy of making their own pizzas and painting pottery, offering families a delightful evening for $25 to $30 per child. This initiative not only entertains the kids, but allows parents to unwind with a glass of wine on our patio, enjoying a peaceful summer evening.
Collaborating with local breweries, we’ve hosted beer tasting events, capitalizing on the communal desire for new experiences and the pleasure of outdoor gatherings during the warmer months.
Incorporating seasonal items into our menu is another strategy we’ve embraced. Understanding the cultural and dietary preferences of our community guides us in offering summer favorites like barbecue meats, seasonal vegetables and refreshing desserts like ice cream and gelato. Showcasing these seasonal specials on social media emphasizes freshness and appeals to the diverse tastes of our customers.
“We’ve also forged partnerships with local businesses to create unique experiences, such as our Pizza and Pottery events.
Children have the joy of making their own pizzas and painting pottery… for $25 to $30 per child.”
Hengam Stanfield, Mattenga’s Pizzeria
These strategies are not just about driving sales; they’re about enriching the community experience, creating lasting memories, and building a deeper connection with our patrons by aligning our offerings with their summer lifestyle.
Finally, we send our team members with free pizzas to hotels every two weeks. We build relationships with the front desk, so they recommend Mattenga’s to guests. When folks ask for restaurants in the area, our restaurant is the first they mention because of the goodwill we’ve built with them. We also drop off menus and complementary breadsticks vouchers at the hotels biweekly. A lot of out-of-towners also check reviews before visiting, and they’re more likely to leave reviews after purchase.
Hengam Stanfield, co-founder, MATTENGA’S PIZZERIA, San Antonio, TX (6 locations)
“At our former beachfront location… we’d hold an end of summer party - when the tourists left - to say, ‘Thank you for helping us through the winter.’ We took pictures and put them on our walls.”
Dawn Bingaman, Perry’s Pizza
Jess and Dawn Bingaman, owners, PERRY’S PIZZA, Huntington Beach, CA (1 location)
Dawn: One of our most popular events is kids pizza parties. We offer them throughout the year, but they’re more popular in summer, since kids are out of school and parents are looking for activities for their kids to get involved with. The group can be up to 12 people, with fun activities and pizza trivia. We dress them up in a kids apron that’s Perry’s-branded.
Jess: We give them a tour of the kitchen while we’re working so they can see what actually happens in a restaurant. We teach them how to roll their own pizzas, then we cook and serve them to the kids.
Dawn: They have so much fun—they’re super engaged, and they remember it forever as one of those cool childhood experiences. Then, with everyone more conscious of what they’re eating in summertime, we’ve had some recent summer menu items.
Jess: We do an angel hair pasta with summer veggies, like squash and asparagus, in a light wine sauce. We also have a crispy chicken salad and a summer salad, with strawberries, cranberries and walnuts.
Dawn: We have a garden at home, and one year we had a bunch of squash and tomatoes. That’s often where stuff begins, here at home— if it works, we try it on the menu. The angel hair has been super popular, since in summer people might want lighter options instead of a heavy meat lovers pizza. We also have outdoor dining, with a few tables and a little patio area. At our former beachfront location in Newport Beach, we’d hold an end of summer party—when the tourists
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left—for the locals, to say, “Thank you for helping us through the winter.” We took pictures and put them on our walls. When we moved to our new location, we made the pictures into a digital wrap for the tables. Now we’ve continued the party tradition for our anniversary every year, inviting people for giveaways and raffles. We take their pictures and put them on the tables, too. Customers like showing them off.
Jess: It was pretty easy to do the end of summer parties. I was in a band then, and we always had volunteers to run the barbecue and pizza ovens.
Dawn: We’d close early to the public at 4 or 5 p.m., and it was invite-only. It became a big thing; we eventually had to have wristbands. There are also a lot of events that the city puts on each year, like concerts. We’ll talk up events like the 4th of July parade and prepare for extra traffic.
Jess: For events that are going on in the city, join the chamber of commerce. It’s expensive, but they’ll support you a lot: “After the 4th of July parade, come to Perry’s.”
Dawn: To get the word out on anything we do, social media is a big player. We have talented folks on our team who, for new menu items, will design stand-up menu boards with chalk paint. Customers like to be part of something new, and if they like it, we’ll put it on the real menu. We also use email, sent to our loyalty members, for big announcements. We’ve used mailers and discount coupons, too—mostly to target new customers.
“We ramp up the promotion of [our frozen custards] starting in June for National Dairy Month, then remind customers of this cool, tasty treat all summer long through various owned and paid media channels.”Greg Wold, VP of marketing, TOPPERS PIZZA, Whitewater, WI (70-plus locations)
It’s important to market to customers all year long, especially during relevant seasonal eating occasions. Sure, traditionally we might get more delivery sales during a snowstorm for the big game, but having an option to feed a large group instead of barbecuing for Father’s Day or the 4th of July is just as relevant to the customer. Our goal is to be culturally relevant to the customer throughout the year.
Like many in our space, we do tend to see a seasonal dip during the summer. Many of our stores are located in campus markets, where college students are back home. But, because we are from Wisconsin and take our dairy pretty seriously, we offer some pretty darn good
Greg Wold, Toppers
Frozen Custards. Although this menu item is available all year long, we ramp up the promotion of it starting in June for National Dairy Month, then remind customers of this cool, tasty treat all summer long through various owned and paid media channels. This has allowed us to drive awareness around this specialty product and, more importantly, sales. Last summer, Frozen Custard saw an increase of 15% in sales during this time frame as a result of these efforts. Our advice: Stay top-of-mind to the customer by talking to them, when it makes sense, with breakthrough creative.
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.Pizza At Toppers Pizza, sales of Frozen Custard rose by 15% in the summer of 2023 as the brand ramped up promotion of the dessert for National Dairy Month.
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Innovative solution overcomes staffing challenges while increasing profits.
The quick-service restaurant industry is rapidly growing, especially with the shift toward online ordering and delivery services.
One way restaurants can seamlessly integrate online and phone orders to their customers is through the use of AI technology. Although many companies have failed at this, one has prevailed.
PizzaCloud continues to advance its phone solution technology in the pizza industry. With 35 years of experience and over 2,000 customer locations across the U.S., PizzaCloud’s platform offers a unique
By Abby Winterburn | Sponsored by PizzaCloudtake orders. The goal was to increase efficiency and cut labor costs by enhancing its phone systems. PizzaCloud also operates 14 human-staffed call centers of varying sizes.
Initial AI platforms revealed significant drawbacks, including high costs, poor understanding of natural language, inability to recognize repeat customers or handle promotions and errors, and a lack of upselling features. These issues stemmed from the developers’ lack of restaurant experience and inadequate integration with POS systems.
Responding to these challenges, PizzaCloud collaborated with an AI services company and multiple POS providers to improve data integration, enabling better customer service and data utilization. The newly developed system is cost-effective, enhances the average sale through upselling, and efficiently manages coupons and specials, thus addressing the previous shortcomings and meeting both the company’s and its customers’ needs.
Fielding 1.6 million calls per week, the innovative phone solutions provider is using AI-ordering digital assistants to seamlessly connect pizzerias with their customers. “If a pizza restaurant is looking to save money and make ordering easier for their customers, then they need PizzaCloud,” says Rich Bowman, president of Arrow POS.
“Company longevity allows for the opportunity to speak with their previous clients about the company’s reputation and how good of a job they do.”
Rich Bowman, President, Arrow POS
direct them to select a number that will instantly send them a link to the online ordering platform,” Bowman says.
Currently, the AI technology used by PizzaCloud is far ahead of AI used within other industries. “PizzaCloud AI knows pizzeria customers,” Bowman says. “Right now, we’re perfecting placing orders, adding new customers, and working with couponing and reward systems. However, we hope to incorporate other features such as what a customer ordered last time which allows for easy repeat orders and text-to-pay options for secure order payment.”
PizzaCloud can be a huge help to pizzerias struggling with staff shortages.
“If AI can take 70 percent of restaurant calls, then operators can eliminate at least one spot that was originally filled by an employee solely based on the fact that they don’t need someone to answer the phone,” Bowman says. For restaurant owners and operators who are considering upgrading their POS and phone systems, choosing the correct company to partner with is vital. “One of the biggest things to look at in a POS or phone company is longevity,” Bowman says. When picking a company, operators should look for a company that has been in the industry for a long time.
“Company longevity allows for the opportunity to speak with their previous clients about the company’s reputation and how good of a job they do,” Bowman says. “As far as technology, make sure the company will always stay up to date and have a strong development team. Make sure their software is forever evolving.”
Many of these characteristics have been noticed by PizzaCloud’s customers. “It’s really like working with a partner,” says Ali Ghassabian, head of IT at Pizza Guys. “That’s what I’m looking for in a phone and technology company, a partner that’s willing to grow with Pizza Guys.”
Another benefit noted by Ghassabian is PizzaCloud’s specificity and simplicity.
IP phone solutions system. Pizzerias using PizzaCloud receive more orders and gain control over their call flow all while increasing their revenue by $500 to $750 a month, just from the core features of the phone system.
Recognizing that staffing and labor cost issues in the pizza industry will be an ongoing problem, PizzaCloud opted to develop a virtual call center powered by AI to interact with customers, answer inquiries, and
With the integration of AI digital assistants, PizzaCloud can offer pizzerias new and exciting features. For example, call recordings for quality assurance, caller ID allowing instant customer recognition and text messaging from the store phone number for delivery notifications, links to online ordering, and more.
Another feature offered by AI technology is the ability for customers to seamlessly transfer call orders to online orders. “If a customer is sitting on hold for too long an AI assistant will
GETTY IMAGES/BOONYAKIAT CHALOEMCHAVALID
PizzaCloud.net. operators and customers need.”— Ali Ghassabian, Pizza Guys
What is an “ A.I.” or virtual call center?
In the simplest form, think of it as a high end third party web ordering service, but your customer is speaking to it instead of on a web page.
The phone system itself answers the phone and interacts with the customer —a “digital assistant” taking orders and pushing them into the POS system, as well as answering questions.
How is the PizzaCloud solution different?
After talking to every A.I. ordering company, PizzaCloud chose to partner with Voicify.com. Voicify has the best conversational A.I. technology available and partnered with PizzaCloud to build a voice ordering system engineered for the complexity of pizza restaurant menus.
PizzaCloud knows...you, and your needs as a pizza restaurant owner. Serving thousands of pizza restaurants with cloud phone service, cellular backup Internet and text messaging since 2014, we know this industry.
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Why try dry? Creative non-alcoholic drinks offer boozeless alternatives to meet growing customer demand while maximizing profits for operators and staff alike.
BY TRACY MORIN
Have you heard of Dry January, Sober October, One Year No Beer or similar efforts that challenge participants to forgo alcohol? Maybe you’ve seen the stats showing Gen Z is less interested in drinking than previous generations. Or perhaps your business doesn’t have a full liquor license but still wants to offer fun specialty beverages with impressive profit margins.
Regardless of the reasons, it’s likely the perfect time to rethink your non-alcoholic drinks. “Non-alc is the fastest growing category in beverage, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon,” notes Marcus Sakey, co-founder of Chicago-based Ritual Zero Proof. “In 2023, we saw the largest year-over-year growth for the category, according to the 2023 NielsenIQ Report, which indicated a $510 million increase in non-alcoholic sales. And the non-alcoholic share of the total alcohol market is expected to grow to nearly 4% by 2027, according to market researcher IWSR, and 10% within a decade.” Let Sakey do the math for you: Non-alc is on its way to becoming a roughly $1.2-billion category by 2034.
Not surprisingly, pizzerias are jumping on the nonalcoholic bandwagon. UNO Restaurants, owner of UNO Pizzeria & Grill, headquartered in Boston, launched a non-alcoholic drink menu (using Ritual Zero Proof spirits) at all of its 78 locations last January. “We worked with a team at one of our locations in Florida to create the non-alcoholic versions of four of our most popular cocktails: a Margarita, Hurricane, Old-Fashioned and Peach Mule,” says Edgar Cruz, regional beverage director. “When we conducted blind taste tests among our team, many of them couldn’t tell the difference. That’s when we knew we got it right.”
For UNO CEO Erik Frederick, the rise of—and demand for—non-alcoholic alternatives made adding these drinks a no-brainer. “This was something that our customers were asking for and is an investment in a lifestyle trend that we can all agree is here to stay,” he explains. “What has really been encouraging is that sales have maintained consistent levels even after Dry January, showing that the
trend is more than just a special-period phenomenon. We anticipate it will continue to grow.”
That’ll be an impressive feat, since, in 2023, Ritual’s total on-premise sales shot up by 791% from 2022. “There’s a big cultural shift taking place,” Sakey notes. “People are more mindful and health-conscious than ever. More interestingly, this growing mindfulness connects with every demographic. Gen Z may be leading the ‘sober curious’ movement, but every generation’s drinking habits are changing, all the way to Baby Boomers.”
And, Sakey adds, as the world’s relationship with alcohol is changing, there is also massive innovation happening on the manufacturer side. “Every day, there’s a new product launch,” he says. “There are mushroom elixirs, hydrating powders, CBD RTDs—the list goes on and on.”
At Atlanta-based Mellow Mushroom, with 160-plus locations across 16 states, mocktails are a key part of the beverage program, taken just as seriously as their alcoholic counterparts. They’re hand-crafted, made using fresh ingredients—and versatile, as they’re offered paired with spirits for customers who choose to drink. “Like with all of our hand-crafted beverages, we get behind the bar and work with various juices and flavors,” says Anne Mejia, VP of brand development. “When we find the ones we like and that will taste good paired with pizza, we add them to our menu test calendar and determine how well they sell once in the hands of Mellow Mushroom operators. We serve a lot of families, so non-alcoholic beverages are a critical component of our beverage program. We have two menu sections devoted to non-alcoholic beverages: one for traditional beverages, including fountain beverages and iced teas, and the other for mocktails.”
Because UNO and Mellow Mushroom have locations across the country—in different markets, with different types of consumers—it’s crucial to serve a wide variety of tastes. That means non-alcoholic drinks can probably work for a smaller independent pizzeria’s customer base, too. “Overall, this is something that caters to anyone looking for alternatives,” Cruz says. “It fits well with our brand, because we create dining experiences rooted in preference.”
Offering non-alcoholic beverages, beyond the typical water and soda, also creates a better in-house experience. “It’s all about optionality, inclusivity and experience,” Sakey says. “A guest seeking a nonalcoholic drink can now order a satisfying $12 cocktail instead of a soda and lime. Just like every grocery has oat milk and every restaurant has vegetarian options, every menu needs non-alc alternatives.”
To market these drinks, UNO created new menus and tabletop displays to promote the menu on-premise and trained all of its staff on the new offerings. “We also serve the non-alcoholic drinks in a beautiful custom blue glass adorned with the Ritual logo—so a neighbor at the next table might ask what they’re drinking when they see it go by!” Cruz says. “Additionally, we regularly feature the drinks on our social media platforms, both organically and with paid campaigns.”
Frederick adds that specialty drinks are not only more profitable for the business, but for staff members. “Our bartenders can earn more in tips for mixing up a zeroproof cocktail instead of refilling a water all night,” he says. “By having choices available, it makes going to the local UNO appealing for everyone in the party, regardless of lifestyle, and that’s more business in the door.”
In fact, many people buying non-alcoholic beverages are not necessarily non-drinkers—they’re ideal for designated drivers, pregnant women, athletes, weeknight celebrations and more. “It’s not all-or-nothing; consumers can have a full-proof drink one night, and a zero-proof drink the next,” Sakey says. “In fact, 94% of those purchasing non-alcoholic spirits are also purchasing alcoholic products, according to Nielsen.”
“This was something that our customers were asking for and is an investment in a lifestyle trend that we can all agree is here to stay.”
Eric Frederick, UNO Pizzeria & Grill
Meanwhile, Mellow Mushroom has seen mocktails double in sales over the last three years, and their popularity is continuing to grow. “Non-alcoholic beverages, mocktails, fountain beverages and iced teas have some of the best margins on our menu—including mocktails that come complete with custom garnishes,” Mejia explains. “With mocktails, we sometimes see that the guest who ordered a cocktail will trade to a mocktail partially through their meal.
“Fountain beverages are easy to pour, but not necessarily memorable,” she adds. “A craft-made mocktail is part of the overall Mellow Mushroom dining experience and something that sets us apart from other restaurants.” Mejia recommends that operators start with one or two mocktails, executed flawlessly. If you find success, keep mocktails in your innovation pipeline.
At UNO, the hurricane (called the Windless Hurricane) and the margarita (called the Nada Margarita) have been the top sellers so far. Before creating your alcohol-free menu, Frederick suggests looking at the data and talking with consumers to understand their preferences. After all, drinking—like sharing a pizza—is a social activity. “It’s about making a customer’s dining experience more enjoyable and special,” he says. “Sure, some guests may still opt for water, tea or soda, but there is a growing curiosity around moderation, and our hope is to show our customers that it can taste just as great as any alcoholic drink. It often isn’t about going cold turkey; what we’ve learned is that it’s really about choice. Ultimately, opening up your beverage menu to more choices will pay dividends for your business.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
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SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME AN indispensable marketing tool for pizzeria owners. The platforms allow independent businesses to connect with customers, showcasing everything from limited-time promotions and new menu items to team members and regular customers. But as these platforms have become saturated with pizza makers putting out content—some better than others—it’s becoming more challenging to cut through the noise. Pizzeria operators must figure out how to differentiate themselves online in order to create more engagement and, hopefully, pizza sales.
Recently, PMQ interviewed a pair of pizzeria owners who have developed impressive followings on their social channels. The duo shares these eight tips to help other pizzeria operators get more out of one of the most costefficient marketing tools at their disposal: social media.
A pair of marketing-savvy operators share eight ways to supercharge your pizzeria’s social media presence.BY CHARLIE POGACAR
Janet Zapata is the owner of 550 Pizzeria in Laredo, Texas. She has developed an audience of 11,000plus followers on Instagram and 12,800 more on Facebook. She worked tirelessly to build up those numbers and now has a part-time social media manager who helps her produce game plans for content. The pair meet in person once monthly to go over what has been working (and what hasn’t) and to develop a plan for the coming month.
Anthony Schifilliti is the owner of Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza in Brick, New Jersey. His engaging posts—which often include friends and family members and spotlight Schifilliti’s culinary skills—have grown his audience to 15,400 followers on Instagram. Schifilliti says he experimented with Facebook for a while but no longer regularly updates the page. He decided it wasn’t worth his time.
Both Zapata and Schifilliti wholeheartedly agree: It’s crucial that your social media presence is authentic. They also note that this is easier said than done. When the camera is on, there’s a tendency to “perform.” The problem is, people pick up on inauthenticity. “People want to see real stuff,” Zapata says. “I made a Reel [last Christmas] with Santa that was just funny. They want to laugh at things like that. Make it cute—I don’t think this is something that’s changed all that much. When I post something, I like to feel that it will connect with the viewer. And it should be short, because people get bored. They don’t want to watch a long video.”
As both Zapata and Schifilliti will confirm, Instagram Reels tend to attract more engagement than static pictures, due in part to the platform’s algorithm and ongoing rivalry with TikTok. When Instagram first started, Reels—or any video at all—were not yet available on that platform. If you’ve been operating an Instagram account for more than a decade and still post mostly static pictures, you’re missing out on engagement.
Just as you wouldn’t open a pizzeria and copy everything the shop next door does, you shouldn’t try to emulate someone else’s social media style. What works for one brand may not work for another. “If you’re not different, you’re not going to get any attention,” Schifilliti says. “You have to have something to grab their attention and get them engaged. Personally, I use a lot of music. I think it’s really important. If you watch the same clip without music, it’s like two different movies.” For his clips, Schifilliti also brings in his kids to make requests for menu items, then Dad heads to the kitchen to show how the dishes are made.
GETTY IMAGES/HAZAL AK ANTHONY SCHIFILLITI
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4
Tell Your Story. Schifilliti points out that most pizzerias have a story to tell. No matter how often you encourage servers and cashiers to pass that story along to the customer, it won’t always make it to them, he believes. “Like I said, we’re different,” Schifilliti says. “And we’re proud of that. For example, we make our own mozzarella sticks and bread them in-house. You can tell your servers to remember to say that all you want, but they get busy, and that’s one of the first things they stop doing. But I get people all the time who watch our social media and say, ‘Wow, they use San Marzano tomatoes, their wings are cooked in the oven with olive oil, the pasta’s made with béchamel.’ That’s what’s amazing about social media. You can get the real message straight from the owner.”
One day, Zapata says, she’d love to use social media to show customers what her day-to-day life is like and how she pours her heart and soul into the business. “People always ask me, ‘So what do you do all day?’ When people don’t see me here, they think I’m never here,” she notes. “Well, I may be in the kitchen, or out at the schools, or at community events. I’m always doing something to try and drive business in the door.”
5 Put Your Imagination to Work.
Think of your social media as if it were a menu. You wouldn’t just stick with the same menu for 20 years and expect people to keep coming back. The same is true of a social media presence. Don’t be afraid to try new things and use your imagination. “I think you should never be content with your social media,” Zapata says. “You always have to look out for whatever the new thing is.” Zapata, for example, posted a Reel in the style of the reality TV show Cops that delivered laughs and 15,000-plus views (see sidebar on page 46), while another Reel showcased the unique talents of a hungry mime placing a pizza order exclusively with gestures.
Another reason you may want to consider moving from only static pictures to more Reels, videos or Instagram Stories? Many people don’t like to read. Zapata noted that whenever she writes a long caption, it seems to attract less engagement. “You can say, ‘Hey, we’re closing at 3 p.m. Monday,’ and everybody shows up then,” she says. “You can say, ‘Hey, we are sold out of this,’ and people will come in and ask if you’re really sold out. It’s all in the picture, as people like to say.”
Anthony Schifilliti uses Instagram Reels to show followers how he makes popular menu items at Nino’s Coal Fired Pizza.
“When I post something, I like to feel that it will connect with the viewer. And it should be short, because people get bored. They don’t want to watch a long video.”
Janet Zapata, 550 Pizzeria
There are pizzerias out there that haven’t posted on their social channels in months. By abstaining, they’re missing out on free advertising to everyone in their area who owns a smartphone. They’re also losing ground to the competition. “I try to post once a day,” Schifilliti says. “And I try to mix it up: something personal, something with family, then something with cooking.”
Social media posts don’t consume all that much time for Schifilliti or Zapata. Schifilliti estimates that some posts take him less than two minutes to film and upload. There are entire weeks that go by—even with daily posts—in which he spends no more than an hour on social media, he estimates, yet Nino’s still reaps the rewards.
Every social media platform offers the ability to pay to boost posts and reach more people. Zapata and Schifilliti occasionally use this feature. The key for both of them, however, is to boost only the type of post that really needs more eyeballs. For example, Zapata recently ran an annual contest where social media users could win free pizza for a year if they followed 550 Pizzeria’s account and commented on a post. Boosting that post meant more people entered to win and started following her. Similarly, Schifilliti recently opened a second location. To drive engagement for the grand opening, he boosted a post about it. “I believe in paying to boost posts every once in a while,” he says, noting that he also likes to give something away—maybe a free slice—if a customer can prove they follow one of his accounts.
But Schifilliti does have a warning, of sorts, for others. “Never buy followers!” he says. “It’s a waste of money, and it’s just not the right way to grow your business.”
In an Instagram Reel posted in late January, Janet Zapata of 550 Pizzeria hopped on the viral “Of Course” video trend, popularized by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Mariah Carey. Zapata and her team members quipped, “We’re 550. Of course we’re sold out” or “We’re 550. Of course we have fresh dough.” One employee joked, tongue in cheek, “We’re 550. Of course we all look alike,” followed by an awkward and startled pause from his fellow staffers. The Reel garnered more than 26,800 views and 1,221 likes.
In another Reel from 550 Pizzeria, shot in the style of reality TV show Cops, a police officer pulls Zapata’s SUV over after spotting what looks like blood dripping from the trunk. Zapata, too, is soaked in the sticky, red stuff. When the cop checks the trunk, all she finds is a stack of boxes filled with pizzas. Claiming a pie for herself, the officer walks away, failing to notice a severed hand protruding gruesomely as Zapata closes the trunk. That Reel won more than 15,200 views and ended with bloopers from the shoot.
Nino’s Coal Fired highlighted the needs of Bradley Food Pantry in a Reel that featured Linda Curtiss, the pantry’s director. Chatting with Nino’s owner, Anthony Schifilliti, Curtiss called on customers to donate food as well as money for a new location for the Bradley Beach, New Jersey, nonprofit. The Reel logged nearly 19,500 views and focused entirely on the pantry’s needs, with no overt self-promotion for the pizza shop.
Not every successful Reel has to be funny or flashy. On Christmas Eve 2023, Schifilliti’s daughter and two sons donned their Sunday best and joined their dad for a simple yet effective video wishing their customers a happy holiday. In addition to 3,000 likes from Nino’s fans, the Reel drew a whopping 211,000 views while emphasizing Schifilliti’s love of family and community.
Charlie Pogacar is PMQ’s senior editor.
Registration is now open for the The California Pizza Challenge, sponsored by Real California Milk
The California Restaurant Show and The Pizza Tomorrow Summit will become the new home of the US Pizza Team’s California Pizza Challenge, August 25-27, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. With exciting event sponsors to be announced, three days of events, and a grand prize to compete in an international pizza competition in 2025, be ready to bring your entire squad of pizza makers and spinners!
For more information and rules and regulations, visit uspizzateam.com/cpc25 or email bhernandez@wtwhmedia.com.
The U.S. Pizza Team is proud to welcome new sponsor Lloyd Pans to the USPT family. With its support of the U.S. Pizza Team and the industry, pizza makers today are producing some of the most innovative and delicious pan pizzas ever seen. With caramelized crusts and perfect bakes, Lloyd Pans is helping feed pizza fans from coast to coast—one pie at a time.
Welcome and thank you to Lloyd Pans from the entire U.S. Pizza Team!
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Find your unique selling propositions, says the co-owner of Taylors’ Pizza House, and you’re on the way to success in any market.
BY BRIAN HERNANDEZWE ALL WANT TO BE NOTICED. It’s human nature, and, at times, it’s survival of the fittest, especially in the pizza industry. If you aren’t out there shaking your proverbial tail feathers at all the passersby, then good luck to you, friend.
U.S. Pizza Team members George and Patti Taylor, owners of Taylors’ Pizza House in Endwell, New York, know all about standing out in a “crowded house.” Their devotion to 1990s grunge and alt-rock, plus a unique dining atmosphere and award-winning pies, have helped Taylors’ Pizza House become the area’s go-to pizzeria while inspiring their competitive urge and pizza curiosity. Here, George shares tips for developing unique selling
propositions (USPs) and more things “you oughta know” to stay “alive” in the pizza industry.
Hernandez: Let’s talk about unique selling propositions. What does that mean to you?
Taylor: It’s what makes you different from your competition. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, whether you’re selling shoes or pizzas or whatever. If we’re all making the same exact pizza and we all cut our pies the same way and wear the same uniform, why would anybody buy from anyone? There’s always something that has to make you different than the other guy, and I’ll be honest with you: When we had our first
George and Patti Taylor team up to compete at the 2023 Galbani Pizza Cup. George Taylor combined his love for pizza and grunge music to make Taylors’ Pizza House a standout brand in Endwell, New York.restaurant (Freschott Pizza), I really struggled with that question. We did fine and made a living that whole time, but, looking back, we could have done so much more.
Hernandez: How did you fix that issue with Taylors’ Pizza House?
Taylor: Now we have a USP that boasts four different styles of pizza using unique, fresh ingredients. We also showcase New York State craft beers on tap. So we try to keep it different, fresh and local. Everybody else around here sells New York-style and sheet pizzas. We wanted to do something different. We sell those, of course, but we also sell Detroit style, which nobody in our area does. We sell Chicago tavern pizza, and we offer Sicilians. A lot of people get confused, thinking a sheet pizza is a Sicilian pizza, and it’s not. Sometimes I must educate folks about that. It’s more like a focaccia with toppings. Then, when they eat it, they’re, like, “Yeah, I don’t feel like I just ate a brick, like at the other places,” and that’s when you know they get it. Next thing you know, they’re back three or four days later for more, or maybe they try the Detroit. Then they’re hooked, and they have to keep coming back here to get it.
Hernandez: How do you decide what USP works for you?
Taylor: It’s more of an idea. As an example, take Randy’s Wooster St. Pizza in Manchester, Connecticut. One of their location themes was based around Hot Wheels. They had the largest collection in the country, and their booths were repurposed car seats. It was a cool vibe, and there was nothing else like it. It was like eating in the middle of a Hot Wheels track. A USP doesn’t necessarily have to be selling 10 styles of pizza. It can be the atmosphere. It can be anything that sets you apart.
Hernandez: That sounds expensive.
Taylor: You can have an expensive USP with bells and whistles, but if your product is horrible, it doesn’t matter. On the same note, it doesn’t cost me anything extra to make four styles of pizza. I have a universal dough recipe
and use the same ovens. The biggest expense is my poster budget.
Hernandez: Speaking of which…the grunge thing. I like it. How did that come about? Is that a USP as well?
Taylor: That really has to do with branding. Our specialty pizzas are named after ’90s grunge bands. The walls are covered in ’90s grunge band posters. Our uniforms are like concert T-shirts. On the front, they say, “Pizza That Rocks,” with our logo of a slice jamming on a guitar. But where the tour dates would go on the back, we have our specialty pizzas and the cities they represent, and we threw on some made-up dates. Everything goes to reinforce that image of the ’90s grunge era. That’s the Taylors’ brand.
Hernandez: So where is the line between a brand and a USP?
Taylor: One of them is what we do, and the other is who we are. As Taylors’ Pizza, we are the ’90s grunge-themed pizzeria with award-winning pies with fun names on the menu. That’s our brand. We do four different styles with fresh and unique ingredients. That’s our USP. And the USP in and of itself doesn’t necessarily have to do anything to draw people in. It can be just the idea of what you do, a simple reason that you’re different. The brand is who you present to the customers through your interactions and atmosphere—the identity. The brand can bring them in, but the USP should keep them coming back.
For the full interview and to learn more about George Taylor’s award-winning pizza and his favorite USPs, visit PMQ.com/ george-taylor
For more information about the U.S. Pizza Team, its members and sponsors, visit uspizzateam.com.
Know a pizzeria that’s over 50 years old and a pillar of the community?
Nominate them for inclusion into the Pizza Hall of Fame!
Visit www.PizzaHallofFame.com for more information.
When Sam Valeo, owner of an Italian deli in Kenosha, Wisconsin, moved his business across town in 1965, he rebranded as Valeo’s Pizza, serving up pies as a menu item. James Spata, who’d owned a pizzeria in Illinois and was relocating to Kenosha, bought the business in 1973. “He brought his own style to the pizzeria, but whatever things weren’t well-received, he reverted back to Sam’s way—the best of both worlds,” explains Eric Spata, James’ son and current owner. “It’s a Chicago-style pizzeria, with stuffed, pan, thin-crust, and in 2014 we added a hand-tossed option. But thin-crust makes up about 76% of the pizza we sell.”
Working with a 1,600-square-foot space, with delivery and carryout only, Eric, like his father, made important tweaks when he assumed operations in 2012. (James wanted to retire, but never quite did—he and his wife, Lyla, still regularly pitch in for bulk-items prep, like meatball making.) Eric brought Valeo’s phone system and credit card processing into the 21st century, while adding online ordering, a sharply designed website, social media marketing and a mobile app. These changes helped Eric double profits within five years and triple revenue by 2020. In late 2023, its second location, in Bloomington, Minnesota, opened, and Eric is eyeing franchising for the future.
BY TRACY MORIN
But the real success of Valeo’s, Eric believes, is its community investment. This focus takes many forms: using clean, minimally processed ingredients; investing a percentage of profits to youth, family and community programs; teaching young employees leadership skills through apprenticeship programs; and providing job opportunities to at-risk populations. “In this industry, you can’t just focus on yourself and making money,” Eric says. “Pizzerias that focus on others—their customers, their team—seem to do the best. My dad always wanted to find ways to give back, and we’ve adopted and continue that.”
Fittingly, the Valeo’s mission is to “build community one pizza at a time.” Customers who have been visiting for decades clearly appreciate this community touchstone, and Eric takes pride in maintaining a familyfriendly environment. “There’s that bond, memory and tradition that get created,” Eric says. “Traditions are all too often lost nowadays. Here, a family can come closer together on pizza night, versus growing apart. We think that’s really special.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
(Clockwise from left) Sam Valeo oversees the Valeo’s Pizza kitchen in the late 1960s; Valeo’s moved to its current location in 1965; Valeo’s trucks advertised and delivered for the business in 1984 (the child on the front seat is Eric Spata, current owner).There are no shortcuts to greatness. OK, maybe one.
YOU WOULDN’T COMPROMISE YOUR REPUTATION. NEITHER WOULD WE.
