Tyrell Reed’s path in the pizza business started humbly—tossing pies at Little Caesars in Michigan before moving to the Tampa, Florida, area and landing a job at Westshore Pizza. Recognized for his work ethic and leadership potential, Reed was soon offered a shot at ownership by Westshore’s founder, Bob Vasaturo. But Reed’s first attempt at running a franchise store ended painfully—losing $80,000 in just seven months. “It was like I went to college,” he said. “Now I was in debt, and I had to figure it out.” Humbled, Tyrell returned to work under Vasaturo, where he recommitted himself to learning the fundamentals of leadership, delegation and financial management. A few years later— motivated by the birth of his first child and a clearer vision for the future—he reentered the franchise world with a renewed mindset. Today, he operates a successful Westshore Pizza location outside Tampa, where he’s focused on building a strong team and staying involved without burning out. Tyrell now shares the hard-earned lessons from his 20-plus-year career on Pizza King Podcast, where he interviews fellow operators and highlights the real struggles—and wins—of life in the pizza business.
ELEVATING THE BUSINESS OF PIZZA
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Lessons in Loyalty
It’s time to stop renting customers’ attention on social media, says consultant Matt Plapp, and start building up your loyalty marketing database the right way.
From unique crusts to secret sauces and cheese blends, here’s a breakdown of 15 moneymaking styles, both bona-fide legends and little-knowns.
Bearing Fruit: Pineapple Pizzas
Does pineapple belong on pizza? It does now, thanks to chefs who are designing fresh spins on the Hawaiian or creating wild combos that make guests do a double-take.
Returning to Atlanta September 2 through 4, every educational event at PMQ’s second annual event will help you solve the problems that keep you awake at night.
The U.S. Pizza Team embarks on a new era, built on unity, mentorship, collaboration and, of course, competitive spirit.
Inspired by their grandmother, the sisters behind Spinachio Pizza turned an oft-divisive topping into a one-of-a-kind signature pie that influencers can’t resist.
A popular addition to a wide range of recipes across every daypart.
Save time: Just warm and serve. Enjoy a 6-day refrigerated unopened shelf life, too.
Popular: 62% of customers love or like caramelized onions.1
Saves labor: 93% shorter prep time than scratch.
Vegan/vegetarian: A tasty, dairy-free addition to vegan and vegetarian items. Scan to learn more
BE THE CHANGE
LIKE MAHATMA GANDHI, MAGGIE AND GIOVANNI CANEPA strive to be the change they want to see in the world. When the owners of Canepa’s Pizza Shop, located in Warrensburg, Ohio, aren’t hosting international exchange students and partnering with local businesses (like Oscar’s Adirondack Smokehouse) on pizza collabs, they’re prompting customers to ponder today’s spiritual, ethical and cultural challenges—and to follow their own bliss. A prominent mural at the pizzeria spotlights three 20th-century change leaders: Gandhi, Nikola Tesla and Janis Joplin. “We picked someone for science, the arts and spirituality,” Maggie says. “We thought we found
the perfect three people to represent those things….The greater—and most simple—meaning is that life would be boring without the greats of the world who inspire [people] to find their passion, and their passion moves society forward.” The Canepas hired local artist Hannah Williams to create other murals as well, making a memorable ambience for customers. Together, the murals function as conversation starters and remind guests to pursue their dreams—just as the Canepas did. “Although we make pizzas, and it seems very small,” Giovanni says, “it’s our contribution to society—to make people just think bigger than they are.”
Maggie and Giovanni Canepa hired local artist Hannah Williams to create murals at their pizzeria, putting her talent on display while making the space unique and memorable.
THE WORLD’S BEST CHEESE SLICE?
A so-called “plain” cheese pizza is considered the benchmark of quality for any pizzeria. And when your cheese slice wins a global competition, positive attention is sure to follow. At Slice On Broadway in Pittsburgh, the slice is so good—and so famous—the Pittsburgh City Council proclaimed May 6, 2025, as Slice On Broadway Day, in honor of owner Rico Lunardi’s six-store brand. Lunardi, a member of PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team, has employee Chris Ostapenko to thank for the recognition. Ostapenko won the World’s Best Cheese Slice category at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas earlier this year, setting off a whirlwind of publicity for Slice On Broadway. “On a Friday night, I make about 100 cheese pizzas,” he says. “I made the pizza [for the competition] as I do every day in the pizza shop, and the results paid off. It was our regular 48-hour cold-fermented dough, our housemade sauce and our regular cheese blend. I think this pizza stood out because of the balance of flavors that we try to accomplish between the dough, sauce and cheese.” The city’s proclamation was for 2025 only, but Lunardi jokes, “I think it should be celebrated worldwide. But we will be humble and just celebrate in our shops with our customers each year on the day.”
A NEW ERA IN PIZZA ROBOTICS
Donatos Pizza, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, ventured boldly into new territory in June with its first-ever location operated entirely by robots. “We’re not just adding tech to a restaurant,” says Kevin King, Donatos’ president and CEO. “We’re jumping in with a fully autonomous restaurant.” The location opened at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, marking a new era in pizza robotics, according to Nipun Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Appetronix, which developed the AI-powered robotic technology. Sharma says the collaboration with Donatos “has been an extraordinary journey and marks a defining moment for the future of the restaurant industry….This is more than innovation—it’s a transformative leap for the QSR space.” Donatos founder Jim Grote has been spearheading that kind of innovation for decades with Donatos’ sister company, Agápe Automation, which has engineered what it calls Sm^rt Tools, including the Sm^rt Saucer for automated saucing; the Sm^rt Ring for precise and controlled cheese application; and the Sm^rt Pepp, which cuts and applies 100 pepperoni slices on a 14” pizza in 27 seconds.
DONATOS
PIZZA
Chris Ostapenko says he made his award-winning cheese pizza “as I do every day in the pizza shop.”
CHRIS OSTAPENKO
Donatos’ robot offers an engaging—and futuristic— visual experience, giving customers an inside look at their pizzas being freshly prepared in real time.
LESSONS IN LOYALTY
A veteran restaurant consultant explains how to get customers to join your loyalty program.
BY MATT PLAPP
IT’S TIME TO PUT AN END TO RENTING YOUR CUSTOMERS’ ATTENTION: paying another company to reach its audience. That company owns the audience and controls who sees or hears your ad. And when you get great results and want to hit that audience again, it’s time to break out the checkbook. But what if there was a way to take control of the process, to own your customers? And what if, every time you spent money on advertising, you gained new customers instead of going after the same customers every month? All you have to do is build up your loyalty marketing database.
In this article, we’ll cover the following:
1. What customer data should be gathered, and why
2. What carrot you should dangle to get the customer excited—i.e., making them an offer they’d feel stupid to turn down
3. Last but not least, the ask (the sales pitch by your team)
ADOBE
A Real-World Lesson
Before we dig into the three items above, I want to tell you a story. In the fall of 2022, I was stumped by a certain restaurant client’s problem. I could not figure out why their in-store marketing campaigns failed. Getting customer data through their website was easy. Acquiring new customers through Facebook and Instagram proved easy as well. But the mystery was in-store. What was I missing? Then it hit me: I needed to work in a client’s restaurant and experience it firsthand. Soon, I had a parttime job—three days a week for the next few months—in a Rapid Fired Pizza store in Florence, Kentucky. I learned a lot but nothing more important than this lesson. I was folding pizza boxes as I watched a customer pay his bill. It’s a fast-casual pizzeria with the cash register at the end of the counter. I witnessed an interaction that went like this:
After the customer left, I asked the young man if I could cash out the next customer. “I want to try something,” I told him. My interaction went like this:
Me: “I see that you didn’t order one of our dessert pizzas. Have you had one? Would you like one for free?” (I asked two questions back to back before they could answer; it’s a sales-language hack.)
Customer: “I’ve never had one. And, of course, I’ll take a free one.”
Me: “Great, it’s simple. Pull out your phone, open your camera and scan this QR code. It’s going to open up Facebook Messenger….Yep, there it is. Now answer these five questions really fast, and you’ll be enrolled in our VIP program. That’s it! In a few hours, you’ll get a message with four amazing offers, including that free dessert pizza for your next visit.”
Customer: “No way, that’s awesome! Thank you!”
The conversation took about 30 seconds. At this point, the employee looked at me in amazement. “They get four offers, including a free dessert pizza? I didn’t know that. Wow, that was so cool.”
That’s when I knew the problem: Excitement, understanding and buy-in were all missing. The employee had no idea about the program; he’d never been properly trained. And I can already hear you saying, “But, Matt, we have so much going on. How can we train like that?”
I don’t accept that answer. Your employees are trained in preparing the food, washing their hands, etc. Your marketing should be no different. Marketing is what keeps your lights on!
Those three months were enlightening for me. Although I’d worked in and around restaurants for 20 years and been involved with most tasks, waiting on customers and preparing food were new to me. It was eye-opening, to say the least, and it gave me some of the intel that I needed. So now that you know I’m not just a marketing talking head, let’s discuss some tactical know-how.
1. Gathering Customer Data
First, what information do you think you should gather? In a perfect world, you’ll have a piece of technology that allows you to get the following data:
• Customer’s first and last name
• Customer frequency—this lets you know if they are new, frequent or lost customers
• Customer’s email
• Customer’s cell phone number
• Customer’s birthday
My business coach taught me many years ago to go for every piece of data you can get on the front end. I would rather have all of the information above from 80 customers than a simple email address from 100. If you ask correctly, customers will volunteer their info. At a bare minimum, you want the customer’s name and email. Why their name? It allows you to personalize your marketing.
ADOBE STOCK/ KOONSIRI
2. An Offer They Can’t Refuse
Now that you know what data you will gather, you’d better have a strong call to action. I want you to think of it as an offer that customers feel stupid saying no to. “Hey, Matt, scan here for a free soft drink with a pizza purchase on your next visit” is not a strong call to action. “Hey, Matt, scan here for a 100% free pizza on your next visit” is a very strong offer.
And before you start yelling again, “Matt, I can’t afford that,” I’d argue that you can’t afford not to give an insanely good offer. A customer’s contact information is worth 100 times more than the one-time free offer you give them. You’re not simply trying to drive visit No. 1; you’re trying to gain their membership in your marketing program to drive visits No. 2 to 100! So stop being cheap and put an offer in front of your customers that is impossible to pass up.
3. Nailing the Ask
Last but not least, the ask. It’s pretty simple for your website and social media: a pop-up with a clearly stated offer and a button that takes the customer to an easy form to fill out in exchange for the irresistible offer. There needs to be a solid graphic in both places that captivates the eye and reinforces the offer.
The in-store ask is more complicated. First, your employees must have tested the program. They need to go through the exact process your customers will go through and use the offer themselves. Encourage them to send it to their family and friends and ask for feedback: “Dad, could you do me a favor and test this new marketing program we’re launching? You’ll get a free pizza.” This will not only arm your team with the knowledge of how the program works but also warm up their sales skills with an easy audience.
Next, train your team to offer it to everyone. Just as they wash their hands before preparing food, they should ask every customer who walks through your door—not “How are you doing?” but “Are you a member of our Pi Society?” Employees may not care how the customer is “doing,” but you care if they return to your restaurant repeatedly.
Once your employees are trained on asking, arm them with a simple two-line sales pitch, like the one I used above for Rapid Fired Pizza. Part of the ask needs to be about the process of the program, what to do, and what’s going to happen next. And your employees need to be excited, which is why the offer needs to rock! Who wouldn’t be excited to give someone a free pizza?
There you go: That is how to gain customer data. In the meantime, do me a favor. If you’re enjoying my articles in PMQ Pizza and on PMQ.com, send me a text at 859-743-2408. That’s my cell number. It’s not an automated marketing program; it’s just me. And don’t worry—I don’t spam or sell people anything. I just love having genuine marketing conversations. Plus, when you text me, I’ll mail you one of my books, Restaurant Marketing That Works, for free.
See what I did there?
Matt Plapp is a restaurant industry consultant and the CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. He is a frequent contributor to PMQ.com. Visit his website at americasbestrestaurants.com to learn more.
Find your Ispirazione Italiana
What's my Italian Inspiration? It’s giving customers the best of both worlds. I own and operate two different pizzerias. Carmine’s is a traditional neighborhood slice shop, while Jersey Pizza Boys offers a whole-pie, dine-in experience. But even with two distinct concepts, there’s one cheese I trust—Galbani® Premio Mozzarella. My customers love the flavor, and the price works for both businesses.
Carmine Testa, Chef/Owner, Carmine’s Pizza Factory & Jersey Pizza Boys
Learn more at GalbaniPro.com
Ardiana Gashi (left) and Zana Kaloshi built their dream business through grit, determination and a menu inspired in part by their Albanian heritage.
EAT YOUR SPINACH!
BY TRACY MORIN | PHOTOS BY TERRENCE MORASH
The grandma-inspired, sister-owned Spinachio Pizza in North Haledon, New Jersey, spins a successful business—and social media raves—from an oft-divisive topping: spinach.
AT FIRST GLANCE, SPINACHIO PIZZA seems like an outlier. First, it’s female-led—by two sisters, Zana Kaloshi and Ardiana Gashi, who share an Albanian rather than Italian heritage. They’ve persevered despite difficult timing, opening in June 2019, not long before COVID-19 annihilated restaurant activity in their small town of North Haledon, New Jersey. And their signature, namesake pie features an ingredient kids and adults alike often resist: spinach.
But these two sisters beat the odds, thanks to a rock-solid restaurant background, enviable influencer accolades (including from Dave Portnoy himself), and a drive to succeed that counters challenges with old-fashioned grit and determination. In other words, they’re exactly the kind of operators who’d be able to convince almost anyone to eat their spinach.
Seeing Green
Gashi and Kaloshi’s dream business, Spinachio Pizza, has been a lifetime in the making—and, like all closeknit sisters, they’re so in sync they can finish each other’s sentences. When Gashi explains, “My family’s been in the restaurant business for over 30 years now,” Kaloshi chimes in with her own take: “Whatever restaurant they opened—fine dining, pizzeria, whatever—we were always with them.”
“One day, we got to talking and wanted to do something on our own, but we wanted to do something different—not your typical pizzeria,” Gashi continues. “Every year, we spent summers with our grandmother, and she always made this spinach spread.”
“It’s a traditional Albanian dish that we always had,” Kaloshi adds.
“And she put her special touch on it. So I said, ‘Why don’t we try this as a pizza and see how it comes out?’ With trial and error, we came up with the perfect pizza, and we’re like, ‘You know what? We should open something and make this pizza the focus.’ That’s how we came up with Spinachio Pizza.”
Inspired by Grandma and informed by their parents’ own restaurant entrepreneurship, the pizzeria is also supported with understanding and assistance from their husbands and kids (each sister has two children).
“All these social media people who come in, I pick their brains on… what they like to eat. Then that’s what I do.”
Ardiana Gashi, Spinachio Pizza
That family togetherness creates the heart of Spinachio, a bright, cozy 1,300-square-foot space tucked away in a strip mall. And it translates to customers, too—which is imperative, as the sisters have made the pizzeria their home.
“We’re here all the time, basically— we live here,” Gashi says. “We have a great relationship with our customers. They feel very comfortable talking to us. While we’re doing our thing, we listen to them. We know about their family, about their kids. We greet them with
a huge smile, and they’re happy to see us. It’s different when they walk in and see two sisters, you know? Plus, we love what we’re doing— we’re not sitting there miserable. We love seeing them, and their support gives us that energy. They do really become family.”
Crowdsourced Success
While Kaloshi and Gashi have generated success based on their own ingenuity, creativity and hard work, Spinachio Pizza is clearly a team effort, starting with Grandma’s spinach spread. “It’s a dish that’s been at the heart of our family gatherings,” Gashi says. “We use a special, secret mix that truly sets us apart. It adds a fresh, vibrant flavor and a wonderful texture, giving a savory, slightly earthy and creamy profile that pairs perfectly with our Grande cheese.
“We know some people grew up thinking spinach was just something that Mom made you eat, but we love surprising our customers,” she continues. “The way we prepare and season the spinach really transforms,
The constant presence of sisters Ardiana Gashi (top) and Zana Kaloshi (bottom right)—plus family recipes and genuine customer connections—lend a family feel to Spinachio Pizza.
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“We literally slept here. There were days when it was so slow, we were like, ‘Oh, my god, what’s going to happen?’ And then, little by little, it started picking up, and here we are today.”
Zana Kaloshi, Spinachio Pizza
making it a highlight rather than an afterthought. It’s always fun to see someone’s reaction when they realize how delicious and creamy our Spinachio pie is.”
Once their cornerstone recipe was developed, the sisters sought support from numerous sources. The Slice app, for example, was involved at the very beginning, which, Kaloshi says, eased customers’ ordering and helped the business grow. Meanwhile, their distributor, E&S Food Service, “has been incredible,” she adds. “Their reliability and support make it easy for us to keep serving our customers
with the best quality ingredients, and we truly value having them.”
Later, they sourced social media help from a local expert, Anthony Pizzi, whom they found on his home turf: online. “I reached out to him, because I saw him on social media,” Gashi recalls. “I said, ‘Listen, I like your stuff, and I was wondering if you’d like to work with us.’ I believe he was working with Slice. Then he came on board.”
Previously, Gashi herself was the team’s sole social media mastermind, showing off photos on Instagram, creating commercials with Slice, and snagging a spot
on ABC’s Eyewitness News for Spinachio’s heart-shaped pizzas around Valentine’s Day. But Pizzi brought their efforts to a new level with videos and marketing that attract more eyeballs. “Anthony has made a huge positive impact,” Gashi asserts. “His creativity has helped us reach more customers and share our story with the community. The fun videos he makes on social media really capture our personality and bring people together. He’ll suggest something, and if he sees that we’re a little bit skeptical, he’ll say, ‘Come on, you can do it.’ He’ll push you.”
Another way the sisters crowdsource their success: in-person feedback. This isn’t a pizzeria where comment cards collect dust in a corner; instead, customers have provided actionable suggestions that the sisters have adopted—and influencers are no exception. “All these social media people who come in, I pick their brains on what they like and what
“My sister is a beast when it comes to pizzerias,” Ardiana says of her sister Zana, pictured here.
they like to eat,” Gashi notes. “Then that’s what I do.”
But the sisters listen closely to “regular” customers, too. “We make sure we’re giving people what they want, like convenient online ordering,” Gashi says. “Even the Burroni was based on listening to people and [combining] what they love most.” This popular specialty pie is topped with vodka sauce, cupped pepperoni, mozzarella, burrata and basil. Unsurprisingly, their vodka sauce is another family heirloom—based on their father’s beloved recipe.
A Portnoy Visit Manifested
The Spinachio team scored a careerchanging win when Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports walked in the pizzeria’s door last February and ordered the bar pie-style Skinny Cheese Pizza. He bestowed an 8.1 rating after wolfing down a slice for his nearly 1.5 million subscribers, earning more than 430,000 views
for the Spinachio video in just a few months. “After Dave Portnoy visited our pizzeria, our business completely transformed,” Kaloshi says. “We saw a huge increase in customers.”
It was a visit that the sisters literally asked for. “A half hour before he walked in, I said to Anthony, ‘How can we get Dave in here?’” Gashi recalls. “He said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m working on it.’ Thirty minutes later, Dave Portnoy walks in. I was at a loss for words. Usually, I don’t shut up, but I became mute.”
While Kaloshi marveled that they just manifested Portnoy’s appearance, Gashi regained her voice enough to convince him to try the signature Skinny Spinachio, despite his professed aversion to toppings and spinach in particular. He couldn’t give this pie a glowing review, but his verdict (that he didn’t hate it) was enough to spark customers’ curiosity—at least, ones
who weren’t already making the pie a top seller.
“They try the Spinachio pizza, they fall in love, and they’re hooked,” Gashi says. “It brings us good vibes and good memories with our grandma. And I’m so happy that everyone else feels the same way. There’s not one person who’s walked in here and said, ‘I don’t like it.’ Even people who say, ‘We don’t like spinach,’ they try the pizza and they’re like, ‘Oh, my god, this is heavenly.’ Even little kids love it.”
Accordingly, plenty of other influencers have applauded the business since its opening. They may not boast the clout of Portnoy, but they include a long list of names from the local pizza and food scene, each with their own thousands of followers. Instagrammers like @twogirlsoneslice, @heidiblum_ foodczar, @thepizzahulk, @buffalochickenpizzaguy, @njfood_ travels and @youdontknowjersey are just some who have visited, loved and tagged Spinachio to spread the word.
So, while Portnoy may have shot them into the stratosphere, the two sisters have long attracted attention. “These influencers, they would come in, and it’s not like they would ask if we would pay them anything,” Gashi says. “They would come in and want to try our food. And then they wanted to support us. They saw us, two sisters, trying to make it happen. Their support really helped us a lot.”
While always influencer-friendly, Spinachio Pizza’s business enjoyed a sharp sales spike after Dave Portnoy’s solid One Bite review.
Ardiana and a team member juggle orders in Spinachio Pizza’s cozy 1,300-square-foot space, tucked into a small-town New Jersey strip mall.
It also helps that the pair’s unique pizzas have always been social media-friendly, often presenting unique twists on classics. This can occur in name alone—the thin, crispy crust here becomes Skinny Pizza, giving the blue-collar bar pie a much chicer sheen. Or it can happen through interesting ingredient combos, like the Chicken Francese pizza, the Burroni, or the Mosaic, a 16” square pie that’s divided into four sections (customers choose from seven of Spinachio’s specialty pizzas to create their own ideal foursome).
“Influencers love this type of fun stuff,” Gashi notes. “Like with our spinach pizza—who thinks of spinach pizza? But they walk in here and they love it, and they love to rave about it. Even our Burroni, or when I did the Chicken Francese pizza—they love stuff like that. You just find something that you love, and you put it on a pizza. What’s better than that?”
The Indomitable Duo
While luck has certainly shone on the Spinachio sisters, they’ve also faced and overcome their share of challenges. They were able to turn
“We know some people grew up thinking spinach was just something that Mom made you eat, but we love surprising our customers.”
Ardiana Gashi, Spinachio Pizza
many of them into opportunities, like reeling in new customers when many local restaurants shuttered in COVID times. And their success has been no accident—it’s resulted from teamwork, menu innovation, persistence, and the unique magic that two sisters can create together.
Indeed, Gashi and Kaloshi relish the opportunity to draw on their individual talents, particularly as female owners. “Opening a pizzeria together as sisters has been a dream come true: combining our strengths, supporting each other and honoring our family tradition,” Kaloshi says. “As women in a traditionally male-dominated industry, we’ve faced challenges, but our passion, determination and support from each other have helped us succeed. We hope our story inspires other women to pursue their dreams, trust their vision, and know that, with
hard work and support, anything is possible.”
And, even when times were tough, they’ve always had each other—a crucial asset in the difficult early days. “If you open a pizzeria just to open a pizzeria, I believe it’s never going to work,” Gashi says. “You have to really put your heart and your soul and everything in it.”
“And, believe me, we did,” Kaloshi adds. “We literally slept here. There were days when it was so slow, we were like, ‘Oh, my god, what’s going to happen?’ And then, little by little, it started picking up, and here we are today.”
“To see it come from nothing, to becoming what it is—it’s such an amazing feeling,” Gashi says. “Every time I wake up in the morning, I think, ‘Wow, we did this.’ Two sisters, we did this. It’s unbelievable.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
Spinachio Pizza’s specialties include the Burroni, with cupped pepperoni and burrata (left), the foursection Mosaic (held by Ardiana), custom-branded sodas and irresistible sides.
BY TRACY MORIN
From epic Italian classics to small-town American experiments, the diverse range of pie styles developed over centuries may prove the theory that
there’s no such thing as bad pizza.
PIZZA: IT’S A TOPIC ON WHICH EVERYONE everyone has an opinion. Isn’t that part of the fun?
Of course, another part of the fun is exploring the many different interpretations of pizza that have sprung up around the world. From unique toppings to one-of-a-kind crusts, secret sauces to signature cheese blends, pizza can accommodate virtually any combination of elements—and still delight the legions of fans who grew up with it (even when outsiders are left scratching their heads).
Here, PMQ Pizza presents a roundup of 15 styles—from bona-fide legends to little-knowns—that show just how adaptable this beloved food is.
New York
The story of New York-style pizza— its history, evolution and spread around the globe—can (and has) filled volumes, but here’s a New-Yorkminute summary: This pizza changed the game. One of the greatest gifts of the turn-of-the-century Italian migration to America’s East Coast, New York-style pies were pioneered at legendary, still-thriving NYC spots like Lombardi’s (established 1905) and John’s of Bleecker Street (1929) in Manhattan. Other boroughs jumped on the bandwagon with their own renditions, like Brooklyn’s Totonno’s (1924) and Denino’s (1937) in Staten Island.
The New York style is known for its crisp, thin, foldable crust made with high-gluten flour, topped with basic ingredients like part-skim mozz (“plain”) and pepperoni. It quickly branched out and evolved—and continues to flourish worldwide today. But pizza lovers flock to the mecca for a reason: Emulating the city itself, NYC visitors can revel in a true pizza melting pot.
Neapolitan
Characterized by a lengthy dough ferment, a hightemperature bake in a 900° to 1,000° wood-fired oven (lending irresistible bits of char to the pillowy crust), and minimal, traditional toppings, Neapolitan is an unquestionable classic. It also carries highly specific rules. In fact, entire organizations have sprung up to protect its authenticity, most famously the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN) and the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN).
Together, they outline the ingredients and procedures that create “authentic” Neapolitan, which includes everything from the type of mixer used and dough stretching procedures to oven operation and proofing. The pizzas are decidedly simple, with four ingredients in the dough (flour, salt, yeast and water) and simple Italiansourced toppings, such as tomatoes, fior di latte or bufala mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil. It’s a pie style on which ingredients are meant to shine—and there’s no place for a shoddy pizzaiolo to hide.
IP Phone Service
Increase revenue and lower cost
• No Busy Signals
• Call Recording
• Call Queuing / Auto Answering
• Multiple (random) start of call upsell messages
• On hold music/message loops
• Detailed reports—hold times, lost calls etc
• Callerid delivered to POS system
• Auto attendants— ”If you have arrived for curbside pickup press one ”
Cellular Backup Internet
Protect against outages
• When your Internet fails our cellular backup router keeps your phones, credit card processing and web orders all working.
• The backup kicks in automatically in seconds. So quickly you will not even drop calls in progress when your primary Internet goes down!
• The same router can be used to create chain wide virtual private network to connect your locations.
• SD WAN LTE/LTE A (4G/5G) modems.
On the PBX
“Press one to receive a text message with links to our onlne ordering ”.
SMS Marketing
Manage bulk text message marketing from our system to drive increased revenue. As low as $0.01 per message. Group text messaging to communicate with your employees (drivers, bartenders, all staff etc).
Chicago Tavern Thin-Crust
No disrespect to Chicago’s other famous pies, but locals and pizza connoisseurs know that the king of Chicago pizza is the thin-crust tavern style. This round pie—with its cracker-like crust cut into squares, not triangles—is a staple for Chicagoans. It even received its own holiday when Mayor Brandon Johnson made October 22 National Tavern-Style Pizza Day in 2024.
This designation was championed by one of the city’s historic pizzerias, Home Run Inn, which, true to the pizza it birthed (and like fellow Windy City icon Vito & Nick’s) started as a tavern before adding pizza to the menu to feed drinking patrons. Accordingly, the crispy squares are shareable, snackable and sturdy, ideal for the blue-collar crowds they once fed— and as a base for Chicago’s beloved No. 1 topping, sausage, or its go-to condiment, pickled giardiniera.
Chicago Stuffed Crust
Chicago Deep-Dish
As much as Chicagoans associate pizza with the tavern style, tourists and outsiders associate Chicago with deep dish. However, this hefty creation was popularized by a Texas transplant, Ike Sewell, who first served it at Pizzeria Uno, which opened in 1943 in the city’s River North District. The pizza was such a hit that by 1955, he opened a second location one block away. Though history books note that the original recipe could have been a collaboration between Sewell and his business partner Ric Riccardo (born Richard Novaretti) or chef Rudy Malnati Sr., it seems to be inspired by the Easter pies of Italy’s Turano region. Its key characteristics include dough pressed into a well-seasoned, oiled pan; crushed tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and sausage discs as toppings; and a lengthy bake time (30 to 35 minutes) to cook everything through to perfection. It’s knife-and-fork pizza, the kind you may be able to eat just a slice or two of—ideal for Texas (and America itself), where bigger is usually better.
The third style that comprises Chicago’s triumvirate, this pie is credited to Italian immigrant Rocco Palese, who owned Guy’s Pizza in the Windy City. After a trip back home to Potenza, Italy, he meshed his mother’s recipe for scarciedda, the Italian Easter cake stuffed with ricotta and other fillings, with his pizza. Voilà—the stuffed style was born.
In 1974, Palese opened Nancy’s Pizza in Harwood Heights, Illinois, to sell his new creation. While sharing certain characteristics with deep dish—it’s also hefty and baked in a pan—it differs in key ways: The pan is greased with butter, it’s topped with shredded mozz and pinched sausage, and there’s a second layer of dough just underneath the sauce on top. A 12” pie weighs in at a whopping five pounds, substantial enough for the media to pay attention: In 1975, it was named the city’s best by Chicago Magazine, cementing its spot as an icon in the making.
Detroit
Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizza, opened in 1946 by Gus Guerra, birthed the nowiconic (and, in recent years, rapidly spreading) Detroit style. Fans love its crunchy, caramelized edges and airy crust, courtesy of baking in an oiled pan with cheese spread to the edges, plus a stickier dough made with flour, salt, water and fresh cake yeast.
True to its origins in Motor City, the original pans used to bake the pizzas weren’t your typical cookware—they were rectangular blue steel pans, sourced from the automotive industry. Toppings, too, are applied in a unique fashion: pepperoni directly atop the dough, then brick cheese (not mozzarella), and three spoonfuls of sauce skimmed across the top so it “bleeds” across the pie while baking.
California
California is a massive state, so it’s difficult to pigeonhole its diverse pies into a single slot. But most associate the Golden State with fresh, creative recipes, an approach made famous by Chez Panisse, Wolfgang Puck and California Pizza Kitchen. This heritage jostles alongside historic Cali-grown chains like Round Table Pizza; old-school wood-fired excellence at Tomasso’s (established 1935); and neo-Neapolitan at swanky hotspots like Pizzeria Mozza and Flour + Water.
But the general ethos of this progressive West Coast state can’t help but soak into its famed pizzas. No surprise, then, that local, seasonal ingredients, Asian and Mexican influences, healthy-halo thin crusts, outside-the-box topping combinations and an artisanal touch infuse so many pies from California.
PAULIE
GEE’S
Roman
With nearly 70 years of history in Italy, this style hit the States in a big way in the 2010s, when Roman pizza master Massimiliano Saieva opened his Pizzarium in the U.S. Later, he opened the Roman Pizza Academy to instruct aspiring makers of pizza al taglio (which means “pizza by the cut”).
The high-hydration (80% to 100%) dough is matured with a lengthy fermentation (48 to 96 hours) and cooked in a pan, giving it a crunchy exterior and an airy, light, soft interior after baking. This dough creates a product that reheats well—ideal for al taglio purveyors, both in Italy and Stateside, which often display them in cases to customers with toppings ranging from classic to gourmet. After a quick pass in the oven, these slices are sturdy enough for eating on the go (or, when in Rome, passeggiata).
The Styles We Missed
Yes, we know, we know: This guide doesn’t cover every pizza style. But we haven’t forgotten yours. Visit PMQ.com and subscribe to our newsletter to get the lowdown on other regional styles—like Boardwalk, Pan-Fried Sicilian, Maryland, Colorado and others—as well as digital-exclusive pizzeria profiles, recipes and the latest pizza news!
Subscribe to Pizza Pulse: PMQ.com/pmq-newsletter-subscription-center/
New Haven
A style so legendary it has its own name: apizza (pronounced ah-beetz). While lesser lauded than nearby New York, New Haven pizza is every bit as entrenched in the American pizza landscape—in fact, some have called that city the real pizza capital of the U.S.
That’s not a (dough) stretch at all, considering that this city is credited as having the most pizzerias per capita in the country. Plus, the history of its style is stalwart: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (established 1925), Modern Apizza (1934) and Sally’s (1938) still serve up thin-crust, crunchy, charred beauties fresh from their original coal ovens. The dough is made with a lower-protein flour and longer fermentation, while simple toppings—think clams, anchovies, crushed tomatoes and Pecorino— embrace old-school flavors that remain every bit as beloved today.
St. Louis
This style may not enjoy the fame of its Midwestern neighbor to the north, Chicago, but it’s an original nonetheless—with its share of detractors as well as die-hard fans. The dough is made without yeast or a rise time, creating a cracker-thin, crunchy crust for its round pies, which are cut into squares (called the party or tavern cut).
On top, a slightly sweet sauce blends with spread-to-the-edge toppings and, most famously, Provel cheese rather than traditional mozz. This stretchless cheese, created specifically for pizza in 1947, was adopted by pizzerias like Farotto’s (established 1956) and Imo’s (1964) and combines provolone, Swiss, cheddar and liquid smoke—possibly to evoke wood-fired flavors, no open flame necessary.
Old Forge
Nicknaming your small town “The Pizza Capital of the World” takes courage, but ask the pizza makers of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, and they’ll tell you it’s more a movement of solidarity than arrogance. After all, in this community of less than 9,000, pizza has reportedly been going strong since 1926, when a local tavern started serving pizzas baked in rectangular metal pans to local coal miners.
While each pizzeria has its own slightly different take, this crust is breadlike with a chewy, spongier center and a crispy bottom; a robust sauce that’s slightly sweet and chunkier; and a signature cheese blend that remains a closely guarded secret at each shop. The terminology, too, is unique: Cuts, not slices, are served in a tray vs. whole pies.
Quad Cities
Contrary to expectation, the Quad Cities are actually composed of five towns. They all line the Mississippi River: Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in northwestern Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa.
Here, the Quad Cities pizza style is made with a dough that features malt and molasses and picks up a light dusting of cornmeal sprinkled on the pizza peel before heading into the deck oven at 500° for about eight minutes. Its thick sauce carries a slight “bite,” while a heap of Midwestern mozz on top creates the gooey factor. Traditionally, it’s cut with cooking shears, not a pizza cutter, into strips vs. triangles. Perhaps this area’s most famous specialty-pie innovation is the Taco Pizza, credited to Iowa icon Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream (opened in 1972).
Brier Hill
Named after an Italian neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio, this bare-bones pie style was handed down by matriarchs who didn’t have a lot of money—or food—to spare. As such, ingredients rely on veggies grown in grandmas’ gardens (tomatoes for sauce and peppers as a topping), plus grated Romano instead of mozzarella—all bolstered by a medium-thick breadlike crust that packs a crunch from baking in deck ovens. It may be a little-known style outside of its Eastern Ohio birthplace, but it remains a staple in the area and has sold like hotcakes for one local church’s fundraiser for more than 50 years.
Grandma
A “grandma pie” may sound vague—after all, Italian nonnas each masterminded their own cooking techniques—but this overall style carved out its popularity in the U.S. in the mid- to late 1990s. Some call it a thincrust Sicilian. And, indeed, it’s thinner than a Sicilian, thanks to a shorter proofing time (no longer than 40 minutes in the pan) and less dough. Pizzaioli typically place a garlic-forward sauce on top of the cheese, not underneath it, and finish the pie with sparsely placed slices of fresh mozzarella.
While this style originated in homes, it was popularized commercially at Umberto’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in New Hyde Park on Long Island, New York. Served first to employees only, it made the menu by the late 1980s and soon spread through the region—and far beyond.
Hot Oil Bar Pie
Born at the Colony Grill, open since 1935 in Fairfield, Connecticut, this style started in the ’40s as a way to feed hungry tavern-goers. Like many tavern-style varieties, the 12” pies are super-thin and stiff-crusted (think part-chewy, part-cracker) to hold up without drooping at the bar.
But a key addition in the 1970s—hot oil—took the pie to another level. Spicy drizzles, added on top of the pie before baking, give the finished product an alluring heat and crispiness, while Stingers (hot peppers) can kick up the fire factor another notch. In recent years, this onceregional style has spread down the Eastern Seaboard, all the way to Florida, gaining new fans along the way.
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
ANANAS PIZZERIA
BEARING Pineapple Pizzas Fruit:
Step aside, purists. Traditional and experimental pizzerias alike are tapping into pineapple as a topping on creative pies—and customers are hopping on board the tropical-fruit train.
BY TRACY MORIN
IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO PROVOKE PASSIONATE RESPONSES in the pizza world, certain questions are shoo-ins. One of these, of course, is the question of whether pineapple “belongs” on a pizza. Divisive debates have raged for years between pineapple proponents and naysayers—and perhaps they always will. But, love it or hate it, plenty of pizzerias are cashing in on this tropical topping. Whether they’re designing fresh spins on the nowlegendary Hawaiian or creating wild combos that elicit double-takes, creative chefs are proving that pineapple has carved out a place on pizza menus—and in customers’ hearts.
Case Study #1: A Traditionalist Converts
At Pizzeria Paradiso, which has four locations in the Washington, D.C., area, owner, founder and chef Ruth Gresser has always been a pizza traditionalist, inspired by the simplicity of Neapolitan-style pies. “So, for the longest time, we never had pineapple on top of a Pizzeria Paradiso pizza,” recalls Tony Strowd Hamilton, director of restaurant operations. “However, as pizza continued to evolve and more people craved unique and exciting creations, the team convinced Ruth to give pineapple a try for one of our monthly special pizzas.”
The pizzeria’s original Hawaiian debuted in the summer of 2015, featuring pineapple, prosciutto, red onions, Fontina and rosemary. “Simple but delicious, it was an immediate hit with our customers,” Hamilton says. “We made sure to keep it as part of our monthly-special rotations.”
Of course, the recipe evolved over the years, and Paradiso’s chefs immersed themselves even further into the divisive topping by crafting a pineapple sauce for the base. At a pizzeria known for high-end and seasonal toppings, they later added a unique ingredient that had proven popular in a different monthly special: ramps.
Therefore, the current iteration of the Hawaiian— which circulates in summer as a seasonal offering—is topped with housemade pineapple sauce, pineapple chunks, rosemary, ramps and Fontina, with prosciutto added after cooking. The pineapple sauce combines pineapple puree, rosemary, roasted onions, hot pepper flakes, olive oil, salt and black pepper.
“The sweetness of the pineapples, with a hint of spice from the hot pepper flakes in the sauce, combines with the salty creaminess of the Fontina cheese, plus the hearty prosciutto, finally balanced by the vegetal, aromatic notes coming from the ramps and rosemary,” Hamilton explains. “I think it’s inevitable that there will be purists who will still scoff at the idea of pineapple on a pizza, and we feel sorry that they won’t get a chance to experience such a quirky combination! But people seem to be much more adventurous with their dining experiences these days, so we’re happy to see more and more people embrace change and try new things.”
Of course, marketing helps: Pizzeria Paradiso pushes its Hawaiian on social media platforms, as well as through email marketing. One year, the pizzeria even partnered with a local Hawaiian-themed restaurant (Tiki Tako) and tried a different spin on the pie, combining mozzarella, Grana Padano, kalua pork from Tiki Tako, pineapple sauce and toasted coconut shavings. The collaboration allowed both restaurants to tap into each other’s customer base.
“It’s definitely a hit,” Hamilton says of the company’s seasonal Hawaiian specialty. “Each special we feature is exciting enough that we get strong demands from customers to make it a permanent menu item. But we like the idea of a special staying special, and people really do look forward to the return every year. Ruth never imagined that one day she would be putting a housemade pineapple sauce on a pizza, and now it’s one of our most popular specials!”
PIZZERIA PARADISO
Pizzeria Paradiso’s Hawaiian pizza— featuring a housemade pineapple sauce and pineapple chunks—has graced the menu as a beloved seasonal special since 2015.
Case Study #2: Pineapple as a Founding Principle
Open since December 2023, Ananas Pizzeria in Seattle doesn’t just serve pineapple pies—it’s named after pineapple (ananas is the fruit’s name in many other languages, from Spanish to Arabic). The pizzeria even features the fruit in its name and branding: The A on its logo and exterior signage is formed by a pineapple. “I went into the pizza industry thinking I wanted to open Pineapple Pizza Company or just Pineapple Pizza— that’s how obvious and blunt I wanted it to be,” owner Khampaeng Panyathong says with a laugh. “My business partner said, ‘Is there another way we can highlight our agenda without making it so abrasive?’”
His concept, though playful, was clear: create a safe haven for people who like pineapple on pizza. Still, not every pizza features pineapple—instead, it’s a thoughtful addition, thin-sliced for a light touch and incorporated with care. The Ananas pie, Panyathong’s take on a Hawaiian, combines smoked ham, pineapple, pickled jalapeño, togarashi, mozzarella and red sauce. “I’m Southeast Asian—my family is from Laos—so we like spicy food, and spicy and pineapple really go well together with the fat in the cheese,” Panyathong explains. “We put pickled jalapeño for heat and tang, because sometimes the pineapple doesn’t bring enough tang. We cut our pineapple thin—we don’t want it to be overpowering. Even though we’re highlighting pineapple, we’re doing our best to balance flavors on a culinary level.
“Then we add an additional dry spice, which is togarashi seasoning—it has seven spices and creates another layer of heat,” Panyathong continues. “The jalapeño gives you heat at the tip of your tongue, but the togarashi gives you heat to the back of your palate, which is very interesting. And then with the pineapple’s sweetness and the jalapeño, you get flavors that remain in your mouth the whole time you’re eating, which is really cool. We add Grana Padano cheese as well. That’s our flagship pizza—and still my favorite pizza on the menu.”
Ananas’ other pineapple pie is a bit more outside-thebox: The Ananchovy features anchovy, pineapple, red pepper flakes, mozzarella and red sauce. It also includes a pineapple syrup, made by combining rum and brown sugar over heat, adding pineapple juice and reducing the mixture until it reaches a syrup consistency. “It’s a little pineapple, a whole can of anchovies for a salty taste, flakes for heat, and then the rum pineapple syrup really brings it home,” Panyathong says. “That, in my opinion, is a really well-balanced dish.
“It doesn’t get ordered much, because you kind of have to like anchovies, you have to like pineapple, and they’re not usually combined,” he admits. “But if you happen to like one or the other or both, and just never had them together before, I definitely recommend people try it, because it does work really, really well. That’s probably the least ordered pizza, because it looks the most disturbing when people are reading it!”
Call his approach unconventional, but Panyathong’s pineapple-forward pizza experiments have landed him mega media attention—including write-ups in Bon Appétit and GQ. Still, he advises pizzeria owners who want to play around with pineapple pies to keep it simple for optimal results. “Make it a little bit more classic, and you’re more likely to have people try it,” he recommends. “It could be delicious, but if it reads too scary, they’re just not going to try it. You might not convert them at the first bite, but if you get them to try it, you could probably get them to try it a second or third time—and then you might convert them later.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
ANANAS PIZZERIA
Owner Khampaeng Panyathong (inset) uses pineapple to inspire signature pizzas (top right) as well as the logo and exterior signage (top left) at his Seattle-based Ananas Pizzeria.
Igniting Growth in the Pizza Community
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
You’ve got pain points, but you don’t have to solve them alone. Register for PMQ’s 2nd Annual Pizza Power Forum, September 2 to 4 in Atlanta, and let the experts help!
BY RICK HYNUM
WE’RE HALFWAY THROUGH A CHALLENGING 2025, and many of you, as independent pizzeria professionals, are feeling the pain. Some of it is the same old, same old: employees who just don’t care, a freezer or a dough mixer on the fritz, someone feeling entitled to a raise if you want them to work harder. Your spouse and kids miss you, because you’re always working. Then there’s inflation and slower foot traffic. Maybe a big chain just opened down the street. Who knows what’s coming next?
Your problems are real, even if your staff doesn’t know it. You tough it out, because that’s how you’re built as an entrepreneur. But you can’t do it all on your own. Well, you can, but you don’t have to. That’s what PMQ’s 2nd Annual Pizza Power Forum is for.
Every session will help you solve the problems that keep you awake at night. Every speaker is a seasoned, highly successful operator or chef (usually both) who has been through what you’re going through.
They’ll focus on:
• Competing with the chains
• Dough management
• Employee buy-in
• Marketing and promotions
• Opening a new store
• Franchising
• Creating systems and processes that work
• Supercharging your menu
And everyone is there to help everyone else. Because this is the Pizza Community. Join our community in Atlanta on September 2 to 4, and you’ll realize you’re not alone. And you’re not on your own. The Pizza Power Forum will lift you up and take you to the next level! So check out the agenda and sign up now. We want to meet you and learn from you in person!
Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants, shoots straight about what’s missing from your marketing strategy— and how to make 2026 your most profitable year ever!
Hengam and Matt Stanfield engineered Mattenga’s Pizzeria for maximum profitability, growth and efficiency. They’ll help you do the same with systems for every aspect of your operation. You’ve got marketing questions, and our panel of outstanding pizzeria marketers, led by strategist David “Rev” Ciancio, want to help. Ask them anything!
One of the savviest operators in the business, Michael LaMarca has opened 15 Master Pizza stores— the right way, every time. Find out what you really need to do for store No. 2!
Igniting Growth in the Pizza Community
The 2nd Annual Pizza Power Forum
SEPTEMBER 2-4,
MARRIOTT MARQUIS
14 Educational Sessions & 25+ Speakers
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
10 a.m.
KEYNOTE: DIGGING INTO THE INTOUCH INSIGHT DELCO STUDY: TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR INDIE PIZZERIA
In this groundbreaking survey from Intouch Insight and PMQ Pizza, we identify the major pizza chains’ strengths and weaknesses in terms of carryout and delivery—and how you can beat them at their own game. The chains specialize in getting pizzas out the door fast, but are they living up to customers’ expectations? Is third-party delivery worth the extra fees? Do order-taking robots really outperform humans? Get the answers here!
Speaker:
Laura Livers and Sarah Beckett, Intouch Insight
11 a.m.
RECLAIM YOUR LIFE: BUILDING A PIZZERIA OPERATION THAT RUNS WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
Burnt out? Can’t get a vacation to save your life? If your pizzeria can’t run without you there every single day, what happens if you get seriously injured or ill? Fortunately, replacing yourself— and getting back some much-needed personal time—is easier than you realize. It’s a matter of training, empowering and trusting your managers and team members so business keeps humming along. This panel takes a look at how you can start running your company as an owner rather than an owner/operator.
Conference Schedule:
Panelists:
Joey Karvelas, Karvelas Pizza Co.
Michael LaMarca, Master Pizza
Patt Miller, Pizza Patt’s Slicehouse
11 a.m.
SOME LIKE IT COLD: SHIPPING YOUR FROZEN PIZZA TO BUILD A NATIONAL BRAND
Shipping your frozen pizzas nationwide doesn’t just mean incremental revenue. It can transform your independent pizzeria into a name brand around the country. Our panelists will show you how they address the logistical, financial and operational challenges involved, including choosing the right pizza style, freezing techniques to preserve flavor and texture, packaging, and working with co-packers and shipping partners.
Panelists:
Alexandra Castro, Everything Dough
Brian Lewis, Bocado
Matt McKenney, Pizza Freak Co.
1 p.m.
FRANCHISING 101: GROW YOUR BRAND USING A TIME-TESTED MODEL
You want to scale your business, but you can’t personally run every single store. Franchising is complicated, and you don’t know where to start. This session features franchisors with decades of experience as well as relative newcomers who can share the challenges they’re going through right now. Learn about franchise disclosure documents, franchise agreements, site selection and build-outs, franchisee recruitment and more.
Panelists:
Erica Barrett, Dough Boy Pizza
Carl Comeaux, Crust Pizza Co.
Ric Gruber, Billy Bricks
Michael LaMarca, Master Pizza
1 p.m.
SUPERCHARGE YOUR MENU WITH GAME-CHANGING LTOS AND SIGNATURE PIZZAS
A stagnant menu won’t drive new traffic to your store. Sometimes all it takes is one or two new pizzas or dishes that are unlike anything customers can find elsewhere. Dreaming up and promoting LTOs and unique menu items will build excitement and buzz and set your pizzeria apart in a crowded field. This panel takes a look at how ideation works for several successful operators and will help you hone your process, too.
Panelists:
Brandon Bruner, Lynn’s Chicago Pizza
Louise Joseph, Dough Girls Pizza
Khanh Nguyen, Zalat Pizza
Janet Zapata, 550 Pizzeria
2 p.m.
GET YOUR PIZZA MARKETING QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
For even the most experienced pizza pros, marketing is often a weak point. You love making pizza, not marketing it. Fortunately, our panelists have a knack for both. They’re content creators, storytellers and social media wizards who have put in the time, creativity and hard work to craft a consistent message and system that sell more pizza—and it has paid off. In this session, they’ll take
Igniting Growth in the Pizza Community
your questions and spill their secrets, demystifying the process and bringing clarity to a challenging facet of the pizzeria business.
Moderator: Rev Ciancio
Panelists:
Sofia Arango, Atlanta Pizza Truck
Lynn Humphreys, Lynn’s Chicago Pizza
Sean Jefairjian, A Slice of New York
Matt Plapp, America’s Best Restaurants
Hengam Stanfield, Mattenga’s Pizzeria
Janet Zapata, 550 Pizzeria
2 p.m.
TV FAME & THE PIZZA GAME: BEHIND THE SCENES OF TV’S HOTTEST COOKING SHOWS
If you’ve watched Beat Bobby Flay or Best in Dough—or even non-cooking shows like Shark Tank—you’ve probably wondered: “How did these chefs make the cast, what was the experience like, and how can I be next?” Our panelists will tell you how they earned national TV fame and success, from the casting process to prepping for and shooting their segments, plus what happens on the set when the cameras aren’t rolling!
Panelists:
Erica Barrett, Dough Boy Pizza
Michael LaMarca, Master Pizza
Jackie Mazza, DHS Hospitality
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
10 a.m.
PRE-LOADING 2026: PUMP UP YOUR SALES WITH A FULL YEAR’S WORTH OF MONEYMAKING PROMOTIONS
No more flying by the seat of your pants! Start planning now for a more profitable 2026 with Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. Plapp and his team work with more than 2,500 restaurants to build year-round marketing plans that capitalize on customer data, loyalty programs, email and the latest social media tools. Plapp will help you
design and execute a full year’s worth of promotions and irresistible special offers (the kind customers would be crazy to turn down) to drive more traffic and pump up your sales volume.
Speaker: Matt Plapp, America’s Best Restaurants
10 a.m.
THINK AND GROW LIKE A CHAIN OPERATOR!
You have the grit and spirit of an independent operator, but you’ve got big ambitions, too. Two or three stores isn’t enough for you. You want to build an empire in your market(s). In this powerhouse session, you’ll discover how to standardize and streamline operations for consistency, institute strict quality controls, develop a clear brand identity, choose your locations strategically, and adopt chain-level purchasing and vendor relationships to secure better pricing.
Panelists:
Joey Karvelas, Karvelas Pizza Co.
Khanh Nguyen, Zalat Pizza
Matt Stanfield, Mattenga’s Pizzeria
11 a.m.
CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP: TRAINING, COACHING UP AND GETTING BUY-IN FROM EMPLOYEES
When training new employees, it’s tempting to take the path of least resistance—throw them into the deep end and hope they can swim. But Generations Z and Alpha aren’t built that way. They crave feedback, coaching and a positive, high-morale culture that delivers personal and professional rewards and opportunities to grow. In this lively panel discussion, you’ll discover training and coaching methods that really work!
Panelists:
Jon Bortles, Woody’s Wood-Fired Pizza
Ric Gruber, Billy Bricks
Jackie Mazza, DHS Hospitality
Salvatore Reina, Francesca Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta Hengam and Matt Stanfield, Mattenga’s Pizzeria
11 a.m.
OPENING STORE NO. 2: HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY AND HOW TO DO IT RIGHT
Is it time to open a second store? Is that a challenge you’re ready for? Let’s get it all nailed down and make sure store No. 2 is for you. Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza has intimate knowledge of what really goes into opening a new location. This veteran operator and franchisor, who has grown Master Pizza to 15 locations, will walk you through every step, from knowing when, where and why to launch a second location to creating must-have manuals, building a Lead Team and training the trainers.
Speaker: Michael LaMarca, Master Pizza
1 p.m.
GO BIGGER, GO FASTER! ENGINEERING YOUR PIZZERIA FOR PHENOMENAL SUCCESS AND GROWTH
At Mattenga’s Pizzeria, owners Hengam and Matt Stanfield have a system for everything. Their fast-growing, familyowned pizza brand, with nine locations in San Antonio, is one big system of systems—marketing, management, employee training and scheduling, inventory, sales projections—and each system feeds into the next. From checklists and time trials to the “10-2030 rule,” the Stanfields will help you build an operation that runs smoothly and efficiently while creating a fun, memorable experience for your guests.
Speakers: Hengam and Matt Stanfield, Mattenga’s Pizzeria
AUGUST 3-5, 2025
Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA
Don’t miss the 2025 California Restaurant Show — we are returning to the Anaheim Convention Center. This year’s event includes the PIZZA TOMORROW SUMMIT PAVILION for the second year — that means more vendors, more product categories and more excitement!
That’s 3 DAYS of new culinary demonstrations, HUNDREDS of vendors, plus over 40 HOURS of free seminars — all included with your show admission!
REGISTER
Igniting Growth in the Pizza Community
Co-Located Events
2 p.m.
THE MAD SCIENTISTS OF PIZZA: MASTERING THE INTRICACIES OF PIZZA PERFECTION
Our panelists aren’t really “mad”—just crazy about making pizzas and other dishes that will drive customers insane with pleasure. We’ve asked these dough-slinging brainiacs to venture out of their laboratories and divulge all of their secrets, from techniques like microblistering and autolysis to crumb structure, the window-pane test, and whatever else springs to mind. There is always more to learn in the pizza making craft. Here’s your chance to learn from the best.
Panelists:
Brandon Bruner, Lynn’s Chicago Pizza
Juan Perez, Posto
Vitangelo Recchia, Bella Napoli Pizzeria
Wilhelm Rodriguez, Papa’s Pizza
Jeff Varasano, Varasano’s
For $165, your all-access pass to the Pizza Power Forum also includes: The QSR Evolution Conference—hosted by PMQ sister publication QSR Magazine Learn more at qsrevolutionconference.com. The NextGen Restaurant Summit—hosted by PMQ sister publication FSR Magazine. Learn more at nextgenrestaurantsummit.com.
3:15 p.m.
GET YOUR TOUGHEST DOUGH QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
The complexities of pizza dough can sometimes leave even experienced chefs baffled and frustrated. What’s driving you crazy? Is your dough formula living up to your dreams? Can’t get time and temperature squared away for consistency? In this dough-focused freefor-all, our panel of experts will tackle your problems head-on, offering their unique perspectives based on decades of experience. Just bring your questions and be ready to take notes!
Panelists:
Alessio Lacco, Atlanta Pizza Truck
Joey Karvelas, Karvelas Pizza Co.
Jackie Mazza, DHS Hospitality
Juan Perez, Posto
Wilhelm Rodriguez, Papa’s Pizza
Satchel's Pizza owner Satchel Raye, pictured with his daughter, chimes in at a PPF session.
A Vision for the Future
The U.S. Pizza Team embarks on a new era, built on unity, mentorship, collaboration and, of course, competitive spirit.
BY BRIAN HERNANDEZ
AFTER 25 YEARS OF SPINNING DOUGH and snagging trophies across the globe, PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) is entering a new chapter—one built on unity, mentorship and a coast-to-coast calendar of culinary clashes.
With new team leadership elections completed on July 1, the USPT now stands stronger, more unified and ready to roll into a new era with purpose. The collaborative spirit behind this transition can’t be overstated: Leadership wasn’t handed down; it was voted in—by a team that’s always believed in rising together.
C.R.U.S.T.
The USPT’s mission is detailed in an acronym created by member Rico Lunardi of Slice On Broadway: C.R.U.S.T., which stands for Compete, Respect, Unite, Support and Teach.
“This team is designed for everyone—from those who are new to the world of pizza competitions to the best of the best,” says team captain and Master Pizza franchisor Michael LaMarca. “What makes this team so special is that every member has something to contribute. Everyone
is willing to learn from anyone.”
New members aren’t just welcome—they’re essential. But there are requirements to fulfill. Each member must earn a certain number of points for consideration for membership, becoming a member, maintaining active status and ascending in the ranks. Attending a competition may earn a few points, but competing in that event will get you so many more. And if you place?
Most members could knock out their annual point requirements in two competitions.
“A good fit is someone who is willing to learn, teach and put the USPT and their teammates first,” LaMarca says. “This team is made up of unselfish professionals with a wide range of experience and experiences. Newer and/or rising talent can tap into these unbelievable resources to gain knowledge and apply it to the path they are on.
“The real value of having 50-plus industry peers in your corner is that at any point you could tap into these pizza professionals and get their point of view on any issue you might be going through. It also gives you access to recipes, techniques and advice from some of the best in the industry.”
Structure and Mentorship
Like any good pie, the USPT has structure, with two key member tiers: Competing Members and Premier Members. Competing Members are members who must compete every year. They get invited to all national USPT competitions and have access to upcoming events before they’re released. Premier Members are Competing Members that have won one or multiple national or international competitions. They enjoy full access to all USPT competitions, special events and media exposure.
To maintain active status, members must attend a certain number of team competitions, hold media events and participate in team discussions and meetings. It’s not about showing up once; it’s about showing up consistently—online, in person, and in spirit. “All U.S. Pizza Team members are expected to be the example of what it is to be a pillar of the pizza community, a professional and a leader in the industry,” LaMarca says. “Members not only represent themselves when competing at an event nationally or internationally, they represent their local communities, state and country.”
Members also get access to discounts and perks through team sponsors. And the USPT is strengthening its relationships with key industry partners to explore new opportunities in education and professional development. Discussions are underway to create formal programs that allow members not only to learn new skills, but also to teach and share their own expertise. The idea is simple: education and mentorship must go hand-in-hand with competition.
Most importantly, team members learn from each other. That peer-to-peer structure is at the heart of the team’s
mentorship approach and fuels the team’s growth and cohesion.
“There are endless opportunities to network and discuss issues and ideas with other teammates,” LaMarca adds. “This team is built on its members teaching, learning and sharing their experiences and knowledge with each other. It creates a network of experts that have gone through or are doing what you are trying to do.”
With competitions now anchored on the East and West Coasts through partnerships with the Pizza Tomorrow Summit and the Florida and California Restaurant Shows—and a potential third showdown brewing in a major pizza city (no spoilers yet)—the team’s footprint is growing.
“We have a super deep and impressive roster and are really excited to see what the new wave of talent will bring to this team,” LaMarca concludes. “This team has brought on so much new talent and is about to make some really exciting moves and reintroduce a new vision.
I hope people see that there is a great excitement about the U.S. Pizza Team. There’s a new wave of talent, drive and ideas that will take this team to levels we have been hoping for!”
For more information about the U.S. Pizza Team, its members and sponsors, visit USPizzaTeam.com.
Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s associate editor and coordinator of the U.S. Pizza Team.
USPT captain Michael LaMarca
Events like this are made possible by event sponsors such as Marra Forni, MFG Tray, GI Metal, Grain Craft, Palazzolo’s Original Cheese Hog and The Pizza Tomorrow Summit. At the Pizza Tomorrow Summit & California Restaurant Show Anaheim, CA – August 3–5
Spaces are almost full—register now at www.uspizzateam.com/cpc25! Get judged. Get crowned. Get in before the ovens cool down.
This is your final chance to throw down with the best at the California Pizza Challenge! Bring your skills, your dough and your game face—this is where legends rise.
Culinary Competitions:
• Traditional Pizza
• Pan Pizza
• Best Traditional Sauce
• REAL California 3-Cheese Challenge
• Secret Basket Face-Off (Finals)
Athletic & Skill Events:
• Freestyle Acrobatics
• Largest Dough Stretch
• Fastest Pizza Maker
• Fastest Box Folder
Bonus Division:
• Slice of the Future: Young Pizza Maker Challenge (ages 14–17)
Prizes & Perks:
• Cash, trophies and sponsor schwag
• Coverage in PMQ Pizza magazine
• Bragging rights for a lifetime
• Culinary Grand Prize: A fully paid trip to compete internationally in 2026
Registration includes show passes into the Pizza Tomorrow Summit & California Restaurant Show for you and an assistant. Spots are limited and closing fast.
For more info, visit www.USPizzaTeam.com.
(Clockwise from top left) The original Davanni’s in Saint Paul still thrives today; Davanni’s pizza is now beloved at 19 locations in Minnesota; guests place their orders at the counter; the original founders and crew pose at the opening of the second Davanni’s location, in Minneapolis, in 1977 (left to right, front row: Mick Stenson, Bob Carlson, Pat Woodring and Roger Schelper); Davanni’s is a popular gathering spot for local sports teams, clubs and community groups.
BY TRACY MORIN
Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies
Friendships not only laid the foundation for Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies; they’ve been instrumental in ushering it to the 50-year mark. Mick Stenson, chairman and founder, opened the business in 1975 with two buddies, Roger Schelper and Bob Carlson. The trio was influenced by a friend’s father-in-law, Tony Pontillo, who owned a pizzeria in New York and inspired the original name, Pontillo’s (changed to Davanni’s in 1983). “It was a side income at the time, but it grew into something quite different,” Stenson recalls. “We learned the business, and we had strong feelings about how we wanted to treat employees and customers.”
Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, near multiple colleges in a familyfriendly neighborhood, Davanni’s found early success with New York-style pizza and Hot Hoagies, then-unique in the area. By the end of the 1970s, it had grown to four locations; over the years, the original ballooned from 33 to about 150 seats. Today, the brand has 19 outposts in Minnesota, plus a bakery (opened in 1997) that makes its hoagie rolls, cookies and brownies—while also producing for outside businesses. Meanwhile, retail items, from frozen pizzas and lasagna to sauces and cheeses, grace grocery stores as far as Wisconsin and Iowa.
STATE OF MINNESOTA
STATEOFMIN N ESOTA
As Schelper and Carlson have sold their stakes and Stenson transitions to semi-retirement, Stenson’s daughters, Katie Elmer and Kristy Silva, pitch in part-time. But at Davanni’s, “family” extends beyond blood relatives; numerous supervisors and managers have clocked decades in the business. “In good part, the longevity of our company is due to our employees buying into our credo,” Stenson says. “‘Care, work hard and have fun’—that sign is up in every store. That means we care about each other, and we care about the customer.”
That care touches the entire community through its annual Pizzalympics (a pizza making competition that includes a knowledge test, open to all employees), in-store fundraising (amassing more than a half-million dollars over the years for local causes), and close-knit vendor relations. Luckily, scores of loyal Minnesotans return the love. “We’re very fortunate,” Stenson says. “We had no idea we’d be in business 50 years later….It’s a lot of work, a lot of ups and downs, and a lot of successes with your team if you do it right.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
NOVEMBER 11-13, 2025
Orange County Convention Center // Orlando, FL
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PIZZA, TOGETHER
Don’t miss the 4th annual Pizza Tomorrow Summit –we are returning to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center – this year expanded to 3 FULL DAYS!
That’s 3 days of new product discovery from hundreds of vendors – including the co-located FLORIDA RESTAURANT SHOW – which means more vendors, more product categories and more excitement!
Plus over 40 HOURS of free education and the US Pizza Team Competitions!
Registration is open now! Sign up today at EARLY BIRD RATES AND SAVE!
THIS YEAR THE SHOW IS EXPANDING TO THREE DAYS!! Co-located with the Florida Restaurant Show –ATTEND TWO SHOWS WITH ONE BADGE!
Start receiving our EVENT UPDATES!
Get your registration DISCOUNT CODE.
IP Phone Service
Increase revenue and lower cost
• No Busy Signals
• Call Recording
• Call Queuing / Auto Answering
• Multiple (random) start of call upsell messages
• On hold music/message loops
• Detailed reports—hold times, lost calls etc
• Callerid delivered to POS system
• Auto attendants— ”If you have arrived for curbside pickup press one ”
Cellular Backup Internet
Protect against outages
• When your Internet fails our cellular backup router keeps your phones, credit card processing and web orders all working.
• The backup kicks in automatically in seconds. So quickly you will not even drop calls in progress when your primary Internet goes down!
• The same router can be used to create chain wide virtual private network to connect your locations.
• SD WAN LTE/LTE A (4G/5G) modems.
On the PBX
“Press one to receive a text message with links to our onlne ordering ”.
Manage bulk text message marketing from our system to drive increased revenue. As low as $0.01 per message. Group text messaging to communicate with your employees (drivers, bartenders, all staff etc). Use
