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Letters to the Editor
Tom Boyles • Editor-in-Chief
Got a beef, compliment or suggestion? Send us your letters! This is your chance to let us know what you think about the current state of the industry, give us feedback on topics you would like to see in PMQ or just voice your opinions... If you would like to send a letter to the editor, type it up and email it to tom@pmq.com and put Letter to Editor in the subject line or mail it to: PMQ’s Pizza Magazine ATTN:Tom/Letter to Editor • 904 N. Lamar Blvd. Suite 2, Oxford, MS 38655. We look forward to hearing from you, our readers!
INVOLVING CUSTOMERS IN MENU REVISIONS
Dear PMQ,
With escalating food costs, especially cheese, it seems the only way to keep ahead of the curve is to increase your prices on the key items. I sat down with my distributor and did the math on pizzas and increased the prices appropriately. Most menu item prices stayed the same. I also added a few new items so that customers would see new products and not just higher prices. This year I advertised a contest to design my new menu cover. I had quite a few submissions and it goes to press this week. The prize was gift certificates to my restaurant. I love my new cover.
Maureen
You are absolutely right, Maureen. With rising costs, now is the time to take another look at what you charge. Customers know that prices across the board are going up. It takes more to simply get by and restaurants are no exception. I really like your thinking in adding new items in addition to raising prices. It gives the entire menu a fresh look, and inviting customers to help design it is a brilliant idea—beats paying an artist or buying stock photography.
MISSING PMQ’s PIZZA MAGAZINE
Dear PMQ,
We moved to a new location and are eagerly awaiting issues of PMQ Magazine. Is there any way you can forward our new address to the publication department and get those past issues to our new location? Thanks for your help in this matter, and for helping small pizza restaurants with your resources and knowledge.
Jay
Not a problem, Jay, your issues are on their way. Also, for anyone else who has recently moved, be sure to send your updated address to sherlyn@pmq.com or call 662-234-5481 ext. 120. And, if for any reason PMQ has mysteriously stopped arriving at your address, please let us know.
THANK YOU FROM ORLANDO CONTESTANT
Dear PMQ,
I apologize for the delay in sending you this email. I want to thank you for all of your help during the American Pizza Championships competition in Orlando. We had a wonderful time. You made the experience great and I’m looking forward to entering more competitions. Can you please send me photos from the competition? Also, I’ve sent a press release out to local media outlets and we’ve received great response! Thanks again.
Sabrina
Glad you had a good experience, Sabrina. That’s what it’s all about, after all. Our creative director, Stefanie Goodwiller, can send you some photos on a CD. Call or email her to let her know where to send them (662-234-5481 ext. 124 or sgoodwiller@pmq.com). Good luck and we look forward to seeing you in Orlando next year…in the winner’s circle.
CAN PMQ PROFILE MY PIZZERIA?
Dear PMQ,
Hello, my name is Russell and I own Big Guy’s Pizza in Mint Hill, North Carolina (a suburb of Charlotte). The reason I’m writing is because I read PMQ all the time and see how you publish articles about pizza places all over America. Well, I believe that my pizzeria could easily be one that you might want to consider profiling. For one, we make a giant 28” pizza that sells so well that we’ve created a whole catering demand around it. Another is that we bought a rundown, abused pizzeria and turned it into the #1 ranked pizza shop in the Charlotte area, all in just three years. We’re a family-run company looking to expand into different areas. Please let me know if you are in the area and can stop in sometime to give us a try. Thanks for your time and have a great day.
Russell
Hey, Big Guy. Well, we get our story leads many different ways. Some come from industry suppliers, some from news releases, and some from good ol’ fashioned letters to the editor just like this one. To start, congratulations on turning around a business and becoming the leader of your market. Next, I keep a list of “hit places” to check out for when I, or anyone else with PMQ, is traveling, and you are now on that list. I hope we get through there soon, but in the meantime, be sure to keep us informed with press releases about what’s going on with Big Guy’s Pizza.