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Publisher's Letter
By
Steve Green
Online Ordering Gold Rush
According to PMQ’s just-completed 2007 Pizza Industry Census, 27.5% of those who
responded to the question about online ordering currently offer the service or plan to
initiate it in the next 6 to 12 months. I’m really hoping we can bring those numbers up
over the next year, because online ordering is a real opportunity for you to increase
your sales. I believe that the pizza industry will increase demand during 2008, and the
growth will be led by those of you who appreciate the natural marketing and management
opportunities available through the next generation of online ordering technology.
Your customers will be able to order exactly what they want and order it more quickly;
your pizza operation will run smoothly and with less errors; and the resulting quicker
service times mean that pizzas will arrive hotter and better-tasting. Now is the time to shop for your online ordering
solution, whether you have a POS system or not. As you’ll see in this issue, there’s now a solution for every pizzeria,
whether it be through an existing POS, through a kitchen computer, or through a fax or a phone. Participate in the gold
rush; get connected now and start telling your customers, “Yes, we can take your order online.”
Just Released
The 2007 Pizza Industry Census is a treasure trove of must-read information for anyone in the pizza business. We
extend a very big thank-you to the more than 350 pizzeria operators from around the country who patiently answered
these 50 questions. The census participants have been emailed an advance copy of the results, but those who want to
view it now can go to results.pmq.com. And if you value this annual report, please help us make the 2008 Pizza Industry
Census even more successful by taking the census next year.
Pizza Legend Ed LaDou Passes
Did you know that the secret ingredient to Wolfgang Puck’s pizza success was the same
gentleman who created the first generation of pizzas for California Pizza Kitchen? Ed LaDou may
have been responsible for making the pizza industry billions of dollars stronger by engineering the
California-style pizza. Without his perpetual curiosity, creative genius and driving desire to delight
himself and the people around him, it may never have happened.
Ed LaDou was born at McChord Air Force Base in Washington on October 9, 1955, and died in
Santa Monica this past December 27, after a long bout with cancer.
You may remember reading about Ed LaDou in PMQ or seeing him donning a beret while teaching a pizza workshop
at one of the pizza trade shows. LaDou was a natural inventor and restaurateur, always wanting to satisfy the customer,
either through his disciplined culinary skills or, if necessary, performing a new acrobatic dough tossing routine. The last
time I spoke with LaDou was in Los Angeles this past August during a camera interview. We talked about documenting
his pizza philosophy in the event he didn’t regain his health. I hope the video we’ve prepared will enlighten new
students of the culinary arts as well as honor the memory of a very decent man. You’ll find the video by using the search
bar at the top of www.pmq.com – or, if you’re reading the digital edition of PMQ, just click his picture inside this story.
Congratulations!
We are proud to announce Brian DeLoia of Johnny’s Pizza in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the offi cial winner of
PMQ’s cruise giveaway! DeLoia was automatically entered to win when he completed the recent 2007 Pizza Industry
Census. Congratulations Brian; we’ll see you in Jamaica!