By Steven Amlani, Founder, Scratch Pizza
Scratch Pizza marks its 10th anniversary this year—a milestone few independent operators reach. But longevity wasn’t the goal. Durability was.
The first critical decision happened before we opened. At a time when larger footprints and premium centers were the norm, we chose a 1,000-square-foot model in a bedroom community in Norco, California.
There were doubters. Launching any business brings them. But smaller meant lower fixed costs — and that gave us flexibility.
Before taking our product to market, I asked a simple question: “What are customers in this market willing to pay for pizza on a regular basis?” Then I worked the numbers backward from there.
Because our fixed costs were controlled, we could allocate capital differently, investing in high-quality tomatoes, block whole-milk mozzarella, better flour to support a 72-hour proof dough, and fresh ingredients across the board.
In the early days, we didn’t even have a freezer. Everything brought in was fresh.
The smaller footprint forced discipline. Every labor hour mattered. Every SKU mattered. Every square foot had to produce. That constraint shaped the system.
Proof of Concept, Not Momentum
The discipline translated quickly to success. Scratch Pizza caught on early, becoming a local favorite within our community. The smaller footprint didn’t limit demand but, rather, concentrated it.
Within 12 months of opening, we had the opportunity to move into a second location. But expansion wasn’t treated as momentum. It was treated as proof. The first location validated the model:
- Controlled fixed costs
- Focused menu
- Fresh product
- Operational precision
The second location validated scalability. We expanded within operational range of existing infrastructure. Marketing overlapped. Leadership overlapped. Training overlapped.
Growth wasn’t the objective. Repeatability was.
Today, Scratch Pizza operates three locations built on the same disciplined 1,000-square-foot model.
Labor Pressure Forced Redesign
The real inflection point came during COVID and the years that followed. Rising minimum wage and labor shortages forced a hard look at the model. The traditional staffing structure wasn’t sustainable long-term.
The decision was made to transition toward smaller, higher-paid teams. But you can’t simply reduce headcount and hope for efficiency. Systems have to support it.
One of the first levers pulled was digital ordering. In 2021, we began investing intentionally in our online platform—improving UI (user interface, or the look and layout of the platform) and UX (user experience, i.e., the overall ordering experience) to make ordering smooth, fast and intuitive. If we were going to push customers online, the experience had to be frictionless.
Then we gave customers a reason to transition. Exclusive online offers made the shift compelling—not blanket discounts, but strategic incentives strong enough to change behavior.
The percentage moved quickly. Over the next several years, digital ordering climbed steadily. Today, across three locations, Scratch Pizza consistently blends above 70% digital and mobile ordering—with some weeks pushing beyond 80%.
That shift wasn’t cosmetic. With fewer phone calls and cleaner order flow, smaller teams could execute more efficiently. Throughput increased. Errors decreased. Labor became more predictable.
Focusing on digital ordering wasn’t a marketing initiative. It was an operational redesign.
Marketing as Infrastructure
As our labor model evolved, marketing had to evolve with it.
Rather than outsourcing creative work, we built an internal modular marketing framework using AI-assisted workflows. A single hero product asset can be adapted into multiple ad formats, motion variations and campaign executions within minutes.
The goal is speed, repeatability and control. Marketing becomes operational infrastructure—measurable, adjustable and executable without layers of agency overhead. In a margin-sensitive business, that control matters.
What the Next Ten Years Will Require
Independent operators face increasing complexity—higher wages, tighter margins, more digital competition. The next decade will reward those who:
- Own their customer data
- Design lean teams intentionally
- Treat marketing as a controllable system
- Use AI as leverage, not a gimmick
- Stay disciplined with footprint and fixed costs
Ten years isn’t a celebration. It’s validation. In independent pizza, durability is the competitive advantage.
Steven Amlani is founder of Scratch Pizza, with three locations in California: Norco, Riverside and Jurupa Valley.
