The holiday season is moving in fast, and that means pizza restaurants should be putting the finishing touches on their catering menus and tiered packages for family gatherings and group get-togethers. With that in mind, PMQ Pizza took a close look at a catering menu from Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen, with six locations in Arizona.
According to a press release, Picazzo’s goal is to “make holiday entertaining easy” for customers. In other words, it’s marketed as a solution to a common holiday-season problem: the stress of cooking for a big group of people. You can scroll down to view the packages, but first here are some points to keep in mind:
1. Emotional framing. Instead of simply listing a bunch of menu items, Picazzo’s smartly positions its offering around convenience and stress relief, appealing to families who want to enjoy the holidays without sweating for hours in a hot kitchen. Emotional framing beats discounts every time, letting Picazzo’s command higher prices while presenting their packages as a “problem solved” rather than just a meal. (Picazzo’s also provides plates and utensils upon request, underscoring the convenience factor and reinforcing the sense that Picazzo’s cares about its clients.)
2. Tiered pricing encourages upsells: The tiered Silver, Gold and Masterpiece pizza packages ($130–$205) work as a subtle upsell. Each step adds about two pizzas for $35 to $40 more. It’s not a huge jump in price for someone feeding a large group, but it essentially gives customers permission to spend more while making comparisons easy. And Picazzo’s doesn’t overwhelm the decision-maker with too many options.
3. But the options are just right. Combined with inclusive menu choices that span comfort foods, vegan and gluten-free items and premium ingredients (smoked mozzarella and sustainable salmon), Picazzo’s offer will appeal to a wide range of groups.
4. It’s operationally smart. Picazzo’s hasn’t tried to reinvent its food for catering; it sticks to items already on the menu and ingredients already in the kitchen, minimizing labor strain and kitchen complexity during the busy holiday season.
5. Premium pricing suggests high quality: These aren’t budget prices; $205 for 10 pizzas comes to about $20.50 per pie. But Picazzo’s drapes the offer in a “health halo” with organic, gluten-free and sustainable ingredients. At the same time, the elevated menu language (“microgreens,” “lemon-butter caper sauce” and “turmeric-tahini dressing”) sounds downright fancy—and worth the price.
OK, that’s enough analysis. Here’s a breakdown of the program’s various menu options:
Pizzas:
Silver Package ($130): Serves 12-18. A choice of any 6 pizzas from Picazzo’s regular menu.
Gold Package ($170): Serves 16-24. A choice of any 8 pizzas from Picazzo’s regular menu.
Masterpiece ($205): Serves 22-30. A choice of any 10 pizzas from Picazzo’s regular menu.
Pasta and Hot Dishes:
Meatball Bolognese ($80): Gemelli pasta, turkey bolognese and house-made turkey meatballs.
Baked Rigatoni ($78): Rigatoni, Italian sausage, creamy bolognese, calabrian chile, fumella smoked mozzarella and chives.
Chicken Parmesan ($102): Gluten-free breaded chicken breast baked with marinara, mozzarella and herbed parmesan. Served beside gemelli marinara and a garlic-butter sautéed vegetable medley with crushed candied walnuts.
Chicken Piccata ($102): Grilled and baked chicken breast, gemelli, lemon-butter caper sauce and broccolini.
Sustainable Mediterranean Salmon ($135): Seared salmon filet, roasted yellow tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, spinach, quinoa, turmeric-tahini dressing, dill sauce, roasted lemon and microgreens.
Vegan Options: Vegan Piccata Pasta, Vegan Meetball Marinara, Vegan Spicy Chipotle Chick’n, Vegan Spicy Thai Peanut Chick’n, and Vegan Veyond Sausage & Mushroom
Appetizers:
Cheesebread ($32): Scratch-made focaccia with buttery-garlic sauce, mozzarella, smoked fumella mozzarella, herbed Parmesan and pomodoro sauce.
Mama’s Meat-Za Balls ($64): Diestel turkey meatballs baked in pomodoro with basil, herbed Parmesan and herb ricotta, served with focaccia.
Baked Wings ($70): Juicy wings with carrots and ranch, available in Italian seasoned, BBQ original, BBQ chipotle, buffalo, or spicy Thai peanut flavors.
Whipped Herb Ricotta ($38): Creamy ricotta with herbs, olive oil and toasted focaccia.
Vegan Options: Vegan Cheesebread, Vegan Chick’n Wing Bites, Vegan Meetballs, and Vegan Quinoa Bowls.
Salads:
Mother Earth Salad ($54): Mixed greens, sweet potatoes, quinoa, apples, avocado, and candied walnuts with avocado agave mustard dressing.
Athena Quinoa Bowl ($68): Sauteed zucchini, kale, quinoa, roasted yellow tomatoes, tzatziki, hummus, feta, olives, and microgreens.
