By Tracy Morin

Depending on your location, customer base and time of year, you may want to place your focus on menu items that are healthier or more indulgent—but, ideally, you always offer a little bit of both. While many customers plan for a calorie splurge when dining out, others may be watching their diet. And most pizzerias are equipped to meet all of their needs. 

“When our customers order from us, they’re often seeking something delicious and indulgent,” says chef Brian Brindza, director of menu and culinary development for Toppers Pizza, based in Whitewater, Wisconsin, with nearly 80 locations. “However, we also recognize the need to cater to health-conscious customers. That’s why our menu features a balanced mix.”

“We make sure that those who are looking for a healthy option are also getting something that’s crave-worthy. Healthy doesn’t mean boring!”
—Brian Brindza, Toppers Pizza

Balancing Act

The term “healthy,” of course, is relative—and ever-evolving. The question you might ask is: What do your customers consider healthy? Are they on keto or gluten-free diets? Do they gravitate toward plant-based and/or vegan? Or maybe you’re located next to a gym and could lure in loyal new faces with high-protein recipes. “Our customers consider gluten-free cauliflower crust, keto-friendly crust, plant-based/vegan options, high-protein toppings, and dairy-free mozzarella and ranch as healthy choices,” Brindza says. “We see a demand in all of these categories.”

To satisfy these demands, Toppers’ menu masterminds stay up-to-date on dietary considerations through regular customer feedback, market research and observing industry trends. They also test new items as specials to gauge customer interest before adding them to the permanent menu. “We’ve added some LTO and permanent menu items to satisfy diet trends, and we’ll continue to do that as long as our customers are asking for it,” Brindza explains. “For example, we introduced our keto crust after noticing a growing demand for low-carb keto options.”

However, Brindza adds, even when they’re seeking healthier choices, all customers want to eat food that tastes great. “We make sure that those who are looking for a healthy option are also getting something that’s crave-worthy,” he notes. “Healthy doesn’t mean boring!”

Top sellers at Toppers in the healthy category include vegan pizzas, plant-based chicken tenders, and pizzas made with its gluten-free cauliflower crust. “But the best seller would be our dairy-free cheese, since we’re the only QSR pizza chain that offers it,” Brindza says. “In the indulgent category, customers love anything with meat, like our Meat Topper and classic pepperoni pizza, as well as TopperStix and rich desserts.” 

Like Toppers, Toronto-based PizzaForno, which has more than 70 automated-pizzeria locations globally, uses limited-time offers as a way to test the waters with both healthy and indulgent recipes. “Recent LTOs have included Pickle Pizza, Holiday Festive Pizza and Dessert Lovers (with Nutella and strawberry coulis),” says Les Tomlin, co-founder and president. “Our new Breakfast Pizza, with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, precooked eggs, bacon, ham, onions, and green and red peppers, came to fruition after we identified a high demand for quick, on-the-go breakfast options. It began as an LTO and has turned into a full-time offering.”

Christian Kuhn, chief marketing officer for Atlanta-based Blaze Pizza, with more than 330 locations across 38 states and six countries, also believes it’s important to continuously adapt to dietary trends and listen to customer feedback, introducing new items as specials first to test their popularity. “Our revamped menu includes the new Chef Inspired & Fast Fire’d Signature Collection,” he says. “Popular indulgent items from this menu include The Carnivore and The Blazed BBQ, while healthier options like The Herbivore and the Veg Out pizzas are best sellers.”

Ultimately, it’s about offering something for everyone—no matter what mood they’re in or diet they’re on. “At Toppers Pizza, we live by one of our core values: Give customers what they want,” Brindza says. “Whether satisfying New Year’s resolutions with a keto crust or selling rich TopperStix, we’ve got all cravings covered.”

Trend Watching

While it’s usually a good idea to offer at least a couple of healthier items year-round, certain times of the year are going to offer built-in sales opportunities, so be prepared for them. “During the summer, we see a higher demand for lighter options, like our gluten-free cauliflower crust and vegan pizzas,” Brindza says. “Last summer, we launched a white pizza that was perfect for the hot weather months. After New Year’s, there’s always an uptick in demand for health-focused items as customers work on their resolutions. Last year, we launched a keto crust for the new year, and for next year, we’re really excited about a new health-focused core menu launch.”

In addition, different demographics might be more likely to choose more indulgent or healthier options regardless of season, so it pays to know your customers. “We definitely notice that younger customers tend to prefer healthier options over older customers,” Brindza says. “They often choose vegan, high-protein selections, gluten-free crusts and dairy-free mozzarella for health and dietary reasons.”

In addition to balancing both healthy and indulgent menu items, Blaze Pizza caters to customers’ ever-changing needs with the ability to customize most offerings. “While some guests are drawn to our indulgent artisanal pizzas with rich toppings, others prefer our lighter, healthier choices, especially during the warmer months and when resolutions are top of mind,” Kuhn says. “Younger customers often lean toward healthier options like our vegan pizzas and gluten-free crusts, whereas older customers sometimes favor our more indulgent choices.”

“Regional differences do exist-for instance, coastal locations tend to see a higher demand for gluten-free and vegan options compared to more inland locations.”
—Christian Kuhn, Blaze Pizza

Interestingly, PizzaForno has seen the opposite trend: Younger folks often go for the indulgent pizzas, while older crowds might lean toward healthier options.

In general, though, Blaze Pizza customers have shown a strong demand for various healthy and dietary-specific items. Plant-based, vegan and vegetarian choices are particularly popular, alongside gluten-free and keto-friendly items. Therefore, Blaze Pizza offers several crust options, including original thin, high-rise and gluten-free crusts, plus a cauliflower crust, which is both gluten-free and lower in carbs.

For brands working across the country and world, regional variations are also likely. “Urban areas tend to have a higher demand for vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options, while suburban and rural areas show a greater preference for traditional, indulgent pizzas,” Brindza says. To help customers everywhere make informed choices, the brand provides calorie counts and nutritional information on its menus and website.

“We’ve noticed a growing trend toward healthier dining choices, particularly among younger demographics and in urban areas,” Kuhn agrees. “Regional differences do exist—for instance, coastal locations tend to see a higher demand for gluten-free and vegan options compared to more inland locations. Regardless of these differences, we’re committed to offering a wide range of choices that cater to both healthy and indulgent preferences, ensuring that every customer can find something they love.”   

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.