The average hotel guest checks in between 4 and 7 p.m.; they’re tired, hungry and don’t know where to eat. Sure, a chain restaurant is always safe, but if they could discover a local pizzeria, available via speed dial on their hotel phone right at check-in, they may be inclined … More
Marketing Idea Zone
Idea Zone: Peel-a-Deal
How many times a year are you approached by a school, church, youth sports association, or other fundraising group wanting money for this or that? Community involvement is a necessary part of running a successful business, and for over 19 years now there has been a way to do it … More
From the Editor
Thank You, Steve Jobs, for Billions of Dollars in Pizza Commerce
Online ordering means billions of dollars for the pizza industry each year for decades to come. I’ve never seen anything like it in my 37 years in the pizza industry. The changes of the last five years include tectonic shifts in the way consumers buy pizza directly as a result … More
Marketing Idea Zone
If hotels aren’t using your key cards, then they’re using your competitors’.
When weary travelers get to their hotel rooms, it’s late, and they’re hungry. Potential customers won’t have to look far before discovering your store, because your message is already in view. HotelRFIDkeys.com has been reminding hotel customers where to eat pizza for a long time—they’ve had pizzerias’ information in … More
Pizzerias & Pizzaioli
What’s Your Story? Skinny Bitch Pizza, Los Angeles, California
Tiffany Fiedler opened her first pizzeria this past May. And while Skinny Bitch Pizza may look very different from the traditional pizzerias we’re used to—it certainly gives new meaning to the expression, “pretty in pink”—the concept makes sense when we look at current trends. She’s providing online ordering and delivery … More
Marketing Idea Zone
Do You Have the Fire Within to Go Mobile?
Anyone can benefit from a mobile operation, even if you’re already in a brick-and-mortar shop. A Fire Within mobile wood-fired unit will allow you to take your signature taste out into the community, setting you apart from your competitors while generating additional revenue and increasing brand awareness. During your … More
From the Editor
Fredi Bello: The Richest Man in the World
I suspect that, to many who know him, Fredi the Pizzaman, this month’s cover subject, is also Fredi the Everyman, one of the “little guys” of the industry—his lunch-only restaurant has just five tables—who looms tall because of his personal integrity and his passion for his work. In our … More
Pizzerias & Pizzaioli
What’s Your Story? Mert Sunnetcioglu, Mia Mia’s Pizzeria
When Mert Sunnetcioglu came to the United States from his native Turkey to study engineering, little did he know that his culinary hobby would turn into a career. Since purchasing Mia Mia’s Pizzeria in 2015, he has transformed the pint-sized Providence eatery into a thriving business, thanks in large … More
Business & Marketing
Look Before You Lease: Choosing the Right Site for Your Pizzeria
Do you remember the first car you bought with your own hard-earned money? That car was shiny and beautiful. It was the new love of your life. Then, a month or two later—after some of the novelty had begun to wane—you said to yourself, “I probably overpaid for that … More
SmartMarket
SpeedLine Solutions: How to Save Money on Credit Card Fees and Chargebacks:
Are you debating upgrading to EMV when a large percentage of your sales are card-not-present deliveries? Pay@ the Door is the answer. SpeedLine Pay@ the Door could save you hundreds of dollars each month in credit card processing costs and reduced chargeback liability for delivery transactions, including online orders. … More
SmartMarket
Marra Forni: Made in the USA vs. Imported Brick Ovens
An interview with Marra Forni Founder Francesco Marra Q: Why is choosing between domestically produced and imported ovens such a difficult decision for restaurateurs? FM: There are many factors to consider. If consumers aren’t educated about a particular product, they will fall for the cheaper options. Sure, you might save a … More
Pizzerias & Pizzaioli
The Good Life: Fredi the Pizzaman Lives Out His Pizza Dreams
Bello is, above all, a family man. In this picture, he poses with his wife, Romina, and (from left) daughters Allesandra, 9, and Adriana, 5, and son Antonio, 6 Fredi Bello is an unpretentious man with a pocket-sized pizzeria, but he’s anything but small-time in his home … More