No one knows exactly when or where it happened, but one Saturday afternoon many years ago, a group of college football fans got hungry while watching their favorite team play. Then they ordered pizza, and a college football tradition was born. We recently drove PMQ’s PizzaTV van through Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky to find out … More
Start swiping
Like it or not, our nation runs on credit. The statistics pile up: A 2009 survey by the National Small Business Association found that 59% of small business owners use credit cards as a primary source of financing; in 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau projected that 191 million Americans will own debit cards by 2012, and the … More
Double-check your numbers
Question: How do I ensure that my sales figures, according to my point of sale system, make it to the bank? Answer: You need to practice internal control. First, print a daily sales report from the point of sale and from your credit card machine if you have a standalone terminal. Next, create … More
Minor adjustments
If your pizzeria employs anyone under the age of 18, become aware of your responsibilities under federal and state labor and employment laws that protect minor employees. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has made child labor regulations a top priority, aggressively investigating and seeking penalties for violations involving minors working too many hours, starting work too early, working too … More
Wonder women
Taranto’s Pizza Lewis Center, OH tarantospizza.com Owner: Debbie Taranto Antoun 1. How did you start out in the pizza industry? My brother started a pizzeria about 20 years ago. I started working there and absolutely fell in love with it. The people I worked with, the customers and the great-quality food inspired me to go out … More
Securing a bank loan
In today’s economic climate, banks are reluctant to take chances—so it’s more important than ever to know how to best prepare for approaching a bank about a loan. To find out, we went to one of the top experts in the field, Suze Orman (suzeorman.com), an internationally acclaimed personal finance expert, who was more than happy to lend … More
Burt's Place
ldquo;I’ve always been independent,” laughs Burt Katz, owner of Burt’s Place in suburban Chicago. “I’m like a salmon—I swim upstream.” And any customer who has been to Burt’s Place, an offbeat pizzeria in Morton Grove, Illinois, knows the man’s not lying. Everything about the place speaks to the owner’s personality, from its unusual location at the end of … More
The coupon code
Couponing seems to have reached massive proportions, thanks to a variety of factors: With the recession prompting everyone to seek out bargains; the growing presence of daily deals sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial; and the instant gratification of email, texting and social media, more consumers than ever are getting into—and passing along to friends—coupons in some form or … More
Raising dough
Timothy Deaver, company manager of TJ’s Pizzeria Cafe (tjsmenu.com)—a five-unit chain with locations in Franklin, Oak Ridge, Sparta, Wantage and West Milford, New Jersey—is an example of an industry professional who makes business that stimulates nonprofit groups for the better, especially in a weakened economy. For almost three years, TJ’s has raised funds for organizations in its respective communities … More
To the point
Regardless of your business model, there’s an ideal point of sale (POS) system to help you save time, manage staff, and market specials and coupons, as well as ensure safe transactions for your business and customers. Whether you’re acquiring your first POS, expanding your business or simply shopping for an upgrade, the fi rst step is assessing your business … More
Hiding from Uncle Sam
QUESTION: I’m a small independent operator with five employees, so why would the IRS seek me out? ANSWER: After attending a recent IRS Nationwide Tax Forum in Dallas last summer, I returned with plenty of reasons the IRS would seek you out. First, the government needs to balance its budget and has fully staffed … More
Time capsule: Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant
In 1944, Gus Guerra formed a partnership with his wife Anna’s uncle to open Buddy’s Rendezvous in Detroit—at first a bar only. “Profits from the bar business weren’t enough to live on, so Grandma Passalacqua told my parents they should sell food, too,” recounts Marie Guerra Easterby, daughter of Gus and co-owner of Cloverleaf … More