At Malawi’s Pizza, headquartered in Provo, Utah, every pizza sold means a free nutritious meal for a hungry child in Africa. With four locations in Utah, Texas and Virginia, Malawi’s Pizza is one of a number of social enterprises – for-profit companies that try to solve a social problem – in … More

Carol Hilker has eaten so many wings, she has a fear of facing a flock of mangled chickens in the afterlife. “I’ve written and tested a million recipes,” Hilker, a food writer and cookbook author, told PMQ's Bill DeJournett in a recent interview. “I definitely fear that, if I go to … More

  A fleet of robots are delivering the three main food groups—pizza, doughnuts and coffee—to students at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia, possibly signaling a new era in foodservice automation. Hospitality company Sodexo, which manages dining services at GMU and hundreds of other colleges and universities, has … More

So you built a pizza oven in your backyard. You’re an active contributor to all of the internet pizza discussion groups. Every one of your friends has told you that you make the best pizza they’ve ever tasted. You should open a pizzeria. You would crush it, right? Well, not … More

You can’t overestimate the importance of your menu. It’s much more than simply a document for helping people choose what they want to order. Your menu is a make-or-break marketing tool that determines whether a customer spends money with you or not. Think about how well-written your current menu is … More

We’re not ones to judge, but some folks have pretty crazy ideas about what tastes good on a pizza. But that’s the beauty of this business we’re in. Pizza kitchens are laboratories of culinary innovation run by mad scientists who aren’t afraid to push boundaries. And pizzeria customers are willing … More

The only thing worse than firing a pizzeria employee is being the employee who gets fired. It’s a deeply unpleasant experience for everyone involved. Aside from the discomfort of breaking the bad news to an employee who didn’t see it coming, restaurant owners face the risk of retribution—thanks to … More

Employee theft is a common problem that plagues pizza chains and independent pizzerias alike. It's not limited to taking money from the register; employees might also steal supplies and inventory, including food, paper products, alcoholic beverages, and office and kitchen equipment. They may even cut into the bottom line by granting discounts, refunds or free … More

A letter from a long-time PMQ reader inspired my most recent trip to Hawaii. It's been 20 years since I last visited the North Shore of Oahu, and that trip only took place because a girl at my last job had an extra ticket (right place, right time). This time, … More

Should you raise your pizzeria’s prices in 2019? With minimum wage hikes looming in many states and the higher demand for an artisanal pizza experience, that’s the question on a lot of operators’ minds. And there’s no easy answer to it. But one thing’s for certain: If your expenses are … More