Bellefontaine, Ohio: If you don’t pronounce it “Bell-Fountain,” you have already outed yourself as a tourist. Home of America’s shortest street, McKinley Street (only 20 feet long), and Campbell Hill, the highest point in Ohio, Bellefontaine holds some impressive records. So does Brittany Saxton, the owner of Six Hundred … More
Pizza Styles: Best of the Southwest
Pratt Morales only incorporated pizza into his menu about 12 years ago. From the high plains and stunning red-rock deserts to the Grand Canyon, the American Southwest has more than its share of natural wonders. One of them is named Pratt Morales. The energetic, ever-smiling owner of … More
Chef’s Corner: Anthony Spina-O4W Pizza
Atlanta is known as the home of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, Coca-Cola’s headquarters, the Falcons and the Braves, and The Walking Dead TV series. This beautiful Southern peach of a city comes with a lot of character in both its citizens and lingo. Terms like … More
How to Build a Private-Label Food Business
U.S. Pizza Team premiere member Lenny Rago, co-owner of Panino’s Pizza in Chicago, has been around the competition circuit for quite a while. Competing and winning both domestically and abroad, he knows how people think of pizzas and ingredients. Which is probably why he and his partners at Panino’s … More
Old Forge-Style Pizza is a Cut Above
It takes hubris for a little town of 8,300 to call itself the “pizza capital of the world,” but pizzeria owners in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, know exactly what they’re doing. They’ve got their own pizza style, a rare sense of community and camaraderie, and a firm belief … More
Pizza Sports Make a Splash on ESPN3
David Whisker might not throw a 90-m.p.h. fastball, but sports fans around the country know him as a box-folding speed demon—thanks to the U.S. Pizza Team’s (USPT) history-making debut on ESPN3 in January. They also watched world-champion contender Scott Volpe spin a pair of doughs in a … More
Keep Things Cool This Summer With Frozen Treats
Looking for a way to help your customers beat the heat this season while fanning the flames of your profits? Look no further than frozen desserts. They make for an irresistible pairing with pizza: shareable, family-friendly, and endlessly customizable. Even better, they help add incremental sales that can significantly … More
Tips from the Team: Serving Up the Suds
Sean Dempsey has been a member of the U.S. Pizza Team since 2017. He opened Dempsey’s Brew Pub and Restaurant in Watertown, South Dakota, in 1999 and added pizzas to the menu in 2003. But Dempsey got serious about the pizza making craft in 2014. Since then, his restaurant … More
Maintain a Good Relationship With Your Oven to Avoid Later Heartache
Pizza makers don’t just depend on their ovens to make money—it’s practically a love affair, a relationship based on tender care, patience and understanding. Pizzaioli know their ovens like they know their wives or husbands. But ovens, like spouses, don’t live forever. And some ovens just don’t deserve you. … More
Adding Deli Sandwiches Can Kick Up Your Pizzeria's Sales
Deli sandwiches aren’t a terribly different animal than pizza; they both rely on a bread base and can be topped or filled with essentially any ingredients. But, thanks to their different formats, sandwiches can exponentially diversify a menu. They give customers more choice, generally take less time to serve … More
Milwaukee-Style Pizza Offers Up Great Options for Pizza & Beer Pairings
We all know pizza and beer go together like Laverne and Shirley. So it should come as no surprise that Milwaukee-style pizza—unique to the beer capital of the world—is designed specifically to be eaten with an ice-cold brew. Preferably in a tavern with lots of friends. And even if … More
Using Video to Draw in Customers is Key to Staying Relevant in the Coming Years
When you go on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, you’ll often notice that video is prevalent in many posts from big pizza chains. But even if you’re running a small business, you can also use video to great effect. Use these four tips to … More