Find your ‘USPs’, says the co-owner of Taylors’ Pizza House, and you’re on the way to success in any market.

Story and Photos by Brian Hernandez

Editor’s note: This article contains additional interview material that was not included in the print story appearing in PMQ’s April 2024 edition.

We all want to be noticed. It’s human nature, and, at times, it’s survival of the fittest, especially in the pizza industry. If you aren’t out there shaking your proverbial tail feathers at all the passersby, then good luck to you, friend. 

U.S. Pizza Team members George and Patti Taylor, owners of Taylors’ Pizza House in Endwell, New York, know all about standing out in a “crowded house.” Their devotion to 1990s grunge and alt-rock, plus a unique dining atmosphere and award-winning pies, have helped Taylors’ Pizza House become the area’s go-to pizzeria while inspiring their competitive urge and pizza curiosity. Here, George shares tips for developing unique selling propositions (USPs) and more things “you oughta know” to stay “alive” in the pizza industry.

Hernandez: So what’s the story, morning glory?

Taylor: We began our pizza journey with a place called Freschott Pizza. Just the words “Fresh” and “Hott” smushed together with a “c” thrown in. It confused a lot of people on pronunciation. After 19 years in business, I took a break and did some corporate gigs in the industry, until we decided to give it another shot in 2017 with Taylors’ Neighborhood Pizza & Sandwich Shoppe. We ended up having to change locations to a converted house in 2023, and that’s when we changed the name to Taylors’ Pizza House. In 2019, I joined the USPT and realized there’s a whole community of pizza nerds like me, and I wanted to be a part of that. I’ve learned more in the past six or seven years than I did in the previous 25 of being in the business. I can’t tell you how beneficial being on this team has been for us. I’m really proud to be a part of it. 

Hernandez: Let’s talk about unique selling propositions. What does that mean to you?

Taylor: It’s what makes you different from your competition. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, whether you’re selling shoes or pizzas or whatever. If we’re all making the same exact pizza and we all cut our pies the same way and wear the same uniform, why would anybody buy from anyone? There’s always something that has to make you different than the other guy, and I’ll be honest with you: When we had our first restaurant (Freschott Pizza), I really struggled with that question. We did fine and made a living that whole time, but, looking back, we could have done so much more. 

Hernandez: How did you fix that issue with Taylors’ Pizza House? 

Taylor: Now we have a USP that boasts four different styles of pizza using unique, fresh ingredients. We also showcase New York State craft beers on tap. So we try to keep it different, fresh and local. Everybody else around here sells New York-style and sheet pizzas. We wanted to do something different. We sell those, of course, but we also sell Detroit style, which nobody in our area does. We sell Chicago tavern pizza, and we offer Sicilians. A lot of people get confused, thinking a sheet pizza is a Sicilian pizza, and it’s not. Sometimes I must educate folks about that. It’s more like a focaccia with toppings. Then, when they eat it, they’re, like, “Yeah, I don’t feel like I just ate a brick, like at the other places,” and that’s when you know they get it. Next thing you know, they’re back three or four days later for more, or maybe they try the Detroit. Then they’re hooked, and they have to keep coming back here to get it.

Hernandez: How do you decide what USP works for you?

Taylor: It’s more of an idea. As an example, take Randy’s Wooster St. Pizza in Manchester, Connecticut. One of their location themes was based around Hot Wheels. They had the largest collection in the country, and their booths were repurposed car seats. It was a cool vibe, and there was nothing else like it. It was like eating in the middle of a Hot Wheels track. A USP doesn’t necessarily have to be selling 10 styles of pizza. It can be the atmosphere. It can be anything that sets you apart. 

Hernandez: That sounds expensive.

Taylor: You can have an expensive USP with bells and whistles, but if your product is horrible, it doesn’t matter. On the same note, it doesn’t cost me anything extra to make four styles of pizza. I have a universal dough recipe and use the same ovens. The biggest expense is my poster budget. 

Hernandez: Speaking of which…the grunge thing. I like it. How did that come about? Is that a USP as well?

Taylor: That really has to do with branding. Our specialty pizzas are named after ’90s grunge bands. The walls are covered in ’90s grunge band posters. Our uniforms are like concert T-shirts. On the front, they say, “Pizza That Rocks,” with our logo of a slice jamming on a guitar. But where the tour dates would go on the back, we have our specialty pizzas and the cities they represent, and we threw on some made-up dates. Everything goes to reinforce that image of the ’90s grunge era. That’s the Taylors’ brand. 

Hernandez: So where is the line between a brand and a USP?

Taylor: One of them is what we do, and the other is who we are. As Taylors’ Pizza, we are the ’90s grunge-themed pizzeria with award-winning pies with fun names on the menu. That’s our brand. We do four different styles with fresh and unique ingredients. That’s our USP. And the USP in and of itself doesn’t necessarily have to do anything to draw people in. It can be just the idea of what you do, a simple reason that you’re different. The brand is who you present to the customers through your interactions and atmosphere—the identity. The brand can bring them in, but the USP should keep them coming back.

Hernandez: You have just begun your second pizza life. What is the main point you want new pizzeria operators to know?

Taylor: Have that USP to go along with your brand. It can’t be an afterthought because that’s what makes you struggle with it like I did. In my book, A Pizza My Life, I wrote about this exact issue. We jumped in with no business plan, and I barely knew how to make pizza. And this was back before you could find everything on YouTube, so the learning curve was pretty steep. Slippery, too. It’s far easier to develop that concept before you begin than trying to adjust a pizzeria that may have been running for a few years. You don’t necessarily have to do everything all at once, but you have to have that plan in place to achieve the end result.

Hernandez: If you had a blank check for a new USP or concept, what would it be?

Taylor:  I would immediately start looking for where I could put “The Large Cheese Pizza” shop. That’s all we’d sell. No toppings, no nothing. Boom. Out the door. If they order extra toppings, charge them for it, then just put extra cheese on it. 

Hernandez: No toppings for you! I like the concept. Quick, easy, and way better than the chains’ plain pies. Would you build a USP in a specific neighborhood just to fit the demographic or concept?

Taylor: Absolutely. Research the population of the area and find out if there are cultural or ethnic influences. If you create a concept that has pizza geared towards what they like in the area and do it well, they ain’t going to Joe’s Pizza.

Hernandez: What is your final wish for the industry?

Taylor: I wish the advances in vegan cheese would move a little quicker. 

Hernandez: In a nutshell, I agree. No excuses.