By Austin Titus
Looking into 2025, I’m excited by the opportunities in store for our industry. This won’t be a year of radical change but of strategic refinement: going deeper into the enhancements we’ve been making over the last few years. A few incremental improvements in technology, operations and customer engagement will shape the industry’s future.
From enhancing delivery efficiency to meeting evolving guest preferences, pizzeria owners who adopt smart, targeted tactics will set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive market.
Here are the four trends to look for in 2025 and how your business can thrive by embracing them.
Artificial Intelligence: Streamlining Decisions and Boosting Sales
AI is no longer a futuristic buzzword. It’s becoming a practical tool that’s reshaping how pizza restaurants operate. In 2025, AI will play a more prominent role, both behind the scenes and in front of customers.
- Operational Optimizations
Franchise-focused pizzerias are increasingly using AI to streamline expansion efforts. By analyzing data on potential franchisees, AI tools can identify candidates who align with a brand’s culture and financial requirements. These tools also reduce the time spent communicating with prospects, ensuring a faster and more efficient process. For growing chains, this precision is invaluable for protecting the brand while accelerating growth. - The End of the Phone-Order Pain Point?
AI-powered phone systems are evolving, offering a seamless alternative to traditional call-in orders. By reducing wait times, minimizing order errors, and freeing up staff to focus on food preparation, these systems address a long-standing challenge for busy pizzerias. Customers benefit from a smoother ordering process, and businesses enjoy more efficient operations. - Enhanced Menu Engineering
AI-driven insights can also help pizzerias optimize their menus. By analyzing sales data, these tools identify top-performing items and underperforming dishes that may be worth revising or removing. They can even suggest ideal pairings to boost sales. This data-driven approach helps pizzerias maintain menu variety while focusing on profitability. - Customer-Facing Tools
AI is revolutionizing how pizzerias interact with their customers. For instance, AI-driven upselling tools can analyze the customer’s ordering history and suggest complementary items—premium desserts, specialty drinks and more. They can even suggest what similar guests have ordered. These personalized recommendations drive higher check averages and improve the customer experience.
Related: How to select the right location and plan the buildout for your next pizzeria
Off-Premises Excellence: Rethinking Delivery and Pickup
As dining habits continue to shift toward off-premises consumption, pizza restaurants are doubling down on delivery and pickup strategies. While pizza has always been a delivery-friendly option, the challenge in 2025 will be ensuring that all menu items travel well.
- Revolutionizing Packaging
Customers increasingly expect their food to arrive hot, fresh and visually appealing, even after a 20-minute journey. Pizzerias are rethinking packaging for side dishes, salads and desserts to ensure items retain their quality during transit. For instance, separating salad components—crispy lettuce in one container, warm grilled chicken in another—allows customers to enjoy a fresher dining experience at home. Investing in innovative, compartmentalized packaging can turn a potential weak link into a strength. - In-House Ordering Over Third-Party Platforms
While third-party apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats dominate the delivery ecosystem, their fees continue to frustrate both businesses and consumers. Customers are increasingly opting for direct pickup to avoid the hefty delivery fees, creating a golden opportunity for pizzerias to promote their in-house online ordering platforms. Offering incentives such as exclusive discounts or loyalty points can steer customers away from costly middlemen and boost profit margins. For customers, ordering directly often means a more seamless experience and lower costs—a win-win for everyone involved. - Loyalty Programs
As more customers opt for direct online orders, loyalty programs can become a powerful tool for retention. Offering rewards for repeat orders, exclusive deals or birthday perks can keep customers coming back to your platform rather than third-party apps.
Menu Strategy: Balancing Tradition with Modern Tastes
Pizza may be a timeless classic, but customer expectations are anything but static. To stay competitive in 2025, pizzerias must strike a balance between simplicity and variety on their menus.
- Premium Options for Customization
Customers today value choices that align with their tastes and budgets. Adding high-quality upgrades such as garlic-butter crusts, truffle oil drizzles or plant-based cheese options can cater to both the budget-conscious diner and those willing to pay extra for premium experiences. Offering tiered options like “good, better, best” ensures that you’re meeting the needs of diverse customer segments. - Centralized Ingredient Prep
To keep operations smooth, some pizzerias are adopting centralized commissary models. Core ingredients like sauces, doughs and specialty toppings are prepared at a central facility and distributed to franchise locations. This not only ensures consistency across locations but also reduces the burden of in-store preparation. Employees can focus on assembling orders and providing great customer service rather than spending hours prepping ingredients.
Efficiency and Simplicity: Keys to Operational Success
Efficiency will remain a top priority for pizzerias in 2025, particularly for franchise models where consistency across locations is critical. Streamlined operations can unlock both time and cost savings while improving the customer experience.
- Simplified Processes
Many franchise models are reducing complexity by providing pre-prepped ingredients and focusing staff training on food assembly and service. This allows franchisees to offer diverse menus without overwhelming employees or extending wait times. Simplified processes also make it easier to onboard new hires—a crucial advantage in today’s tight labor market. - Labor Retention
Labor challenges aren’t going anywhere in 2025. Hiring and retaining employees remains a struggle, especially in an industry with historically high turnover rates. To stand out, pizzerias must offer competitive wages, clear growth opportunities and positive work environments. Incentive programs, team-building activities and flexible scheduling can all help attract and retain top talent. And when it comes to hiring, the key is prioritizing attitude over experience. As one pizzeria owner put it: “We can teach you how to make pizza. We can’t teach you how to care about customers.”
2025 Success Formula: Embrace Change, Stay Grounded
The pizza industry has always been about more than just food. It’s about community, convenience and the experience of sharing a universally loved dish. In 2025, the pizzerias that succeed will be the ones that combine this tradition with forward-thinking strategies.
In a year defined by subtle yet meaningful changes, 2025 is your chance to position your pizzeria for long-term success. The future may not call for reinvention, but with smarter strategies and sharper execution, your business can thrive in an evolving landscape.
Austin Titus is president of Cannoli Kitchen Pizza, a growing restaurant franchise founded in 1996 that serves not only fresh pizza, but also pasta, subs, wings and, of course, cannoli. Offering dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering options, it has seven locations throughout Florida with plans for expansion. The brand operates within the family of award-winning franchise brands at United Franchise Group.
