When local restaurateurs work together in a crisis, delicious innovations can emerge from the collaboration, as demonstrated by new menu offerings from the Pizza Bandit, a Dayton, Ohio food truck.
The Pizza Bandit, located at Yellow Cab Tavern, has introduced new toppings sourced from Ghostlight Coffee, a coffee bar and eatery in downtown Dayton, and local fried-chicken emporium Chicken Head’s, owned by Chef Anthony Head.
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Pizza Bandit’s customers can order their pies topped with Chicken Head’s Mac Sauce and Ghostlight’s Harissa Cream Cheese. Months in the making, the collaboration was originally planned to debut prior to Christmas Day. But a pre-holiday rush kept the food truck so busy that it had to be postponed until December 26.
Pizza Bandit purchases the toppings directly from Chicken Head’s and Gaslight, Pizza Bandit partner Brian Johnson told Dayton.com. He said the collaboration is “another way to keep supporting each other during this time.”
“It’s not going to make or break them, but it does add to the bottom line,” Johnson said. “And right now, it’s all about adding that two or three percent here or there where you can.”
The collaboration will continue after the pandemic subsides, Johnson added. “It keeps customers excited, it keeps money going into the cash flow, and, hopefully, we all get through COVID-19 together, and then all of us are still collaborating when it’s over.”