Is the princess of pop pondering the pizza biz? People Magazine reported recently that Britney Spears is in negotiations to become a partner in the Meatball Spot, known for its pies, sandwiches and meatball dishes. The Las Vegas eatery will soon open a new location next door to Planet Hollywood, where Spears may start performing regularly in a new phase of her career. Spears has delved into the restaurant business before – unfortunately, her first venture, Nyla, a fine-dining establishment in Manhattan, was a bigger bomb than Britney's bald look in '07.

Read more at PMQ.com.

The Word-of-Mouth Myth

While word-of-mouth is definitely a huge factor in bringing customers into most pizzerias, word-of-mouth doesn't usually happen independently of outside influences. Most word-of-mouth comes about because of charity drives, sponsored sports teams, monthly theme dinners, social media efforts, creative menu specials, etc. In the end, these promotions all result in a lot of "word-of-mouth," but the recommendations begin with an organized marketing effort.

Learn more at The Pizza Insider.

This Week In Pizza

Today On This Week In Pizza: Best Pizza City List Shocks New Yorkers; Another List Ranks Frozen Pizzas; and Princess of Pop Ponders Pizza Biz

Watch the video at PMQ.com.

Domino's: No Apology Necessary

"Sorry" isn't the hardest word for the administrator of Domino's Facebook page. In fact, the social media pro recently made headlines by responding to a compliment with an apology. It's not uncommon for the pizza chain's official Facebook page to get complaints from dissatisfied customers all around the country, and the company typically responds with an apology and contact information for addressing the problem. But when the administrator posted a similar apology to Jeaneth Manzaniita Tavares' positive comment on August 7, it caused a stir. "Best Pizza Ever! Pan Pizza – Keep up the good work guys!" Tavares wrote. Domino's official response: "So sorry about that! Please share some additional information with us at bit.ly/dpz_care and please mention reference #1409193 so we can have this addressed."

Read more at PMQ.com.

Pizza Without Borders
McPizza Takes Off in Italy

Pizza at McDonald's? No, thank you, right? It sounds like a bust – in fact, it was a bust in the late 1980s when the pizza giant invested in new ovens and extra-wide drive-through windows. Now, 20 years later, McDonald's in Italy has unveiled the pizzarotto, a cross between a pizza and a mini calzone (called a panzarotto in Italian). McDonald's is pitching the new menu item as part of its Happy Meal for kids.

Read more at Pizza Without Borders.

Buy a Buddy a Slice

Zoli's New York Pizza Tavern, a new concept in Dallas from Cane Rosso owner Jay Jerrier, is all about friends helping friends. With the "Buy a Buddy a Slice" promotion, Jerrier says, "The idea is that if you are at the restaurant and are really enjoying a slice, you can buy one in advance for your friend." The names are written on a large blackboard, including the name of the donor, the recipient and the menu item that the recipient will receive. Recipients are given 30 days to claim their menu item. "We just thought it would be a fun thing for the neighborhood," Jerrier adds. "Our board is already full, and we've had several people come in and claim their slices already."

Read more at PMQ.com.