By Charlie Pogacar

Janet Zapata, owner of 550 Pizzeria in Laredo, Texas, recently noticed a pattern among her customers: They wanted bigger pizzas. There was a spike in orders requesting an “extra-large” pie, something her award-winning shop did not historically offer. 

Zapata responded to the demand, adding 18” pizzas to the menu, but it wasn’t just a business decision. It was about her pizzeria being better equipped to serve the needs of the tight-knit community she has called home all her life. 

“I have always believed people eat with their eyes,” Zapata said. “People want that extra-large because it’s like, ‘I have the biggest pizza!’ The kids’ faces light up, and it just adds something special.”

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Zapata said that, thus far, the extra-large size has been popular with families and sports teams, as it serves up to five people. The larger pies have also made it easier for Zapata to contribute to worthy causes like Slice Out Hunger: During the latest iteration of the event, Zapata partnered with a local soup kitchen and was able to give out more pizza to more people. 

“I noticed when we were serving slices, it made it easier to give larger portions,” she said. “It’s about giving people something filling and comforting, and the extra-large pizzas help with that. We can give them a bigger slice and still have plenty to go around.”

Janet Zapata runs 550 Pizzeria in Laredo, Texas. (550 Pizzeria)

But there was still a business element to the decision-making process. Traditionally, she has offered a large 14” Cheese pizza for $12. She put the extra-large Cheese pizza on the menu for $16. For specialty pies, the extra-large size goes for $20 compared to $16 for a large. And the extra-large pizza only requires about two more ounces of dough and just slightly more cheese or other toppings. Hence, the margin she makes per extra large pie is a bit bigger than what she makes on the large pie. 

“I use a little more dough and cheese, but it’s not that much more,” she says. “People think it’s more expensive to make, but if you know how to distribute the cheese right, it balances out.”

And really, everybody wins. The surface area of a 14″ pizza is about 154 inches. The surface area of an 18″ pizza is about 254 inches, or approximately 33% larger. So, in paying between 20–25% more, the customer gets better bang for their buck.

Zapata did mention one complication of adding the bigger pizzas, which was sourcing a correctly sized box. Her distributor told her they wouldn’t be able to stamp a larger logo on the boxes and it might look a bit distorted—something she shrugged off. “What people care more about,” Zapata observed, “is what’s in the box. So long as they could still read the logo and know where the pizza came from, that wasn’t something I was going to worry too much about.” 

The decision to add an extra-large size to the menu comes during a time of transition for 550 Pizzeria. The independent storefront will soon almost double in size—from 1,300 square feet to about 2,500—and begin serving slices. Those slices will be of the 18” variety and will go for $3 (Cheese), $4 (Pepperoni) and $5 (Specialty), respectively. 

“We’re kicking off slices on the 27th with our dollar-slice event,” she says. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I think it will be great for people who just want a quick bite, especially students and people on the go.”

Even when talking business, Zapata shows off her community spirit. It’s something that has defined her pizzeria from the start.

“I was born and raised in Laredo, and it’s important to me to give back to the people here,” she says. “I always tell my daughter, start with your community and then grow out into the world.”

The extra-large pies, then, are a way to bring the world back to Laredo. “One of my dreams is to visit New York and experience the pizza there,” Zapata said. “I’ve always wanted to see how they do it in the city that’s famous for pizza. But for now, I’m happy to bring [a slice of] New York to Laredo.”

Featured, Food & Ingredients