Gotcha Focaccia?

Fresh focaccia is a great accompaniment to soups and salads, and everyone loves breadbaskets at the table. While you’re going to bake it until golden, avoid over-browning it. There are many different kinds, but avoid heavy flavors if you’re going to be serving it with another dish –– you don’t want the bread to be too overpowering. When baking, put a bowl of water in the oven to keep focaccia from drying out as it bakes. Also, add a teaspoon of honey, malt extract or sugar to help the dough rise.

An American Classic

The day before Thanksgiving is one of our industry’s busiest days. Many consumers don’t take the time to eat out, so consider bulking up your delivery staff. A great way to increase business on that day is to offer a pre-Thanksgiving bulk offer in the form of a one-day special. For example, offer an order of breadsticks, two medium pizzas and a two-liter of soda for a set price corresponding with the date and year (this year, it would be $26.09). Promote it heavily throughout October to your existing customers, and let them know you’re at the ready during crunch time.

Cheesy Alternatives

Just because you run a pizzeria doesn’t mean you have to stick to mozzarella and ricotta. Consider using caciocavallo (an Italian cheese), manchego (a Spanish offering) or Parmesan-Reggiano (which must age for a year before use). These cheeses impart robust fl avors, so you’re best to blend them with a milder cheese on your pizzas. Caciocavallo is a good alternative to provolone, so feel free to substitute it in any dishes that call for provolone. Train your servers to understand the subtle nuances in the fl avors of the cheese and how to market them to your customers.

Walking Billboards

Speaking of marketing –– do you offer t-shirts? If not, you’re missing out on a valuable tool. We’ve seen pizzerias selling their t-shirts for as little as $5 to $7. Buying in bulk helps keep the costs down. Also consider giving them away as prizes or in charity events. Having your customers walking around in t-shirts is an excellent way to advertise your brand. You can even go a step farther by offering to trade a brand new t-shirt of yours for an old one of your competitor’s. T-shirts are walking billboards, and a marketing tool you can’t afford to miss!