Nick Bogacz breaks down how pizzeria operators can manage labor costs with forecasting, scheduling discipline, clear goals and accountability

Labor can drift out of control fast in a pizzeria. A few extra people on a slow shift, a schedule built on habit instead of sales, or a manager who does not know the target can eat away at profit before the week is over. At a March 2026 Pizza Expo education session “Labor Costs and Food Costs 101” in Las Vegas, Nick Bogacz urged operators to stop treating labor like a rough estimate and start managing it with clear numbers and daily discipline.

He emphasized practical steps for owner-operators and managers: forecast sales, build smarter schedules, set goals and make people accountable.

Nick Bogacz, president, Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse, Pittsburgh, PA

About the Pizza Expo Speaker: 30-year Pizza Industry Veteran Nick Bogacz

Nick Bogacz owns Caliente Pizza and Drafthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A 30-year pizza veteran, Bogacz has grown his concepts to include 15 different locations, eight of which are brick and mortar and a full brewery, Dough Daddy Brewing. Caliente is the official pizza of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, Penn State Nittany Lions, as well as represented at Beaver Stadium, Hockey Arena, Peterson Event Center with the Pitt Panthers and the Fitzgerald Field House. The partnership has amassed 26 booths and locations amongst all the seven stadiums. Bogacz’s concepts employ over 250. An author, podcast host, and speaker, he is dedicated to teaching operators how to leverage social media and leadership to build high-energy, profitable teams and a culture of excellence.

Start with the right numbers

Bogacz explained that labor control begins with understanding how to measure and manage it. He suggested that operators learn how to calculate labor percentages, forecast needs, set goals, and hold their teams accountable to targets.

Accurate measurement matters because labor is not something operators can manage by feel alone. A store may seem busy, but that does not always mean staffing is right. A manager may think the schedule looks lean, but the reports may say otherwise. Without clear targets, operators are reacting instead of managing.

Bogacz encouraged operators to anchor labor plans around real sales expectations. Forecasting gives managers a baseline for the week, the day and even individual shifts. It also helps them make adjustments before labor costs get out of hand.

Build schedules from forecasts, not habit

Many pizzerias fall into the trap of scheduling based on what was done last week or what feels safe, sometimes leading to chronic overstaffing. Bogacz advocates for a disciplined approach: “Build your schedule off your sales forecast, not just habit. It all starts with a good look ahead.”

If Friday lunch is usually soft, staff for that reality. If game night brings a rush, prepare for it. The point is not to cut blindly; it is to match labor to demand as closely as possible.

This process requires managers to pay attention every day, not just when payroll hits. Forecasting should become routine, along with checking sales trends, local events and seasonal patterns.

“We personally use the last four weeks for our sales, we adjust the prediction for any special events,” he says.

Bogacz stresses the importance of your wage calculations in scheduling, along with 14% for taxes, unemployment, etc. “This is a step you can’t skip,” he says. “You have to know what your cost is before you’re putting it up there. You can’t just adjust it on the fly. You’ve got to have it written to the true number before you put it up.”

Know your fixed costs before setting labor goals

Bogacz stressed that labor targets need to be realistic and rooted in each pizzeria’s financials. Operators must consider fixed costs before determining a target labor percentage.

He pointed out that a store’s cost structure—such as rent or debt obligations—can determine how aggressive labor targets must be. Shops with higher fixed costs may need to control labor more tightly, while those with more flexibility (like strong alcohol sales) have different options. The key is making sure labor goals fit the business and align with profitability.

“Once you have [the labor goal], we like everybody to see it,” Bogacz says. “We put it in the office, so all the management knows exactly what it is.”

Accountability must be part of the system

Scheduling tools and forecasts are only valuable if managers are held responsible for meeting goals. Bogacz encouraged owner-operators to make accountability part of the system from the start—everyone who writes or manages a schedule should know the labor target and be expected to hit it.

If a shift runs heavy, there should be a reason. If labor trends too high week after week, leaders need to address it. Smart operators look at these trends, coach, and make real-time adjustments.

He noted that accountability works better when the whole team understands the goal. When shift leaders know how their decisions affect labor percentage, they make smarter calls on the floor.

Discipline beats guesswork

The larger lesson was clear: labor control is not about blind cuts. It is active, disciplined management. Forecast sales. Set a target. Build the schedule to match. Watch results daily. Adjust early.

For pizzerias, this approach helps safeguard both service and profit. Labor management is not a one-and-done fix, but a repeatable system built on numbers, consistency, and follow-through.

When labor is measured, forecasted, and managed with discipline, operators can keep costs in line and keep the business on track.