I’m setting up the layout of my second location and thinking about not offering free refills on soft drinks. I may put the fountain behind the counter. What’s your opinion? If you expect to be a busy operation, then you would need an extr...

Have you ever participated in local festivals by setting up a food booth? Is it worth the trouble and expense? Do you actually make a profit, or is it just more to get your name out there in the community? I participate in those as often as I can. Th...

I am thinking of trimming my operating hours for the summer because sales seem to slow down. I’ll increase them again in the fall. Does this sound like a smart idea? Actually, the one thing I notice from experience, is that when you close for a...

Recently, I was visiting a pizzeria and discussing its menu with the owner. He does a New York-style hand tossed pizza, and he does it well. It’s the workhorse of his menu and he’s very proud of it. When the conversation turned to his app...

Any ideas on how I can drum up more corporate lunch business? Corporate accounts can be very lucrative, as long as you keep their business by serving excellent food — on time! You’ve got to go after them in as many ways as you can. One gr...

We all strive for consistency. In sports, you’ll hear players and coaches say all they ask from officials is that they be consistent. The word choice is interesting. They don’t demand accuracy, they demand consistency. In baseball, for ex...

Considering the prices of pizza-related commodities today and the state of the U.S. economy, I understand the temptation to find a few corners here and there to cut. Slashing costs, after all, should theoretically result in a heftier bottom line. Don...

Expert Advice and Opinions Have Fun By Jeremy White, Editor in Chief For one reason or another, I quite often find myself in a local mall, bored to tears, while my wife just has to “pick up one thing really quickly.” Normally, I pass the ...

Have you ever participated in local festivals by setting up a food booth? Is it worth the trouble and expense? Do you actually make a profit, or is it just more to get your name out there in the community? I participate in those as often as I can. Th...

It was a Friday night in late August, and an unexpected thunderstorm came and went rather suddenly. The damage was modest, but it knocked out power to much of the area in which I live. It was dinner time and my hungry toddler, like most little ones, ...

If your customers rated you right now on your service and overall hospitality, how would you do? If you are absolutely, positively certain they would say they always feel welcome and appreciated inside your pizzeria, congratulations. Go on to reading...

The next two months usually are welcome periods for pizzeria operators, particularly those located next to high school and college campuses. As kids return to school in August and September, business invariably picks up. The Memorial Day to Labor Day...