Phoenix New Times’ Post

Take it from pizza industry legend Fran Garcia: A menu with too many options can be overwhelming for both the customer and the kitchen staff. Garcia, who co-founded Artichoke Basille in New York with his equally legendary cousin, Sal Basille, and also owns Sally Boy's, doesn't believe in sides and salads. As he told PMQ's Charlie Pogacar, “We don’t even do toppings. We have a limited menu, and everything we do, we try to do it really well." That might not be the right business model for every pizza shop out there, but it has worked beautifully for Artichoke Basille. At any rate, it's something to think about if you're a newcomer to the pizza business or working on a brand-new concept. Read on to learn more!

Pizza drive-thrus can help restaurants improve order accuracy and increase overall sales. Here are five reasons to consider a pizza drive-thru for your pizzeria.

Scaling New Heights in the Pizza Game! 🍕 @Jim Metevier, the new CEO of Mountain Mike's Pizza, LLC, is determined to carve out a unique niche in the bustling pizza industry. Mountain Mike's distinguishes itself with fresh, in-house ingredients and a community-focused dining experience that harks back to classic pizza parlors. See how Mountain Mike’s is planning to top the pizza industry? https://lnkd.in/erFcvcY7 What makes a pizza chain stand out for you? Let us know in the comments! 🍕 #BusinessLeadership #BusinessStrategy #FoodBusiness #FoodNews

https://lnkd.in/ezXtYAs4 This list is terrible. I've had pizza in Denver, I've spoken to a number of pizza restaurant owners in Colorado. The altitude makes it very difficult to make a good (much less great) pizza crust at 5,000+ feet above sea level. This shows in their top rated example specializing in a odd bread type crust "Colorado style" pizza. While I appreciate the work that those better places put into making a decent slice, overall Denver does not have good pizza. They won literally on cost because they are full of chain restaurants and rich people. Their metrics are an atrocity. Pizza reputation, based on a survey of 1,000 Americans Rate of pizza restaurants per 100,000 residents Pizza passion, based on local internet search activity for 34 pizza-related terms (e.g., "pizza near me," "pizza delivery," "pan pizza," etc.) Average Yelp rating for pizza restaurants Average price of a large cheese pizza Average price of a large pepperoni pizza Share of median annual income required to purchase one cheese pizza each week for a year Share of median annual income required to purchase one pepperoni pizza each week for a year This shows in their statement's of "Memphis, Tennessee, is the worst city for pizza, with just 3.5 pizza places per capita and low affordability of pizza based on the median annual income." That could mean that they are full of mom and pop pizzerias and no chains. "Denver scored an 82 out of 100 in our pizza passion metric, which measures how often locals are searching Google for pizza-related terms... ranking No. 1 out of 50 cities for online search interest in pan pizza." Because there is no great pizza in Denver and people keep searching for a decent slice. "New York City ... pizza joints in the city average just 3.93 stars out of 5 on Yelp. That's still above average (3.89 stars) but not the type of results you'd expect from a city known for its pizza." Because New Yorkers have so many choices, any place not amazing is going to not match up well against the elite places in the city. What I do think they did a good job of in this article with was making people angry... Because they sure set me off...

#FunFoodFactFriday On July 23, 1964, the first Arby's restaurant opened in Boardman, Ohio. Brothers Forrest and Leroy Raffel created the concept and owned the restaurant.  Both were WWII veterans who owned a restaurant equipment and food service consulting firm. They were inspired by the quick service models of initial fast food restaurants like McDonald’s to create a similar venture for roast beef sandwiches. Their first restaurant opened in 1964 and only served roast beef sandwiches, potato chips, and iced tea. The brothers initially wanted to name their new restaurant “Big Tex,” but that name was already taken by a nearby Akron business.  They instead settled on “Arby’s,” which was a phonetic pronunciation of the letters R and B (“Raffel brothers”). The menu and restaurant were created to provide a more “luxury” experience than hamburger chains like McDonald’s. The menu also had a higher price point, selling roast beef sandwiches for 69 cents, rather than the 15 cents charged for a hamburger at other places. The interior of the restaurants also were designed to be more luxurious than the typical hamburger stand at the time. The first Arby’s franchise opened in 1965, and the current version of the roast beef sandwich was introduced in 1971 and continues to be prepared, marinated, and sliced fresh daily in the same way in today’s stores. Today, Arby’s is owned by Inspire Brands and had global sales of $4.6 billion in 2023. Other Fun Facts: *** Early Arby’s locations had a neon sign outside in the shape of a cowboy hat, stating “Arby’s roast beef sandwich is delicious.” The current, sleeker design debuted in 1975. A few of the old signs still exist, but there are fewer than 100 left in the US. *** Some of Arby’s “firsts” include a lighter food menu in 1991 that was the first fast food menu of its kind. In 1994, they were the first fast food restaurant to ban smoking in all locations. *** The Arby’s Foundation focuses primarily on helping child and family-based organizations, giving 100 million to youth-related causes since 1986. This year, they supported No Kid Hungry, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, and Folds of Honor. #cpgindustry #foodmanufacturing #fastfood #forehiresults #nowyouknow The Newell Group

https://lnkd.in/ePEscu9A The 24/7 Automated Pizzeria Expands to Manitoba; Debuting First New Location in Steinbach STEINBACH, MB, July 15, 2024 /CNW/ - PizzaForno, North America's first automated pizzeria that bakes high-quality pizza in minutes, 24 hours a day, is officially expanding into Manitoba. The new location is now open at 225 Main Street. Steinbach, MB. PizzaForno Becomes First-to-Market in Manitoba with New Automated Pizzeria (CNW Group/PizzaForno) A grand opening event will take place at the Main Street location on Thursday, July 18th. The opening event is from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and will feature free pizza, family-friendly games, music, freebies and giveaways. Prizes will be given for games and an "Enter to Win" contest will be held for two lucky winners to win free pizza for an entire year. Expansion Plans: The entrepreneurs behind this expansion are licensees Marcus and Jackie Dueck. "As we introduce the first-ever PizzaForno unit into Manitoba, we are thrilled about the exciting journey ahead," said Marcus Dueck. "We're proud to be part of the PizzaForno family and look forward to growing the brand in Steinbach and expanding into Winnipeg.'" Accessible 24/7 at the tap of a digital screen, this revolutionary concept in North America, offers an array of pizza selections made with top-quality ingredients. "We are deeply committed to introducing this dining option to the area," added Dueck. "As we grow with the brand, we intend to install units in universities, hospitals, and other locations where people can benefit from convenient, 24/7 access to the delicious pizza." PizzaForno is rapidly expanding and plans to have 25,000 operating units throughout North America by 2028. The brand prioritizes providing their services in places that would benefit greatly from PizzaForno's cutting-edge technology and has been expanding into campuses and other unconventional locations. "We're thrilled to have the Dueck family join our growing team of PizzaForno Licensees," said Les Tomlin, Co-Founder and President of PizzaForno. "Together, we're eager to accelerate the development of this new, underserved market." ABOUT PIZZAFORNO Utilizing technology made popular in France by ADIAL, PizzaForno has built the brand on a proven foodtech platform with over 2,800 operating in Europe. PizzaForno currently has over 70 operating locations and over 100 additional locations committed in the U.S. alone, with the first 15 U.S. locations already established in California, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, and Louisiana. To learn more, visit https://lnkd.in/ehm2_y5N #radio #advertising #radioworks

You won't find an "everything but the kitchen sink" pizza at Artichoke Basille’s Pizza & Bar. Why? Their secret ingredient is simplicity. ✨ Owner Fran Garcia, isn't your average restaurateur. Growing up in the industry, he saw firsthand the madness of overflowing menus. That's why, across his 15 locations, they've adopted a "less is more" philosophy. Their menu is a love letter to pizza, with zero distractions – no sides, no endless substitutions, not even a salad in sight. 🚫 By prioritizing their core product, Artichoke ensures that fresh, high-quality ingredients are the star of the show in every slice. This laser focus translates to a well-oiled machine behind the counter, allowing them to consistently deliver a pizza experience that hits the spot. 🍕 Want to learn more about Fran's journey and the power of a focused menu? Check out their feature in PMQ Pizza, "Why A Huge Pizza Menu Only Leads To Headaches" below! 👇 #AjendaPR #PressHit #ClientFeature #PublicRelations #ClientWins  https://lnkd.in/deMUhDzA

London has been crowned the UK’s Pizza Capital, according to a new study from premium outdoor pizza oven brand, Gozney. The study analysed 50 of the UK’s most populated cities to find out which location is the most pizza obsessed by investigating the number of pizza joints, the number of pizza places rated 4 stars or above and average yearly search volume for pizza-related terms https://lnkd.in/epBC5-Wu

"Please sign this waiver before you eat." Would you sign a contract before tucking in to your chicken tenders? Well, that is what Dave's Hot Chicken asks diners to do if they choose Reaper - the hottest of their spice levels. Dave's Hot Chicken is aiming to open 60 restaurants in the UK over the next few years, so you'll get a chance to see for yourself. Would you chance a meal that asks you to sign a waiver? Or is it just a clever marketing ploy? Anyone tried Dave's Reaper Chicken Tenders? (and lived to tell the tale) #contracts #food #restaurants #construction

New York City has long been known for two things: being expensive and its pizza. Now, it’s known for its expensive pizza. 🍕 The five boroughs are officially home to the priciest pizza in the nation, according to new research from Clever Real Estate. A large cheese pizza in the Big Apple will cost you $28.60 on average, according to the research. That’s nearly double what a plain pie will run you in Richmond, Virginia, the home of the country’s cheapest pizza, where the average pie costs $14.75. The average price of a large cheese pizza in the United states is $19.34, up 4% from last year according to the report. Check out the full list of the most – and least – expensive pizza cities in the country.