Episodes
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, talks to Little Caesars franchisee Vicki Dunn-Marshall. Dunn-Marshall's focus on philanthropy has led to start Pizza Paws, a campaign that raises money for police K-9 units across the country.The idea came about after there was a prison break in one of the towns where she operates a Little Caesars store. They brought in K-9 units from three or four states for several days."We were feeding the o...
Published 10/09/24
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, talks to Wesley Keegan, founder of TailGate Brewery, a nine-unit pizzeria and brew hall in Nashville, Tennessee.Keegan started with a brewery, but found his customers would have a beer and then leave to go find food. He tried bringing in food trucks, but that didn't seem to work. Instead, he started his own pizzeria using the best ingredients he could find."We run a full pizza kitchen in all of...
Published 09/11/24
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, and Jeff Hetsel, president of Cicis Pizza.Hetsel says Cicis, which is a buffet concept, is doing well with positive sales, and the brand is currently looking for ways to leverage technology to increase those sales."One of the great things we try to do is if you don't see your favorite pizza, we'll make it for you," Hetsel said. Pizzas are cooked in about three and a half minutes.The biggest cha...
Published 08/14/24
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, talks to John Arena, co-owner of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas. Arena recently opened a signature pizzeria called Truly Pizza in Dana Point, California, with a group of friends. Together, they've built a concept new to the city that brings in both tourists and locals alike.
Published 07/10/24
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, talks with Les Tomlin, co-founder and president of PizzaForno, North America's first automated pizzeria, about the rise of food vending machines."The concept of automated pizza is relatively new to North America but has been around Europe for almost 20 years," Tomlin told Detwiler. "We found this technology platform — we being my business partner and myself — in France, and we were just amazed ...
Published 05/08/24
Pizzeria menus can range from small and tidy to large and complex, but they've all got one thing behind them: research and development.In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, talks to Hisham Abdulfattah, partner and executive chef of Willow Street Pizza in Willow Glen and Los Gatos, California, about menu development.Abdulfattah said his first job was working in a kitchen washing dishes at age 14. He later moved on to prep and cook...
Published 03/13/24
Scott Weiner holds the Guinness World Record for the Largest Collection of Pizza Boxes. Weiner, who owns a pizza touring company in New York City, has become an expert in pizza boxes. Today's boxes hold more than just pizza — they're an extension of the pizzerias themselves. In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, Pizza Marketplace Editor Mandy Detwiler talks to Weiner about his collection -- which she personally certified by counting his collection twice. He's got nearly 1,90...
Published 12/12/23
We talked to Buddy's new CEO, Chris Tussing, to learn the history of Detroit-style pizza and what's making the style so popular in this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast.
Published 11/14/23
In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace Podcast, editor Mandy Wolf Detwiler speaks with Shane Murphy, co-founder and CEO of Boostly, about the effectiveness of text marketing for restaurants.
Published 10/25/23
Learning what toppings go together, what tastes good and what sells is a skill set that is learned through trial and error. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how to make — and sell — creative pizzas beyond the pepperoni and cheese.
Published 10/09/23
In this episode of The Pizza Marketplace Podcast, Pizza Marketplace Editor Mandy Wolf Detwiler talks to Nick Bogacz, owner of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a member of the World Pizza Champions, to learn what makes a great dough, what to avoid and tips to make your dough a standout among the competition.
Published 09/06/23
Modern POS systems in restaurants are far more than just cash registers. They are comprehensive solutions that seamlessly integrate various aspects of restaurant management, from order processing and payment handling to inventory tracking and customer relationship management. These systems have proven to be invaluable tools for streamlining operations and increasing productivity.
Published 08/07/23
In this podcast, E.J. Kritz, EVP of customer experience and training with APC, a customer experience research and training company, joins Pizza Marketplace Editor Mandy Wolf Detwiler to explain what customers want from their pizzerias.
Published 07/11/23
In this episode podcast host Mandy Wolf Detwiler sits down with loyalty experts Larry Fiel and Mike Reinecker of PDQ, and Russ Lehmann, co-owner of Little Italian Pizza in Naperville, Illinois, to learn how the pizzeria is finding success with its loyalty program.
Published 05/05/23
In this podcast, we talked to Brian Brindza, director of culinary and menu innovation for Toppers Pizza, to learn how the brand is selling and marketing its vegan line to customers with success.
Published 02/07/23