I’m opening my first pizzeria and am building a freestanding unit. My question is: is it worth the extra construction expense to add a lobby/waiting area? I’m going to have 32 four-top tables and eight six-person booths. With a resta...

I’m looking at two locations. One is 3,000 square feet and centrally located in a busy shopping plaza. Rent is high and it will cost a lot of money to renovate. Parking is a bit of a problem in this busy plaza. The second location is across the...

• Start in the back of the house by washing fruits and vegetables, using designated cutting utensils and wearing gloves. • Keep cold foods at 41 F or below; hot foods at 140 F or above. Be sure your equipment can hold these temperatures ove...

Sometimes, I just shake my head in amazement at the “customer service” I receive. Thankfully, I rarely receive poor service in a pizzeria. In fact, I visited both ends of the customer service spectrum this week — and the pizza shop ...

Your servers may hate it when a table comes in with four kids in tow — but big families mean big money, both for the restaurant and the server. A waiter who knows how to work the kids is a waiter who goes home with a bigger tip from mom and dad...

How do you get rid of a customer who constantly complains and is always trying to get free food from you? It’s a tricky and funny thing. Obviously, if we really keep making mistakes, we really do want to replace someone’s food, along with...

The dollar signs may not exactly dance before your eyes when a single diner walks into your pizzeria. You’d much rather seat the party of four who will order a bottle of wine and an appetizer. That might be your first mistake: not welcoming 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...

I’m buying an existing dine-in pizza parlor. My challenge is diplomatically dealing with loud and out of control kids — without offending the parents and making a touchy situation worse- trying to keep all the customers happy. It’s ...

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, ...

Here are some tips for setting up your own frequent-diner program: • Train your employees about the importance of your frequent diner program. Offer incentives to employees who sign up the most customers. Also train them to remind the customer t...

If you plan to utilize secret shoppers, be sure they answer the following questions: • Were you greeted with a friendly smile when entering the pizzeria? • Was the restaurant clean? • How long did it take for the food to be served? &bu...