Pizza Today - November 2021 - 54

Make the Packaging Count
Viewing an increased customer
demand for sustainable practices, Sono
Wood Fired invested in 100-percent
eco-friendly, compostable, oceanicfriendly
packaging. " For the pizza
boxes, we also increased the quality
of the corrugated cardboard boxes
with thicker cardboard but smaller air
pockets to best hold heat, " Murch says.
The pizzeria specializes in authentic,
Tuscan-style wood-fired pizzas,
which are meant to be eaten right
away. " These new boxes allow us to
closer replicate the restaurant experience-and
the ideal way the pie should
be enjoyed-for those carrying out, "
Murch adds.
To better portray its brand, Sono
Wood Fired shifted from plain pizza
boxes to packaging with its logo. " I see
people walking in the South Loop near
our restaurant carrying the branded
boxes-it's been great marketing for
us, " Murch says. The pizzeria has received
positive feedback from customers
who appreciate the commitment to
reduce packaging waste. " Others have
commented on how great-and hot-
our pizzas are when they arrive at their
home, " Murch says.
Take it to the Curb
If guests typically enter the restaurant
to pick up their pie, consider
giving them a curbside delivery option.
This way, customers can place an order
online or phone, drive to the parking
lot, and receive their order. " We had
great success with some of our clients
when the confirmation e-mail guests
received when they placed their order
offered them a link to click on when
they arrived, allowing them to indicate
they were in the parking lot and the
make and model of their car, " says Bob
Vergidis, Founder and Chief Visionary
Officer for pointofsale.cloud, a restaurant
point of sale solution.
You might also consider sending out
54 / PIZZATODAY.COM / NOVEMBER 2021
a text to notify customers that their
order is ready. " This way guests know
exactly when the order is ready, and
they can show up at the right time, "
Vergidis says.
Start a Drive Thru Window
A pick-up window also saves customers
from having to step outside of
their vehicle. " It is easier for the guest
if they can stay in their car where they
can relax and do something else while
they are waiting, and it is especially
helpful if parents have their kids with
them, " Vergidis says.
At its newest location, Pizzeria
Locale, which has four locations in the
Denver area, added a pick-up window.
The restaurant had seen a spike
in carryout demand with the onset of
Covid-19; at one point, 90 percent of
sales were digital. While demand has
now fallen, digital orders still account
for about 50 percent of sales. Along
with the pickup window, " we added an
oven and separate line for these orders, "
Donato says. The addition allows for
more oven space to accommodate the
number of takeout orders at the location.
Train
Staff to Shine
" You want no questions in the guest's
mind when they show up to pick up
their food, " Vergidis says. " They should
know exactly what the status of their
order is, and you want to get the food
to them in the way that is easiest and
fastest for the guest. "
One word of caution: don't rush the
experience. " Speed is great when it
comes to putting the order together but
the handoff to the guest is where pizzerias
can shine, " Vergidis says. Train
staff to make each interaction count
during carryout. Servers can maintain
eye contact, smile, carefully hand over
the order, and check that the guest is
satisfied.
Support the Community
" From 2011 to 2019, we had the
same pizza box, " says Chris Donato,
brand manager for Pizzeria Locale. The
restaurant calls itself the Neighborhood
Neapolitan. " We offer a relaxed Neopolitan,
with four ingredients in the
dough, " Donato says. " We also focus on
the community. "
To change up the pizza box design
and help locals, the pizzeria runs an
occasional fund raiser by placing art
from a nearby organization on its pizza
boxes. Recently it helped gather funds
for Art from Ashes, a youth empowerment
organization. The organization's
symbol, a rising phoenix, was featured
on the pizza box for a month. During
one day of the month, 33 percent of
sales went to Art from Ashes.
" We work with organizations that
can produce the art, " Donato says. " We
already print pizza boxes, so it doesn't
cost any more, and we can still support
the local organization. "
Refine the Takeout Offerings
Pre-pandemic, Pizzeria Locale
included four types of salads on the
menu. With the onset of the pandemic,
and a rise in takeout orders, the place
used the changing trends to evaluate
the options. " We got rid of two salads
that had special ingredients and a
lot of prep time but were selling at a
lower level than our other two salads, "
Donato says. The two salads that the
restaurant kept involve less labor and
continue to be popular choices.
Takeout may be here to stay, but
there are plenty of ways to still leave
a great impression on guests. Make
sure the waitstaff prioritizes customer
service and streamline the delivery
process. Guests will appreciate the
attentiveness at every step. n
RACHEL HARTMAN is a freelance writer
who covers small business, finance and
lifestyle topics.
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
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