Pizza Today -December 2022 - 28
versity of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Mike O'Hanlon, chief customer care
and operations officer at ezCater, an
online marketplace connecting businesses
and catering operations, pegs the
average catering order on its platform at
$350. That alone is a hefty sum, but the
true value transcends the revenue.
First, fulfilling that single $350 order
requires far less work than preparing
35 individual $10 orders. This improves
labor optimization and enables operators
to better utilize staff during offpeaks
hours as well.
Yet more, catering serves as a powerful
marketing tool for pizzerias. While
one person orders, dozens and sometimes
hundreds, enjoy the food. The
incremental brand exposure opens the
door for additional orders.
" Great service, delicious food and
your logo front and center will leave
a lasting memory for all guests, "
O'Hanlon says.
Diving into digital
As the top additional revenue stream
for pizzerias, catering warrants earnest
attention and thoughtful investment
to capture its performance-driving
promises.
A lively digital presence sits atop the
list of catering's necessary investments.
While O'Hanlon urges pizzerias to " be
everywhere online, " including social
media and third-party marketplaces, he
also recommends restaurants confirm
hours of operation are current and
consistent across all platforms and that
online ordering displays prominently on
the restaurant's homepage.
" People can't order from you if they
can't find you, " O'Hanlon reminds.
Lema calls ease of ordering equally
critical to availability. He encourages
investments in software that make
it simple and seamless for catering
customers to order. (Furthermore,
Lema adds, it's helpful when software
links catering orders to the restaurant's
point-of-sale system and generates
reports. Such functionality propels
in-store efficiencies and provides valu28
/ PIZZATODAY.COM / DECEMBER 2022
able data restaurant leadership can use
to inform decision making.)
Jet's, for instance, invested in a textto-order
service. Customers can text
their local Jet's phone number and write
in something like " Party of 20. " The
Jet's text service will reply with a suggested
order to cater the party's needs.
Such ease and simplicity continue
appealing to Jet's patrons, Vicari says.
Catering's next critical investments
Beyond
technology, industry insiders
identify three other critical investment
areas to fuel catering success: delivery,
packaging and marketing.
In today's catering game, delivery is
a must. Those placing catering orders
often seek a full-service option, not a
partial solution. If the restaurant does
not offer in-house delivery powered
by a catering vehicle, then O'Hanlon
suggests ownership invest in reliable
delivery partners they can trust to
handle the last mile.
" Catering orders, specifically, are
often high stakes and require orders
arrive on time and as ordered, "
O'Hanlon says.
Alongside delivery, packaging plays
a significant role. Though a potentially
expensive investment, quality packaging
helps maintain food integrity over time
and distance. Even more, packaging
featuring the pizzeria's name and logo
advances brand awareness.
" It's one thing to make the product,
but quite another to have it sit for a
while, " Lema says. " If you can't get
product to hold and travel well, then it's
a problem - and one you need to solve. "
On the sales and marketing front,
pizzerias can work with marketplaces
like ezCater to complement an internal
sales and marketing team or enhance
promotion of their catering offerings.
Vicari says partnering with services
such as ezCater has fueled Jet's catering
success. In addition, Jet's has increased
its digital presence to promote placing
catering orders on Jetspizza.com and
also offers a 10 percent discount on
online orders over $100.
Finally, O'Hanlon suggests restaurants
lean into social media to champion
catering. It's free and effective.
" Share specials and promotions or
simply images of your product to get
customer's mouths watering, " he says.
Two catering dos and one don't
DO inject your brand into every catering
order. Catering customers have fewer
touchpoints with a restaurant's brand, all
the more reason pizzerias should explore
extending their guest experience beyond
the restaurant's four walls, ezCater's Mike
O'Hanlon says. For instance, one pizzeria
known for its live music shared a curated
playlist customers could pipe in during
an event.
" True hospitality and creativity will
set you apart from other restaurants, "
O'Hanlon says.
DO create packages. By developing
catering packages, restaurants can better
calculate their costs to ensure profitability
and weave the upsell into packages
by including beverages, appetizers or
desserts. This often increases the value
proposition as well.
" Put it all together for customers so
they don't have to search around for anything, "
UNLV professor Joseph Lema says.
DON'T overlook operational execution.
As important as catering orders are
to Jet's Pizza, the chain has worked to
develop systems ensuring a successful
experience for every customer. Catering
should be a complement to a pizzeria's
core business, not a revenue stream that
marginalizes or complicates the eatery's
everyday business.
" Don't expect catering orders without
a heads up, " Jet's IT manager Jessica
Vicari says. " Staff isn't always ready to
take a large order and still be able to
maintain regular orders. "
DANIEL P. SMITH Chicago-based
writer has covered business issues and best
practices for a variety of trade publications,
newspapers, and magazines.
http://www.Jetspizza.com
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today -December 2022
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today -December 2022
Pizza Today -December 2022 - CT1
Pizza Today -December 2022 - CT2
Pizza Today -December 2022 - Cover1
Pizza Today -December 2022 - Cover2
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 3
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 4
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 5
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 6
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 7
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 8
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 9
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 10
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 11
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 12
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 13
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 14
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 15
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 16
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 17
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 18
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 19
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 20
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 21
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 22
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 23
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 24
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 25
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 26
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 27
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 28
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 29
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 30
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 31
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 32
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 33
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 34
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 35
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 36
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 37
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 38
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 39
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 40
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 41
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 42
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 43
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 44
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 45
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 46
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 47
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 48
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 49
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 50
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 51
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 52
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 53
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 54
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 55
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 56
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 57
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 58
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 59
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 60
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 61
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 62
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 63
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 64
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 65
Pizza Today -December 2022 - 66
Pizza Today -December 2022 - Cover3
Pizza Today -December 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202408
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202407
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202406
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/pizzatoday/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/expo_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pizzatoday/201507
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com