Nothing goes better with pizza than reclaimed wood. At least that’s one big trend in restaurant design right now. Operators and design experts say as the new year opens, emerging concepts and longtime restaurants are looking to classic finishes to ...

Every time I teach a course at the International School of Pizza I have students ask me if my coal-fired or wood-fired oven is better. After all, Neapolitan, Old-World and artisan-style pizzas are still hot right now and people are still taken in by ...

In-store marketing can help promote menu items   Michael Durkin worries that his regular customers will get tired of ordering the same pizza every time they visit his two-location Durkin’s Pizza in McKinney, Texas. “One of the things I learn...

Easy ways to improve external security   Criminals are always looking for easy targets. They will take advantage of any opportunity that makes a business look weak or vulnerable. Burned out lights hide their lurking. Unlocked doors invite them i...

Is there a magical formula for floor plans?   In Somerville, Massachusetts, a small pizzeria called “A4 Pizza” packs a punch in just 1,200 square feet. Customers who sit at the end of the bar have a front-row seat to the main attraction: a w...

Educating servers can keep customers satisfied and increase check averages   Restaurant customers ask many questions, ranging from “What’s the special?” to “Is there gluten in the salad dressing?” Servers need to be educated so they ca...

Years ago I realized that my employees were one of my most valuable assets, both in my operations and marketing. Although I can be a savvy businessman, I couldn’t execute my strategies without good people behind me. Once I had acquired such a crew ...

Minding the complexity of the Americans with Disabilities Act may make your head spin with worry. Face it –– this law creates frustration for many, not only because of the business cost it incurs, but also because of fear that an unhappy customer...

I was traveling the interstate close to midnight when I stopped by a restaurant still open in the small community of Canyonville, Oregon. My 18-year-old waiter, Kyle, graduated last year from his small high school in a senior class of 12 students. He...

Keep tabs on your flatware count   Noble Pie Parlor in Reno, Nevada, stays open until 5 a.m. on weekends, and that means one thing: the flatware is going to disappear. “In Reno the bars don’t close, technically,” says co-owner Trevor Leppe...

Tucked in the technology enclave of San Jose, California, Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza’s three restaurants draw a hip, sophisticated and highly educated clientele. And with all of that education comes a high demand for not only healthy food, but ...

Breaking down noise and how to reduce it in your pizzeria   Recent restaurant design trends have leaned towards open spaces, high ceilings, hard floors and tables and lots of windows — all of which can wreak havoc on noise levels. Architects a...