2018 is officially halfway over, and if you’re looking for a mid-year boost to your menu, you came to right the blog. In our infographic, Fully Loaded: The State of Pizza of Nation in 2018, we examined the biggest trends impacting the pizza industry this year. From new experiences customers desire to their favorite toppings, the infographic provides many illuminating insights about what customers want from today’s pizzerias.
Your one-stop resource for insights and tips related to pizza: making, eating, and selling it!
This article was originally published December 2015 and has been updated for 2018 to include 10 crust varieties.
As every pizza maker knows, pizza has a long and storied history. And while there’s a little debate over who actually made the first one, there’s a general consensus that it happened some time during the 1800s in Naples, Italy. Since then, chefs from all around the world have created their own take on this popular dish, each bringing something new and interesting to table. Whether it’s a Chicago-style deep dish or a California flatbread with calamari and basil pesto sauce, pizza has taken on many different forms since its original inception — especially when it comes to the crust.
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show is going strong in its 99th year, and the 2018 gathering at McCormick Place in Chicago once again demonstrated why it remains unrivaled as the industry’s largest trade show and international foodservice marketplace.
As both an exhibitor and guest at NRA, Alive & Kickin’ Pizza Crust had access to some of the brightest minds and latest innovations in the restaurant industry. Here are four of the most talked-about trends that you should consider when moving your business forward during the rest of 2018 and into 2019:
The convenience of take and bake pizza is hard to argue. It’s simple for customers to grab-and-go when faced with hectic schedules, and for operators, par-baked crusts make prep a snap compared to scratch-making dough. However, par-baked crusts aren’t the only pre-made option for take-and-bake shops, delis, c-stores, and restaurants that offer take-and-bake pizzas.
It’s no secret that the restaurant and foodservice industry is in the midst of a significant worker crisis — recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data pins the annual turnover rate at around 73%.
In the age of shrinking margins and growing competition, restaurant operators are getting more inventive about how to make a dollar stretch.
Food quality and consistency is a top priority for pizza restaurant and commercial kitchen operators, especially those with several locations or large volumes to manage. Par-baked crusts, like those from Alive & Kickin’ Pizza Crust, are the preferred solution among operators since they offer uniformity, easy prep and delicious variety.
Pizza is a universal favorite, but there’s no universal agreement on which style is “best.” Your customers each have their preferences, so a variety of pies on the menu is a must-have.
With $799 billion in U.S. sales last year alone, the restaurant industry is big business. Competition is fierce, and operators must capitalize on every advantage to remain profitable.
The National Restaurant Association is once again bringing the industry’s largest trade show and international foodservice marketplace to McCormick Place in Chicago on May 19-22, 2018! Be one of the nearly 70,000 restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry professionals engaging with more than 2,000 exhibitors representing several hundred product categories.
