Who among us dreams of opening a pizzeria

[PizzaBrewer]

Just curious...

[pftaylor]

PizzaBrewer,
I have respect for anyone who can pay their mortgage with their chosen profession. I like making pizza. I love eating it. I'm just not sure I want to be married to an oven 5-6 days a week.

I've toyed around with a pizza focused concept. However, it involves a fair chunk of upfront investment to create the "right" environment in order to be successful. A dear friend of mine was successful with a small chain of fish restaurants a few years back and his advice has been eye-opening. It would take at least another year of learning and doing things like writing the various elements of a business plan for me to take the leap.

Good question...

[argetim]

I am actually opening in about 6 weeks    Very excited but the dough is a concern.  We used to have a pizzeria 6 years ago but we had a deck oven with a stone and beat out the dough by hand.  This time we are going with the pizza press do save time, and also a middleby marshall conveyor oven.  I bought a 80quart hobart mixer just need a reciepe that will work with the conveyor and press.  Here is Alaska we have a Costco that offered to sell us dough ( I have to admit I am tempted since they also have the conveyor and press) but dont want to get used to that.  I like cooking and want to do it from scratch.  So I need to test on an individual pizza bases now any suggestions???

[jeancarlo]

I'll be opening a pizzeria here in Mexico. It's a small city or a big town but people love pizza here. We had 4 pizzerias but 2 closed down because one of them has a pizzeria in a near by city and didn't have the time to take care of the one here and the other guy's a friend of mine but he decided to work only for some company like Amway. Anyway, I have a Lincoln oven that could fit 18" pizza and I have a mixer made here in mexico which has a 30 liter capacity. I also have a fridge, a freezer, a stove and a grill to make burgers and a fryer for fries. I'm planning on making pizza and salads at first, then will add pasta, burgers and fries. I want to make only italian sauces for my pastas and for now I can't buy a pasta maker so I'll do that later on and a pizza press I was gonna buy but for now I need to first see how demand on my pizzeria is since only 2 places sell pizzas but friends and family want me to open up soon since they like my pizzas. I'm using an uncle's recipe and hopefully things will work out fine. I love to cook and bake so I don't mind doing it everyday but from 11am to 11pm and being just me to start in the kitchen taking orders, phone calls and cooking pizzas maybe at first it'll be ok but as demand grows I think I'll have more people working with me. I'm going to be having 2 delivery guys. I just love pizza.
Any tips on how to be successful as a pizza man? I want to beat competition and people knows already about me opening a pizzeria and everyone likes the idea but competition. Thanks for reading and hope any one has suggestions or whatever to say, gracias!

[Pete-zza]

Where in Mexico will you be opening your place? And, what style of pizza will you be making? I have tried some of the pizzas in Mexico and some are quite good but others are terrible. When there, I found it difficult to find flours other than the Mexican equivalent to all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour. No bread flour or high-gluten flour, although I suspect that professional pizza operators can get those through distributors--not at retail.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you will keep us informed of your progress.

Peter

[jeancarlo]

I live in El Grullo, Jalisco, Mexico. Located 180 km south of Guadalajara. I've tried good pizza here in Mexico, there's a place called Piazza Italia or as many people know it "Italianisimo" and so there they make an excellent four cheese pizza mmm that's just my fav for me. There's another palce called Italianni's but this one's not good at all at making pizza. You're right about the flour, not even at Sam's or Costco can I find high gluten flour or bread flour just the regular all purpose flour. I'll be making pan pizza, my uncle's recipe for regular hand tossed pizza and thin crust pizza. I'm still practicing on the thin crust since i want it crispy and crackery but I won't give up til i have excellent results. Other options will be whole wheat pizzas, maybe calzones later on. Sure, I'll keep informing about my progress and thanks for writing Pete-zza

[Nathan]

I'd love to open my own place but I don't know if it'll ever happen.  I know I can make good enough pizza but cash and lack of confidence are my main problems.  I live in a small town with a ton of competition.  Although almost every place in town is sub-par... All but maybe 1.

If I did open a place I'd only use ingredients that I'd use for myself so I'd either sink because of cost or get lucky and find the right clientele to keep it afloat.   

If I really wanted to do it I easily could but I just don't know.  I'd use the "we use only the finest ingredients" angle.  I'd be more specific than that though. 

I don't think people around here know what pizza can be.   

[PizzaBrewer]

Interesting, half of the people who voted are either already in the pizza business or are making plans.  I too am thinking about it, one reservation I have is that no matter where you go you find a LOT of pizza shops already open.  Those of you making plans--how do you find a location that isn't saturated with pizzerias?

[Rick]

I'd like to open one or at least to work in a pizzeria in USA....

[piroshok]

I like to open a pizzeria and retire the same day
 

[rayguy]

Having once owned a pizza place, I can say it is not for everyone.  It is not as glamorous as you may think -  You will either love or hate it. 

Before going  into the pizza business, I highly recommend first working part time at a pizza place for at least 3 to 6 months. Realize that in your own business, you will probably be working 80 hours a week for the first 3 to 6 months, seven day a week with labor shortages and employee theft problems. You have to man the cash register all the time.

Also, your competition will be increasing, not decreasing over time. Your success will be much easier with less competition in your immediate area. It is very important to identify and locate near your targeted market (e.g., young singles living in apartment complexes).  Most importantly, you need to offer an outstanding tasting pizza product to your customer on a consistent basis. Customers are very particular about their pizza: it has to be good every time.

rayguy

[marty]

well,
If anyone is thinking of jumping into it, they had really better think it through.

The main key is help. Unless you have a large family that will work for less your in trouble

I have a very successful operating shop now.. thousands of dollars going through my hands weekly...lol..unfortunately it is going right into someone Else's pockets.
supplies, wages, utilities, and equipment just to list a few of many expenses.

There is no avoiding it, you have to work it. Unless you are buying into a franchise that has already thought it through for you.

It seems that I am trying to discourage but would not want someone to jump into the business without some incite.

[Jack]

I thought about it long and hard while out of work for 6 months on disability with a work related injury.  What deterred me was the commitment for the first two years.  I figured that to insure it worked, I would need to be in the shop from at least 10 AM until after midnight, 7 days a week for the first two years.

I think I’ll keep playing enginerd.

Jack

[bolabola]

I owned a deli,restaurant,catering bizz and cafe..
I had them for 7 year and all that kept me going was my love of cooking,great pasta, and my faithful customers who loved my food..
even though business was very good and I had a good cash flow every year I would basically break even with just enuff to support my 3 kid and the house morgage..at least we could eat for free..LOL..
vacations??forget it
80 hour weeks...yup!!!
headaches..many!!!!!!
what kills you is your overhead,rent,workmans comp,insurance,added appliances,taxes,and the list goes on and on and on..
even if you're frugal like I was forget about making it rich..it will never happen unless you're lucky enuff to open a chain or have a gimmick..
what all comes down to is if you love what you do and are happy making a minimal wage being your own boss..
after 7 years I had had it with the preasure..I went back to work for the place I'd worked for for 12 years..got back into the rest.union with health benifits,great pay with no more employie headaches ,working a normal 40 hour week and still doing what I love best..COOKING..