Fuel Costs

[Track]

I'm curious if anyone has any real insight into fuel costs for a brick pizza oven, specifically wood or coal fired.  I'm slowly formulating my "master plan" for a nice pizza joint, but being a numbers guy I'm trying to get some budget numbers crunched. 

Anyone have any experience with this sort of stuff?

--Track

[michaelf]

Hello Track
Sorry if my reply is out of date, I've only found your request for help today as I was doing some research for coal-fired pizza.  My experience with wood consumption was in Italy and Greece but I think you'll find it's transferable.  In Italy during my pizza training, I spent 4 weeks in a fairly busy pizzeria making 130 to 175 pies a night, working from 7pm to 12:30am.  In Greece the pizzeria was only 30% of the restaurants business and we would make 80-150 pies per day, but a much longer serving period, 11am to 11pm.  In both cases we paid about 175euros per 1000kg...that's about  $225 for a US face-cord of wood.  In both Italy and Greece we bought wood every 3 weeks, so our fuel bill was about $75 per week.  In Greece we made fewer pies but a longer day, in italy we did more pies but in a more intense cooking pace, the same amount of wood, just a shorter time frame.

Does this help you?  If you're interested in wood-burning ovens or pizza Napoletana, I'd be happy to give you the benefit of my experience.

Michael

[PizzaPolice]

Hey Track

I don't have a restaurant but I do have a pretty big, five foot oven.  As in any restaurant, the ovens are not shut off during a slow period.  The wood ovens, too, rage on into the night.  You'll need to figure out what size you'll need and then investigate the several types and brands.  Efficiency is key.  Wood is cheaper than gas.  However, you can't turn a valve and have perfectly seasoned, split wood pour into your oven.  It's a lot to consider. 
I don't know where you are but can't imagine who would allow a coal burner to  operate. 
You'll need to make sure you'll have a big enough niche market to support a wood or coal oven.  Most people are used to the heavy, cheese laden, cheap pizzas.  It's a tough row to hoe trying to get them to like, let alone BUY your pizza.  Dude, I make a respectable Neapolitan as good as the wood burning place in town.  I'm giving it away and still hear...when are you gonna make the other kind or the Chicago kind?
People cling to the familiar. 
Good Luck, It's going to be a lot of work.  I'm envious.