Summer Menu Ideas

As temperatures rise, so does customer interest in salads. Even though salad sales enjoy a nice June-July-August spike, there should be more to summertime menus than leafy greens. Build on the demand with a Summer Insalata Pizza, for example. Or how about a BBQ Chicken Pizza, which brings a traditional American favorite to the forefront? Market it around the 4th of July and watch sales rise!

Our resident kitchen expert, Pat Bruno, recently gave us a look at some of his summer favorites — and he even included a recipe for Pizza Insalata. Click here to check it out.

 

Contribution Margin — Know It

You know your prime costs. You know your bottom-line profit. You’d like to decrease the former and increase the latter … but where do you start?

With consultant Big Dave Ostrander, the answer is Contribution Margin. It’s all about promoting the items on your menu that contribute the most profit and killing off the so-called “dogs.” Sometimes, says Ostrander, an item simply needs to be renamed, re-priced or repositioned in the lineup. Other times, it needs to be removed.

To learn more about contribution margin and how to factor it in to your menu development plan, click here.

 

When the Going Gets Tough…

Dealing with a finished pizza crust that is simply too tough to handle? You’re not alone. But a chewy base isn’t going to keep the masses coming back. Time to jump on the problem, and our very own Dough Doctor, Tom Lehmann, is here to help.

Since a tough crust can be caused by several variables, the first step is to start at the very beginning and check out your dough formula and the protein content of your flour. Where do you go from there? Click here to find out.

 

Targeting Teens

America’s teenage population has disposable income and has been conditioned to dine out regularly. When it comes to attracting them, half the battle has already been won. Now it’s time to reel them in to your particular pizzeria. Click here to find out how.

 

Featured Recipe — Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Just about everyone loves a cool pasta salad in the summertime. This one blends artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar to forge a flavor that will have your customers raving.

 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1 pound tortellini, cooked al dente
1 cup cooked artichoke hearts
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup Nicoise olives, pitted

For the rest of this delicious recipe, click here: