This post has nothing to do with pizza, but as it is Holiday Time I am posting these examples of British understatement and humour for your festive edification
Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house." (The Daily Telegraph)
Police reveal that a woman arrested for shoplifting had a whole salami in her underwear. When asked why, she said it was because she was missing her Italian boyfriend.(The Manchester Evening News)
Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like.(The Guardian)
A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth was rescued by a man on an
inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common".
(The Times)
At the height of the gale, the harbourmaster radioed a coast guard and asked him to
estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff. ( Aberdeen Evening Express)
Mrs. Irene Graham of Thorpe Avenue , Boscombe, delighted the audience with her reminiscence of the German prisoner of war who was sent each week to do her garden. He was repatriated at the end of 1945, she recalled -"He'd always seemed a nice friendly chap, but when the crocuses came up in the middle of our lawn in February 1946, they spelt out 'Heil Hitler.'" ( Bournemouth Evening Echo)
HEARD ON THE LONDON UNDERGOUND TUBE
A list of actual announcements that London Tube train drivers have made to their passengers...
1) "Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologize for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction. "
2) "Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E & B
syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as
soon as I'm given any."
3) "Do you want the good news first or the bad news? The good news is that last Friday was my birthday and I hit the town and had a great time. The bad news is that there is a points failure somewhere between Stratford and East Ham, which means we probably won't reach our destination."
4) "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay, but there is a security alert at Victoria station and we are therefore stuck here for the foreseeable future, so let's take our minds off it and pass some time together. All together now.... 'Ten green bottles, hanging on a wall.....'."
5) "We are now travelling through Baker Street ... As you can see, Baker Street is closed. It would have been nice if they had actually told me, so I could tell you earlier, but no, they don't think about things like that".
6) "Beggars are operating on this train. Please do NOT encourage these professional beggars. If you have any spare change, please give it to a registered charity. Failing that, give it to me."
7) During an extremely hot rush hour on the Central Line, the driver announced in a West Indian drawl: "Step right this way for the sauna, ladies and gentleman... unfortunately, towels are not provided."
8) "Let the passengers off the train FIRST!" (Pause ) "Oh go on then, stuff yourselves in like sardines, see if I care - I'm going home...."
9) "Please allow the doors to close. Try not to confuse this with 'Please hold the doors open.' The two are distinct and separate instructions."
10) "Please note that the beeping noise coming from the doors means that the doors are about to close. It does not mean throw yourself or your bags into the doors."
11) "We can't move off because some idiot has their hand stuck in the door."
12) "To the gentleman wearing the long grey coat trying to get on the second carriage --
what part of 'stand clear of the doors' don't you understand?"
13) "Please move all baggage away from the doors." (Pause..) "Please move ALL belongings away from the doors." (Pause...) "This is a personal message to the man in the brown suit wearing glasses at the rear of the train: Put the pie down, Four-eyes, and move your bloody golf clubs away from the door before I come down there and shove them up your arse sideways!"
14) "May I remind all passengers that there is strictly no smoking allowed on any part of the Underground. However, if you are smoking a joint, it's only fair that you pass it round the rest of the carriage."
Have a great new year!
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Tuesday, 30 December 2008
British Humour
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
The Pizza Phone - In Case of Emergency
Regular readers will be aware of our occasional Pizza Gadget Series, so it is with the greatest of pleasure that we bring you this little gem.
The Pizza Phone is a $177 phone that is worth every penny.
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Domino's Pizza Manager Shot and Injured During Armed Robbery
A Domino's Pizza manager was shot during an armed robbery late Saturday night.
Mansfield Police say Patrick Osborne, 42, of Cardington, was shot four times, once in the right chest, once in the right shoulder and twice in the neck, after two armed men robbed the Domino's Pizza shop at 523 S. Main St. before 11:30 p.m.
Osborne was taken to MedCentral Mansfield Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
Police say Osborne was alone in the store because all of the drivers were out making deliveries.
Police say Osborne described the suspects as very tall and wearing ski masks. One of the men was wearing a black jacket and the other was wearing a tan jacket.
Police are still investigating what type of gun was used during the robbery an how much money was taken.
Papa John's Expects Flat Sales in 2009
We picked this story up from the AP Wire. Informed industry observers feel that PJ's are being slightly optimistic in the light of recent economc trends. Check back in 12 months I suppose
"U.S. Domestic pizza sales are expected to be flat to down 2 percent in 2009, said pizza delivery company Papa John's International Inc. on Monday.
"The consumer environment is expected to continue to be very challenging" as rising unemployment hurts the restaurant industry, the company said in a release.
International revenue is expected to grow 25 percent to 30 percent, driven by the growth in franchise outlets, it said.
The number of domestic stores is expected to fall 2 percent, or 50 to 70 stores, while the number of international outlets is expected to grow by 170 to 190 stores, about 30 percent.
Earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $1.32 to $1.40 in 2009. The estimate excludes the impact of consolidating the results of franchisee-owned cheese purchasing company, BIBP Commodities Inc.
The company said its earnings for 2008 would be near $1.68 per share, the low end of its previous guidance.
Consolidated operating margins in 2009 are expected to be 1.2 percent to 1.5 percent lower than in 2008, the company said."
Sunday, 14 December 2008
D'oh - Police Follow Tracks In the Snow to Make an Arrest
This story comes from one of our readers in Illinois - Keep them coming in
"Robbers might think twice about committing a crime when there's snow on the ground. Or at least not head right home.
That's the lesson after Joliet police followed footprints from where a pizza delivery man was robbed to a house on the same block and arrested four teens late Tuesday.
Police say two teens waited on a porch for the pizza man and the two others -- one holding a bat -- approached him.
Police Chief Patrick Kerr says the pizza man turned over pizzas, sodas and $200.
Police say an officer followed the tracks to the house and found two pizza bixes, the pizza man's debit card and a bseball bat."
Pizza Delivery Man's Cheesy Weapon Foils a Stick Up!
Florida_ Police say a pizza delivery man fought back with the one weapon he had handy when a gun was pulled on him in a stickup: A large, hot pepperoni pizza.
Delivery man Eric Lopez Devictoria, 40, flung the steaming pie at the gunman, buying time as he ran for safety, police said.
At least one shot was fired as Devictoria fled, but the deliveryman wasn't hurt and was able to quickly call police, according to authorities.
Three teenage suspects were nabbed soon after Wednesday's run-in with the cheesy weapon, police said, adding they were charged with armed robbery.
Fire Crews Tackle Pizza Firm Fire - Building Destoyed - Supply Chain Affected
More than 70 firefighters are at the scene of a huge fire which has wrecked a pizza firm's premises in Lancashire.
The fire broke out at Stateside Foods, Priorswood Place, Skelmersdale, shortly before 0500 GMT.
Fire officials said the fire started in a single storey building and spread to a three storey building. There were no casualties and the cause was unknown.
Kathy Stacey, of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, urged people to stay indoors as a precaution.
Stateside Foods supplies chilled pizzas and frozen pizza crusts to retailers and the service industry.
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Tuesday, 9 December 2008
The True Cost of Delivered Pizza? The Fresh vs Frozen Debate Continues
In these tough economic times, a leading frozen-pizza maker is urging consumers to study the numbers.
Its pizzas are far cheaper than equivalent delivery pizzas, says Kraft Foods’ DiGiorno. The delivery companies counter that the comparison is, to mix food metaphors, one of apples to oranges.
In television ads that started airing in August, DiGiorno says that delivery pizzas cost an average of $16.13, and then displays an equation: Delivery Pizza - Delivery = $6.69, or the average cost of a DiGiorno pie. (Solving for x, that means delivery costs $9.44.)
A Kraft Foods spokeswoman explained that the numbers are based on July prices for a medium supreme pizza, plus delivery, from Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Papa John’s, in 10 major markets. These prices excluded promotions, as did the DiGiorno price, which was from the same markets.
Pizza Hut didn’t respond to a request for comment. Spokesmen for Domino’s and Papa John’s said the calculation ignored several important distinctions between the pizzas, including that, as easy as a frozen pizza is, a delivery pizza is far easier.
“Yes, our medium deluxe pizzas do cost more, because we custom-make our pizzas to your specifications, bake them for you and deliver them hot to your door,” Domino’s spokesman Tim McIntyre told me. “Why would you pay the same amount for something that’s pre-made, frozen and that you have to bake yourself?”
Added Chris Sternberg, of Papa John’s, in an email, “With delivered pizza, the consumer invests virtually no time in the transaction: no preheating the oven, watching it, cutting it, etc. The ingredients are fresh, the service is to the doorstep, the cleanup is minimal, etc.” Sternberg also argued that the DiGiorno math should have taken into account several additional costs, such as for gas to drive to the store for a frozen pizza, and the cost of cooking the pizza at home.
Kraft spokeswoman Mary Anne McAndrew said that consumers rarely make a special trip to buy a frozen pizza, instead incorporating it into shopping trips. And she pointed out that the cost of cooking a pizza for less than 20 minutes should cost no more than a few cents of energy, passing along this Web site as an example.
“Even if you add a few cents to cover the cost of a round trip to the store and energy for cooking, the premise of our DiGiornonomics campaign remains valid: The cost of a carry-out or delivery pizza remains approximately twice that of a DiGiorno pizza,” McAndrew said
With thanks to The WSJ
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Monday, 8 December 2008
PETA takes advantage of Lower Share Prices to Increase Stakes in Meaty Restaurant Chains
Taking advantage of the shriveling stock market, PETA has been purchasing more and more shares in meaty companies, including popular chain establishments like Domino’s Pizza, California Pizza Kitchen, and Sonics. The surge in stock purchases comes shortly after PETA’s call for donations not only to them, but to other animal rights organizations also hurting in the economy.
PETA has bought stock in meat companies for years. They already had a large holding in Tyson Foods, one of the most notorious animal abusers in the meat industry, and recently purchased even more. But what will PETA do once they own enough shares in these companies to be a deciding voice?
Would we find vegan cheese options at Domino’s? Would they eliminate meat all together from the menus and perhaps risk running the chains out of business? Or perhaps they’d make the age-old rumors come true by changing pepperoni and sausage to mostly soy or wheat protein?
PETA first began engaging in shareholder activism in 2003 when they purchased 240 shares in Tyson Foods, enough to allow the organization to speak at shareholder meetings. The meat industry has watched with a cautious eye ever since.
Factory farming is among the most environmentally disastrous industries, topping even the transportation industry in its impact on global warming. While PETA pushes for animal rights, their actions also promote a healthier environment.
“Our campaign has already paid dividends for animals, so we’re forging ahead with it at any ‘price,’” said PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. “During hard economic times, the most vulnerable members of society—including animals—still need protection from exploitation and abuse.”
Loss of Job Inevitable for Pizza Delivery Driver Who Shot Attackers
A Domino's Pizza delivery driver fired a shot at at least two men who were trying to rob him Saturday night, the Titusville police said today.
The Domino's employee, who has not been identified by police, was making a delivery on Parkland Street in Titusville when at least two suspects tried to rob him. The delivery driver — who was armed — fired a shot at the men, who fled on foot. Authorities do not know if the suspects were struck by the gunfire.
The Titusville police department is asking anyone with information on the incident to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
What usually happens next is that someone mounts an internet campaign to re-instate the driver, for excercising his right to defend himself. Then Tim McIntyre from Domino's will make a statement that it is against company policy for employees to carry a firearm. The protest will then mount into a "Boycott Domino's", and will be publicised on Digg. In the meantime, hopefully people will think twice before attacking a Pizza Delivery Driver
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Papa John's CEO Resigns - Company Founder Forced to Step Back In
Papa John's president and chief executive officer Nigel Travis is resigning effective Dec. 30, the company has announced. Founder John Schnatter will serve as interim CEO while the company's board searches for a permanent successor.
Travis took over as Papa John's CEO in 2005. He is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity, according to a news release.
"We appreciate all that Nigel has done for the company over the last four years," said Norborne Cole, Papa John's lead director. "Papa John's has made progress in several key areas during Nigel's tenure, including international expansion and growing our online leadership position in the pizza category."
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PETA hopping mad about Frog Pizza - And Highlights the Irony of People Who Don't Compain About Ham & Chicken Pies
A London pizza chain is serving up pizza with a difference, and one the people at PETA certainly won’t be testing out.
Called the “Hopper”, the pizza is covered with frogs’ legs and has angered animal lovers all over the UK.
Frogs’ legs are often ‘produced’ by amputation while still alive, and are transported all around the world, especially from Indonesia where up to 300 frogs are piled into bags.
To many people, it’s shocking to find frogs’ legs on a pizza, anything a little bit different and we throw our arms up in the air. “Frogs?! How cruel!” As they munch down on a pizza slice covered in ham and chicken.
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Tuesday, 2 December 2008
It Pays to Be Vigilent as Pizza Blogger Defies Robbery Attempt
I repost this story to highlight what a dangerous job delivering pizzas for a living is, and unless you are 100% vigilent it is all too easy to become just another crime statistic. Kevin is a blogging buddy of ours and this article highlights how lucy he was recently to eascape becoming a robbery victim.
Give Pizza Hut delivery driver Kevin Landis credit. He’s no easy target.
When he got a delivery order for the 800 block of Longson Avenue at 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, he remembered a story in The Chronicle-Telegram about a robbery and carjacking involving another pizza driver on the same block.
As it turns out, it was the very same address.
Landis called police. When officers arrived, a man waiting on the steps of the home where the delivery was supposed to occur took off running.
Elyria police Lt. Andy Eichenlaub said Landis should be commended.
“He recognized a potentially dangerous situation in his line of work and contacted police,” Eichenlaub said. “He didn’t try to handle it himself.”
Landis, 40 and the father of seven children, ages 2 to 15, said he’s glad he keeps current on the news.
“I would have been robbed, too,” he said.
In the earlier incident, a 51-year-old Amherst man delivering pizzas for Dominos was robbed on Oct. 26 by a man who held a knife to his throat.
His assailant took $30, the food and drove off in the delivery man’s car, a white Volvo 740 GLE station wagon with a Dominos sign on the roof.
On both occasions, the “customer” ordered two pizzas and two subs.
When Landis got the order Sunday, he called the phone number the customer had given. No one at that number ordered pizza.
While waiting for police to respond, Landis and his manager, Nick Rodak, drove to Longson, a quiet street just west of Abbe Road between Cornell and Stanford avenues.
While driving around the block, Landis and Rodak saw two people dressed in dark clothing waiting in a vacant field. By the time police arrived, a man was sitting on the front steps of the dark home — just like in the incident on Oct. 26.
The fact the man ran off shows he probably was up to no good, according to Rodak.
“That guy would have robbed anybody I sent,” Rodak said. “If he (Landis) hadn’t read the paper he would have lost his money, lost his food, lost his car, and he could have gotten hurt.”
Landis, a computer programmer, is just glad he made it home to his wife, Victoria, and their kids.
He has been delivering pizzas as a side job for about 4½ years now to raise money for allowances, school lunches and the like. He even blogs on the topic at http://pizzadeliverystories.blogspot.com.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the top 10 dangerous jobs is being a driver/sales worker. Nearly a quarter of the deaths are due to robberies and assaults, according to the bureau.
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Sunday, 30 November 2008
Papa John's Wins Prestigious Industry Award
Each of the company’s stores have now been awarded a unique certificate and delivery logo to inform customers of the win, and Papa John’s Marketing Manager, Simon Wallis has thanked customers for the part they played in the award win.
He said: “We are absolutely delighted that Papa John’s has won the award because we believe it shows how committed we are to making sure that our customers get the best possible service.
“Papa John’s has made a lot of changes this year to improve our offering to customers. We are the only major pizza delivery company to guarantee our customers 100% fresh dough for every pizza.
“We are passionate about our ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ pledge and I believe that our customers are passionate too and that’s why we have launched new products such as the Carnevale Italian Meats pizza, made with Ventricina salami, pepperoni, sausage, onions, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and a balsamic drizzle.
“We have also improved our service, introducing new packaging and more customer friendly menus and leaflets.”
Papa John’s, which operates over 120 stores, is now gearing up for even greater growth in 2009 and The Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association director Jim Winship praised its efforts.
He said: “Papa John’s are one of the biggest players in the US market and this award reflects the enormous amount of effort they are putting into establishing the brand in the UK and raising the bar in the industry.
“In the last 12 months they have exhibited a great deal of innovation and forward thinking to become the most best delivery chain in the UK – we are delighted to present them with the ‘Pizza Delivery Chain’ award.”
Anyone wishing to try out the top delivery operator in 2008 should visit http://www.papajohns.co.uk/ to find their nearest store and check out the Papa John’s menu.
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Win Some Dough by Designing a PJ Pizza
A leading pizza chain is celebrating National Pizza Week by offering pizza lovers the chance to make their name in the pizza world and take home a slice of the action from every one sold.
As part of National Pizza Week (W/c 24/11) run by the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food association, Papa John’s pizza, is looking for pizza lovers to design a new pizza to be featured on the menu in 2009.
The company, famous for its ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ pledge, is prepared to offer a percentage from every pizza sold to the person who manages to create a pizza worthy of the Papa John’s menu.
Simon Wallis, director of marketing for Papa John’s, said: “Papa John’s, unlike Domino’s or Pizza Hut, guarantees customers pizzas made from 100 percent fresh dough because our pizzaiolos - expert pizza makers - are passionate about making pizza.
“We know our customers choose us because they too are passionate and now we are looking to tap into this, as we start planning our product development for the next year. In 2008 we launched our Alfresco and Carnevale pizzas as we looked to cater to our customers’ tastes and now we want them to tell us what else they would like to see.
“The person who can design a pizza good enough to make it on the Papa John’s menu will receive a percentage of the profits for as long as it features on the menu – offering them the potential to generate thousands of pounds each year.
“To get an idea of what we currently offer people should visit www.papajohns.co.uk and check out our menu and current list of ingredients, however people should feel free to suggest new toppings as we are always looking to improve our range of pizzas.”
Anyone who would like to take part in the Papa John’s Pizza Design challenge should request an entry form by emailing pjonline@papajohns.co.uk.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Domino's Responds to Aggressive Pizza Hut Adverts
Domino’s Pizza is hitting back at Pizza Hut’s confrontational new ad campaign, saying customers will remember how they were treated when the company held a dominant market share.
Domino chief executive Don Meij says the ads, which include direct comparisons between Pizza Hut and Domino’s products, won’t affect the rapid growth of his company.
“Five years ago Pizza Hut had the whole market to themselves. When you have a monopoly you probably don’t do everything in favour of the customer,” he says.
“Pizza Hut was pricing at Hell [Pizza] pricing but had an everyday pizza. And the customers reacted.”
Mr Meij says Pizza Hut’s recent changes, which include cheaper prices, the revival of the “jumbo” size pizza, and the afore-mentioned marketing campaign, won’t be enough to change its image with consumers.
“Pizza Hut’s still Pizza Hut, it has many other things it needs to correct with itself.
“People remember if you behave badly. It’s the same for us. If we do things wrong, customers remember,” he says.
Domino’s is listed on the ASX and has 74 stores operating under a franchise model in New Zealand.
Pizza Hut, also a franchise, is part of NZX-listed Restaurant Brands. Mr Meij says Domino’s is still looking to expand, and thinks there is room for 85-89 stores in this market.
“New Zealand continues to fly ahead, really strong growth. We haven’t really seen any effects from the economy,” he says.
Eight new stores will open between now and June next year, which will all be fitted out with a refreshed store format.
Stores that are currently operating will also be refitted, starting from next March.
The chain’s most popular pizza – the Meatosaurus, which has four types of meat and barbeque sauce – reflects its skew towards male customers.
Next year, Mr Meij says, Domino’s will be launching some new healthier products pitched at women aged over 25.
“Domino’s is a treat: we’re not going to be bringing out Weight Watchers products or anything like that.
“But you’ll see things that continue to be better for you, and have some shift to a more female feel in the way we present and offer them,” he says.
LINK TO AD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsG0EeuWmbA
Hot Box Pizza Set for Rapid Expansion
HotBox Pizza, an Indianapolis-based pizzeria known for being "Hot, but not Skanky," announced that it has sold its first franchise.
HotBox began an aggressive franchising campaign in October of this year to expand the popular brand.
"We are proud to announce the sale of our very first franchise," said Gabe Connell, owner of HotBox Pizza.
"We created HotBox Pizza to fill the gap between the bland, big chains and the neighborhood gourmet pizza restaurants. With locations already Downtown, in Broad Ripple, Fishers and Lafayette, a new store in Carmel makes perfect sense."
Two well-known local restaurateurs plan to open two HotBox Pizza franchises in Carmel, Ind. within the next 18 months. Pete Watson, a franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings and operator of 14 Indiana locations, is partnering with Steve Wechter, owner of Famous Jack's Burgers 'n Brew, to open their first HotBox Pizza in early January 2009.
The new franchise will serve the same eclectic selection of pizzas HotBox is known for, including the Hot Chick, the Big Cheese and Porky the Pie. Salads, beer and wine will also be added to the Carmel menu.
"We are excited to open the first HotBox Pizza franchise and to serve the Carmel community through fast delivery, quick pick-up, and a great dining atmosphere," said Watson. "It's a prime opportunity for us to extend the HotBox experience and to work with local schools and community groups through the HotBox Pizza Fundraising Program."
Watson and Wechter will feature upgraded décor in the Carmel HotBox location, as well as several flat screen TV's so that customers don't miss their favorite sporting events.
"We are looking forward to giving the Carmel community not only the popular HotBox pizza and breadstix they've come to know in Indiana, but also a fun, casual atmosphere to watch the Hoosiers, Boilermakers, Colts and other favorite athletic teams. We can't wait to deliver the HotBox experience and attitude to Carmel."
The first Carmel HotBox location will be at 1 East Carmel Drive (on the corner of Carmel Drive and Rangeline Road). No location has been determined for the second location. For additional information on HotBox Pizza and franchising opportunities, please visit,
http://gethotboxpizza.com/
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Eagle Boys Pizza To Roll Out Cut-Down Store Model
Australian pizza chain Eagle Boys has developed a new store model designed to thrive in small towns.
Called the “Local Store Model”, the new style of franchised stores is designed for towns with a population of between 2,500 and 5,000 residents. The stores have a smaller store footprint and will be open from 4.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily with an optional delivery service. The stores offer the full Eagle Boys menu, with pizzas available on one traditional-style crust.
Local Store Models have already been opened in two locations in Queensland and two in New South Wales, with another 12 stores planned to open around the country before the end of 2008.
“The Local Store Model delivers the best of both worlds in being able to establish an Eagle Boys store in small towns, while at the same time creating a rewarding and profitable new business opportunity for franchisees,” said Eagle Boys managing director Todd Clayton. “Apart from requiring a smaller investment from franchisees, the new store model is profitable because it has smaller occupancy costs, requires less staff, and has a lower sales break-even point.”
Eagle Boys operates more than 240 franchised stores throughout Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The company hopes to have 400 Australian stores operating across all its store models by 2011.
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Thursday, 6 November 2008
Hell Pizza Forced to Pull Offensive Ads (Again!)
Hell Pizza's advert showed animations of Sir Edmund Hillary, actor Heath Ledger and the Queen Mother dancing to Michael Jackson's song Thriller.
The family of Mount Everest conqueror Sir Edmund, who died in January, said the ad was in "extremely poor taste".
Hell's Pizza apologised and said it did not mean to cause offence.
"Clearly he's revered in New Zealand and we all love him," spokesman Glenn Corbett said.
"The idea of Sir Ed being there was intended to be a light-hearted remembrance."
The firm is no stranger to controversy. Last year, it showed Hitler in a Nazi salute with a pizza in his hand. Previously, it has distributed condoms alongside its "Lust" pizza.
The firm's marketing director Rachael Allison told New Zealand media that the latest animation was part of an e-mail campaign targeting existing customers.
'Not funny'
Around 5,000 people saw the advert before it fell into the hands of the media.
She said Hell Pizza was known for its controversial advertising and customers loved it. But she accepted it is not to everyone's taste.
"Interpretation of this is always up to individuals and we are always mindful of that and always keep an eye on our tone of voice and try to keep on top of that," she said.
Peter Hillary said the death of his father, who became the first person to reach the summit of Everest in 1953, was still "pretty raw" and the advert was not funny.
"I think it's disturbing... a little grotesque", he told New Zealand's Dominion Post.
There has been no reaction from the family of Australian actor Heath Ledger, who also died in January, or Britain's Royal family, who buried the Queen Mother in 2002.
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Sunday, 17 August 2008
The End of Frozen Pizza?
Pizza may well be at its best when it’s served piping hot, but it was a frozen version of the food that has been grabbing people’s attention in London thanks to Papa John’s.
The pizza delivery company, which is the third largest in the world, allowed Leicester Square passers-by to watch as a stunning giant pizza sculpted out of ice melted away – signifying the end of frozen dough being used for any product on its menus, and throwing down the gauntlet to its competitors.
The eye-catching 3m diameter pizza, was hand-made by Wimbledon based top ice-sculptor Ben Edson and was complete with individually carved toppings of tomatoes, mushrooms and pepperoni.
The event was completed by Papa John’s management demolishing the pizza and handing complimentary samples from its 100 per cent fresh dough pizza range.
Marketing director Simon Wallis said: “We wanted to really draw people’s attention to the fact that frozen pizza dough is a thing of the past for Papa John’s, and we felt that this was a great way of highlighting that we are the only major chain to make this promise.
“We have recently replaced our only frozen dough based pizza with a great new fresh Authentic Thin Crust product which now means that we never use frozen dough on the menu.
“We believe passionately in producing quality pizzas using the best ingredients, and one of those is certainly fresh dough. We think once customers compare our fresh dough pizzas to the frozen dough product offered by our larger competitors, they will be sold on Papa John’s.
“All the feedback we receive shows that customers can really taste the difference between fresh and frozen dough, and hopefully this move will really raise the bar for the entire pizza business in the UK.
“Guaranteeing that every pizza we sell has been made using fresh dough will take away any confusion for customers and we firmly believe that it will set Papa John’s apart from the rest in terms of quality.
“This is a bold move, but we want consumers in the UK to see how serious we are about providing the best delivered pizza in the country.”
Video footage of the frozen pizza’s demise is now available on www.papajohns.co.uk
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One of the UK’s fastest growing pizza chains is encouraging pizza eaters to take a fresh look at what they are purchasing – believing that many UK consumers may be unaware the pizza they purchase from some chains is not made with fresh dough.
With the launch this week of its new Authentic Thin Crust pizza, Papa John’s, which has over 100 stores in the UK, now uses fresh dough for every pizza sold in the UK unlike many competitor products which are sold in the UK with frozen dough.
Now for a limited time, Papa John’s is offering to highlight the differences in taste between fresh and frozen dough by offering a complimentary Authentic Thin Crust pizza in exchange for a receipt from the Domino’s or Pizza Hut chains showing the purchase of one of their frozen dough pizzas.
Simon Wallis, Papa John’s UK marketing director, said “We believe passionately in producing quality pizzas using the best ingredients, and one of those is certainly fresh dough. We think once customers compare our fresh dough Authentic Thin Crust pizza to the frozen dough product offered by our larger competitors, they will be sold on Papa John’s.
“All the feedback we receive shows that customers can really taste the difference between fresh and frozen dough, and hopefully this move will really raise the bar for the entire pizza business in the UK.
“Guaranteeing that every pizza we sell has been made using fresh dough will take away any confusion for customers and we firmly believe that it will set Papa John’s apart from the rest in terms of quality.
“This is a bold move, but we want consumers in the UK to see how serious we are about providing the best delivered pizza in the country.”
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world's third largest pizza company. For nine years running, consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the highly regarded American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also ranks first among pizza companies in the 2008 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index and was named 2007 Pizza Today Chain of the Year. For more information about the company, visit Papa John's at www.papajohns.com.
In the UK, Papa John's was named Delivery Operator of the Year among pizza chains in 2005 and 2006 by the Pizza and Pasta Association.
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Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Biggest Domino's Franchisee Mike Orcutt Reveals His Secrets of Success
Orcutt, 51, started working at a Domino's Pizza in Ann Arbor, Mich., when he was 16 years old. He worked his way up to executive vice president of operations for the pizza chain........(Read more)
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Brazil fast Food to Acquire Largest Pizza Hut Franchise
Brazil Fast Food Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: BOBS.OB) (“Brazil Fast Food”, or “the Company”) the second largest fast-food restaurant chain with 630 points of sale, operating under the Bob’s and KFC brands in Brazil, announced today that it has acquired 60% of Internacional Restaurantes do Brasil (“IRB”), Pizza Hut’s largest franchise in Brazil.
IRB owns 14 Pizza Hut restaurants in São Paulo and 4 café stores with the brand “In Boca al Lupo” also acquired by Brazil Fast Food. IRB recorded annual revenue of around R$ 50.0 million, EBITDA of R$ 3.65 million and net profit of R$ 1.14 million in 2007. This transaction is expected to increase Brazil Fast Food consolidated revenue by 20% in 2008 and 40 to 50% in 2009 relative to 2007.
Brasil Fast Food will retain a 60% stake with the remaining 40% to be owned by POGO Participações, a company controlled by Jorge Aguirre who has been for many years the CEO of IRB. Mr. Aguirre will remain in charge of IRB and has as a partner in POGO a Brazilian financial company, ROSENBERG & PARTNERS.
“This transaction is an important milestone in the execution of our strategy to become a leading multi-brand fast food chain in Brazil. In addition to being a good fit with our existing brands, it positions the company well to take advantage of the casual dining opportunity targeting more affluent segments of the population,” said Mr. Ricardo Bomeny, CEO of Brazil Fast Food. “We are also very pleased to welcome Jorge Aguirre to our team. Mr. Aguirre has been responsible for the excellent performance of the Pizza Hut franchise in Brazil in recent years and we are glad that with his proven experience and leadership skills he will continue to make a valuable contribution to the success of our business.”
KPMG conducted due diligence that identified the need to write-off R$ 4.6 million in assets to shareholder equity but which will not impact Brazil Fast Food consolidated results for 2008. The transaction was closed yesterday but the closing balance sheets were established as of July 31, 2008.
About Brazil Fast Food.
Brazil Fast Food Corp. owns and operates, both directly or through franchisees, the second largest fast-food restaurant chain in Brazil. The Bob’s trade name is used by Venbo Comércio de Alimentos Ltda., a subsidiary of Brazil /Fast Food holding company, BFFC do Brasil Participações Ltda (formerly 22N Participações Ltda.). The “KFC” trade name is used by CFK Comércio de Alimentos Ltda. (formerly Clematis Indústria e Comércio de alimentos e Participações Ltda.), also a holding company subsidiary. As of Mar. 31, 2008, the Company had 598 points of sale, which includes traditional restaurants, kiosks and re-locatable trailers.
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Sunday, 13 July 2008
Pizza Delivery Business Take Extra Precautions After Driver Killing
Food-delivery businesses in some areas are taking precautions and rewriting policies to ensure the safety of their deliverers following the abduction and killing of a deliveryman in Fredericksburg.
Yong Hui Zhang, 24, was declared missing last week when he didn't return from making deliveries for his parents' restaurant, China Express.
His body was found in Sussex County days later. Officials said he died from a stab wound to the chest. Authorities think that Zhang was attacked at a vacant apartment after going to make a delivery there. Suspects Jermaine Montgomery, 34, and Marcey White, 36, are charged with abduction, carjacking, credit-card theft and conspiracy and prosecutors are considering how to charge the suspects in the slaying.
The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said it has documented five delivery robberies since July 1, 2007, all of which stemmed from deliveries called in to a fictitious address. Fredericksburg police say the recent incident is the only delivery robbery there in the past year. Richmond police say out of 293 reported robberies of individuals this year, about nine involved a food-delivery person.
Though attacks on food deliverers aren't widespread, businesses in Richmond and Fredericksburg aren't taking any chances. "The day we found out about what happened, my mom said we're not delivering past 9 p.m.," said 16-year-old Wo Chan, who runs errands and makes deliveries for family-owned Fortune Gourmet, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg. Others are limiting delivery areas, telling drivers not to carry more than $20 on deliveries and talking about having deliverers carry pepper spray for protection.
Domino's Pizza drivers must make a safety callback to any new customers or people placing a call by cell phone. They have to get an answer and a confirmation that it is a legitimate order before they can leave the building, said John Minick, who oversees safety for Domino's.
If a deliverer finds himself or herself in a situation where they are being asked to hand over their money, Domino's policy is no resistance. "It's a simple policy; they honor the demands of the robber," Minick said.
"Statistics show there is less of a chance of injury that way." Police and restaurant managers make many of the same recommendations on how to reduce the odds of being robbed. Sgt. John Garcia, who runs the detective squad at a south Richmond precinct, recommends that businesses make sure they get a phone number, a complete name and a correct address when taking orders, and refuse to deliver food to intersections or other outdoor areas.
"Typically, what we see is they will demand whatever the product is and whatever money they're carrying," Garcia said. Nine out of 10 times, he said, a robber brandishes a weapon or implies that there is one. If a driver arrives at a house that looks abandoned or run-down, Garcia said, they should obey their instincts and drive to a safe place and try calling the customer again.
A would-be robber probably won't answer the phone. Joy Garden has operated for 50 years on Broad Street in Richmond as a dine-in Chinese restaurant. Manager Mark Sin said drivers there deliver an average of seven or eight orders a night in midtown and downtown neighborhoods.
"We always recommend the driver observe before you get out of the car. If it doesn't feel right, don't deliver. Just take off. ... It can happen anywhere, in a safe place or dangerous place."
Friday, 11 July 2008
Melbourne Pizza Mogul Avoids Jail After Neighbour Dispute
The founder of a Melbourne pizza chain has avoided jail after pleading guilty to assaulting his neighbours.
Milan Mandic, the 50-year-old founder of Pinky's Pizza, was today handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, in the Victorian County Court.
He had pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing serious injury, and of common law assault. Judge Barbara Cotterell said on December 29, 2004, Mandic's Endeavour Hills' neighbour Kathleen Miller and her daughter called Mandic's teenage daughters sluts and prostitutes, and accused them of giving "head jobs".
Mandic observed the altercation from the balcony of his home, before going next door and arming himself with a piece of aluminium, where Ms Miller's son was armed with a baseball bat,
Judge Cotterell said. Ms Miller was then struck on the head with the piece of aluminium, causing a gash that required 14 stitches. Jason Miller was also struck by Mandic, the judge said, but noted that Mandic received the most serious injury - a deep laceration to the head which exposed bone and caused a mild concussion - when Mr Miller hit him with the baseball bat.
Judge Cotterell said the incident was a culmination of two years of harassment, of which Mandic's family was not the instigator.
In sentencing, Judge Cotterell noted Mandic's contribution to the community as a successful businessman who was dedicated to his family. "On the evidence, you have reacted to a situation which at times has been intolerable,'' Judge Cotterell said. She said Mandic had armed himself spontaneously, because he believed there was a threat to his personal safety.
First Winner of Domino's Pizza $10k Gotham City Pizza Comp
On July 8, Jason Nicodemus, a Port St. Lucie, Fla. resident, went to his local Domino's Pizza store to place a carry-out order. He walked out with a Gotham City(TM) Pizza and a check for $10,000, thanks to the ultimate The Dark Knight experience, delivered by Domino's Pizza.
"I was shocked," said Nicodemus. "I couldn't believe that I had won $10,000 let alone the fact that Domino's had given me the check right on the spot. All I did was order Domino's new Gotham City Pizza. I originally was going to order the 2X Tuesday deal, but saw the sign for the Gotham City Pizza and decided to give it a try."
Every day for 21 days (July 7 - July 27), Domino's customers will have the chance to win $10,000 delivered to their door when they order the Gotham City(TM) Pizza.
Now through July 27, customers can order Domino's new Gotham City(TM) Pizza-a large, hand-tossed pizza, cloaked with 1.5 times the amount of pepperoni than a standard order for $9.99 delivered in a specially-designed Gotham City(TM) Pizza Box. For complete Official Rules and to play without purchase, visit www.dominos.com .
With any Domino's purchase, customers will also gain access to Domino's exclusive Dark Knight Vault, an interactive online experience that features: -- The Dark Knight movie content
-- Movie trailers and exclusive footage from the movie
-- Cast interviews
-- Exclusive downloadable wallpapers
-- Exclusive preview of the soon to be released book The Art of the Dark Knight
-- An instant win "The Cards Tell the Tale" game
"The Cards Tell the Tale" game gives players the chance to take on the Joker to win a limited edition The Dark Knight-themed Xbox 360(R) game system. Through Domino's Dark Knight Vault, customers have the chance to win one of 110 out of 150 The Dark Knight-themed Xbox 360(R) game systems created for the film.
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Salvo's in Leeds - A Dining Institution for Over 30 Years
Now considered a Headingley institution, Salvo's first opened its doors in 1976 and has been packing in customers ever since for it's great buzzy atmosphere, friendly service and wonderful selection of traditional and more contempory Mediterranean cuisine.
Regularly featured in the Good Food Guide, Salvo's is a former Yorkshire Evening Post Family Restaurant of the Year and after 30 years continues to receive plaudits from numerous prestigious national publications.
For more details visit their website
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Leeds Restaurant Launches Wheat-free Pizza
Leeds restaurant Salvo's has cooked up a perfect pizza partnership with a Bradford-based food business – to launch a new gluten and wheat-free pizza base mix.
Isabel Gordon, director and creative chef at Brazilian Flavours, joined forces with Gip Dammone, co-owner of Salvo's in Headingley. Mr Dammone says he wanted to develop a pizza base that not only tasted "just like mama used to make" but was gluten and wheat-free too – an offering which would cater for the rising number of customers who are gluten and wheat intolerant.
Brazilian Flavours' ingredients are all naturally gluten and wheat-free so the two businesses teamed up. Isabel said: "Since launching Brazilian Flavours in 2005, our mission has been to produce natural foods with little known exotic flavours, inspired by the vibrant culture of Brazil.
"The Brazilian flours I work with are naturally gluten and wheat-free, so by using a combination of these special allergy flours, Gip and I were able to develop a mix which creates delicious thin crust Neapolitan style pizzas with a lovely chewy texture for the base."
PHD - The New Edgy Brand from Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut has launched a new brand called PHD to take pizza delivery to the next level. And Pizza Hut Oman has earned the distinction of being the first in the Gulf to launch the PHD outlet, at Salalah.
PHD are the pizza delivery experts - Place your order any way you want: come to the store, or phone them. Simple Uncomplicated menu, Uber fast ovens, Hot deliveries. Take the hassle and stress out of ordering. Everyday Great Value at Everyday Affordable prices.
Just waiting for it to come to the UK too. aren’t you??
Friday, 4 July 2008
How Fresh Thinking on Pizza Led to a Taste of Success for Indian Businessman Ashit Patel
Andy Garcia, the Cuban-born American actor, probably has no idea that his last name is often on the lips of Mumbai's pizza lovers - all because it caught the fancy of the founder and former proprietor of Garcia's Famous Pizza, Ashit Patel, when he was watching Brian de Palma's The Untouchables.......(read the rest of this article from the Hindustan Times)
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Well There's a Surprise! Police Say Pizza Joint Robbery Was an Inside Job
A ten-day investigation into a robbery at the Glass- Glassboro boro PizzaHut led to the arrest of a manager and an employee. The Glassboro Police Department was dispatched to a robbery at the Pizza Hut restaurant in the Double Tree Shopping Plaza on N. Delsea Drive on June 14, at about 11:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers were advised that a male individual, wearing a black hood and a mask covering his face, walked into the store, displayed a weapon and demanded money from the registers and safe.
After receiving the money, he fled the restaurant in an unknown direction with an unspecified amount of money. After ten days of investigation, on June 24, Investigator Mike Powell and the Glass-boro Police Department developed information that led to the arrest of two of the store employees.
Josue Torres, 18, of Glass-boro and Alexsandra Chap-pine, 23, of Sicklerville allegedly had conspired together to commit a robbery on their store. Torres acted as the robber and after the crime was committed, returned to the store and acted as a victim. Police were able to recover the weapon used in the robbery.
Torres was charged with first degree robbery, theft, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. Chappine, a manager at the store, was charged with conspiracy to commit a robbery, conspiracy to commit a theft and theft.
Both were committed to Gloucester County Jail with no bail. The following day, Superior Court Judge Christine Allen-Jackson set bail at $150,000 no bond for both Torres and Chappine
Is This The End of Free Pizza Delivery
Stacy Zournas can guarantee you'll get the freshest pizza in Lone Tree if you order it from her shop, but if you want it delivered, she also can guarantee you'll pay a fee.
Following the lead of the three big pizza makers - Pizza Hut, Domino's and Papa John's - smaller restaurants like Luca's Jersey Pizza Pasta are charging their patrons to bring a hot meal to their doorstep because gas prices and food costs are skyrocketing.
"We didn't want to do it but we had to because costs are going up left and right," Zournas said about the $2 delivery fee Lucas Jersey Pizza Pasta now charges.
The average cost of a delivery fee is about $1 per order for places like Pizza Hut.
Zournas, who up until four months ago only charged $1 per delivery, held off on raising the fee as long as she could, but nearly every commodity that comes to her store has a fuel surcharge topped on their order.
"We had to up it because we're receiving fuel charges from all of our vendors," she said. "I just wonder if we charge $2 now, what's it going to be next year? Where does it stop?"
Roma Food Products, Zournas's base distributor charges her $10 for their deliveries. The wine distributors charge $5 every time they come, and the people who bring carbon to run the soda and beer machines charge $4.50.
On top of vendor charges, Zournas said her ingredients are costing more, too.
Where she normally paid $12 for a bag of semolina, she now pays $23. She spends roughly $500 monthly on cheese. The cost of cheese has doubled in the last year, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
"The higher costs all link back to gas prices," she said.
So along with a higher delivery fee at Luca's comes increased prices.
Last Monday, the cost of Luca's 18-inch Meat Lover pizza jumped 10 percent to $19.99.
"We've been open for three-and-a-half years and never raised the price of our pizza," she said.
"My people are telling me I need to raise everything by at least 15 percent but I won't do that to my customers at this point. Customers are holding their dollars closer to them right now because everyone seems to have less money," she said. "But if I don't raise prices a bit I'm out of business."
So how is business since they began charging a delivery fee?
"Some people are complaining about it, but not many. Most understand that it's a luxury to have hot food delivered," she said.
"Mainly because customers now think it's a bargain to pay a few dollars than to spend their own gas money to go out to eat."
Pizza deliveries make up about 50 percent of the restaurant's business with drivers making about 400 deliveries a month. But hard times have caused the restaurant to drop the number of drivers from 10 to six.
The
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Team Washington Rocks: Domino's Crowns World's Fastest Pizzamaker
Earlier today, amidst pounding thunder sticks and cheering spectators, Domino's Pizza named Silver Springs, Md. resident, Dennis Tran, the 2008 World's Fastest Pizza Maker.
Tran, an executive vice president of operations for Domino's Pizza franchise, Team Washington, made three large pizzas in an impressive 46.4 seconds.
That's making three pizzas in just over 15 seconds each! Tran won $5,000 in prize money, a trophy and the coveted title presented by Domino's Chairman and CEO David A. Brandon.
"Taking second place was not an option," said Tran. "This competition brings out my competitive nature. I brought speed and confidence to the table to defend my title. I came here to take first place, and I did."
| Pizza-makers compete for world title |
The finalists represented Domino's Pizza stores from around the world, as far away as India. They had to hand-stretch fresh dough, pizza sauce and top three large pizzas - one pepperoni, one mushroom and one cheese - as quickly as possible.
While speed was important, it was only part of the recipe. Quality was scrutinized as two judges highly qualified in Domino's standard pizza-making practices inspected the stretching of the dough, application of the sauce and portioning of toppings during the competition.
If the pizza was not perfect, it was returned to the competitor who remade the entire pizza, while still being timed.
Tran has been a Domino's team member for 18 years. A returning champion, Tran won the 2006 World's Fastest Pizza Maker title with a time of 55 seconds and the 2007 title with a time of 49.1 seconds. His 2008 time of 46.4 seconds sets a new world record for Domino's Pizza.
Domino's began the "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" competition in 1982 to honor pizza makers who best exemplify the company's philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store to allow sufficient time for safe, timely pizza delivery.
"Domino's Pizza is extremely proud to employ the fastest pizza makers in the world," said Brandon. "The World's Fastest Pizza Maker competition emphasizes our commitment to safely delivering piping hot, great-tasting pizzas to our customers' doors as quickly as possible."
Runners up included Pali Grewal from England, who took second place with a time of 47.9 seconds and Emmanuell Dicks from North Old Tow, Va., who took third place with a time of 49.1 seconds.
The "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" competition was held at the Towsley Auditorium on the campus of Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich
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Directors' Share Sale Drives Down Domino's Pizza Share Price
Domino's Pizza's shares hit a six-month low after property magnate Nigel Wray and chairman Stephen Hemsley sold nearly £20m of shares in the takeaway pizza delivery company.
Mr Wray, who bought into Domino's Pizza in 1997, sold 9.5m shares at 180p, cutting his stake in the company to 16.75pc. Mr Hemsley sold 1m shares, leaving him with a 3.74pc holding. In total they sold £18.9m of shares.
The shares slid 30 to 186p after the share disposals sparked fears that trading at Domino's might be suffering in the face of the consumer downturn.
A non-executive director at Domino's, Mr Wray also owns Saracens rugby club and is thought to be worth about £250m.
A spokesman for Domino's said Mr Wray had offloaded the stake to "diversify his portfolio", while Mr Hemsley was looking to free up cash to finance a property transaction.
She said trading at the company remained strong and denied the disposals were linked to any slowdown.
Friday, 20 June 2008
The Worlds First Pizza Delivery by Parachute
Wow! Our friends down the road at Domino's Pizza Widnes yesterday hosted the World's First Pizza Delivery by parachute.
To read more about this remarkable feat just click here
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Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Britain's Got Talent Winner George Sampson Celebrates With a Domino's Pizza
Britain’s Got Talent winner George Sampson’s promise to remain an ordinary lad from Warrington was proved correct this week. Instead of heading to celeb hangouts for Michelin star dining, George’s first stop after wowing the show’s judges and 14 million viewers was his favourite pizza store, Domino’s in Warrington.
Special thanks to Warrington store Assistant manager Natasha Matchett who showed great initiative among her star-struck staff during George’s surprise visit. To help him celebrate with his friends and family the store gave George three piping hot pizzas to enjoy and Natasha even gave him her Britain’s Got Talent cap!
For more information about George's favourite Domino's visit the store blog here
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Saturday, 24 May 2008
Online Sales Prove to Be A Winner for Papa John's UK
Recent sales figures for Papa John's pizza suggest that when it comes to ordering pizza the dot-com bubble is still going strong.
The pizza company, famous for its 'Better Ingredients, Better Pizza' promise, saw its online weekly sales figures top £100,000 for the first time in May - marking a steady increase since the launch of online ordering two years ago.
The total for online sales now stands at over £6.5million, with the record sales figure illustrating a staggering 178 percent increase from the weekly average in 2006.
Simon Wallis, director of marketing, said: "We are delighted to have broken the £100,000 mark for the first time. The growth rate of our online trade over the last two years has been phenomenal.
"At the moment, our online sales currently average over 22 percent of total sales, a figure we expect to continue to rise as more and more customers look to the benefits and ease of ordering online.
"We know that as a society we are becoming more internet savvy and this is becoming clearly visible in our figures. In 2006 our total online sales were less than £2million, this year we will be looking to break the £5million barrier.
"This growth online reflects the growth of Papa John's as we continue to expand across the UK.
Already 2008 has seen seven stores open in the first quarter with another eight planned by June, as we look to grow our number of stores by 25 percent this year."
Papa John's recent figures in the UK echo those experienced by the company on the other side of the Atlantic.
In the US, the first week in May saw the company break the $1billion mark for total online sales.
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Actor Arrested in Pizza Shop Hold-Up
A Utah teenager known for acting roles in Disney's "High School Musical" and as a quirky medieval warrior in anti-tobacco television commercials has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a Holladay pizza shop at gunpoint.
Read on...
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Friday, 16 May 2008
Talkaboutability - or how to generate free publicity for your pizza business
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Free Pizza - If You Can Eat It!
Are you up for a pizza challenge?
The Pizza Haus on East McCarty Street in Jefferson City features a promotion for the most daring of eaters.
For $30, any brave patron of the restaurant can purchase “The Haus,” an 18x18-inch pizza and a drink. If the eater can finish off the entire pizza within one hour, their meal is "on the haus".
And they'll be the first to be immortalized on the Pizza Haus Hall of Fame, complete with a photo. As an extra incentive, a winner takes a pot of money, to which each entrant contributes $5.
But there's several catches.
First, pizzas must have three meats of the eater's choosing.
Second, if eaters get sick, they are disqualified and must clean up their own mess.
And third, a failed attempt will also get your mug on the pizza joint's “Wall of Shame,” which currently features 25 losing eaters.
Restaurant owner Jason VanLoo bought the business 13 months ago.
VanLoo said he and a friend thought of the promotion while sitting in a booth at the restaurant before VanLoo had even purchased it.
“We were just sitting there,” VanLoo said. “We just wanted to know, ‘What can we do to get people in here?'
”VanLoo said all of the attempts so far have been from men, both young and old. “I'd love to see a girl do it,” VanLoo said.
VanLoo said a number of people have asked about the competition.
Others, he said, come by and purchase the pizza, which is an item on the regular menu, and test the waters before trying to eat the whole thing as part of the competition.
Some of those are scared off on their first try.“We've gotten to the point where everyone's scared of it,” VanLoo said. “It's a lot of food.”
The competition started out strong when VanLoo first began it just over a year ago, but VanLoo said participation has dwindled.
VanLoo attributes this to the size of the pizza, which is nearly the size of the restaurant's tables.
Those who have the opportunity to watch someone endeavor the challenge enjoy the entertainment almost as much as VanLoo and his employees do.
“Everyone kind of gawks just to see,” VanLoo said.
Often other diners in the restaurant will give competitors a pep-talk beforehand, or will offer support during the test. The eaters usually have something to say, too.“A lot of what I hear is ‘Oh, when I was younger I could have done it. Ten years ago this would have been easy,'” VanLoo said.
So far no one has made the “Wall of Fame” and actually finished the pizza.
The closest attempt was by a local fire fighter who ate the entire pizza except for four pieces, a tiny portion compared to how much he was able to finish.“I really think it might take a professional eater to do it,” VanLoo said.
VanLoo has yet to try the challenge himself, but said that if he were to try, he would order a pizza with pepperoni, Canadian bacon and sausage.
He said that competition is “all mental” and that he is excited to see someone do it - just not himself.
“I'm not crazy enough to try it,” VanLoo laughed.
The most recent attempt at the competition was April 19, when Mike Lewis finished just over half of the enormous pie.
“I was a little disappointed - I thought I could get a little farther,” Lewis said.
This venture was Lewis's second time to try the feat.
The first time he got further, leaving just two rows of pizza left.“I think it's pretty much impossible.”
After finishing as much as he could, Lewis could only describe how he felt as “Miserable. Just miserable. Really full.”
Customers are welcome to try the challenge any day Pizza Haus is open -- no appointment necessary
Domino's Pizza Celebrates 25th Anniversary in Canada
Domino's Pizza, the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, this month celebrates its 25th anniversary in Canada and Mike Schlater, who opened the first Domino's Pizza store outside the United States on May 12, 1983, is celebrating his homecoming after recently being named president of the Master Franchise.
Today (Monday), Domino's Pizza stores throughout Canada will be donating $2.50 per order to local charities in celebration of the 25th anniversary.
Founded in 1960 in the U.S. college town of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Domino's Pizza grew slowly but steadily throughout the United States in its first 20 years, but it was a pioneering young entrepreneur who saw the potential to deliver pizza to hungry customers in Canada.
Mike Schlater, originally from Ohio, opened his first store in Winnipeg, thus turning Domino's Pizza into an international enterprise, which today has more than 8,600 stores in more than 55 countries.
In 2008, Domino's Pizza of Canada Ltd. is a system comprised of 140 individual franchise owners, who operate a combined 280 stores. Domino's Pizza has a presence in every province, and two of the three territories. The northern-most store in the Western Hemisphere is in Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories. Delivery personnel there can often be seen making deliveries via snowmobile when the weather dictates.
The store that lays claim to being the "most remote" Domino's Pizza store in Canada is in Whitehorse,Yukon. Schlater, who operated stores in Canada for several years before becoming a multi-store franchisee with stores across the U.S., recently returned to Canada after being named President of Domino's Pizza Canada Ltd., which is now based in Leamington, Ontario.
"I feel like I've come full circle," said Schlater. "It's hard to believe that 25 years ago, I was just opening that first store in Winnipeg and now, I've got the pleasure of leading this great company into the next quarter century. We've had our ups and downs over the years, but the strength of our system is in our business model and in our franchisees.
I see great things in store for us." Schlater noted that Domino's Pizza is looking to build momentum by opening at least 75 stores within the next five years, with the goal of having at least 350 Domino's Pizza stores operating by the end of 2013, the year in which Domino's Pizza of Canada will be celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Domino's Pizza CMO Makes Abrupt Exit
Domino's top marketing executive, Ken Calwell, is leaving the company after nearly seven years on the job.
