As a teenager working in the kitchen at the original Russo’s Pizzeria in Galveston, TX, Randy McCoy knew there was something special about the pizza franchise. He vividly recalls the mouth watering aromas of the authentic, made-from-scratch Italian food that has become synonymous with the Russo’s brand.
“It was a little, 500-square-foot take-out and delivery restaurant,” said Randy. “That was my first job. My brother and I assisted Anthony [Russo] with preparing all the fresh ingredients. I have a lot of good memories of those summers.”
Today, Randy is preparing to begin his journey to bring five Russo’s franchises to Galveston and North Houston markets. Joining Randy is his wife, Ayesha, as they set the stage for building a legacy of family-run businesses.
From Pizza Franchise Ownership to Construction
Growing up, Randy had always worked in the restaurant industry. He managed multiple restaurants in the Galveston area. At 24 years old, he took ownership of a local pizza franchise that was underperforming.
“He devoted his entire life to turning that restaurant around for several years,” explained Ayesha. “He resurrected it and ended up selling it for a profit a few years down the road.”
In 2008, an event occurred that spawned a sudden career change for Randy. Hurricane Ike hit Galveston and caused massive damage to the metropolitan area.
“It dawned on Randy that renovating and contracting was something he could easily fall into because of the fact that he grew up in the area and he had a lot of contacts in the area of various trade organizations,” she added.
He started a contracting business that exploded over the next couple of years. He got involved with the Galveston Historical Society in preserving buildings across the city.
While Randy was successful with his business and was able to take care of his family while Ayesha was completing her training to become a certified anesthesiologist, it ultimately wasn’t his passion.
“He kept coming back to the idea of opening a restaurant — specifically an Italian restaurant,” said Ayesha.
Returning to His Roots, Passion for Foodservice
In 2012, the husband-and-wife duo took an initial step toward returning to foodservice by opening a smoothie franchise in Dickinson, TX. It was their first experience building a restaurant from the ground up, but they thrived nonetheless. The store reached the No. 1 spot in sales in the region within the first year.
As fate would have it, a Russo’s location opened up in the same shopping center as the McCoys’ smoothie franchise. Randy’s future was staring him in the face.
After selling their smoothie business, they began researching different franchise opportunities and kept coming back to Russo’s. One of the biggest differentiators is the brand’s dedication to only using the highest-quality, freshest ingredients.
“I remember hand-shredding blocks of mozzarella and making gallons and gallons of marinara sauce,” said Randy. “When I owned that first pizza franchise, everything was shipped in pre-boxed and frozen.”
Russo’s dishes are made from scratch and use fresh, organic ingredients. The menu features distinctly unique pizzas, including Truffle Mushroom, Prosciutto & Burrata and Prosciutto & Fig. Other menu items include Truffle Tortellini, Caprese Pasta, Chicken Piccata and Pappardelle Carbonara. The restaurant also offers gourmet soups, salads and desserts.
Russo’s family traditions play a role in every aspect of each restaurant, from the authentic family recipes to the warm hospitality to the respect given to each individual who walks through the doors. Handing off these recipes and traditions to the community is what makes Russo’s so unique.
The Perfect Time to Invest in a Pizza Franchise
After Randy’s eldest son and Ayesha’s brothers had graduated from college, they realized it was the ideal time to do something big — with Russo’s at the heart of it.
The McCoys contacted Anthony Russo in 2019 with the initial goal of opening five locations.
“When we went to sign the franchise agreement, Anthony had prepared all of this food,” Randy explained. “When we opened the doors, the aromas hit me, and it all came rushing back.”
Randy and Ayesha will be opening their first restaurant in the North Houston market in the late summer. The couple is looking to open an additional restaurant every nine months to a year after that.
“This is such an exciting milestone for me and my family because I’m fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine while also planting the seeds for my children’s future and many generations to come,” said Randy.
Are you looking to bring an authentic taste of Italy to your community? Get started by downloading our free franchise report here.
TO EAT IN THE PRESENT, WE MUST LEARN FROM THE PAST(A)
Did you know it’s believed that as early as 3000 BC the Chinese made noodle-like foods? But it wasn’t until 400 BC that pasta was found in parts of modern day Italy. Versions of pasta have made it’s home all over the world since then, and we’re here for it!
All month long we’ll be celebrating the history of pasta. From bowties and shells, to traditional spaghetti and fettuccine, we love all shapes and sizes of our noodle friends. How do you noodle? Check out our different types of pasta combos and dishes on the menu that highlight this traditional ingredient. And yes, we have healthy pasta options: gluten-free pasta comes in a couple styles, just ask your store for more information.
So how do you make pasta? It’s pretty simple. You make pasta with 4 ingredients: flour, egg, olive oil, and salt. It’s up to you to choose the quality of ingredients. Follow this recipe on how to make pasta that is similar to the one Anthony Russo uses in all of his restaurants.
This family sized pasta recipe calls for:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt (sea salt is the best!)
• 1 tablespoon Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil
1. Creating your pasta mixture
Clean a large table surface to mix all of the ingredients. Build your flour into a volcano-like shape. Add your eggs, olive oil, and salt directly into the center and gently mix everything together. Once the initial mixture starts to form, use your hands to incorporate more of the flour from the outer walls. Continue mixing until a giant ball forms.
2. Kneading the dough
Once your ball is formed, knead it for 10 minutes. The dough will start out dry and eventually become consistent and smooth. Incorporate drops of water if it’s still dry after 10 minutes, or dust flour if it’s too sticky. Shape into a ball, wrap it up in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. Prepping
Set aside two baking sheets with flour on them.
4. Rolling dough (Depending on your pasta rolling attachments (mechanical or manual) the following process may vary.)
• Slice the dough into a few pieces. Flatten into an egg-like shape like a disc. Run the dough through your pasta roller at its widest setting a few times.
• On your countertop, fold the dough’s short ends to the center, then fold the dough in half again, making a rectangle shape.
• Run the dough through your pasta roller at its next widest setting a few times. Repeat once on the more narrow settings each one more time.
• Repeat with all sections of the pasta dough.
5. Shape it up!
Depending how you want your pasta to be shaped, you may need to purchase attachments to run your pasta through. The simplest will be cutting strips by hand to make fettuccine, or using the whole sheet like in lasagna!
6. Cooking your pasta
Cook the pasta just like any store bought batch: in a pot of salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Bon appetito!
Enjoy with toppings and sauces of your choice!
Have more than two people to feed? We’ve got you covered. Grab one of our Family Meal Deals, which serves 4-6, starting at only $49. Family Meal Deals come in different tiers, and you can combo different pastas trays within each. Breakdown below:
• $49 (choose from one below)
-Spaghetti with Meatballs half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Fettuccine Alfredo half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Baked Ziti half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
• $59 (choose from one below)
-Chicken Manicotti half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Eggplant Parmesan half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Chicken Piccata half tray, house salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
• $69 (choose from one below)
-Chicken Parmesan half tray, house OR caesar salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Russo’s Lasagna half tray, house OR caesar salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
-Chicken Pesto Pasta half tray, house OR caesar salad half tray, garlic bread half tray.
Whether you’re just starting you franchise search, or you already have a shortlist of possibilities, you probably know that the market for pizza is huge. Like most people, you probably eat pizza at least a few times a month and you have your favorite delivery place on speed dial.
But did you know that all around the world pizza consumption is on the rise? And did you know that Russo’s New York Pizzeria is primed to take the industry into its next iteration? Let us show you how:
Currently, pizza is a $135 Billion industry, and that’s projected to grow even larger over the next five years. Markets with rising levels of disposable income are expected to contribute heavily to that increase, as is a shift in consumer focus.
For a potential pizza franchisee, that means the future of pizza franchising, both in the US and abroad, is looking bright. Russo’s has opportunities available to capitalize on that trend and on the willingness of pizza consumers to seek out quality.
Sometimes you just want something quick and you don’t care about much else. But more often you want something that tastes great, is made with fresh ingredients, and comes from a company that cares about quality. The tide of the pizza industry is turning firmly in favor of discerning customers who know quality when they see it, smell it, taste it, and post it to their newsfeeds.
Customers today, especially Millennials and Gen Zers, care about more than quick and cheap when it comes to their pizza. And they’re putting their money where their mouths are, choosing to frequent establishments that share their values. That’s pretty easy for Russo’s because we’ve held those values from day one.
Russo’s uses only the finest, all-natural ingredients. We make our sauces and dough from scratch in-house and our customers can taste the difference.
Franchising with Russo’s allows you to take part in our 6 – 8 weeks of training in a real, operating restaurant, learning how we source our ingredients and why that freshness matters. You’ll become a part of a system that puts quality over quantity, and that consistently delivers on that ideal.
With the advent of the internet, it’s not enough to just taste great anymore. Our customers want to snap a pic of their pizza and post it for the world to see. And we’re happy to let them.
Every aspect of a new Russo’s New York Pizzeria franchise, from the location to the buildout to sliding that first pie out of the oven, is fully supported by the franchisor, to make sure it’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Customers today don’t just pop into the first pizza place they see down the street. They do their research. They read websites and reviews and expect their experience to meet or exceed what they’ve learned.
Russo’s has a long history of providing top-quality pizza, stretching all the way back to Chef Anthony Russo’s upbringing and Italian heritage. Being a Russo’s franchisee lets you capitalize on that history, that family atmosphere, and that tradition of quality that customers walk into every Russo’s expecting.
No one thinks choosing a franchise should be a spur-of-the-moment decision. But, knowing the pizza industry as well as we do, and knowing how well-positioned we are within its changing landscape, we feel pretty safe in saying that the time is right to join the Russo’s family.
It’s easy to sell Russo’s New York Pizzeria products, especially since we only use high-quality ingredients. There’s no better way to showcase them than the high-resolution images we use for advertising purposes. However, our customer-shot social posts are just as appetizing and mouthwatering as our professional images.
But don’t take our word for it, see the proof for yourself below:
We’d say our customers’ work isn’t half bad. But our customers are just a small piece of getting the Russo’s word out to your community.
When it comes to marketing, we’ve got our franchisees covered. Not only do you get the benefit of national advertising reach, but you also get to work with vendors that give Russo’s franchisees preferred pricing for marketing materials, including branded menus, flyers, postcards and more.
During your grand opening, we provide what we like to call a Grand Opening Roadmap. This document details exactly how to promote and market your big day using Russo’s proven marketing and advertising strategies. We also help with local publicity to build buzz around your store.
All franchisees also get access to a library of customizable marketing templates, including door hangers, fliers, email blasts, and other guerilla marketing efforts. If you want to create marketing materials from scratch, our in-house design team can help with that, too.
Plus, we provide franchisees with a user-friendly website, equipped with online ordering and delivery capabilities. We give you website best practices support, as well as guidance on how to manage third-party delivery services to generate brand awareness in your market. We also have several catering partnerships that help get the word out about our franchisee-owned locations.
The Russo’s corporate marketing team closely monitors every store to see how well it’s performing. We believe that one-on-one guidance is the difference that makes or breaks a franchise. That’s why, every month, we analyze your market and go over what works and what doesn’t, together.
Our sophisticated marketing efforts aren’t the only thing that help grow your Russo’s Business.
Our franchise marketing and advertising efforts are solidified with the Russo’s business model’s four revenue streams.
When our customers decide to dine in, they come for the award-winning, made-to-order pizza but stay for the good times that come with it (a fine selection of wine and beer helps, too). Even better, our dine-in option proves to produce higher ticket averages.
When our customers feel like staying in, we’re happy to bring our irresistible food directly to them. All they have to do is use the easy-to-navigate online ordering system we told you about earlier.
Many of our customers prefer to place an order for pick-up. On average, 20 to 40 percent of business comes from takeout orders, making this one of our most popular and profitable revenue streams. Plus, takeout allows our customers get the same great Russo’s taste, minus the tip.
Fast-casual catering has grown 11 percent , year over year. That’s why we offer full-service catering, too. Parties, small and large, can choose from a full menu of Italian specialties or customize buffet-style service.
We take marketing and advertising seriously, but we’re also sure to never leave our franchisees hanging. We provide the support necessary to run your Russo’s business like a boss.
Russo’s New York Pizzeria is an emerging franchise that’s quickly making a name for itself in the pizza industry. We serve authentic Italian food in a New York City atmosphere. That means everything from our authentic pizzas to our unforgettable pastas, and even the sauces we use for every dish are made in-house using 100-year-old family recipes.
Our delicious and authentic food offerings are why Alex and Nivine (photographed above) decided to franchise with Russo’s in 2006, and they haven’t looked back since. Here’s why:
The consensus is unanimous; the franchisees in our system all say they were attracted to our brand because of the food. It’s easy to see why our pizza is award-winning; we carefully make and hand-toss our dough in-house and hand-crush vine-ripened tomatoes for our sauce. Best of all, we use a brick oven to bake our New-York-style pizzas to perfection. We get in the kitchen and cook using generations-old recipes that keep our customers’ mouths watering.
Russo’s truly is a chef-inspired concept. That means our founder, Chef Anthony Russo, travels around the world to source the finest ingredients. For example, we use estate-aged basalmic vinaigrette imported directly from Modena, Italy, and 100 percent Sicilian extra virgin olive oil sourced directly from Sicily, exclusively for Russo’s Restaurants. This is only the beginning of the authenticity simmered into each and every Russo’s recipe.
We have lower food costs than our competitors and high margins to our bottom line. At Russo’s, food costs average to 20.7 percent, while the average net cash flow averages at 18.2 percent.*
How do we do it? Easy. Russo’s offers a diverse menu mix that caters to a variety of tastes. Most pizza franchises only serve pizza; on top of our award-winning pizza, we offer authentic Italian favorites, including pastas, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. And since we give it all to our customers for an affordable price, they’re more inclined to add to their order —improving ticket averages.
So far, Russo’s has seen nothing but growth in the United States and on an international level. The reason for this is consumer trends in the pizza industry are changing. PMQ Pizza Magazine says the next generation of pizza lovers want higher-quality offerings with fresh, all-natural ingredients. That’s exactly what Russo’s serves – a high-quality experience with authentic food to match. Meanwhile, our competitors are scrambling to keep up with today’s pizza trends. Pizza franchises like Pizza Hut have seen a continuous net decline of stores since 2015.
Russo’s franchisees are not afraid to get into the kitchen and make food the way it should be made—using fresh ingredients and tried and true recipes. That’s why we offer comprehensive pre- to post-opening support, where you’ll get a hands-on four- to six-week training at our Houston headquarters.
Before you open the doors to your first Russo’s location, our Franchise Specialists are physically by your side, helping to ensure you have a perfectly trained staff in place ready for the big day. We also help with grand-opening publicity and your marketing plan. After your grand opening, we provide one-on-one support and guidance on a monthly basis to see what works best in your market.
Russo’s franchisees also benefit from collective buying power. We have strong relationships with premier vendors and suppliers who give us preferred pricing for the high-quality ingredients we use in every dish. It’s thanks to these relationships we’re able to offer such a high-value experience to our customers on a daily basis.
Russo’s Next Generation Pizza & Italian Restaurant model is leading the fast-casual Italian dining category by creating a store (and business) model that is meeting customer demand as well as investor needs.
Our smaller footprint (1,500-1,800 sq. ft.) allows for an intimate, yet upscale dine-in experience focused on customer service. From an investment perspective, a smaller footprint means a lower barrier to entry for entrepreneurs entering the restaurant franchise business with an initial investment less than $500,000 in select markets. (With a $972,891 AUV*!)
In a recent Mintel Reports study, Foodservice Analyst, Diana Kelter, shares these findings: As dining habits shift and the landscape gets more competitive, fast casuals look beyond what worked in the past and focus on what lies ahead, including more premium beverages and automation as well as the showcasing of specialty concepts on a mainstream stage. The report also revealed fast-casual restaurants are “struggling to capture the dinner appeal.”
Russo’s is already catering to these consumer demands.
We serve gourmet-quality pizza and Italian offerings in a NYC-worthy environment using an open-kitchen concept. Our customers come for the unforgettable food but stay for the good times that come with it. Come into one of our locations to see it for yourself.
If you can’t already tell, we’re obsessed with quality. From ingredients to support, we provide our franchisees the best. If you want to keep learning why Russo’s is the only pizza franchise you should consider, click here.
At Russo’s New York Pizzeria, there’s only one thing we care about more than our amazingly high-quality pizzas and authentic Italian offerings. That’s supporting every franchisee’s journey to the best of our abilities. We’re Italian; that makes our franchisees family.
From pre-opening support to ongoing training and marketing assistance, we’ve got you covered through and through. But let us tell you exactly how we have your back throughout your Russo’s journey.
One of the things our franchisees love most is the hands-on training they get before opening their first Russo’s location. We do everything in our power to make sure you’re prepared before your big day.
It all starts with a four- to six-week training program at our Houston headquarters for you and up to three employees. Not only will we teach you our trade secrets and sacred family recipes, but the best part is your team gets to taste them, too.
The beauty of owning a Russo’s is every location is unique in its own right. We can make our concept fit in locations as small as 1,500 square feet.
Our dedicated real estate team will help you identify and secure an optimized location for your franchise business after completing a market assessment. We even assist with lease negotiations. You’ll also work directly with a Russo’s architect to design the restaurant of your dreams.
Rest assured knowing our team will be on-site to guide you before your opening day. We help train your staff to handcraft New York style pizza and Italian cuisine the Russo’s way. We also help create buzz around your location, using 20 years of proven Russo’s advertising and marketing strategies, including local public relations initiatives.
Oh, and every franchisee gets what we like to call the Russo’s Grand Opening Roadmap, a step-by-step guide to a successful first day of business.
We’ll give you a tool kit to help with digital, direct and grass-roots marketing in your neighborhood, including email blasts, door hangers, flyers and more. You’ll also get access to customizable marketing templates, as well as social media assets. We provide best practices on marketing your business. Additionally, we’ve developed a network of third-party marketing vendors (e.g. Local SEO ) and negotiated special pricing with them to help support your local store marketing efforts.
Our leadership team makes it a point to stay engaged and up to date with your progress. That means one-on-one guidance with operational, administrative and marketing initiatives from experienced Franchise Specialists. Together, we figure out what will work best in your market.
At Russo’s New York Pizzeria, we’re invested in your success, and the proof is in more than just the pizza. The numbers say it all; Russo’s boasts $972,891 average unit sales and an average net cash flow of 18.2 percent.* See how we measure up against other pizza franchise concepts for yourself: The Russo’s New York Pizzeria Difference.
People love pizza, and the love for these savory pies only grows with each passing year. Today, at least 83 percent of consumers eat pizza once a month, while 43 percent of people eat it on a weekly basis. Although the obsession over pizza is here to stay, the demands of those who eat it are moving the industry in an interesting new direction.
Buying power is shifting from Baby Boomers to Generation Z and Millennials who want to pay more if it means better quality. As Technomic ’s Senior Manager of Consumer Insights, Anne Mills explains, “Increased demand for quality and authenticity is influencing consumers to become increasingly discerning about each component on their pizzas.”
Consumers are becoming more conscious of what they put in their body. In fact, 44 percent of pizza lovers choose operators who use fresh, high-quality toppings and ingredients. Here’s another interesting statistic: 49 percent of consumers seek more authentic pizza offerings.
Unlike their predecessors, today’s pizza lovers want more than a slice of pie that’s just “good enough.” They want something flavorful, memorable and Instagrammable.
The shift in pizza trends mean heavy hitters like Pizza Hut and Domino’s are looking for ways to make their offerings, service and restaurants feel more upscale. On the other hand…
At Russo’s New York Pizzeria , we believe you shouldn’t have to travel to New York City (or Italy) to get a taste of truly authentic, quality Italian pizza, pastas or salads. We’re known for our gourmet-quality offerings served in a New-York-style setting and, our pizza is award-winning for a reason.
While many of our big-brand competitors use frozen dough, we make ours fresh, using 100 percent Italian semolina wheat. That’s not all; we are extremely selective about where we source all of our ingredients, too. Here’s an example: we use vine-ripened tomatoes from California and pure mozzarella from a quaint, Wisconsin dairy farm.
Everything is carefully crafted and made in-house – our dough is hand-tossed and our cheese is sourced from a quaint dairy farm in Wisconsin. We even make pastas and dressings ourselves.
Italian cuisine is a social food; it’s something our founder, Chef Anthony Russo learned from an early age. He says eating was an emotional experience and the kitchen was the center of his family’s life. They taught him cooking techniques from Naples, Sicily and Avellino using ingredients from their backyard garden.
The Russos loved cooking so much, the patriarch of the family opened an Italian restaurant, where Chef Anthony refined his culinary skills. Mastering his craft in his father’s restaurant was the coal that fired his passion for making authentic Italian cuisine. It’s also what sparked the idea for Russo’s New York Pizzeria.
We are at the forefront of the change consumers want to see from the pizza industry. We offer picture-perfect food with quality taste to match. And numbers don’t lie – PMQ Pizza Magazine data reveals Russo’s consistently surpasses the average pizza chain’s single-store sales. Ask for a copy of our Franchise Disclosure Document for proof.
Considering franchising? You’re in the right place. Russo’s New York Pizzeria is an emerging franchise with four revenue streams, making a name for itself in the pizza industry. Here’s why:
Italian old-world cuisine is a social food meant to excite and inspire celebration around the table. And that’s exactly what Russo’s New York Pizzeria provides its customers.
What we serve is hard to come by – particularly in the pizza industry – thoughtfully crafted, authentic Italian pizza, pasta and salad in an NYC-worthy environment, no matter where we’re located. Guillermo, a multi-unit franchisee in Texas describes our restaurants perfectly, “From the moment customers walk in, they know they’ve come somewhere special. They’re getting a true slice of New York.”
We stay away from packaged goods and only incorporate high-quality ingredients in our recipes. All of the vegetables we use as toppings and in our sauce are chopped or crushed by hand, while our dough is crafted in-house with 100 percent semolina wheat.
Our gourmet-quality dishes are artisanal, rich and flavorful, something we like to call an affordable luxury. Now that’s a high-value proposition. We don’t just follow a formula, we get in the kitchen and cook! More importantly, our family recipes have stood the test of time for hundreds of years. It’s what keeps customers coming back for more, every single day.
The Russo’s business model has four revenue streams to maximize our franchisees’ top line, making our concept highly competitive.
Sam Farouz, another one of our multi-unit franchisees in Texas, says it’s one of the biggest reasons he chose to franchise with Russo’s, “I really liked the business concept. It generates great returns because there are multiple sources of revenue.”
Americans eat out at least five or six times a week. And when our customers decide to dine in, they expect unpretentious excellence. They come for the award-winning, made-to-order pizza but stay for the good times that come with it (a fine selection of wine and beer helps, too). Oh, and it wouldn’t be New-York-style pizza if we didn’t also offer it by the slice.
Our dine-in option proves to produce higher ticket averages. Plus, our relationships with national partners help drive guests through your doors.
Nearly 40 percent of adults say they aren’t eating in-restaurant as often as they’d like. When our customers feel like staying in, we’re happy to bring our irresistible food directly to them. All they have to do is use our easy-to-navigate online ordering system. With in-house delivery, we can ensure every guest gets Russo’s-quality service every time.
Having a delivery process built into the restaurant model allows our owners to maximize profitability and remain competitive in a market where other restaurants pay third-party companies to capture delivery orders.
Many of our customers prefer to place an order for pick-up. On average, 20 to 40 percent of business comes from takeout orders, making this one of our most popular and profitable revenue streams. Counter service also helps keep labor costs down. Plus, takeout allows our customers get the same great Russo’s taste, minus the tip.
Fast-casual catering has grown 11 percent , year over year. That’s why we offer full-service catering, too. Parties, small and large, can choose from a full menu of Italian specialties or customize buffet-style service. We also have national partners, as well as, proven marketing strategies, that help drive catering sales.
There’s no doubt everyone who visits Russo’s can taste (and feel) the difference compared to competing pizza franchises who focus on quantity rather than quality. That’s what sets Russo’s apart from similar pizza franchise concepts.
With four revenue streams and gourmet-quality food for a reasonable price, it’s easier to capture more of the market share in your local area. Don’t believe us? Russo’s average sales beat those of the industry average for chain stores report by PMQ Pizza Magazine. Make the comparison yourself, reach out to us to learn more today.
Pizza. Everybody loves it. You probably do, too. It’s likely one of the major reasons you’re thinking about investing in a pizza franchise in the first place. While it’s deliciously lucky to have limitless options to devour, it also means there are dozens of pizza franchises to choose from. How do you know which to pick?
Big-brand chains seem like the obvious choice, but there’s plenty of data (and complaints) that may change your mind.
First and foremost, they fail their customers on a regular basis. Don’t believe us? Head to any social media platform and search the hashtag of any big-name pizza chain. The results are shocking.
There are never-ending complaints about terrible service and poor-quality food. You’ll find everything from unreasonably long wait times to employees and store managers denying making a mistake at all. Many pizza chains even use frozen dough – or worse – frozen pizzas altogether.
Here are some examples we pulled from public social media posts to give you a sample-sized taste of what we mean:
Yes, big-brand pizza franchises offer quick service and bargain prices, but that also means they have to compromise on something; more often than not, it’s quality. According to consumer trends, that’s a huge misstep in the wrong direction.
Technomic says to get ready for the “Rise of the Pizza Connoisseurs” who prefer quality above all else. PMQ Pizza Magazine says the next generation of pizza lovers is looking for more authentic offerings, fresh ingredients, healthy alternatives, and a fully integrated experience. They don’t mind being wined and dined in a more upscale restaurant environment either.
Foodservice Analyst, Diana Kelter, shares her findings in a recent Mintel Reports study, “As dining habits shift and the landscape gets more competitive, fast casuals look beyond what worked in the past and focus on what lies ahead, including more premium beverages and automation as well as the showcasing of specialty concepts on a mainstream stage.” The report also revealed fast-casual restaurants are “struggling to capture the dinner appeal.”
That’s why so many “Pizza Connoisseurs” are turning to smaller pizza chains that already meet their demands for higher quality everything.
At Russo’s New York Pizzeria , quality is the foundation for everything we do. Each pizza and dish is crafted with skill and care using fresh ingredients. That means we make everything in-house, including our unforgettably flavorful sauce and incredibly rich dough. Even our pasta is made fresh.
We’re talking about vine-ripened tomatoes, pure mozzarella cheese, 100-percent Italian semolina wheat…you get the picture. If you don’t, here are a few for reference:
We even have authentic Italian roots and use generations-old family recipes. Our founder, Chef Anthony Russo learned to cook from his parents who immigrated to the United States from Italy. He incorporates flavors from Naples and Sicily into each item on our extensive menu.
Italians are famously known for more than just their food but the experience that comes with eating it. Chef Russo says one of his favorite things about growing up was the memories his family created around the dinner table. That’s why we strive to recreate that feeling with every customer we serve. And we do it all in a New-York-style pizzeria setting.
In a world where consumers are willing to spend a little more for higher quality cuisine and a memorable experience, Russo’s beats out those big-name chains on all fronts.
