2018 pizza trends promise more 'exotic' pies

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Pizza brand leaders give the down-low on of-the-moment dough, up-to-the-second sauces and top-trending toppings.

Commodities: Gas prices climb, Papa Murphy's value declines

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Though most pizza commodity prices are falling as of late, the steady rise in vehicle fuel costs is eating up the savings for the delivery-heavy pizza industry.

Commodities: Up, up and up ... mostly

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Pizza stock prices have continued the steady rise that began in earnest in 2018.

NYC all-digital pizzeria does all-online ordering, all the time

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Newly opened Long Island City Pizza Factory is planting a flag, claiming it is the world's first "full-digital pizzeria," an accomplishment its owners hope…

Commodities: Somebody must have hit replay ... but no complaints

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

It was another nice week of pizza stock trading and largely lower commodity prices last week, almost an exact replay of the previous week's financial stats.

Freshii CEO, founder keynoting 2018 Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit

Early bird registration ends Friday.

Commodities: Stock prices pumped up, but pump prices siphon gains

Pizza brands did well as the market soared on Wall Street last week, but the highest New Year's pump prices since 2014 stole back some of the profits.

Urban Bricks uses great gadgetry to grow the bottom line

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

No one would dispute that the pizza game is one of the most competitive in food service. That's one reason Urban Bricks invests in some useful and creative…

Who is the 2018 pizza customer? Trend lists speak volumes

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Restaurateurs have been inundated with so-called trends lists for the year ahead over the last three months. This site reviewed some of the major lists and the…

Commodities: 'Dear Santa, please put some oomph in my stock price!'

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Some pizza brands might be firing off a letter to Santa this week before Christmas in one last effort to make something magical happen to their stock prices.

A pizza social media manager's guide to 'taming the online beast'

Social media management may be this century's true school of hard knocks, but those who oversee this task at three fast casual brands had some great pointers…

Commodities: What goes up must come down

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The nice uptick in stock market prices for most brands two weeks ago was all but erased  last week in trading of some of the major pizza stocks.

Pointers for pizza restaurateurs on profitable design

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In the pizza restaurateur's playbook, design seems pretty cut and dried, with big ovens, often lots of brick and an overall "constructive" atmosphere. But that…

World Heritage status for a pizza? It's done and the Neapolitan won

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Two million Italians can't be wrong. That's how many people signed the petition to add their prized Neapolitan pizza to UNESCO's list of the world's cultural…

Commodities: Nice week for most pizza brands

It was a largely favorable week for pizza stocks, while commodity prices were mixed.

Pieology CEO on the art of experimenting with live-action customer experience

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Data drives today's restaurateur, and Pieology has taken that idea to a new and lively level at its R&D location in California.

Commodities: A tale of 2 papas

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

A short trading week still revealed plenty about the current restaurant pizza market in the popularity, or lack thereof, of two brands with different…

Blaze, Beefsteak, McAlister's chefs on the 3 legs that support great menu innovation

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The world for chefs at pizza brands typically must fit in a circular, crusted pie, but within those confines, there's plenty of room for creativity. But as was…

Chuck E. Cheese: Where a parent can (finally) be a parent

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Fast Casual Editor Cherryh Cansler — aka Lincoln's mom — heads to the brand new Chuck E. Cheese in Kansas City to find things have really changed ... and for…

Commodities: Papa John’s gets another scoop of 'Rocky Road'

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

With prices falling on many essentials, it was a fairly good week for pizza brands ... unless your name is Papa John's.