Article

Pizza concept preps for 120%-plus sales boost on Halloween

Topper’s Pizza CEO says Canadian consumers are becoming more adventurous with their orders.

October 27, 2014 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Halloween has long been a boon for pizza concepts as parents take advantage of the dish's quick convenience and sharability before sending the kids off to graze for candy throughout the neighborhood.

The popularity even translates north of the border – Canada’s Topper’s Pizza’s busiest day of the year is Oct. 31. Pizza Marketplace had the chance to talk to Topper’s CEO and Chairman Kelly Toppazzini about how the brand prepares for such an influx in traffic and the macrotrends emerging in the Canadian market.

Pizza Marketplace: Halloween is described as your busiest day, has that always been the case?

Kelly Toppazzini:Topper’s Pizza was founded 32 years ago. Since we first opened our doors, Halloween has been our busiest day for sales.

PM: Why is this day so busy, especially compared to other big days, such as Thanksgiving eve?

KT: In Canada, Halloween is the start of the preparation for Christmas in Canada. People are starting to go to more parties and enjoy the holiday season. Because we are family oriented, a lot of families are heavily involved in Halloween. Parents often dress up in costumes with their kids. With all of the festivities, parents don’t have a lot of time to cook on Halloween so they seek takeout or delivery.

PM: What are your other busiest days of the year?

KT:Following Halloween, our busiest nights of the year are New Year’s Eve and Boxing Day (day after Christmas) are very busy days.

PM: Being a Canadian concept, is late October weather ever a factor in this day’s productivity?

KT: It is typically colder around Halloween, but the snow usually doesn’t hit Ontario until late November. If it is cold and rainy, we will see an increase in the number of orders Topper’s delivery.

PM: Describe your Halloween business versus a normal business day? How much are sales up on average? Is it a dinner influx or all day?

KT:Last year we had a 126-percent increase in sales. Halloween was on a Thursday in 2013. Fridays are the busiest day of the week for orders, and with Halloween falling on a Friday we will experience between a 30 to 40-percent increase compared to a traditional Friday.

PM: How do you prepare for this day from a staffing perspective? Inventory?

KT: Planning is the key. We want to be organized and have our staff fully prepared for the big day. We will bring in people the day before Halloween to begin getting the dough and supplies ready. Because we’ve been in the pizza business for a long time, we know how many orders to expect each half hour of Halloween. As a result, we are able to meet the increased demand.

PM: Do you have any special promotions for the occasion?

KT: We want to 'make Fright Night Pizza night.' We do have a promotion for one Deluxe and one Pepperoni pizza for $22.

PM: Finally, from a macrotrend perspective, what are the biggest trends are in the Canadian pizza segment?

KT:Cheese and pepperoni pizzas are the standard for children, but we’re noticing that many customers are becoming more adventurous. The trends we’re seeing is individuals wanting more of the specialty pizzas, which is why we are constantly focusing on menu innovation.

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