News

Donatos Pizzeria joins take-and-bake fray with Kroger kiosk

April 19, 2004

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DUBLIN, Ohio—Donatos Pizzeria joined the take-and-bake battle in April by opening a kiosk in a Kroger grocery store.

According to the Columbus Post-Dispatch, the 181-unit company has branded the 350 square-foot kiosk Alla Casa From Donatos.

Tom Krouse, chief concept officer at the Columbus, Ohio-based chain, thought it best to separate the take-and-bake venture from Donatos' traditional carryout-delivery-dine-in pizzerias.

At the kiosk, grocery shoppers can order 13-inch pizzas with any number of 16 different toppings. Price for a single-topping pie is $8.99; additional toppings are 75 cents each. Pizzas are wrapped and boxed for the trip home.

Donatos is the third take-and-bake player in the Columbus market. At four units, Mama Mimi's Take 'n Bake Pizza—a gourmet operation—is the town's largest, and 800-unit Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza opened its first shop there in early April.

Donatos spokesman Tom Santor stressed that the first unit is just a test, though if the project works, a rollout to some of Kroger's other 2,500-plus units is possible.

According to the Post-Dispatch, Kroger manager Kirk Ernst said his goal is to sell an average of 100 pizzas a day, a mark achieved on Good Friday.