Pizza has been a delivery staple for as long as anyone can remember. Over the last decade, the pizza delivery experience has been refined and updated to reflect modern consumers’ preferences. Is ordering a pie the only way for people to enjoy restaurant-quality pizza at home? Here are Chef Beall's best tips for reinventing the off-premise pizza experience.

Create a pizza kit for every occasion

Meal kits are the perfect blend of high-quality food and a fun activity. Customers love how easy it is to plan their meals when all they need to do is pick up a box full of ingredients, or get it delivered to their door. These kits transform the takeout experience from something purely convenient into quality time with the family – just like going to a restaurant.

In 2020, 9.7% more operators started offering meal kits, they were the 6th most added item to restaurant menus¹. If you want to explore new opportunities while sticking to what you do best, try offering pizza kits for different occasions.

Camping pizza kit: Many people have recently rediscovered their love for nature and camping – so why not market a pizza kit they can grab on their way out of town and cook over a campfire? Pre-cut and portion the ingredients so all they need to do is assemble and heat, with portion sizes scaled for couples, families, or friend groups. You could even add a dessert pizza into the mix, playing with flavours like s’mores, or offer a rustic pan pizza that can be cooked in a cast iron skillet over the fire.

Be thoughtful about which dough you include in each kit. For gourmet experiences, go with frozen dough, so customers can proof it and shape it like a real pizzaiolo. For camping pizza kits, provide a hassle-free pre-cooked dough.

Cabin pizza kit: This gourmet option is best for small groups who want to make individual pizzas. Use high-quality toppings and cheeses, and include wine or beer that goes well with the toppings (don’t forget to include a card explaining the pairings!). To increase your average bill totals, provide the option to add ready-to-bake sides like garlic knots or cheesy bread. If your kit is BBQ themed, go with a Napoli style crust, which holds up well on the grill.

Corporate pizza kit: Companies who want to connect with their remote teams will love this idea. They can send a pizza kit to every employee for an online cooking event that everyone can enjoy from home! Offer packages for 20, 50, or 100 kits, with options for classic pizzas or premium ones so companies can customize their experiences. You can even charge a corporate price for these kits!

How to market your pizza kits 

It’s important to make sure your customers truly appreciate the advantages of a meal kit: they’re buying an experience that’s fun, easy, convenient, and restaurant quality!

• Think about dietary restrictions: our pre-cooked gluten-free and veggie pizza crusts are great for meal kits. Some cheeses – like Swiss cheese – are naturally lactose-free, or lactose-reduced like goat cheese. Our Plant-Based Mozzarella Flavoured Shred is perfect for flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles alike.
  
  
• Charge extra for premium toppings, additional toppings, special crusts, and extra prep. If you pre-cut ingredients or stretch the dough, it’s worth more!
  
  
• Promote your kits on social media at key times, like a few days before the weekend, and let people pre-order them so they’re ready to go for Friday evening.
  
  
• Offer a live virtual cooking class: have customers order their kit, then invite them to join your pizzaiolo on a group video call, or post an instructional video on social media.
  
  
• Create a social post that illustrates the value of a kit, like comparing the price of your box vs. buying everything in full-size portions from a grocery store. Make sure people know how cost-effective it is.
  
  
• Partner with local tourism businesses – like national parks, campgrounds, and travel blogs – so they can talk about your kits on their platforms (i.e. social posts or articles about the best food in town).
  
  
• Showcase your region. People like to discover unique ingredients and local products, so create a rich experience by using veggies from local farmers, adding local items like hot sauce, wine, or beer, partnering with a nearby pastry shop to include dessert…
  
  
• Entice customers with promotions, like 10% off if they have a campground rental in the area, a free dessert pizza when they purchase a kit for 4 people, or co-branded discounts with other vendors.

A fun off-premise experience starts with creativity! Even the simplest of ideas can help increase customer loyalty and help you leverage new opportunities.


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¹ Technomic Ignite menu data, Q2 2020.