No Pizza Background: Now Has Two Pizzerias (How To Do It)

Rick, the owner of OakCraft Pizza, discusses the operation and costs of owning a pizza business. He shares his plans for franchising and the criteria for opening a franchise. Rick also demonstrates the pizza-making process and highlights the importance of hard work and research when starting a business.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:22 Description of the Business
04:52 Cost of Opening a Location
06:24 Propane Machine for Dough
08:21 Busy Workflow and Capacity
10:18 Pizza Making Process
12:03 Oven and Cooking Time
13:00 Plans for Future Locations
15:09 Criteria for Opening a Franchise
16:08 Advantages of Franchising
MY OTHER SOCIALS:
🎙 My podcast Smart Pizza Marketing where I interview entrepreneurs, creators and other inspiring people -
🌍 My website / blog - www.smartpizzamarketing.com
🐦 Twitter - / spmpod
📸 Instagram - / smartpizzamarketing
📱 TikTok - / smartpizzamarketing
👨‍💻 Linkedin - / smartpizzamarketing
🎥 Facebook - / smartpizzamarketing

[@Peetzza]

The overhead at this shop is unreal, I know a pizza place where the owner makes all the dough, all the toppings, and every single pizza all day, he is a pizza machine. It's operated by 3 people and they pump out 160 pizza for lunch and close at 4 PM. :D

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

What’s the name of the place? I’d like to check it out.

[@Peetzza]

@@Smartpizzamarketing Alabama Pizza Company. 135 W Grand Ave Rainbow City, AL 35906. Andre is the pizza machine.

[@BlackJesus8463]

$400,000 seemed like a lot for what it is.

[@JS-zb1vv]

Honestly 400k for equipment and buildout isn’t bad .

[@OHANA-Beach-Suites-CDO]

Love this! Great success story!👍

[@r.llynch4124]

We use a Pizzarella and it works great, NO heat, NO oil just flour and it does 12". It's much less cost than this one he uses. I see he has to still stretch the dough out for the machine. With the Pizzarella just place the dough ball in the center and pull lever down for approx 3-5 sec and done!! It's around 11k but so far so good.

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

Good to know! Will have to check them out

[@somethingforsydney9862]

I reckon the nice brick oven should be a centrepiece of the store and not at the back to show the customers what they are really paying for in their pizzas.

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

The video doesn't really show how prominet it is. It's right where the customer pays and picks up.

[@itr0863]

Awesome video. Owner seems like a great guy. With that being said in this chipotle/subway pizza category I think it’s hard to beat place like blaze pizza. Ive been to several of these types with my family because its easy to share 2-3 pies. The speed/price/taste, blaze is my top in this category. Even in super touristy areas blaze was still affordable compared to others. I remember we went to a pieology down near Kissimmee, Florida and I think for a kids, but it was almost $13! But at blaze it was less than $8. I feel when you get over a certain price point then you might as well go to an actual legit pizza joint of your choice.

[@jacobkummer2067]

For them, a 12 inch Margherita is $13. At a Blaze right down the road, its 11 inches for same price. So they are same price as Blaze and something different.

[@bennyceca]

Pizza stretching is not that hard, 7 to 8 seconds is what someone with a bit of experience can also do, in even less time most of the cases! What happens if the machine breaks down?!

[@banditdane2710]

😂😂😂 pizza guys want 30 $ an hour or more .. get sick and can quit

[@AJSwart34]

It seems pretty similar to Blaze's Pizza

[@whymindsetmatters]

MOD pizza out of Seattle started this business model for pizza. Now they're everywhere

[@adamnoel3936]

It's like an artisan version of a MOD Pizza. Pretty cool though!!

[@tinjarir]

As an aspiring pizzeria owner I really appreciate these videos. What seems hard to find is honest discussion about profit, especially with independent owner/operators.

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

It’s hard. Profit is really based on how good an operator you are. I would say 10-15% is average yet it def varies based on a lot of factors

[@MarketingStrategies28]

​​@@SmartpizzamarketingI think you should set a pizza shop up that runs with 1 or 2 staff. Then franchise it. I'm doing it in Australia. I can also set it up with 1 staff.

[@tinjarir]

@@MarketingStrategies28 Let's hear more about this concept! @Smartpizzamarketing A video or two about a one-person operation? That'd be great.

[@tinjarir]

@@Smartpizzamarketing You got any videos in which you discuss how to plan in detail an operation to aim for a specific/minimum profit for the owner-operator? For example, if an owner is aiming to net $80,000, then how to plan the operation to gross $800,000? Thanks.

[@MarketingStrategies28]

@@tinjarir It's all marketing on insta & fb. Want more do paid advertising.

[@Carlos_DSV]

With so many pizza combinations, how the pizzas don't get mistaken in the spinning over?? There is no label or anything, that must be a nightmare at pick hours, right?

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

They label the sheet and also put something on the pizza to label it.

[@pizzeriabufala]

Hmmm not sure how I feel about the OPERAPRIMA machine. The role of a pizzaiolo is a dying art which is why it became UNESCO protected. I think it’s important to continue passing down the skills or we’ll lose them. Lovely pizzeria though and great video! 👍🏼

[@jacobkummer2067]

Agreed - I think it depends on the business model though. Same things have happened in other food sectors as well

[@JS-zb1vv]

That’s what you have to do ! Unfortunately anyone under 35 doesn’t have the ambition to learn anything anymore.

[@jacobkummer2067]

@@JS-zb1vv To be fair that’s a generalization that every older generation has always had against the younger generation

[@JS-zb1vv]

@@jacobkummer2067but it really holds true with this new generation.

[@jacobkummer2067]

@@JS-zb1vv Which is what has always been said lol

[@peterjones3897]

A pizza chef can make 10 pizza bases in the time it takes to load the machine to make one.

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

Agree but help isn't always the easiest to find, train and retain.

[@greggdesmarais4050]

Oven is to far away from line

[@dailydoseoffunfacts7770]

MOD PIZZA same concept.

[@adamnoel3936]

Thats what I thought but MOD sucks. Calling MOD Pizza is like calling launchables Pizza.

[@tinjarir]

Fireaway Pizza in the UK is the same too - and it's the fastest growing franchise there. MOD came first though. 2008.

[@saucemademillionaires2389]

how do a regular person afford 400k to open a business? im lost

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

We all start out the same way everyhone does. Work hard, live below your means and save. It may not be the glamorous way but it is possible.

[@mr.chris2079]

Unfortunately costs are to high! Rent , staff and overhead and building out! This business will fail unfortunately the process is slow and even with the technology the pizza sizes are all different some don’t even fit in the box. 10 staff? This dude is selling the franchise not a profitable business

[@LaResistenciaEDC]

Nah. Mourica..

[@JayOh]

400k did not sound like an honest answer lol. he could barely keep a straight face. Gotta sell franchises i guess

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

If you price out the build and equipement the math works out.

[@JayOh]

@@Smartpizzamarketing You can buy into several national pizza chains for a fraction of that. it doesnt add up.

[@Smartpizzamarketing]

@@JayOh which ones?

[@JayOh]

@@Smartpizzamarketing papa johns, lil Ceasars