Worst year EVER 2010!!!!

[swilshire]

Do you have other things besides pizza? We never go out just for pizza because the kids are good with Digiornos frozen, but we do go out to places that have calzones and lasagna. We also have one vegetarian family member, so places with good salads get more business.

Sheila

 

[ancestry]

Sorry this has been such a difficult year for you. It was rough for us as well, although for different reasons.

We used to order Pizza from our local take-out place at least once a week but we stopped doing that about 6 months ago in order to save some money. We rarely eat out now in attempt to use the extra money to pay off credit cards. I have a bread maker at home and can do my own homemade pizza dough and homemade sauce fairly easy. Making our own pizza costs us about 50% less than it did to buy it at our local take out place. I know this doesn't make you feel any better but wanted to offer a possibility of what might be happening.

 

[lucigo]

Not only did I lose both my parents at very young ages and within 2 weeks of each other this year, now our business is going down hill. We own a pizza shop and business is getting worse and worse this year. Are people not eating as much pizza these days?? I need to start cutting back and have no idea where to begin. This year has been the worst!
Thanks for listening........

I'm sorry to hear you lost both of your parents, how awful it must be for you. Giant hugs!!! I lost my still-very-healthy grandmother and my 35-yo brother killed himself this year. It certainly ranks up there as far as bad years go.

As far as your pizza question, we still get either chinese or pizza every Friday night, however I go get it now as I can't justify the delivery cost anymore. I have cut way back on Chinese though, as its about 2x as much as the pizza.

One of my favorites is BBQ pizza

My prayers are with you to have a better 2011. I'm sure you have some powerful angels watching over you!

 

[lukenick1]

Thank you everyone the support means a lot

Thanks also for the feedback on our Pizza business. Some great suggestions are coming thru for us and I'd love to hear more. I really like the idea of offering a gluten free crust but it may be a challenge to find the ingredients from our distributor. We will have to look into it. I think that would definitely make us stand out from the rest!

 

[cmjaffe]

We're in Cheshire and there's a new place that has gluten free which intrigues us. I think they also have had a "come on" day with reduced pricing. There seems to be a few more places opening up lately. Don't know how they survive.

 

[Plum Pirate]

Another idea (and forgive me if someone has mentioned this already as I didn't read all the posts) is to participate in local fundraisers through schools.

I have two kids who are both fundraising for trips in the spring (one to Disney and one to DC) and one of the fundraisers for both trips was offered through a local shop that sells pizza, hoagies, etc. They offered not only ready-made hoagies as a fundraiser but also coupons that can be brought back at any time to be exchanged for either an italian or turkey hoagie. Part of the proceeds, of course, goes to the kids' trip fund, but because the business offered coupons, I bought a bunch of them so that I could pick up a pre-paid meal up at the last minute. I've been there twice so far and both times not only exchanged the coupon but also added to the order. Although we lived in this town for 16 years, I'd never been to this store prior to the fundraiser.

Now, I have to admit I did not like the hoagies, so I won't be returning to puchase any more of those once the coupons are gone, but I might return to buy some of the other things we purchased. If your pizza is good, however, this might be a good way to get new customers.

We rarely buy pizza, but when we do it is almost always at a local place even though the price is much higher than the chains. We were introduced to that business by word of mouth about their "Tuesday pizza" which was a large at a great discount. They have since grown so much in popularity that the Tuesday pizza is only a dollar or two discount now.

Good luck to you.

 

[disneyofcourse]

I wish you all the luck and hope things get better real soon. We get pizza from a small place about twice a week for I think around $17 for a large. Its about 20-25 minutes from the house and we pass by at least 8 pizza places like dominos and pizza hut. I like my small places Its wonderful and so much better than domino's $5 pizza. Our place tapes coupons to the top of the box. We never use them but I know some people do!! I just constantly forget them at home or just go buy a pizza any way for my employees.

 

[Swalphin]

I am really sorry for your loss of both parents this year.
I wish we had some good pizza places in Atlanta, all we have are chains. I have lived here for 18 years and am so jealous of my family in the North East who have great authentic take out. When I go up North all I want the first day is real pizza. Good luck things will get better, these last few years have been hard for so many different industries. It has to get better!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. We have been in business there (in CT) for 15 years now and we do have some dine in. We are mostly a take out/ delivery place. We have our devoted customers but there is so much other competition in town its getting harder and harder to please everyone. We do have a website and facebook page and have done a ton of advertising. I think my husbands biggest mistake was removing our ad from the yellow pages. He disagrees, as alot of places are in the same boat as us right now. He recently put a coupon in a flyer that goes out to every home with a discounted large pizza valid on our slowest night and did not get ONE back. We were voted best pizza many years ago and have not changed our products. It's so scary.

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I agree that this has been a tough year for many people, and I can't wait to see it go.

I have to agree with you on the yellow pages add. I think it's important to have that in the book.

Also, I don't know if this would help or not, but our schools here send out notices (coupons) for "Pizza Night" and they ask for everyone to go and buy pizza from a local company on a certain night, and that company donates a small % of the sales with that coupon to the school. It could generate some business for you. They do this about once a month. It helps the schools, and I would think that it would help the pizza place too, especially if you did this on a slow night.

 

[waterford]

Really sorry to hear about the loss of your parents and really hope 2011 can bring some cheer to you and your family.

With regard to your business, I know as a family we get takeout a lot less than we used and are watching all our pennies. To us takeout had started to be taken for granted where as now it is a treat.

 

[mamo-4-wdw]

I agree 2010 has been the worst year of my life!!!!

I can not wait to kick this crappy year to the curb!!!!!!

On jan 11th I took my DS28 to the ER,he had a wheeze when he would breath out, turned out he had an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure!
He passed away on July 1st.

I am sending you hugs and more hugs.

When my dad died 16 yrs ago I felt like an orphan. My DM was still living, I just felt abandoned. I just can not imagine lossing both parents in the same year!!!!

We eat pizza at least once a week. It is cheaper than taking the family out to a resturant, i usually have leftovers for lunch the next day.

I have a card they punch and when i buy 10 i get a free one.

Advertize, give out coupons, make one thing better than anyone else.

My fav pizza place makes the best bread sticks in the world!!! My DS21 will eat just (all)bread sticks and have some pizza later.

You could do like a wear red and green on (slow night) and get free bread sticks.

Radio advertizing would be good, like if you do Customer comes in and says (radio station name or personality) get $2 off regular large pizza

Do you sell pizza dough?

Pizza already made that folks can cook at home.

More HUGS!!!

Hang in there 2011 is just a few days away

 

[disneyhand]

In our old neighborhood, our favorite Pizzeria always ran a coupon in the local Pennysaver. Not sure if Pennysavers are regional. It's a little newspaper type booklet full of coupons and ads.

For a certain $ amount you got a large pizza, salad and a simple pasta option along w/ a liter bottle of soda. It was really reasonable. We loved this because there was something for everyone and they have great food. I loved the salad and pasta part! Could you maybe try something like that? We loved it after kids sports or for Friday nights.

We don't have anything like this where we live now, so I usually make it or I'm forced to "endure" Pizza Hut. We don't really eat pizza as much anymore since the kids are grown.

I'm also not a big fan of needing a coupon and really love "specials".

Good luck with the business, times are so tuff now.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your parents.

 

[Coll0610]

My sympathies on the loss of your parents.

I've worked with the Cub Scouts, who ordered pizza for the entire pack a couple times a year. I also work with different school organizations who sell pizza at concession stands during school events (music competitions, chess tournaments, etc). A couple places in town offer special prices to groups like this. We make sure to post signs thanking the places for giving the discount and this encourages others to get their pizza there.

In some towns, the local businesses work together to promote each other. For example, the local pizza place may have a coupon for the video store or the local hardware store posts fliers for local contractors. When you patronize the local business, tell them you are going there because they are a local business and you own one too. Maybe you could pick up a few fans there.

It might be painful, but you could ask friends if they know why business has declined. Maybe there is something else going on that you just don't know about.

 

[TnTWalter]

Wishing everyone a happier 2011. So sorry for all the losses of loved ones and job stresses.

I agree 2010 has been the worst year of my life!!!!
On jan 11th I took my DS28 to the ER,he had a wheeze when he would breath out, turned out he had an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure!
He passed away on July 1st.
I am sending you hugs and more hugs.

So very sorry for your loss.

 

[epcotfan]

I'm sorry for your losses. This truly has been a bad year for anyone in business. They keep saying things are improving but I'm finding it hard to believe. I really do hope things turn around for you.

 

[eliza61]

Not only did I lose both my parents at very young ages and within 2 weeks of each other this year, now our business is going down hill. We own a pizza shop and business is getting worse and worse this year. Are people not eating as much pizza these days?? I need to start cutting back and have no idea where to begin. This year has been the worst!
Thanks for listening........

I lost my dad in May. totally understand you feelings.

Challenge yourself to think of one blessing.

 

[LAH LAH]

another deal that I loved when we ordered pizza is you could call on a certain day let's say at 5pm and you get the pizza for the price of the hour so $5 then 6:15pm you pay $6.15

I love this idea! I would totally purchase my pizza here just because it's so clever.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm very sorry about your losses this past year.


We still order pizza quite often, once a week or every 10 days, but I could see that being something someone cuts out if they have had financial issues. I get mine at a local restaurant thats our favorite but I have gotten it from a place very close to the martial arts school that my kids go to. If you have something like that, or a dance school, or anywhere that kids go in the evening and their parents wait for them, you could advertise there. It may draw in people who just want to grab a quick dinner on their way home after class. I hope things get better for you in the coming year

 

[stuffed withfluff]

Not only did I lose both my parents at very young ages and within 2 weeks of each other this year, now our business is going down hill. We own a pizza shop and business is getting worse and worse this year. Are people not eating as much pizza these days?? I need to start cutting back and have no idea where to begin. This year has been the worst!
Thanks for listening........

i am so so so sorry. i am holding on to my mother as she has CHF, diabetes and is battling an extended gallbladder with no hopes of having it removed. i too have had an awful year from start to end but nothing can compare to losing both parents. i hope nothing but happiness to you and all loved ones

hang in there, i promise it will get better, some how.

as for the pizza, are there any hotels near you? i am a desk clerk and give a lot of business to some owners because they have personally came to me and ask to help them. best of luck

 

[Happiest mommy]

Sorry about your lossone of the things that the popular pizza shop in my area offers is a personal pan pizza for $5 you choose from three different dough/crust for instance wheat, regular etc and you choose a toping wether its cheese, peporoni, or sausage they have three choices for your personal pizza I see alot of peaople there for lunch ordering these and after school kids as well try it out let me know