Wood-Fired Pizza To Go

[james]

I think this is a great idea for a business -- a wood-fired pizza to go and delivery only restaurant. I've seen quite a few of them in villages where there are tourists and enough locals to keep them very busy. They do delivery on motor scooters, where the pizzas are stored on a rack in back.

The pizza chef in this photo has a cordless head set on, where he is taking orders by phone and cooking at the same time. There was a good line.

You only need a small space, so rent is low -- and pizza is a pretty high profit margin item.... Someone should do this.

James

[JRo]

I'd be worried about the quality of the pie after any length of time in the delivery box. Does anyone have any experience with delivering these types of pizzas? How well does a Neapolitan style crust hold up in the box?

[james]

JRo,
Are you building a commercial oven and starting a restaurant? I've had my share a wood-fired pizza on boxes. It isn't the same as eating it in the pizzeria (or even better from one of Alf or Joseph's trailer ovens) -- but it beats the alternatives. We have two daughters, and there are times when you want a good pizza (in a hotel room or rental house), but you don't want to eat in a restaurant.

Tell us more. I still like this idea.
James

[JRo]

I'm thinking about adding an oven at home, but I'm also working on a business plan for a commercial venture. The only reason I brought this up is that is a question I have been asking myself lately.

The place I am looking at has a built in clientele (condos), and I was thinking it would be OK to deliver within the development, but was concerned that any deliveries outside of the walking distance would suffer in quality.

My current favorite local Neapolitan place sends their 'doggie bags' home in a clear plastic container. The pizza has the consistency of wet cardboard when it comes out of there. Just working thru issues in my head...

[james]

Motor scooter and a thermal pizza box?
James

[jjerrier]

I am also worried about how a neapolitan crust will hold up in those thermal boxes. If they are in there for a moderate length of time, the crust gets steamed and very chewy...we have to keep our delivery to a very tight radius from our store. We don't have wood ovens in our current store, but will in our new one. The wood oven delivery will be a challenge - but it will obviously be a lot better than pizza hut.

I think VPN specs even make some comment that the pizza should be eaten immediately.

Jay

[james]

Jay,
It's true they specifically say that you cannot deliver real Pizza Napoletana. It stops being a real Pizza Napoletana the moment to goes out the front door. But we are talking about a wood-fired pizza delivered (or to go) compared with Dominos, not Ciro di Santa Brigida. :-)

There is a huge amount of wood-fired pizza delivered and To Go here. Huge. Just about every pizzeria that has a wood-fired oven does Pizza To Go, even the nice restaurants, and they do a very large volume.
James

[redbricknick]

Someone should do this? Fornobravo pizzeria anyone? It's already branded.

[james]

Pizzeria Brava?
It's crossed my mind. :-) At least I would always know where to get a good pizza.
James

[jjerrier]

We are definitely going to do delivery - but we are keeping a tight radius. Prosciutto e Rucola does not travel well!

But James you are right...I'll take a delivered wood-oven pizza vs. pizza hut any day of the week.

Jay