As the pizza industry continues to evolve, staying up to date with the latest pizza trends is crucial for pizza business owners to remain competitive and successful. Pizza businesses can enhance their offerings, streamline operations, and build a loyal customer base by keeping an eye on emerging pizza industry trends and adapting to changing customer preferences.
So, what are the biggest 2023 pizza trends? We’ve analyzed sources like PMQ’s Pizza Power Report, Pizza Marketplace, the National Restaurant Association, and Toast to find the answers. The article below provides an overview of the major pizza trends you should know this year.
2023 Pizza Trends
From investing in technology to new options for health-conscious consumers, here are the biggest 2023 pizza trends to watch for this year.
1. New Options for Health-Conscious Consumers
As more consumers focus on health and wellness, many pizzerias are adding healthier options to the menu, which can help them attract new customers and differentiate from the competition. In Food Industry Executive’s list of 4 top pizza trends for 2023, two of them relate to healthier options: gluten-free and cauliflower crust, and plant-based meats and cheeses.
Before you start researching cauliflower crust recipes, you should conduct market research to see if your customers are interested in healthier options. If there is enough interest, roll it out on a small scale to see if the venture will be profitable. This is a reminder that all the pizza trends on this list should be tested to see if they are true for your particular location and market.
2. Streamlined Menus
Streamlined menus are also one of the 2023 pizza trends, as identified by research by the National Restaurant Association. With pizza restaurants still affected by the supply chain crisis and the cost of food rising, a streamlined menu can help you reduce inventory costs and increase profitability. In addition, a streamlined menu can:
- Simplify processes (from ordering to preparing food)
- Increase efficiency of staff
- Make training easier
- Improve order accuracy
- Reduce waste
When streamlining your menu, using data to guide your decisions is important. Analyze sales data to identify your most popular items and consider removing any items, toppings, etc., that are not selling well.
3. Growth in Delivery
Delivery services will continue to grow in 2023, part of an ongoing trend. Did you know that searches for “food delivery app” have increased by 4,400% in the last decade? As such, it’s important to ensure your pizza business is available for delivery and that the delivery experience is exceptional.
So, should you create your own app or turn to a third-party delivery service? The 2023 Pizza Power Report dubbed the “Delivery Dilemma” one of the major questions that pizza business owners must resolve in 2023.
By partnering with delivery companies, you can reduce the costs of developing and managing your own delivery fleet while providing a seamless delivery experience for your customers. However, if a customer experiences a problem with delivery, they’ll often blame the pizza restaurant, so your reputation is on the line. PMQ recommends creating your own app (if possible), partnering with a local restaurant delivery service (RDS) (if available), or carefully researching before choosing a third-party partner.
4. Investing in Technology and Automation (Including Pay at Table)
As the labor shortage continues, investing in technology and automation will become more critical for pizza businesses. Utilizing software and technology tools can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce labor costs.
For instance, sources quoted by Pizza Marketplace predict a rise in ordering and payment at the table, which reduces labor costs without negatively impacting the customer experience.
Peter Dougherty, GM of hospitality at Lightspeed Commerce, adds, “Other technology like QR codes at the table have also shown to increase tip size and allow staff to handle more tables. In addition, people are more likely to order more when they can do so directly at the table without having to wait for staff to return. Technology and automation reduce labor costs and allow staff to make more money, helping with retention as well.”
5. Boosting Employee Training
Speaking of the labor shortage and employee retention, experts predict that in 2023, pizza and restaurant owners will increase investment in frontline training. You can improve the quality of your pizza and customer service by providing your employees with the necessary skills and training. This can increase customer satisfaction, lead to more (and better) reviews, and accelerate the growth of your pizza business.
Carol Leaman, CEO of Axonify, who Pizza Marketplace interviewed, says, “From hostile customers to staff shortages, staff members continue to face unexpected and risky scenarios. Brands are seeing more clearly that the training and upskilling of this essential workforce will improve the worker experience, resulting in higher employee retention and positive customer interactions.”
6. Increased Prices
Due to rising ingredient and labor costs, pizza businesses may need to increase their prices in 2023 (if they haven’t done so already). 2022 research from Toast found that, in response to the pressure of inflation,
- 39% of restaurants have started tracking the price of key ingredients
- 36% have increased menu prices
And it’s not just food prices causing this 2023 pizza trend. Restaurants are also aiming to increase staff pay and provide benefits to compete with other industries doing the same. There’s often no way to do it all without raising prices.
With higher prices, it will be more important than ever for pizza business owners to focus on providing value to customers. Value may come in the streamlined menu (where you focus on higher-quality ingredients), and it can also come from personalization and expanding customer loyalty, which we will cover below.
7. Personalization and Expanding Customer Loyalty Programs
Personalization has been a growing trend in the pizza industry, and it’s expected to continue in 2023. According to research, 79% of diners are interested in personalized menu recommendations. And one of the ways to offer personalization is with a customer loyalty program. By implementing loyalty programs, customized offers, or exclusive deals, you can reward your customers for their business and create a sense of loyalty.
Phil Quakenboss, VP of restaurants and growth at Fetch, a rewards app, offers insight into this trend. According to Quakenboss, “This year, despite tough economic conditions, many restaurants didn’t necessarily see a drop in topline sales. Instead, they suffered drops in frequency…In 2023, companies should lean into growing brand loyalty and engaging even more deeply with existing customers as they look to offset drops in visit frequency in the category.”
Though not a pizza restaurant, the fast-casual restaurant Chipotle is a great example of a business that has started a customer loyalty program focusing on personalization. Chipotle started its loyalty program in 2019, and as of 2021, it had over 17 million members. You can read about how they use it for personalization here. And for more help, check out our articles How to Create a Customer Loyalty Program in Your Pizzeria and 7 Secrets for a Better Customer Loyalty Program.
Staying Ahead of Pizza Industry Trends
Staying ahead of pizza industry trends is crucial for building a successful pizza business. By embracing these 2023 pizza trends, you can improve your operations, delight your customers, and differentiate your pizzeria from the competition. As with all our advice, we recommend you don’t start everything immediately! Choose one or two items on this list and focus on using them to grow your pizza business in 2023.
