Restaurant for sale

Read your post about the details that keep piling up.

You need an administrative assistant - but can't pay.

Mine your database for retired guys you know from the restaurant business. See if someone whose opinion you value might match up.

You can't pay him & there is no equity. What can you offer?

Give the guy a public spot in your shop. All you got to offer him is respect. Give him a nickname.. godfather or something.

You keep an eye on him and keep in touch through the day. You give him a notebook where he takes notes in case he croaks or disappears for a few days. Give the book a name. The "Dave book" or the "godfather book". Keeping notes is key.

Do you have your "Sparten book"? Don't rely on memory.

Think the movie "The Intern" with De Niro and you get the idea.

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

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Originally Posted by tgull

$800 bucks is fucking nothing man, you'll be out of business with volume like that. You need to get some ads going in the NY Post and some kids putting coupon flyers on windshields. I can give you some Marketing advice but its not going to be free. PM if you are interested and I can get you a quote.

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I know a place that thrived with this type of marketing. They would pay kids $8 an hour to walk thru neighborhoods and just plant a menu on cars and every mailbox which is illegal but usually you don't get fucked with.

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I've got an older guy that I pay $10/day to distribute coupons on houses....he does 100 houses per day...so it's 10 cents each.....cheaper than US mail. I get a pretty good return on these.

Build your name by doing things for the community....for example...I make our dough fresh daily...I never serve day old dough to guests but I do cook off the day old stuff and donate it to Catholic Charities and they give it to the homeless or those needing food. I get some nice press for helping the less fortunate. Another example is I often donate pizza to volunteer groups who are doing something to benefit the city, for example an all volunteer trash mob goes and picks up trash at different parks once per month...I volunteer to feed their volunteers...has won me a ton of new customers. (the giving breeds loyalty) If you get a Thank you letter from a group, make sure you frame it and hang it prominently for all to see...it helps brand you as a supporter of the community.

Restaurant depot is fine but who are you getting your cheese from? How much per pound? I payed $1.67 this week. I can't get anywhere close that from places like Restaurant Depot. You really have to shop around though for example I use a local produce supplier that I like because they deliver 7 days per week and have no minimum....they would really deliver 1 cucumber if thats all I needed. I mainly,however, just get lettuce from them...I use high quality SPring mix for our salads and from them I get 5 pound boxes for $12. At Smart n Final it's $6/pound. Conversely, mushrooms are $30 per 10 pound case from the produce company but just $17 Smart n Final.

Get a good sysco rep and they will get you good prices. I don't care for sysco branded products though so I stick to the known brands...hormel, tyson, fontanini, burke, etc....

get online and subscribe for free to PMQ Pizza Marketing Quarterly and Pizza Today. They are decent industry magazines that often have some good stuff in them.

if you are breaking even on mondays and tuesdays, there is no reason why you shouldn't hit at least hit $1150 on thursday-sunday to get you where you need to be.

try customer appreciation day on tuesday where you markdown pies, and wednesdays half price appetizers (do you have apps?)

gotta get some chicken wings bro

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

if you are breaking even on mondays and tuesdays, there is no reason why you shouldn't hit at least hit $1150 on thursday-sunday to get you where you need to be.

try customer appreciation day on tuesday where you markdown pies, and wednesdays half price appetizers (do you have apps?)

gotta get some chicken wings bro

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You are correct on the Monday and Tuesday deal. If I owned this place I would be running Half Price Monday, everything on the menu is half off. On Tuesday I would be running, "Buy Two Pizzas, Get Two Free". You have to think out of the box on these slow days. I'd have this place averaging $1,500 a day in no time. Not sure about the wings though, maybe mozzarella sticks, wings at pizza places generally suck.

If you give a shit about online reviews, here's a trick I heard from a buddy that owns a deli:

Register some generic domain like NYCpizzareviews.com. Print up some cards or flyers that say "How did you enjoy your visit? Let us know at NYCpizzareviews.com/SpartensRestaurantName". Give these to everybody. Put them on takeout boxes.

The website is dead simple. "How was your experience at SpartensPizza?" One button for satisfactory, one button for unsatisfactory. Clicking the first button takes them straight to your Yelp page. The second button sends them to a contact form where they can bitch and moan.

This funnels all your happy people to leave positive reviews, and directs your pissed off customers elsewhere. You can also read the complaints and maybe learn something from it.

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

if you are breaking even on mondays and tuesdays, there is no reason why you shouldn't hit at least hit $1150 on thursday-sunday to get you where you need to be.

try customer appreciation day on tuesday where you markdown pies, and wednesdays half price appetizers (do you have apps?)

gotta get some chicken wings bro

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Or 2 large cheese for a fixed price

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

if you are breaking even on mondays and tuesdays, there is no reason why you shouldn't hit at least hit $1150 on thursday-sunday to get you where you need to be.

try customer appreciation day on tuesday where you markdown pies, and wednesdays half price appetizers (do you have apps?)

gotta get some chicken wings bro

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Or 2 large cheese for a fixed price

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one of the local places here does a customer appreciation special on tuesdays for a 12 inch cheese for 3.99. but any additional toppings are like $1.50

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

Or 2 large cheese for a fixed price

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one of the local places here does a customer appreciation special on tuesdays for a 12 inch cheese for 3.99. but any additional toppings are like $1.50

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$5.49 for a 12 inch sausage is pretty strong though. I never understood people getting five toppings on a pizza, it ruins the texture and makes the slice too heavy and dilutes the tomato sauce which the sauce for me is the key to any pizza.

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

Or 2 large cheese for a fixed price

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one of the local places here does a customer appreciation special on tuesdays for a 12 inch cheese for 3.99. but any additional toppings are like $1.50

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Back in the late 90s when I was working at pizza place they had a special that was constant 7 days a week. It was like 2 large cheese for 10.99 but they cleaned up on the toppings as well or just picked up business from people ordering other stuff with the pizzas.

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WillieMcFML

one of the local places here does a customer appreciation special on tuesdays for a 12 inch cheese for 3.99. but any additional toppings are like $1.50

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Back in the late 90s when I was working at pizza place they had a special that was constant 7 days a week. It was like 2 large cheese for 10.99 but they cleaned up on the toppings as well or just picked up business from people ordering other stuff with the pizzas.

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That was good for the 90,s..

Money ain't the same.. rents are up , water fees utility fees off the hook and taxes etc etc ..

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Originally Posted by hutmaster

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

I know a place that thrived with this type of marketing. They would pay kids $8 an hour to walk thru neighborhoods and just plant a menu on cars and every mailbox which is illegal but usually you don't get fucked with.

---

I've got an older guy that I pay $10/day to distribute coupons on houses....he does 100 houses per day...so it's 10 cents each.....cheaper than US mail. I get a pretty good return on these.

Build your name by doing things for the community....for example...I make our dough fresh daily...I never serve day old dough to guests but I do cook off the day old stuff and donate it to Catholic Charities and they give it to the homeless or those needing food. I get some nice press for helping the less fortunate. Another example is I often donate pizza to volunteer groups who are doing something to benefit the city, for example an all volunteer trash mob goes and picks up trash at different parks once per month...I volunteer to feed their volunteers...has won me a ton of new customers. (the giving breeds loyalty) If you get a Thank you letter from a group, make sure you frame it and hang it prominently for all to see...it helps brand you as a supporter of the community.

Restaurant depot is fine but who are you getting your cheese from? How much per pound? I payed $1.67 this week. I can't get anywhere close that from places like Restaurant Depot. You really have to shop around though for example I use a local produce supplier that I like because they deliver 7 days per week and have no minimum....they would really deliver 1 cucumber if thats all I needed. I mainly,however, just get lettuce from them...I use high quality SPring mix for our salads and from them I get 5 pound boxes for $12. At Smart n Final it's $6/pound. Conversely, mushrooms are $30 per 10 pound case from the produce company but just $17 Smart n Final.

Get a good sysco rep and they will get you good prices. I don't care for sysco branded products though so I stick to the known brands...hormel, tyson, fontanini, burke, etc....

get online and subscribe for free to PMQ Pizza Marketing Quarterly and Pizza Today. They are decent industry magazines that often have some good stuff in them.

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Subscribing to those as we speak. Tx...

I buy the good stuff from pizza distributors for mid $2? And the cheap stuff will.be r.d. for almost $2 I believe..

Don't forget this is about as ghetto as u can get but still has a high cost of living being the east coast. I'm battling pressure from both ends..

There is a community center that ordered before I took ownership. They ordered 5x large..
If they call again I will be sure to start a relationship and during the week I will stop by to see if I can find that same lady or someone in charge..
Il scope the area and see what there about and figure a way I can be of benefit to them..GOOD CALL, .I FORGOT ABOUT HER..

I MAKE my doe to last a day and a half.. we are currently more man short so I don't want to run out of doe.. that will done with more precise once I get an extra hand. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION.

I'm also starting to think that the cheese is the greatest expense. I have to be more proactive. So much on.My plate that I.have to get the doe the coffee the yawning the worker the papper work the customer's and I'm.making deliveries.

I'm just trying to get the pieces in the right order and what pieces. The cheese price WILL be addressed..

I'm.contacting sysco.tmw. Il have the salesman come in and go over everything product by product.

Also this is east coast so every thing will always cost the extra nickel..

I have wings and mozx sticks from previous owner

Tmw I really do have to contact salesman for visit but also must gave greater knowledge of r.d. and both pizza distributors for accurate comparison. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO FORE FRONT AND REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE..

Will research smart n final..

We use canned mushrooms for topping.. u use fresh???

Plus around here nobody know anything about spring mix and probably won't pay for it. It would be ice burg and the basics. As long as they see chicken and enough blue cheese to cover it with. It's kinda like the "cheese product" theory u described so well but a couple of degrees higher..

The place doesn't have salads but a chicken ceacars and a garden salad will be good..

Bought fresh chicken cutlets today and some pastas...

Il wait on produce. Still getting inventory and don't even know what the menu will end up as.

I'm running the place like the old guy while making constant micro upgrades and preparing for my "real opening"......

The discrepancy is overwhelming between distributors on the same product. Still getting a handle on it..but we ars open and only losing a 100$ a day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.. time through Sunday will.be better but all improvements and purchases for expanded menu are straight from my pocket..

If u don't use canned mushrooms what kind of fresh mushroom u use.

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Originally Posted by chinamaniac

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Originally Posted by thesparten

There is a restaurant depot that sells food and supplies for restaurants and grocery stores. Many times those places are cheaper then distributors. You just have to physically go there your self..

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I used to use a restaurant depot when I started my place. But if your going that route be careful because some stuff at certain supermarkets can be cheaper and it can cost you a decent amount buying in bulk. I used to load up there once a week and then I would restock certain stuff that I knew I would need throughout the week

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Costco and supermarket circulars are every restaurant owners friend.

Only people in.the know know that..shhh!!!!

Thanks for support!!!!!

Sparten, ping me the location of your spot. In the next coming weekends when I have a free afternoon I'll go visit and write a fair review in this thread. I won't tell you when I'm coming and I'll make sure you can't guess who I am as I'll try and blend in. Also, if you don't mind I'll take some pics, if that's not okay just say so and I promise not to.

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Originally Posted by thesparten

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Originally Posted by hutmaster

I've got an older guy that I pay $10/day to distribute coupons on houses....he does 100 houses per day...so it's 10 cents each.....cheaper than US mail. I get a pretty good return on these.

Build your name by doing things for the community....for example...I make our dough fresh daily...I never serve day old dough to guests but I do cook off the day old stuff and donate it to Catholic Charities and they give it to the homeless or those needing food. I get some nice press for helping the less fortunate. Another example is I often donate pizza to volunteer groups who are doing something to benefit the city, for example an all volunteer trash mob goes and picks up trash at different parks once per month...I volunteer to feed their volunteers...has won me a ton of new customers. (the giving breeds loyalty) If you get a Thank you letter from a group, make sure you frame it and hang it prominently for all to see...it helps brand you as a supporter of the community.

Restaurant depot is fine but who are you getting your cheese from? How much per pound? I payed $1.67 this week. I can't get anywhere close that from places like Restaurant Depot. You really have to shop around though for example I use a local produce supplier that I like because they deliver 7 days per week and have no minimum....they would really deliver 1 cucumber if thats all I needed. I mainly,however, just get lettuce from them...I use high quality SPring mix for our salads and from them I get 5 pound boxes for $12. At Smart n Final it's $6/pound. Conversely, mushrooms are $30 per 10 pound case from the produce company but just $17 Smart n Final.

Get a good sysco rep and they will get you good prices. I don't care for sysco branded products though so I stick to the known brands...hormel, tyson, fontanini, burke, etc....

get online and subscribe for free to PMQ Pizza Marketing Quarterly and Pizza Today. They are decent industry magazines that often have some good stuff in them.

---

Subscribing to those as we speak. Tx...

I buy the good stuff from pizza distributors for mid $2? And the cheap stuff will.be r.d. for almost $2 I believe..

Don't forget this is about as ghetto as u can get but still has a high cost of living being the east coast. I'm battling pressure from both ends..

There is a community center that ordered before I took ownership. They ordered 5x large..
If they call again I will be sure to start a relationship and during the week I will stop by to see if I can find that same lady or someone in charge..
Il scope the area and see what there about and figure a way I can be of benefit to them..GOOD CALL, .I FORGOT ABOUT HER..

I MAKE my doe to last a day and a half.. we are currently more man short so I don't want to run out of doe.. that will done with more precise once I get an extra hand. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION.

I'm also starting to think that the cheese is the greatest expense. I have to be more proactive. So much on.My plate that I.have to get the doe the coffee the yawning the worker the papper work the customer's and I'm.making deliveries.

I'm just trying to get the pieces in the right order and what pieces. The cheese price WILL be addressed..

I'm.contacting sysco.tmw. Il have the salesman come in and go over everything product by product.

Also this is east coast so every thing will always cost the extra nickel..

I have wings and mozx sticks from previous owner

Tmw I really do have to contact salesman for visit but also must gave greater knowledge of r.d. and both pizza distributors for accurate comparison. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO FORE FRONT AND REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE..

Will research smart n final..

We use canned mushrooms for topping.. u use fresh???

Plus around here nobody know anything about spring mix and probably won't pay for it. It would be ice burg and the basics. As long as they see chicken and enough blue cheese to cover it with. It's kinda like the "cheese product" theory u described so well but a couple of degrees higher..

The place doesn't have salads but a chicken ceacars and a garden salad will be good..

Bought fresh chicken cutlets today and some pastas...

Il wait on produce. Still getting inventory and don't even know what the menu will end up as.

I'm running the place like the old guy while making constant micro upgrades and preparing for my "real opening"......

The discrepancy is overwhelming between distributors on the same product. Still getting a handle on it..but we ars open and only losing a 100$ a day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.. time through Sunday will.be better but all improvements and purchases for expanded menu are straight from my pocket..

If u don't use canned mushrooms what kind of fresh mushroom u use.

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I use medium whole white mushrooms. We slice them ourselves. In California you'd never get away with canned mushrooms. We use freshs pineapples too and roast all of our own jalapenos.

Here's an example on why I use multiple suppliers...this morning the price of a good quality Hormel pepperoni from Sysco was $66 for a 25 pound case. The exact same pepperoni was $89 from Concord.

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Originally Posted by handicapme

Sparten, ping me the location of your spot. In the next coming weekends when I have a free afternoon I'll go visit and write a fair review in this thread. I won't tell you when I'm coming and I'll make sure you can't guess who I am as I'll try and blend in. Also, if you don't mind I'll take some pics, if that's not okay just say so and I promise not to.

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Don't do it Sparty. If he doesn't feel you delivered what you promised, he'll just chargeback his credit card. POS is shady

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Originally Posted by handicapme

Sparten, ping me the location of your spot. In the next coming weekends when I have a free afternoon I'll go visit and write a fair review in this thread. I won't tell you when I'm coming and I'll make sure you can't guess who I am as I'll try and blend in. Also, if you don't mind I'll take some pics, if that's not okay just say so and I promise not to.

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Bro, you'll be the only white customer in the place all day. How's he not going to know its you

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Originally Posted by Pooh

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Originally Posted by handicapme

Sparten, ping me the location of your spot. In the next coming weekends when I have a free afternoon I'll go visit and write a fair review in this thread. I won't tell you when I'm coming and I'll make sure you can't guess who I am as I'll try and blend in. Also, if you don't mind I'll take some pics, if that's not okay just say so and I promise not to.

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Bro, you'll be the only white customer in the place all day. How's he not going to know its you

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Maybe I'm black like BGC or Spanish like beenstaring...

Anyways, would do this and give a good trip report. Promise to take it seriously and not use it to flame you even if it sucks.

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Originally Posted by handicapme

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Originally Posted by Pooh

Bro, you'll be the only white customer in the place all day. How's he not going to know its you

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Maybe I'm black like BGC or Spanish like beenstaring...

Anyways, would do this and give a good trip report. Promise to take it seriously and not use it to flame you even if it sucks.

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Unless the pizza isn't as good as expected; then he'll just chargeback

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Originally Posted by jsearles22

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Originally Posted by handicapme

Maybe I'm black like BGC or Spanish like beenstaring...

Anyways, would do this and give a good trip report. Promise to take it seriously and not use it to flame you even if it sucks.

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Unless the pizza isn't as good as expected; then he'll just chargeback

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If I promise to pay cash and dont, I will donate 1k to a PFA freeroll. Good enough?

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Originally Posted by jsearles22

Quote:

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Originally Posted by handicapme

Maybe I'm black like BGC or Spanish like beenstaring...

Anyways, would do this and give a good trip report. Promise to take it seriously and not use it to flame you even if it sucks.

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Unless the pizza isn't as good as expected; then he'll just chargeback

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Shut it down jsearles, you're not whiter than white yourself.