Tricked-Out Pizza: Become a Pizza Destination With Big By-The-Slice Flavor

As Big Pizza thrives and emerging chains gain popularity, C-store operators must flex their culinary creativity to stand out. The secret? Breaking the C-store visitors’ expectations with exciting and unconventional tastes, served by the slice. Tap these insights from the 2015 Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report to align your slices with customer preferences.

• Inspired crusts – The crust is often an under-leveraged component of pizza, so make your crust the main attraction! Try a thin and light tortilla, hand-tossed prep, or a croissant-style stuffed crust featuring fresh basil and Bongards Mozzarella. 
• Spicy profiles – Sriracha’s grip on popular flavors hasn’t loosened. Use it, in addition to peppers and sauces, to give your pizzas some welcomed heat.
• Signature ingredients – Invest in high-quality ingredients for distinctive appeal. A signature, house-made red sauce, high-quality Bongards Mozzarella/Provolone Feather Shreds or farm-fresh veggies, for example, can differentiate your pizza and make it even more craveable.
• Varied selection – Begin with pizzeria staples and supplement this with an alternating selection of artisanal creations, perhaps including gyro, southern BBQ pork and Mac & Cheese Pizza, for a menu that delights guests and drives repeat visits.

C-stores are all about grab-and-go convenience. That’s why pizza by the slice could be a perfect fit for your operation. With trend-worthy flavors and handheld portability, you could soon syphon sales from take-n-bake shops and fast become a local pizza destination.