Burnt out? Can’t get a vacation to save your life? If your pizzeria can’t run without you there every single day, what happens if you get seriously injured or ill? Fortunately, replacing yourself—and getting back some much-needed personal time—might be easier than you realize. It’s a matter of training, empowering and trusting your managers and team members so that business keeps humming along. This panel takes a look at how you can start running your company as an owner rather than an owner/operator.

Freezing and shipping your pizzas nationwide doesn’t just translate to incremental revenue. It can transform your independent pizzeria into a name brand around the country. Featuring single-unit and small multi-unit operators who have taken the plunge, our panelists will show you how they address the logistical, financial and operational challenges involved, including choosing the right pizza style, freezing techniques to preserve flavor and texture, packaging and working with co-packers and shipping partners.

 

You want to scale your business, but you don’t want to be responsible for every single store. You know franchising is complicated, and frankly, you don’t know where to start. This session features franchisors with decades of experience as well as relative newcomers who can share the challenges they’re going through right now. Learn about franchise disclosure documents and franchise agreements, site selection, build-outs, franchisee recruitment and more.

If sales are slower than you’d like, one thing’s for sure: Maintaining a stagnant menu won’t drive new traffic to your store. Sometimes all it takes is one or two new items that are unlike anything customers can find elsewhere. Inspiration can be found in strange and unpredictable places. Or it can come from the community and the people that you love. Dreaming up and promoting LTOs and unique menu items will build excitement and buzz and set your pizzeria apart from a crowded field. This panel takes a look at how the ideation works for several successful operators and will help you hone your process, too.

 

For even the most experienced pizza pros, marketing is a weak point. You love making pizza, not marketing it. Fortunately, our panelists of independent operators and consultants have a knack for both. They’re content creators, storytellers, social media wizards and PR magnets who have put in the time, creativity and hard work to craft a consistent message and system that sells more pizza—and it has paid off. In this session led by moderator Rev Ciancio, a renowned restaurant marketing consultant, they’ll take your questions and spill their secrets, demystifying the process and bringing clarity to a challenging facet of the pizzeria business.

Lights, camera, pizza! If you’ve watched Beat Bobby Flay or Best in Dough—or even non-cooking shows like Shark Tank—you’ve probably wondered: How did these chefs make the cast, what was the experience like, and how can I be next? In this session, our panelists will tell you how they earned national TV fame and success, from the casting process to prepping for and shooting their segments, plus what happens on the set when the cameras aren’t rolling!

 

Discover the latest developments in the QSR sector. From consumer-driven flavor innovations to marketing strategies that captivate new demographics, this session offers a look into the key dynamics that every stakeholder should understand. Uncover practical strategies to enhance your brand’s market position and build customer loyalty.

 

After a full day of learning, get ready to connect with the best in the industry for a night of networking. Enjoy food and drinks with colleagues and friends old and new.

Check back for more details soon!

 

 

Like last year, we'll give attendees an early, exclusive look at the fastest, most accurate, and best customer service drive-thrus in America.

No more flying by the seat of your pants! Start planning now for a busier and more profitable 2026 with Matt Plapp, the pizza-loving CEO of America’s Best Restaurants and a regular contributor to PMQ Pizza. Plapp and his team work with more than 2,500 restaurants to build year-round marketing plans that capitalize on customer data, loyalty programs, email and the latest social media tools. In this high-energy session, Plapp will help you design and execute a full year’s worth of promotions and irresistible special offers (the kind customers would be crazy to turn down) to drive more traffic and pump up your sales volume.

You have the grit and spirit of an independent operator, but you’ve got big ambitions, too. One or several stores isn’t enough for you. You want to build an empire in your market(s). How do you do it? In this powerhouse session, you’ll discover how to standardize and streamline operations for consistency without becoming generic, institute strict quality controls, develop a clear brand identity, choose your locations strategically, and adopt chain-level purchasing and vendor relationships to secure better pricing.

 

It’s time to rethink our approach to on-boarding and retaining new employees, especially GenZers. Our panel of experts will explain how they identify high performers, train, motivate and mentor them, and help them grow as restaurant professionals rather than disinterested part-timers with one eye on the clock.

So your first pizzeria is a success. Is it time to open a second store? Is that a challenge you’re ready for? Are you sure? Let’s get it all nailed down and make sure store No. 2 is for you. Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza has intimate knowledge of what really goes into opening a new location. This veteran operator and franchisor, who has grown Master Pizza to 15 locations, will walk you through every step, from knowing when, where—and just as importantly—why to launch a second location to creating must-have manuals, building a Lead Team and training the trainers.

 

At Mattenga’s Pizzeria, owners Hengam and Matt Stanfield have a system for everything. The fast-growing, family-owned pizza company, with nine locations in San Antonio, is essentially one big system of systems—marketing, management, employee training and scheduling, inventory, sales projections—and each system feeds into another system. And yet the Stanfields bring a sense of joy to everything they do, fostering a warm, welcoming atmosphere for guests while keeping team members on their toes and fully engaged with ongoing challenges that enhance their skills. From checklists and time trials to the “10-20-30 rule,” the Stanfields will help you build an operation that runs smoothly and efficiently while creating a fun, memorable, second-to-none experience for your customers.

Our panelists aren’t really “mad”—just crazy about making pizzas and other menu items that will drive customers insane with pleasure. We’ve asked these dough-slinging brainiacs to venture out of their laboratories and spill all of their secrets, from techniques like microblistering and autolysis to crumb structure, the window-pane test, balancing traditional and innovative ingredients, and whatever else springs to mind. There is always more to learn in the pizza-making craft. Here’s your chance to learn from the best.

 

The complexities of pizza dough can sometimes leave even experienced chefs baffled and frustrated. What’s driving you crazy? Is your dough formula living up to your dreams? Can’t get time and temperature squared away for consistency? In this dough-focused free-for-all, our panel of experts, led by PMQ’s own Brian Hernandez, will tackle your problems head-on, offering their own unique perspectives based on decades of experience. Just bring your questions and be ready to take notes. Whatever the style, they’ve got you covered!

 

The event isn’t quite over until you’ve had the after party! Join us for the official after party where we’ll unwind in style. Enjoy drinks, music, and great company as we toast to a successful event and forge new connections.