Anyone on here own or work in a pizza buffet?
We do a lunch buffet.
yes but it only last from 11-2 on the weekdays.
i ask because I am debating how profitable a buffet is in general? are your buffets popular as well as profitable ? Thanks for the input!
I run a daytime buffet, 11am -1:30pm as well as a night buffet on Wednesday and Sunday. A buffet can be profitable but you have to seating for at least 50 people and be able to turn over your tables at least once. Your food cost are going to be fairly high, mine run almost 40% on buffet, but my labor is in the low 20s.
Running a buffet properly is not easy, keeping pizzas fresh, having 25 factory workers come in at once, and trying to time when to put in pizzas for your rush which is never at the same time. My suggestion is not to do it half *ss if you are going to do it, commit and buy a nice salad bar and warmers for your pizzas.
Food cost is a little bit higher, but you make up for it in labor. Set up a nice salad bar and have breadsticks on the buffet too, this will help your patrons fill up on low cost items.
Thanks everyone for the input! It helped a lot =)
I too want to start a lunch time buffet.
What are some things (equipment, serving, food etc.) I should know beofre doing this. My lunch time is very slow and needs a complete overhaul for sure. I have been told pizza buffets are the way to go and that customers are looking for that quick lunch.
thanks in advance
Having run a high volume CiC’s in the past, you can indeed make money, but you need a volume of customers 2b truly successful…100 is a bare minimum INHBCO
I’m planning on a lunch buffet m-f as well. I have 8000 Community College Students and faculty that drive by my store every day. Nothing else for 3.5 miles except subway and the very bad cafeteria. I just assumed a buffet was the way to go with the students. After 1 year, Subway does 150-200 sandwiches/day still. I think we will be mostly complementary to one another and I intend to hit the $5.99 price point with a drink for the college kids.
How many tables/server do you guys have for the buffet? What filler items do you recommend? Pasta? Bread? Thicker pizzas?
Patrick Cuezze
Next Door Pizza
focus on 12" pies, making, say 10 in rotation (ala CiCi’s) - decide if you’ll offer the option to serve a special order pie as well (CiCi’s) - include a small salal bar or several big bowl finished salads…pasta & two sauces - cinnimon rolls/brownies/apple pie/garlic bread & a strong conveyor oven…keep pies out for 25 minutes then trash - always rotate/face the pies…