Pizzeria uno chicago full#

That’s been a big lesson for us, and going forward, we’re more likely to use it as more table space or even a beer and wine bar.” They come, and they’re not picking things out.

“What we found is that with pizza, people normally know what they want. “We originally started with one of those models where you could go down the line, which I think is en vogue now,” Frederick says. Although Frederick says the debut has been phenomenal, the service model and offerings are still being tweaked. Between those two destinations, no one can taste differences in the pizza, the CEO says.Īt the inaugural location, off-premises orders make up more than half of sales, higher than what leadership anticipated. When Frederick visits with potential franchisees during Discovery Day, he takes them to the downtown store for dinner, and then they travel to the concept in Highland. The prototype, which uses the same recipes and ingredients as the original location, opened last summer in Highland, Indiana, a suburb of Chicago. READ MORE: How One Pizza Chain is Accelerating Vaccinations Among its Workforce The CEO says the chain has accomplished this by placing foods into the hands of guests in about 10 minutes. Now more science than art, the process is about having the capacity to meet the needs of consumers during peak times. Frederick says oven technology has come a long way and that Uno’s operations team worked with Middleby Marshall, a restaurant supply company, to find the right equipment for quick and consistent cooking. The Pizzeria Uno model is equipped with new cooking technology that removes any notion that deep-dish pizza requires a longer cooking time. He adds that even as more people return to dining rooms, Uno’s takeout and delivery business hasn’t waned. On a profit-per-square-foot basis, it’s going to be substantially better.” “The other thing is, pizzas are the most profitable thing that we can sell. “The great thing about just the size is obviously lower build-out costs and lower rent and all of that,” Frederick says. Instead, the model comes with a customizable floor plan that encourages operators to enter second-generation spaces that invoke a unique feel as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. But Frederick says that number is by no means an exact target. The concept is roughly 2,000 square feet, which isn’t too far off from the 3,000-square-foot space of the original Chicago location. The menu, about two-thirds the size of the brand’s typical casual-dining menu, is more pizza-centric but still includes natural add-ons like wings, salads, sandwiches, and desserts.

Pizzeria uno chicago full#

It’s almost like the difference between Red Lobster and a seafood dive.”įrederick calls the new Pizzeria Uno model a hybrid between fast casual and full service, with counter service at lunch and table service at night.

“It’s not a casual-dining look and feel at all. “It’s a pizza joint,” Frederick says of the brand’s new prototype. To him, the brand’s latest franchise push presents an opportunity to spread the vibe, culture, and menu of the original Pizzeria Uno to markets nationwide. After being referred to as Pizzeria Uno for several decades, the brand had undergone a menu expansion, implemented new designs, changed its name to Uno Chicago Grill, and moved its headquarters to Boston.Īmid those shifts, the first Pizzeria Uno restaurant in downtown Chicago had remained the same, and Frederick preferred a return to those roots. It wasn’t the larger, cookie-cutter casual-dining concept Uno transformed into along the Northeast, hundreds of miles away from the heart of Chicago.