National Pizza Month brings novel promotional items

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like pizza. If you do come across such a person, he or she will probably leave you scratching your head. In fact, most Americans are crazy about the food, making the pizza market a $30 billion a year industry, according to PizzaDelivery.com. Even the U.S. Congress can’t get enough, as it designated October National Pizza Month in 1987.

The average American eats 23 pounds of pizza in a year, The Week reported. Meanwhile, there are 70,000 pizzerias in the nation and parlors account for 17 percent of all restaurants in the U.S., according to numbers The Week cited from Food Industry News. One out of every eight Americans eats a slice of pizza on any given day of the week, The Atlantic reported.

Wear a slice around your neck
It’s safe to say Americans are obsessed with the pies. But with tens of thousands of restaurants out there, how does a pizzeria get noticed? Besides the usual litany of using newspaper ads or handing out fliers, restaurateurs should consider promotional drinkware and promotional tumblers.

When it comes to pizza promotions, if you dream it and build it, the customer will come. A company called Stupidotic is learning that since it sold out of its Pizza Pouch invention, according to The Advertising Specialty Institute. The invention is simply a triangular reusable bag that hangs around your neck like a lanyard and stores a slice of pizza for eating on the go. The pouch is currently getting a lot of media attention, which could make it the best or worst marketing product for pizza restaurants depending on your opinion. It’s certainly made the rounds online.

Pizzerias should use promotional items to their advantage to keep customer mouths watering.

A more traditional approach
If you own a pizzeria but don’t want to give away storage containers customers can wear around their necks, then don’t worry. Pizza parlors and the promotional products industry work together well. Restaurateurs can stay ahead of the competition and remind patrons or even introduce their business by offering branded bags or promotional cups and glasses.

According to PMQ Pizza Magazine, a pizzeria trade publication, using promotional products is an inexpensive way to reach potential customers due to their cost-effective return on investment.

If a restaurant, especially one that delivers pizza, needs to attract customers, it should consider how the patrons would put the promotional product to use.

Instead of branded key chains, tying a promotional product like branded drinkware or beer mugs with the business’ name, logo, phone number and email address will be of use to a pizza lover. Every time your customers reach for a cup, they’ll be reminded of the restaurant. Including contact information or a website address will also cut down on the number of steps the customers will need to take to get a pizza delivered to their door.

Useful products such as branded pizza cutters or miniature rolling pins with a pizzeria’s name and logo on it can increase the number of impressions whenever they’re used. Patrons could actually use them in the kitchen and they’ll be seen by more people if they have guests over for a pizza party.

Order up!
Besides drinkware or pizza cutters, pizzerias can also get a lot of mileage and potential sales by giving away branded refrigerator magnets or even notepads with a magnetic strip on the back. These items will give customers a chance to write down a to-do list or shopping list when needed be. If the patrons put the magnets on the their fridge, you can bet they’ll be reminded of your restaurant every time they open the icebox door or write down a note.

Putting your restaurant’s name and brand out to the public with promotional items could make a big difference in your pizzeria’s bottom line by creating a slew of impressions to the many Americans searching for a perfect slice.

In such a competitive and crowded field, using branded products to increase brand awareness and visibility can be a major factor in increasing patronage of your restaurant.