By Stephen Millar | pizzanews.com.au

Too often I get people phoning me for advice on opening up their dream business, the pizza and pasta kitchen.Well, from that Tom (PMQ’s publisher) asked me to do a story on pasta in the pizza business. My first impression was why would you bother in selling pasta.Well, that’s when I thought about at what Tom was asking...WHY? I decided to approach a number of pizza and pasta people and get their views on where they see pasta on their menu. Even when my family had a pizza franchise we found the pasta items hard to move. There was more thrown out than we sold.There are a couple of reasons for that I think. So what I’m about to put to you should stimulate some conversation and comments on pasta additions to your menu.

Why Should Pasta Be on or off the Menu
So quizzing the new pizzeria and current owner, I ask them why their business is going to be any different from every other pizza/pasta kitchen.The answer answers along the lines;“We are going to have a quality product made fresh each day.” I have said it before...I would hope so. But, that doesn’t make it any different from the shop down the road.

It all comes back to how you see pasta within your restaurant. Is it just because everyone else is doing it that you are? Pasta is labour hungry and profit poor. Think of your pizza items...everyone can sit around ordering pizza and share it. Pasta dishes are normally consumed by the single customer and never shared.
The truth of the matter is that if you worked out why pasta is on the menu it usually is a sad fact that the pizzeria is trying to stimulate better cash flow because of the competitive world of pizza sales. Pasta prices aren’t something that a lot of people compare. The number of pastas sold in relation to pizzas would be in 10-15% range with average pizzerias that don’t market their pastas.

Why Pasta doesn’t Sell
Other reasons for pastas performing so badly on the menu would be they aren’t freshly made or are defrosted in a microwave and have no flavour whatsoever, so the pizzeria throws out more than they sell.

Yet another reason includes staff training and the staff not asking if the customer would like pasta. Don’t forget, the best low-cost marketing is your staff promoting the menu.There would be a lot more interest if the staff up-sold items rather than stood there and asking“What’s it going to be tonight folks?” Suggestive selling is a far better way to promote your pasta.

How to Increase Sales
Try this next time you have a staff meeting. Do some role-play exercises and get your staff to promote pasta, or any new menu item. See how they would do it. I would like your feedback on it once you try it. Once you get some practice on how to handle several different possible responses, then put the practice into action on real customers.

Scenario:A customer walks into your restaurant. Instead of staff simply asking,“What can I get for you?” have them ask (with a smile),“Can I suggest tonight’s special along with your pizza order tonight, which is our signature pasta dish (or any new item)? If you try it, I really think you would like it.”

If they say no, then give them a small sample to take home (The same size as the small potato and gravy container from KFC). No more than that size. I’m sure that if you promote more with suggestive selling and sampling that you will increase your bottom line.

If that fails to move your pastas then the alarm bell should be ringing LOUD and long. Either your pasta isn’t up to scratch or you should do away with your pastas.They aren’t worth having on your menu if you cannot move them by up selling.

business more than it helps it. If there is a serious plan to have pasta on the menu then you need to explore a serious supplier, which might charge a little more. It isn’t worth hurting your business to buy second rate product.

The best pastas are generally made restaurants that have been around for ages and know the best way to present the product. Unlike the theatrics that are attached to pizza making (the big, wood fired or conveyor oven, the make bench and the pans lined up) selling pasta cannot be achieved with the same theatrics.
So where’s the pasta? It’s in the fridge and out of sight unless some staff member suggests it to the customer.Why would you think pasta with that much pizza equipment occupying most of the shop area? Hmmmmmm...

So what I have found to be the case in most pizzerias is they are to busy doing what their doing (making pizzas) that they sell very little pasta.These people need to learn that if they think that they have the best product on the planet, there is a serious case here for them to learn how to sell their goods.

Marketing Improves your Bottom Line
Staff training can make the difference. Empower employees to get the best out of them and more than likely you will improve the bottom line.Why do you think big business tackles this problem head on? It’s to sell more products by getting staff to perform better at the front line. So if you look at what has been suggested here, from product to staff training, then you will sell more products...even pasta.

I suggest that you call a staff meeting and get some thoughts on the table.You can formulate more ideas that can move more pasta, pizza or any menu product with an exercise. Once you master this trial, if you still need guidance then recruit those that know to help you.You can apply this principle any item in your shop and get positive results, even pasta.