Deep. Fried. Pizza.

Is there anything that isn't improved by deep frying? I don't think.  Pizza is fantastic, no question.  But when you fold it in half and toss it in the deep fryer... decadent and crazy good. 
Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Deep Fried Pizza.  Plain, pepperoni, steak or fill it with your own toppings.  Yum.

Weekly Specials.

So it's been a while since I've blogged, but man owning and running a pizza business is time-consuming! I have been busy advertising, we had a Groupon which did quite well.  It seems to be bringing in some new faces so that's a good thing.  Fat Tony's is also advertising through some local stores. 
My next plan is to write up a fundraising letter to hand out to the local PTO's.  We already do a fundraiser with the Pennsbury Marching Band.  For every pizza they sell we give them 2.00.  They just have to give us their band member's name.  There's no reason why all kinds of sports and extracurricular teams couldn't do this as well, I just have to get the word out. 
In other news we are putting out a flyer for weekly specials for the month of August.  So come in and get one and start getting some deals!
Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Tuna Salad.  Tasty tuna salad on top of a fresh garden salad.  SO good you don't even need dressing. 

The New and Improved FTP!

Check out the new FTP!  It's not quite finished but it's vastly improved.  Now we need to work on the details and start decorating a bit. 
Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Pepperoni Pizza.  It's a classic for a reason. 

Under Construction Part 2.

Still under construction.  Actually construction is a strong word... we're just sort of making a few improvements, painting the walls, new flooring, and a new counter, but we're not actually changing any structural things, just making a few improvements. 
We're also on a cleaning spree at the moment.  There's a couple cabinets that I never looked in before and I think it might have been two owners before... so we're cleaning a bit.
One good thing is that the parking lot is just about done.  There's a weird bump in it, but both entrances are open, yay!
Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Fat Tony's Supreme Cheesesteak with cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, and tomatoes, over the top but fantastic!

Under Construction.

Business has been going pretty well.  So well that I've been too busy to blog lately.  But I'm making some time and here we go. 

Under Construction pretty much describes Fat Tony's to a T at the moment.  The road outside of the shopping center is being worked on.  They've been ripping up the neighborhood for the past few months and now construction has finally reached the shopping center.  They closed off both entrances and the only way to get in is to go through the 7-11 parking lot!  It's ridiculous.  I talked to the guy in charge and he said it should only last a few days but who knows what that really means. 

At the same time the inside of Fat Tony's is under construction.  We have new wall treatments and are working on a new counter.  I know it's going to look great but it's horrible to be in the midst of renovation.  Nothing is where it should be... we had to hang tarps to block any dust getting into the kitchen so the store is even hotter than normal.  But that doesn't mean our food isn't still great- cause it is!  The best pizza around!
And we deliver so no one has to get involved in the parking lot and construction mess. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Buffalo Chicken Salad- Fresh Grilled Chicken with hot sauce over our yummy garden salad.  Something hot but not too hot on what is going to be a scorcher of a day. 

HOT.

Could it be hotter? Wait, don't answer that question.  Even worse Fat Tony's doesn't have air conditioning.  You know it's bad when you walk outside into 90 degree weather and it feels cool! 

Oh well, beat the heat with some sandwiches or wings from Fat Tony's, you don't even have to come in to pick it up- we deliver!

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Buffalo Chicken Salad- Fresh Grilled Chicken with Hot Sauce over a tasty and refreshing garden salad.  Sounds like the perfect meal for a hot day.

Fat Birthday Special.

It's been a slow couple of days :( but the birthday specials are going strong!  Last night just about everyone who ordered got the Fat Bday Special!  It's a really good deal - 1 Large Pizza, Large Fry, Buffalo Wings, and an order of Mozzarella Sticks for 20 bucks.  That's a lot of food.  I'm glad to see the coupons working 'cause we're going to be sending out a whole bunch more into the nearby neighborhoods.  So hopefully they'll continue to work. 

This weekend I think we're going to start rennovating, can't wait!

Cheesesteak. Yum!

Rainy Week.

There's no rhyme or reason to why business is good or bad, each day is different and just depends on factors that I haven't entirely figured out yet.  But, I do think rainy days are especially good for a take-out pizza business.  No one wants to leave their house so they call up the best pizza place around (Fat Tony's) and we bring them dinner. 

The one thing that rainy days hurt is advertising.  It's hard to put out flyers in the neighborhoods when it's pouring because they'll get ruined.  Oh well, we've been passing out flyers at the store for our Birthday Specials next week. 

Monday May 23rd- Get a free sample of my favorite pizza (Buffalo Chicken) in honor of my birthday.
Then for the May 23rd-30th there are a couple coupons:
Buy 1 Large Pizza, Get a Free order of Garlic Knots
Try our new dessert: Cannoli at a special price of $2.00 each
Fat Tony's Fat Birthday Special: 1 Large Pizza, 12 Buffalo Wings, 1 Large French Fry and 1 order of Mozzarella Sticks for $20.00 +tax.

Come in and check out our specials!

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Chicken Marsala- pasta, mushrooms, marsala wine sauce, chicken,  and it comes with garlic bread and salad.  Mmmmmm, can't wait!

We officially deliver anywhere.

It's official Fat Tony's delivers anywhere.  I just overnighted two pepperoni pizzas to my grandmother who lives 4 hours away.  She called and ordered pizza and I have to do everything I can to make my customers happy so... I've shipped them out.  I wonder what they are going to look like when they actually arrive, should be interesting. 

Starting our advertising campaign for my Birthday week.  There are some good deals, especially Monday, May 23rd (my birthday) when customers can get a free sample of my favorite pizza- Buffalo Chicken!

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Tony's Chicken Cutlet Italian Sandwich- Spinach, Provolone, Cheese, Garlic and Oil.  Can't wait to dig into this one. 

Best Sandwich Ever.

I have created the best sandwich ever.  Actually I can't take all the credit, my mom suggested it, but we made it and it is now my new favorite sandwich.  I'm calling it the Fat Tony's Garlic Cheesesteak.  Cheesesteak with extra cheese on toasted garlic bread.  And not just any garlic bread but garlic bread with red sauce on it.  Words cannot describe how delicious it is.  I don't think I'll ever eat a regular cheesesteak again.

Friday the 13th.

Well I've finally realized why I'm so tired.  Yes, running a business is crazy, but I realized that I'm working more than I should even have to because my best delivery driver is on vacation!!  Sheesh, who do these people think they are- going on vacation?

Trying to figure out more ways to advertise.  My mom suggested giving out free cannoli's on my birthday, May 23, but I'm totally against that.  We'll see if what happens though.  I'm not against giving out free food as part of a sale, but I don't want to do anything for my birthday. 

And what is up with people calling and asking for donations? I had a lady try to get me to donate food to her cause, a good cause, but not my cause.  I told her I just bought this place and wasn't in any state to be able to donate food but she just wouldn't take no for an answer.  I told her I could give her the same deal that I do with any of the local schools- $8.00 for a large cheese pizza, but she didn't seem interested.  Oh well. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Cheese Steak- It's a classic for a reason, toasted bun, steak, cheese, lettuce.  YUM!

Day 9

I knew it would be hard to own a business but there are things I didn't think about.  I didn't think about getting phone calls all day long with questions and problems that needed to be solved.  I didn't really think about what no break ever does to a person.  I realize I've only been the owner for 9 days but man it feels like longer. 

There are so many changes that I want to do to improve this place but I don't have the time.  It's crazy because I know making ads and flyers will improve business but I have no time! 

My idea right now is to create a flyer for my neighborhood and say something like:

The New Owners of Fat Tony's are your neighbors on Springdale Terrace.  Call or come in and ask for the neighborhood special: 1 Free Order of Garlic Knots with any large pizza order or 2 small cannolis with the purchase of 3 sandwiches. 

Something like that.  I think we have the best garlic knots around and I want to introduce desserts so I'm thinking this is the way to go.  We'll see if I have any time to actually do it though. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Soprano's Stuffed Bread- Bread stuffed with mozzarella cheese, sausage, and vegetables, soooooo good. 

Day 8

Will I never get a day off? I realize that there is alot that I need to learn and know about being a small business owner but this is getting ridiculous.  Between employees taking vacations, calling out sick, and having car problems I am always at work.  Sigh...
Unfortunately last night was kinda slow.  I think the nice weather makes everyone want to grill and bbq outside and they aren't thinking of ordering pizza. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Cheeseburger Club- a triple decker sandwich of cheeseburger goodness. 

Day 7.

Starting off a brand new week.  At first I thought Monday would be easy but once again I had to go on numerous supply runs.  I'm not sure what the problem is... we have an inventory list, the cook checks off what he needs and I order it.  And yet everytime the inventory comes in we still didn't get something.  Oh well, I'm going to become well-known at Sam's Club.

A few huge orders went out yesterday which is very good.  Word must be getting out that we have the best pizza around and some of the best prices.

Had to work delivery last night while my family (who are working for free) work the counter.  Well, I had just left and the car right behind me smashed into another car (no one was hurt) but my family ran out of the restaurant convinced that I had been hit.  Thankfully, it wasn't me.  I told them they have to get used to it though because there are always accidents at that intersection. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Mistretta's Pizza- Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Red peppers, Oil, Garlic and Plum Tomato Sauce. I can't wait. 

The Beginning.

I have owned Fat Tony's Pizza in Morrisville, PA for 6 days and I don't think I have stopped running since then. 
Day 1: Ran out of supplies
Day 2: Got a huge pizza order for a local school (yay!) but got the order in the middle of my class (boo) so I had to tell my professor that I just bought a pizza business and I couldn't stay for class because there was no one there to handle the order! 
Day 3: Ran out of supplies again and then the worst thing ever- the phones stopped working!! On the phone for hours with Verizon trying to get someone out, first they said not until Monday (this was Friday!!) and then they promised they'd be out Saturday morning.  Of course that still meant that customers who called in just had the phone ring and ring and ring and ring with no answer.  What a great way to kick off the weekend.
Day 4: Verizon was supposed to be out first thing this morning... no show.  Waited until 11:00 before we called and had to explain everything all over again.  Finally someone came out, but he couldn't fix it, then he sent someone else out, and thankfully they replaced the deteriorated lines and everything was in working order again. 
Day 5: Ran out of bacon.  Delivery Driver called out, plus it was Mother's Day which I already thought would be a bad day, but turned out to be pretty good.  I guess as long as Mom doesn't have to cook people will give her pizza, pasta, or sandwiches. 

To top this all off we haven't gotten the bank situation straightened out and the only money I am currently taking in so in cash, because the bank won't let me open a business account yet.  Sigh...

Today is Day 6 and we are moments from opening for the day.  Fingers crossed it's gonna be a good. 

The only saving grace in this whole business is that the food has always been fantastic and continues to be so, it's just figuring out everything else. 

Fat Tony's Favorite of the Day: Margarita Pizza- Plum Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil and Olive Oil YUM!