"Phoenix Lowers my Food and Labor Costs. And the Online Ordering

is Great!"

Brian Banick, co-owner of two Solos Pizza Café restaurants in suburban Minneapolis, is a self-confessed data junkie. When he saw the Phoenix system at Pizza Expo, he knew it was the right system to give him his data "fix." But that information is more than fun; it saves him time and money.

"When I saw Phoenix's remote access functionality at Pizza Expo in '06, I knew it was the right system for me," says Brian. "I can log into the system from home, the office, or any location that I have Internet access."

Getting "High" on Data
"I'm a huge data junkie, and I rely on the numbers Phoenix provides to make sound business decisions. The system gives me insight into what my customers want. The Item Sales Report tells me which items are selling, and which aren't, and I can adjust my menu accordingly.

"Also, we offer 11 specialty pizzas and more than 26 toppings. Phoenix lets us easily modify our original creations according to the customer's taste. The system's flexibility makes order taking fast and efficient."

Saving Labor Dollars
"The labor/sales report helps me fine-tune my labor percentage. I can save anywhere from 2-1/2 to 3 hours a day. That adds up to thousands of dollars a year."

Waiting for Takeout in Comfort
"Phoenix tells me that a higher percentage than expected were takeout customers. Based on that information, I built a waiting area for my takeout customers—an investment that I know will pay for itself because I made the decision on factual data."

Cutting Food Costs by 5%
"We use the inventory module to track inventory on 10 key ingredients. The inventory module is relatively economical, and it has reduced food costs by 5%. I do a food-cost analysis twice a day: at the halfway point and end of day. I can either praise my staff for doing well on portion control, or I can remind them to be more careful.

"Pizza really is a nickel-and-dime business, and Phoenix helps me track where my money—and food—are going."

Online Ordering: Efficient and Effective
"We set up online ordering for our two stores by integrating the Phoenix system with Brygid Restaurants Online. Brygid is phenomenal. They have a great graphics department that created a seamless integration between our main site and the online ordering site.

"Brygid took our existing menus and made it easy for our customers to order online. We offer 26 toppings, plus 11 specialty pizzas, which are all available on the Web.

"I was amazed at the minimal amount of work required at my end to set up the online ordering system. I just sent Brygid the menu and rules, you know, takeout versus delivery, and Brygid made their program work for my business. I got what I wanted, and it worked out really well.

"We recently started promoting the Web site; last month we had 70 orders. The beauty of online ordering is that we get more orders with fewer people. It's definitely more efficient."

Moving Forward with Phoenix
"We're adding a third location this year that will have the Phoenix system. As we open new stores, Phoenix will let us make menu, pricing, and coupon changes as well as inventory adjustments to all the stores from our central location. Phoenix grows with us as our business grows."

Want to know more about Phoenix? Contact Brian at 651-389-1242 or by e-mail at