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Meet the Pizza-Making Robots Churning Out 600 Pies Hourly at PizzaHQ PizzaHQ co-founder Jay Udrija discusses changes in the pizza Industry, new restaurant tech, and food service robotics that have amped up his business.

By Shawn P. Walchef

Key Takeaways

  • PizzaHQ relies on pizza-making robots to help them keep costs down and make as many pizzas as possible.
  • PizzaHQ mostly offers pick-up and delivery and is able to crank out more than 600 pies an hour even during peak pain points.
  • Co-founder Jay Udrija uses DAVO, a sales tax automation tool, to help take the stress away from worrying about paying sales tax for his business.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What happens when you mix automation with excellence? You get a robot revolution.

PizzaHQ is leading the way by focusing on automation and efficiency to deliver affordable pizzas at a breakneck pace.

Co-founder Jay Udrija and PizzaHQ are building a robot-powered pizza chain whose "relentless focus on process" also comes with a commitment to quality to set them apart.

PizzaHQ, headquartered in New Jersey, is a high-volume "pizzeria" that manufactures its food offerings using innovative restaurant technology to produce lots of quality pies for a low cost and at a fast pace.

Not compromising on quality is crucial to the PizzaHQ brand. It's one thing to get a quick, cheap pizza, it's another to get a quick, cheap, AND perfect, pizza.

"What we didn't want to do was sacrifice quality," explained PizzaHQ co-founder Jay Udrija to Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media. "We really wanted to keep the authenticity of New York-style pizza and mimic the same product that we had at the time."

Along with traditional pick-up and delivery sales powered by Toast, PizzaHQ can use its pizza manufacturing technology to make custom pies for large corporate events, stadium service, and more.

An advantage of automation is not just the obvious business benefits: cost savings, operation efficiency, ease of training, etc. Another reason to incorporate automation into a restaurant business is consistency for the consumer.

"You get a consistent product every time," Jay Udrija said. "There's not going to be extra cheese one time and regular cheese one other time. It's going to be the same cheese because the machines are much more consistent."

"We're able to deliver a better product, we're able to deliver way faster, we're able to deliver at a lower price point."

Incorporating back-of-the-house technology and front-of-the-house technology like Toast, DAVO Sales Tax, and other tools for the modern restaurant operation allows PizzaHQ to prepare themselves for an even bigger future of getting pizzas into the hands of as many people as possible.

"We are committed to being a tech-forward brand," Jay said.

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About Restaurant Influencers

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.

Shawn P. Walchef

Founder of Cali BBQ Media

“Be the show, not the commercial.”

Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn Walchef helps brands and leaders leverage the new Business Creator Economy with strategic Smartphone Storytelling and Digital Hospitality.

His Cali BBQ restaurant company has generated more than $35 million since opening in 2008. They operate numerous locations in San Diego and beyond.

Shawn’s weekly video series Restaurant Influencers (published by Entrepreneur Media and produced by Cali BBQ Media) has been seen by over 25 million people.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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