In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mike Burns, CEO of &pizza, a fast-casual pizza joint based in Washington D.C. that has grown to 45 locations. &pizza made headlines earlier this year when it announced it would buck the trend and cut its menu prices, offering unlimited free toppings with its $12 personal-sized pizzas rather than charging for toppings. Mike joined the podcast to share how &pizza is staying profitable with this change and why it’s an especially important strategy as the brand franchises for the first time.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• With operations and marketing tweaks, sleepy brands can come alive
• Even in this economy, you have to strategize in years, not months 
• Cutting price today isn’t a gimmick, it’s a volume play 
• Your most important customer is the returning customer
• Buy the dip on today’s economy 

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].