Questions Answered

A top to bottom list of all of the frequently asked questions and our answers to fully understand the SmartMouth® Pizza program.

What do you offer?

The SmartMouth® program includes a 7″ size individual portion pizza, calzones, and breakfast pizzas.

What makes SmartMouth® Pizza different from all the other pizza?

Taste! The SmartMouth® Pizza product has a rich, distinctive, restaurant-quality taste that students quickly single out for quality. The pizza is made with a custom honey-wheat crust that is both crisp on the outside and soft and chewy inside. The SmartMouth® Pizza sauce is custom blended from fresh, whole tomatoes, never canned paste. We use 100% mozzarella cheese, and all SmartMouth® toppings are top-quality. This recipe produces a pizza that really pleases today’s teens, who are accustomed to the quality of restaurant pizza.

Why the individual size, rather than slices?

The 7″ round is sized perfectly for a hearty individual portion, and many students are familiar with personal pan style pizzas from chain restaurants. They are also comfortable paying an average of $3.00 or more for this product. Our research indicates that many students prefer to have their own pizza, rather than a slice from a larger pie. There is a perception of improved freshness, taste and value over the slice portion.

What about costs and equipment purchases?

There are two purchase options with the SmartMouth® program. You can purchase the equipment package required to operate the program upfront, and make maximized profit from day one with each pizza sold. Or, you can finance the equipment through the SmartMouth® program, which involves an upcharge on ingredients.  While this option results in lower per pizza profit during the first year and slightly higher long-term costs, there is no upfront cost for your school or system. Like the upfront purchase program, you own all equipment and smallwares when your upcharge program is completed.

Do we have to sign a contract?

Yes, the licensing agreement you sign gives your schools the opportunity to sell the SmartMouth® Pizza products, and use the program brands. A separate agreement is needed for the equipment upcharge programs.

How many pizzas do I need to sell?

It will depend on the size of your school and how many pizzas you plan to serve. SmartMouth® provides a program for sales of as few as 100 pizzas per day. We will be glad to work with you and determine which program will work best for you and your schools..

What happens if I don’t meet the volumes required to keep the equipment?

We will evaluate your program monthly to determine if we need to adjust your equipment package or extend your lease.

How much should I charge for the pizzas?

Most schools are charging between $2.50 -$3.00 for an individual pizza. Many schools offer as part of their meal plan and some use a tiered pricing model.

Do I have to pay franchise fees or royalties to SmartMouth®?

No. We only ask that you purchase the approved menu items and protect our name and logo use in your school as part of our agreement.

How hard is this pizza to prepare? Is it complicated?

Our restaurant-quality pizza takes three easy steps: proof, prep, bake. We provide the pans, into which you spray a bit of vegetable oil and place our frozen dough flat. The pizza dough flats rise at room temperature while you prepare other parts of you daily menu. We also provide pre-measured ladles for sauce, cheese, and toppings. Your utensil package makes prepping the pizzas fast and foolproof. Then run the pizzas through the oven to bake. You box ‘em up and pop them into the warmer to serve! We can train your staff to make these pizzas quickly. It’s very easy to learn and we customize the training to your kitchen’s schedule.

How much labor does this program require? Will I need to hire more staff?

While it all depends on the size of your food service operation and how many pizzas your students buy, you should be able to implement the program with your existing staff. Many times it’s a matter of shifting some responsibilities in the kitchen around.  While the pizza is made fresh, you’ll find that you get more meals per labor hour with SmartMouth® Pizza than any other meal in your kitchen.  Our higher volume schools report they’re able to produce from 25-30 meals per labor hour.

What about volume? I can’t have kids waiting. How many pizzas can I make and have ready in our condensed lunch periods?

Depending on which program you sign up for, our oven can bake anywhere from between 70 and 200 pizzas per hour. We will size the program to suit your needs. The pizza boxes we provide allow you to stack prepared pizzas, piping hot, in the warmer. We currently have schools doing 500 pizzas per day while still serving a fresh, hot product.

How many different varieties do I have to offer?

We recommend serving only three or four different types of pizza when you start the program.  We’ve found that cheese and pepperoni pizzas are usually everyone’s favorites. Then you can add a “pizza of the day” or “pizza of the week,” to provide variety and spark interest. Veggie has become more popular among health-conscious students and teachers and a “works” or cheeseburger pizza special might be a big hit on active school days with ballgames or pep rallies.

What comes with the program package? Do I get everything I need to start?

You will receive everything you need to make a SmartMouth® Pizza: oven(s); warmer;  utensils; pans; food products; training; methods;  uniforms if desired; and merchandising. The SmartMouth® fuel station is a unit, which can either be used in a freestanding position, or as part of your service line. Or, we can work the warming unit into your existing line if space is at a premium.

How do I determine if your program will work in my operation?

We will come to your school and do a complete site evaluation, free of charge. This enables us to talk with you about your needs, assess your operation, space, and requirements, and partner with you on the best possible setup. We will even prepare a pro forma based on the information we gather from you and the staff.

Do you provide detailed specifications for electrical and other requirements so that installation is not a hassle for me?

Absolutely. We will make sure that all installation details are planned for and addressed. The installation of the program is part of our service commitment to you.

Will you provide training?

Yes. A member of the SmartMouth® team will come to your location and personally train the employees you designate to work with the program. We also provide an operations manual you can reference at any time. And, you can call the SmartMouth® team on our 800 number whenever you need assistance.

What about ongoing support to my staff and my schools?

We will be in contact with the school manager every week. In addition we will visit the school throughout the school year.

How will we handle maintenance on the equipment?

There is a standard one-year warranty on all equipment provided through the program. We provide contact names and numbers to connect you with the equipment vendors who are partners. The agreement does not cover repair costs. However, the equipment is provided by very reputable companies with excellent track records for durability.

How is distribution handled? Do you come to the schools?

SmartMouth® handles all distribution and assists the school manager weekly with their orders.

Why did you pick the SmartMouth® name?

We researched a brand that would have the edgy, fun appeal so critical to courting the taste of today’s young people. They are very savvy consumers, and this name has the look and feel of the brands that are successful in the youth marketplace. Of course, SmartMouth® also denotes that our products are also a good choice for your body-which is why we chose “Choose Your Fuel” as our slogan. With students paying more attention to nutrition, it’s a great advantage that our pizza line encompasses all four food groups, and offers a nutrient-rich crust and top quality ingredients.

Have your offerings been evaluated by a nutritionist?

Yes. A certified nutritionist independently analyzed all of our food products. The data is available for your review, or we can answer any other questions you might have.

Have your products been tested with students?

Yes, we conducted focus group research with students to gauge their general food tastes and pizza preferences, and to hear their opinions on school food offerings. The students were multi-cultural, both male and female, and the results obtained from all of the tested groups were consistent. SmartMouth® pizza received an excellent response from the students in the test.

Do you help us promote SmartMouth pizza to the students?

Definitely!  We are very proud of our marketing program.  We have a SmartMouth® Pizza Student Scholarship Program; a SmartMouth® School of Excellence Award, a video contest for students; active social media communication on facebook and twitter targeted at students, a student-focused website, as well as signage and promotional items to keep the demand for SmartMouth® Pizza high.

What can you tell me about the company?

The SmartMouth® program has been developed by Bull’s Eye Brands, Inc., an Atlanta-based food service company, which has serviced the quick-service industry for years. Bull’s Eye is owned and managed by a food-service family, which has operated nationally for three generations.