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With a larger-than-average IT team and a proprietary first-party delivery system, the tech-powered pizza franchise has continued to see double-digit sales increase as consumers demand convenient and fast service.
Toppers Pizza, the pizza franchise with nearly 70 corporate- and franchise-owned locations in 12 states, was founded with a focus on fast, tech-driven pizza delivery and customer service. In addition to satisfying customers, Toppers’ advanced technology also creates a best-in-class experience for franchisees through a strong IT department and a proprietary POS and e-commerce platform.
Now, as the pandemic continues to create major demand for tech-powered convenience in the pizza delivery segment, the brand is continuing to appeal to qualified franchisee prospects thanks to its well-positioned concept, innovative business model and exceptional support.
The largest department on Toppers’ robust corporate team — which is already much larger than most brands its size — is the IT and technology department. With eight developers on staff, the team’s size allows it to quickly adjust to all of the ever-changing wants and needs of customers as technology continues to evolve within the pizza category.
For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, Toppers franchise owners had the ability to quickly update their POS by adding streamlined, curbside pickup options to accommodate guests and promote safety. The team also added the ability for customers to tip drivers online so they could further avoid any contact. These technological pivots would not have been possible without access to an in-house IT team. Thanks to these advancements, 73% to 78% of Toppers’ sales have come through digital channels over the past several months.
“Most businesses would need to ask a third-party company to create curbside pick-up, which would take six to nine months, but with us, we were able to pivot to curbside in less than three weeks,” said Toppers Pizza VP of Information Technology Tony Ellis. “We knew exactly what our franchisees, team members and customers wanted — they wanted contactless delivery, curbside pick-up and online tipping. Thanks to our expert team, we were able to pivot and accelerate innovation very quickly. I can’t think of another pizza chain our size that could successfully roll out curbside pick-up in three weeks.”
To ensure Toppers franchisees are able to take advantage of this technology, they have 24/7 access to the IT team. “All franchisee questions can be answered immediately, whether it be advanced troubleshooting or building new features and functionalities based on a specific request,” said Ellis.
“When the COVID-19 shutdowns happened, every restaurant in our city became a delivery business which means they also became competitors,” said Denise Downing, owner of three Toppers locations in Wisconsin. “Being able to stand out against our new competitors was huge, and having this technology and ability to pivot as fast as we did propelled us to align more with the larger pizza chains.”
Ellis says one of the IT team’s primary initiatives over the past year was getting all franchisees set up on the brand’s proprietary POS system and e-commerce platform.
Toppers’ proprietary e-commerce platform allows franchisees to leverage a first-party delivery system, available through each owner’s POS system. This means franchisees save a significant amount of money on the notoriously expensive fees associated with the usual third-party delivery providers. The direct delivery platform also ensures Toppers franchise owners can exhibit more quality control and communication with the customer. For example, customers are able to track their order in real time.
Now, as the quick-service pizza sector booms due to a shift towards off-premise dining, Toppers is in a prime position to appeal to this demand without suffering from the many drawbacks of exclusively using third-party delivery apps.
As made evident during the pandemic, the proprietary platform also allows the IT team to adapt the software on the fly, which is a major differentiator for franchisees. “Our POS and e-commerce platforms are both proprietary — we own them, build them and can innovate to keep up with the times,” said Ellis. “By keeping delivery in-house, the Toppers internal IT team is able to adapt the e-commerce platform in any way necessary. With this, our biggest advantage is our speed to market. We can very quickly draft a feature and get it out to the community, whether it be the ability to tip online, remember addresses or document past orders. Competitors don’t have that strategic advantage.”
Downing echoed these same thoughts. “Our team members have put a lot on the line the past year. They were putting their health and safety at risk and we wanted to offer an option that would keep them safe, and also make them feel appreciated. Toppers was able to quickly implement contactless delivery and online tipping so our team members could continue to work and make money.”
As the competitive pizza delivery landscape continues to evolve, Ellis says very few brands are in as strong a position as Toppers.
“Pizza definitely leads the pack in the restaurant industry when it comes to using technology, and we are in an interesting position because we are not a huge behemoth nor a small mom-and-pop brand,” said Ellis. “This means we are both nimble and advanced for our size. So many pizza brands our size want to do something but can’t because there is a tech-limiting factor. Our robust IT team and proprietary systems allow us to eliminate that factor as a hindrance to business and franchise growth.”
This competitive advantage is why Toppers’ same-store sales increases are up 20% to 30% on a weekly basis, and the brand has opened four stores over a period of the last six months. The level of franchisee inquiries Toppers is receiving is also as high as it has been in five years.
“Right now, whether it be in the pizza segment or beyond, the e-commerce industry is all about making a service as fast and easy as possible, both for the consumer and the provider, and those have been our core principles at Toppers since day one,” said Ellis. “Looking ahead, we are excited to continue prioritizing innovative features for our customers and tech-powered functionality for our franchise owners.”
The investment range for a Toppers Pizza franchise is $314,075 to $530,000, with the initial fees coming in at $10,000 to $30,000. For more information on franchising with Toppers Pizza, visit: https://www.toppers.com/franchise/.
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