Tyrell Reed has worn just about every hat in the restaurant business multi‑unit operator, consultant, podcaster, coach. Now, as the voice behind the fast‑rising Pizza King Pod, he’s carving out a peculiar but potent niche: a no‑nonsense space where pizzeria owners swap blueprints, share failures, and reckon with the messy reality of running hospitality businesses in 2025. What separates Reed from the average “food personality” isn’t polish, but candor his insistence that mistakes are worth publishing, systems worth scrutinizing, and margins worth defending. Over 20 questions, he opens up about the operator’s toolkit that still governs his media workflow, the pitfalls new owners don’t see in lease negotiations, and why the smartest pizza play just might involve a food truck.
1. You went from multi-unit operator to the Pizza King Pod—what’s one operator habit that still runs your whole media workflow?
I follow the system while always looking for ways to improve it. That habit never leaves.
2. Your show blends “how-to” with real failure stories. What’s a mistake you wish more owners would share publicly—and what would it save them?
Financial missteps and broken systems. Sharing those openly creates a culture of learning and saves others from repeating them.
3. You just recapped Pizza Expo: which tech or tool is hype vs. actually adding margin to a pizza business this year?
AI tools dominated the floor. They look like silver bullets, but the hidden costs—extra integrations, extra platforms—can eat margins. Choose selectively.
4. You preach second-gen spaces. What are your three instant green flags and one deal-breaker when touring a site?
Green flags: gas lines, a grease hood, and a walk-in cooler. Deal-breaker: rundown neighbors. Bad surroundings drag you down.
5. Give us your “open a store under $X” blueprint—line items where people overspend and where you refuse to cut corners.
Under $150K, I’d hunt for a small second-gen space and save on renovations. Too many owners overspend on aesthetics while leasing equipment and ignoring marketing. Never skimp on refrigeration or HVAC—those warranties save you.
6. From your Karvelas interview: what did Joey say about growth that most single-store owners need to hear before store #2?
Opening a second store forced him to build systems. At store one, he did everything himself. At store two, he needed people to run it without him. That’s when systems matter.
7. Best leadership lesson you learned the hard way during multi-unit days—and how you coach it now.
No leadership pipeline means you’re one bad day from closing. Now I push constant training and development.
8. Rate these marketing moves for a neighborhood shop in 2025: SMS list, influencer collab, AI content tool, loyalty app, old-school mailers.
SMS: great for instant sales.
Influencers: waste of money.
AI tools: decent if you’re stuck on content.
Loyalty apps: strong for repeat business.
Mailers: still work in some markets.
But email is still king.
9. Your audience loves operator origin stories. What question unlocks the most honest, viral answer from guests?
“Who inspired your journey?” That one always digs deeper into leadership and growth.
10. You’ve had BBQ and sauce founders on the pod. What’s the smartest crossover collab a pizzeria can do this quarter?
Team up with local brands that bring their own audiences—breweries, sauce companies, food vendors. They all pair naturally with pizza.
11. What’s your take on delivery today: own drivers, third-party, or hybrid—and what KPI decides it?
Hybrid. It lets you control the process, test new markets, and scale without all the upfront cost.
12. Lease negotiation hot take: the one clause every first-time owner forgets to fight for.
Tenant improvement dollars. Landlords often share buildout costs—you just have to ask.
13. Build a recession-resilient menu: which two items stay, which one gets cut, and what value play replaces it?
Keep pizza and wings. Cut low-margin, low-mix items like specialty subs. Replace them with seasonal and limited-time offers.
14. You’ve pushed a “New Store Checklist.” What’s step #1 most people skip because it isn’t sexy—but saves months?
Dialing in the budget. Knowing the number upfront keeps you from scrambling for funds later.
15. Rapid fire: ghost kitchen, food truck, or pop-up—best learning lab for a future brick-and-mortar and why?
Food truck. It puts the most pressure on a team, forcing leaders to stay sharp inside and outside the truck.
16. You’re big on team culture. What’s a pre-shift routine that moved the needle on service and upsells?
The pre-shift huddle. It sets the focus for the day in five minutes.
17. What are the three reels every pizza owner should film this week to drive orders—hooks and CTAs included?
- Show the Pizza – Hook: “This is what dinner should look like tonight.” CTA: “Order now. Link in bio.”
- Show the People – Hook: “Real customers. Real reactions.” CTA: “Try it yourself. Order now.”
- Show the Deal – Hook: “Special ends Sunday.” CTA: “Don’t wait. Tap order now.”
18. Pineapple wars aside—what’s the next topping debate you think will split the internet, and where do you land?
Peaches and corn are showing up. I’m not sold on either.
19. If a 19-year-old DM’d you: “I’ve got $5K and a home oven—how do I start?”—what’s your exact 90-day plan?
Don’t spend it. Go work in a shop for a year. Build your recipes. Test your timing. Start posting your pies and grow your following.
20. What’s next for the Pizza King brand—live events, operator cohorts, or a playbook/academy—and what problem are you solving first?
More on-site interviews, more time with owners, and more live workshops. Helping operators connect and solve problems together.
Reed resists the easy mythmaking of entrepreneurship; if anything, his answers remind you that pizza, like any business, is equal parts grind and gamble. But between second‑gen spaces, team culture, and teaching operators to think beyond their first store, the through‑line is a pragmatism sharpened by lived mistakes. Whether you’re an aspiring owner with $5,000 and a home oven or a veteran juggling multiple locations, Reed’s ethos is consistent: follow the system, build leaders, share your scars. That, he argues, is the only way this industry keeps moving forward one honest slice at a time.
