Eater National just released its list of the 38 Essential Pizzas Across the Country. I think it’s a pretty precise list, considering there are nearly 70,000 pizzerias to choose from in the U.S. They attempted to cover most of the country and asked some expert pizza opinions in order to get the mix just right.

At PMQ Pizza Magazine, we sometimes sit around a big pizza (or two) and talk about what makes some pizzerias more popular than others. While historic significance certainly brings in a crowd, there are also new pizzerias that do just as good of a job of drawing people in and bringing them back.

So what’s the magic formula that results in some pizzerias ending up on lists like the one at Eater while others struggle to bring in customers? And is it something that you can replicate in your own pizzeria?

If we look at some of the common denominators found at the pizzerias listed on Eater‘s list we find the following:

• They often offer nontraditional and creative toppings
• They offer super-fresh ingredients
• They almost always have a fun vibe
• They often create ingredients in-house (house-cured bacon, homemade sausage, hand-pulled mozzarella, etc.)
• They try to offer something unique (coal-fired oven, pizza happy hours, beer/wine/pizza pairings, etc.)
• They strive for authenticity, through Neapolitan methods, antique ovens and special ingredients

So out of the list above, is there anything that you can take inspiration from and incorporate into your business? Maybe you want to experiment with more inventive toppings or try your hand at making your own mozzarella. Introduce a beer and pizza pairing night or a special pizza brunch on Sundays.

The bottom line is, it’s all about standing out among your competitors; creativity goes a long way in the eyes of your customers.

Let me know what you try!