Mark Russo from Russo’s House of Pizza was so swamped with orders that he could not even pick up the phone, while Danny DeMartino from The Mountain House saw such a high-demand for his pizzas that he was forced to build a drive-thru window. The line at his drive-window gets so long at times, that the customers drive off without taking the pizzas they ordered, in which cases the pizzas were donated to Nyack Hospital. Pizzerias sometimes use brochure printing as inserts for their deliveries.
The demand for takeaway orders means that most pizzerias are faring just as well as they did before the outbreak, if not better. Russo said to Lohud.com:
“When we had to switch it up and do only takeout or delivery, I didn’t freak out like other restaurants I know. That’s what I’ve always been doing. Nothing’s really changed except now our dining room is closed.”
The pizzerias have become shining examples in their communities on how to cope with the pandemic. Several of them are even organizing ways to help support the cause by donating pizza to first responders and hospital workers. Norcina from New City started a Pizza Match program that has delivered about 1,000 pizzas to Nyack Hospital, Rockland County Health Department and New City Urgent Care.