24 February 2011

Gungahlin - Pizza Capital

| Tim Kelly
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Just how many Pizza stores can one area support?

Dominos and Pizza Hut for a long while had a strangle hold on the pizza market for Gungahlin.

Sure, you had your fish and chippers doing some damn fine pizza on the side (I personally vouch for the efforts of Nichols and Ngunnawal takeaway, and can remember Elena’s once being good for a calzone), and De Nunzio did some side buisness in pizza as well, and Divots at Gold Creek, but for dedicated pizza action, these two jokers were it. That little corner of Gungahlin remains an impossible place to get a park on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. Then throw in Eagle Boys, who opted to open up a little further away from the fray, and after them came Pizza Capers, slicing off a side of the video shop to offer an alternative to the pre-fab pizzas down in the heart of the action.

And now, as I head in to work this morning, I see that at the site of the old Hub Asian Supermarket, Crust have hung up a sign advising they’ll soon be opening.

Seriously, at what point in the pizza wars are we going to see some casualties?

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heard the same news that pizza hut being revived back from the dead just like under taker in wwe.
Would like to pay a visit there if they have dine in over there :p

And to revive a dead thread, I note Pizza Hut is once again operating in Gungahlin, and some old news (see page three of the attached) that the Crust and Pizza Capers brands are now, ironically, owned by the same group, who appear to be on track to convert the ACT’s Crust’s to Capers stores?

Which would mean two of the same brand in Gungahlin?

I’m joining the discussion a little late but wanted to add my support for Pizza Capers. I’m not a regular take-away pizza eater by any means but have been impressed with the quality of their food and above all, exceptional service. Have been turned off Little San Severo after walking past a few times when they are closed during the day and dirty dishes remain uncleared on the tables. Thought I’d give Crust a go last week and had to ask for service before being given a menu with nothing more than ‘here’. As it turned out it wasn’t even the menu but a promotional flyer. So I walked out and returned to Pizza Capers instead.

Helen said :

Spykler said :

Also, Capers at Holt- Totally underwhelming.

I disagree – Pizza Capers at Kippax is much better than Crust in Braddon or Belconnen, and there’s no point even considering Dominos or Pizza Hut in the same league. I recommend the Louisiana Chicken pizza – so good.

Crust overwhelms Capers, there is a noticeable quality difference IMHO.

But I’m yet to find a pizza that beats my home made chilli-pesto-chicken-fetta concoction. It’s just nice sometimes to let someone else’s kitchen get covered in flour.

Mike Bessenger12:50 pm 25 Feb 11

johnboy said :

Some would think that would indicate the location is excellent.

You might be right.
I think it would be an excellent location for any business other than a pizza shop. And purely for traffic.
I guess time will tell.

Some would think that would indicate the location is excellent.

Well, in the US Dominos actually admitted their pizzas tasted like cardboard and did a franchise reboot, which resulted in far better tasting pizzas, according to some American friends (though the writer of this
article seems not to agree)

Let’s hope they come to the same realisation here.

Mike Bessenger12:44 pm 25 Feb 11

screaming banshee said :

Mike Bessenger said :

I’m not a business person, but to me that would be a bad location.

What, in the same way that car yards are never near each other, or how food businesses are spread out in shopping centres instead of being located is some sort of court, or …well I think you get the point.

You missed the point. I wouldn’t place it next door to the busiest pizza shop in Australia.
I hope it doesn’t take as much effort for you to choose a pizza as it would a car.

screaming banshee11:40 am 25 Feb 11

Mike Bessenger said :

I’m not a business person, but to me that would be a bad location.

What, in the same way that car yards are never near each other, or how food businesses are spread out in shopping centres instead of being located is some sort of court, or …well I think you get the point.

Mike Bessenger9:27 am 25 Feb 11

Domino’s in Florey is the busiest in Australia, however there is a new pizza shop opening up next door.
I’m not a business person, but to me that would be a bad location.

Spykler said :

Also, Capers at Holt- Totally underwhelming.

I disagree – Pizza Capers at Kippax is much better than Crust in Braddon or Belconnen, and there’s no point even considering Dominos or Pizza Hut in the same league. I recommend the Louisiana Chicken pizza – so good.

But I’m yet to find a pizza that beats my home made chilli-pesto-chicken-fetta concoction. It’s just nice sometimes to let someone else’s kitchen get covered in flour.

screaming banshee8:19 pm 24 Feb 11

far_northact said :

Though Dominos isn’t too bad at Gungahlin- it’s like McDonalds. It is what it is – it’s cheap, and it’s consistent.

Ahh yes, a prime example of quality control.

I remember way back Jackos at Melba shops did a fine pizza, then either got swallowed up or lost significant market share to the mob with dots on their boxes.
Also, Capers at Holt- Totally underwhelming.

far_northact6:21 pm 24 Feb 11

I like Pizza Capers in Gungahlin, and they certainly seemed packed a lot of the time. Though Dominos isn’t too bad at Gungahlin- it’s like McDonalds. It is what it is – it’s cheap, and it’s consistent.

Holden Caulfield said :

What’s the population of Belco; 30-40K?
Gungahlin would be well on the way to being the same.

Waaaaaaaaaaay off.

As of 2009, Belconnen was estimated upwards of 90,000 (Source: ABS )

Same period, Gungahlin was a tad over 40,000 (Source: ABS )

While Gungahlin’s population has increased over the last year and a half, it would in no way be approaching 90,000 now or any time soon. Look at how many pizza stores have failed in Belconnen in the last few years – Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut both closed down.

Holden Caulfield5:20 pm 24 Feb 11

gospeedygo said :

Pizza chains have been serving cardboard as pizza for years. Nothing like making your own out of fresh dough.

Well that probably applies to any food dish, don’t you think. Trouble is it’s not always convenient.

Holden Caulfield5:19 pm 24 Feb 11

Mothy said :

Have to wonder if they worry about cannibalizing their own market though – Braddon, Belconnen and Gungahlin is a fair weight to the North side.

Thankfully Gungahlin has moved on from having to go to Belconnen to get decent services. Even then the distance from Gungahlin to Belconnen is about the same as travelling in to Braddon anyway. And while the distance between those three store locations isn’t really that far, it’s still a long way to go to pick up some take away dinner.

What’s the population of Belco; 30-40K?
Gungahlin would be well on the way to being the same.

That’s probably enough to support a single store, assuming other market demands/forces are favourable.

Holden Caulfield said :

A few years ago it was fruit juice franchises that were all the rage.

Funny, my wife was just bemoaning the lack of a juice bar in Gungahlin at the weekend.

Am surprised it took to comment 15 before someone suggested making your own was better. Thanks Gospeedygo.

Having tried Capers, agree that yes, they are streets ahead of the Hut, Dominos and Eagle Boys in terms of freshness, but for mine I will be happy when the new Crust opens, and will switch there.

Have to wonder if they worry about cannibalizing their own market though – Braddon, Belconnen and Gungahlin is a fair weight to the North side.

Holden Caulfield3:10 pm 24 Feb 11

Lazy I said :

AG Canberra said :

Once Crust opens the rest will struggle. That is certainly the case in Erindale – Crust is packed and the others have seen a serious decline in their weekly takings. Dominos have laid off drivers and Pizza Hut is is only just surviving.

Crust = licence to print money.

Crust will meet their match with Pizza Capers on the same block. They may be something special against Domino’s and Pizza Hut but Pizza Capers is squarely aimed at the same market.

As for license to print money.. they were saying the same thing about Krispy Kreme franchises when they first started too… don’t believe the hype.

I tend to agree. While I did have a ripping Peri Peri Chicken from Crust (Braddon) earlier this week I have also noticed the franchise pizza store boom we seem to be experiencing.

A few years ago it was fruit juice franchises that were all the rage.

Also, how many people made the promised money with olive and emu farms?

I wonder what the next craze will be?

Pizza chains have been serving cardboard as pizza for years. Nothing like making your own out of fresh dough.

AG Canberra said :

Once Crust opens the rest will struggle. That is certainly the case in Erindale – Crust is packed and the others have seen a serious decline in their weekly takings. Dominos have laid off drivers and Pizza Hut is is only just surviving.

Crust = licence to print money.

Crust in Erindale?
I’ve been there a couple of times and I wasn’t all that impressed at first and they are only getting worse.
I remember when that pizza joint opened in Weston Creek doing similar things and everyone was raving about it for the first couple of months. They then slowly started raising their prices and dropping their quality. My’s restaurant is now in their location.

AG Canberra said :

Once Crust opens the rest will struggle. That is certainly the case in Erindale – Crust is packed and the others have seen a serious decline in their weekly takings. Dominos have laid off drivers and Pizza Hut is is only just surviving.

Crust = licence to print money.

Crust will meet their match with Pizza Capers on the same block. They may be something special against Domino’s and Pizza Hut but Pizza Capers is squarely aimed at the same market.

As for license to print money.. they were saying the same thing about Krispy Kreme franchises when they first started too… don’t believe the hype.

jasere said :

supply and demand.

what he said. Could have something to do with the average age, jobs, or socio economic status of the people living up there. I have a number of student friends living up there, and they would eat pizza once a week.

Solidarity said :

Not a chance, EvanJames, Gunghalin is tipped to be the next great ghetto, full of lazy fat people who like to eat said pizza.

I’ve already moved in and loving it!!

aahhh that explains the size of all you north siders.

supply and demand.

Once Crust opens the rest will struggle. That is certainly the case in Erindale – Crust is packed and the others have seen a serious decline in their weekly takings. Dominos have laid off drivers and Pizza Hut is is only just surviving.

Crust = licence to print money.

I believe it is Domino’s Florey with the highest sales in the Southern hemisphere.

DavidJones said :

Yep! I’d heard that Domino’s in Gungahlin is their best performing store in Australia.

Had thought that was Florey.

Pizza Capers could have done a little more research before they commissioned the artwork on their pizza van… They spelt Gungahlin wrong!

“Gungahlin – Pizza Capital”

Yep! I’d heard that Domino’s in Gungahlin is their best performing store in Australia.

DJ

jennybel75 said :

Little San Severo in Gungers (near Alsi) also do a pretty fine pizza.

Might be who I was thinking of when I named Da Nunzio.

Not a chance, EvanJames, Gunghalin is tipped to be the next great ghetto, full of lazy fat people who like to eat said pizza.

Well with any luck the multinationals named who make horrible stodgey pizzas will fade away.

Little San Severo in Gungers (near Alsi) also do a pretty fine pizza.

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