Plank sales give locals a pizza de awards action - Tamworth store top in state

TAMWORTH people love their pizza, so much so that a locally-owned pizza chain has come first in the state for its sales of a totally new variety of the favoured dish. 

Tamworth Pizza Hut’s sales of “The Plank” – a 94cm-long creation consisting of three large pizzas – have blitzed the sales among the 260 Pizza Hut restaurants in NSW and the ACT to take out a top prize within the company.

The business is owned and operated by local franchisees, Shauna and Ron Biffin, who have been looking after the takeaway store for six-and-a-half years.

Mrs Biffin says the local appetite for pizza hasn’t faded over the years.

“Last year, most businesses I spoke to were flat, but sales over the last two to three months, for us in particular, have been really strong,” she said.

She says a garlic bread with your traditional pizza topping still maintains its popularity despite gourmet varieties popping up all over the place. 

Mrs Biffin said their high sales of The Plank can be attributed to people wanting top value for their dollar.

“People are looking for value. Everyone is conscious of the cost of living,” she said.

On its best and busiest nights, the Tamworth store sells about 40 plank pizzas.

Mrs Biffin said BBQ meat lovers, the super supreme and the Hawaiian were still favourites among customers but people were expanding their tastes towards the newer gourmet varieties.

“Some of the smaller gourmet pizza stores in town are our direct competition,” she said.

“We like to challenge them with our products.”

Friday night football, busy lunch sales to hungry business crowds throughout the week, promotions and customer service are also believed to have helped out the high sales.

“Good products are great but you still can’t beat good customer service,” Mrs Biffin said.

“Customers won’t come back unless they get a good experience.”

Mrs Biffin has won a guided four-day tour to the Bathurst races on Friday as a result of their plank sales.