Tourists flock to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia for its natural springs, historic charm, and flourishing arts scene. IT entrepreneur and local resident Antonio "Tony" Burgess saw an opportunity to open a restaurant in this vibrant small town, and in 2022 he co-founded Mythical Pizza.
"We wanted to meet the needs of our rural community with a positive vibe and a really cool experience," said Burgess. After his eldest daughter suggested the name, he leaned into the myths and folklore theme, playing up the popularity of local West Virginia legends Mothman and Bigfoot. The pizzeria quickly gained a cult following known for their fun atmosphere and unique flavors.
Cultivating a one-of-a-kind local pizza brand
Serving up signature flash-fired pizzas with names like Yeti's Pepperoni Pie and Mozzarella Monster, Mythical Pizza also lets diners customize their own pizzas with dozens of sauces, cheeses, meats, vegetables, and flavorful finishes — including Loch Ness Seasoning Blend, Bunyip Blue Taki Crumbles, and Hydra Flamin' Hot Cheeto Edge.
"We don't do things traditionally. We hear all the time, 'Oh my gosh, this is much better than I've ever had before,'" Burgess said, noting that their pizzas are cooked to order, with each fresh ingredient prepped daily. "We bake pizzas in specialty ovens right in front of the customers. And they love it — they feel like they're part of the experience."
The Mythical Pizza team prioritizes community building by sponsoring local events, giving vouchers to students with perfect attendance, and providing the food for concession stands at local sports games. And in June 2024, the pizzeria was certified as a Most Loved Workplace®, a distinction for companies whose employees are happy and highly satisfied.
"Delight and satisfaction are our primary things. We give customers more than just a meal; we make it a memorable experience. We want them to come in not knowing what to expect and leave with a big smile, ready to return."
Using third-party delivery to streamline in-store operations
From the beginning, Mythical Pizza certainly knew how to draw a crowd. "We gained a lot of recognition very quickly," Burgess said. But with only two kiosks and one register, the pizzeria often had lines of up to 10 to 15 customers during peak hours, dampening the guest experience.
Burgess saw DoorDash as a way to reach more customers and reduce in-store crowding, without having to hire and manage delivery drivers. "The goal was to provide local delivery without having the overhead of drivers," he said.
He admitted his initial nervousness about the partnership. "There was a lot of hesitation at first. With commission rates ranging from 15% to 30%, it was kind of scary," said Burgess. But after signing up and seeing an immediate increase in new customers, he had a feeling that the investment would pay off.
Making the most of DoorDash's suite of solutions
In 2023, DoorDash accounted for an average of 17.5% of their overall sales, showing promising growth each quarter. Comparing year-over-year growth from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, Mythical Pizza grew their DoorDash sales by a whopping 75%.
About 42% of DoorDash sales come from new customers, with an average order value of $48.28 — which is especially impressive given that their custom pizza costs only about $14.
"Ultimately, we’ve seen a huge impact with a DoorDash partnership. It’s brought Mythical Pizza to new heights in sales, new heights in advertising, and helped us get our mission (and our pizza) out to the masses."
What Burgess liked best about DoorDash was the rapid introduction of new customers to his brand. "We're in a touristy town, so people from bigger cities like DC, Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia come to Berkeley Springs knowing DoorDash, but not knowing any of the local cuisine. So we're gaining a lot more sales based on that alone."
In addition to DoorDash Marketplace, Mythical Pizza also uses DoorDash's POS integration with Toast to receive DoorDash orders directly to their POS, as well as the DoorDash Drive integration to get access to Dashers to fulfill deliveries ordered via Toast.
In addition, Burgess saw success from experimenting with DoorDash Promotions and in-app ads known as Sponsored Listings. Mythical Pizza launches Happy Hour Discounts promotions to help boost sales during slower times of the year, such as back to school season. One campaign in August-October 2023 yielded 104 new customers and $6,800 in sales, achieving a return on ad spend (ROAS) of 6.2X.
"Anything that DoorDash offers, we see if it brings in any business," Burgess shared. "We've done Happy Hour campaigns, a Monday Night Football discount; there have been some cool promotions to attract more people and keep them coming back," he shared.
Burgess also launched a $0 Delivery Fee promotion on large orders to help boost their average order value. The campaign ran from February-March 2024 and generated a hugely successful 21.4X ROAS.
"I like seeing the metrics on the Merchant Portal. You can really see the ROI based on what we put into it and what we get out of it. So even though we paid $400 for adding this promotion, it brought us $3,000 In sales. That makes a huge difference for us."
17.5%
of Mythical Pizza's overall sales come from DoorDash
42%
of Mythical Pizza's DoorDash sales come from new customers
21.4X
return on ad spend (ROAS) of a DoorDash Promotion campaign
3 strategies for elevating your delivery business
Burgess has made several changes along the way to improve delivery efficiency and operations while growing profits:
1. Optimize your delivery menu with photos, descriptions, and customizations
Burgess recommends restaurants add photos to ensure they put their best foot forward on delivery menus: "Photos are extremely important. People shop with their eyes and their stomachs, so it makes a huge difference."
He said having clear, concise menu descriptions is also critical to success on delivery platforms. "You have to be fully open to explaining things to customers," he said. "We try to give all kinds of information about ingredients, toppings, and customizations."
Finally, Burgess recommends offering customizations. "Customization is key for us. So if you go into DoorDash right now, you can order a pizza exactly how you want it — choosing your crust, sauces, drizzles, and edge."
2. Dedicate a staff member to manage delivery and takeout
With so much delivery volume, Burgess created a "guest relations" role devoted to managing off-premise orders.
"Having a guest relations person in place really helps. They get the ticket, make sure the drinks are pulled, and then work with our boxing station," said Burgess. "Our avoidable wait times have dropped. We're getting orders out five minutes before the Dasher even arrives because someone is making sure this order of five pizzas, three salads, and four drinks is all together. Then they hand it off and everyone's happy."
3. Strengthen Dasher relations
In a small town, Burgess often noticed the same Dashers making 20-30 orders in a single day, and decided to give them complimentary pizza slices as a thank you. "These dedicated Dashers tirelessly deliver our orders and smell our pizza all day, so we've found that showing them our appreciation boosts their morale and enhances the quality of service they provide to our customers," explained Burgess.
Advice for fellow restaurants in rural areas
When asked what advice he would offer small town restaurateurs, Burgess urged them to sign up for third-party delivery. "Especially in a rural area, DoorDash makes a huge impact by expanding your sales beyond your own market," he said. "Anyone who's from out of town will see it on the apps, because that's their first choice when they're looking for something to eat. "
"The big thing I'd say to rural restaurants is not to hesitate to sign up for delivery. Working with DoorDash should be at the top of their list."
Continuing to expand their legendary brand
Given Mythical Pizza's cult following, the team is looking to expand the restaurant in the near future, potentially through franchising. "We've made a lot of impact in a short period of time, and we've stood out against the pizza giants," Burgess shared. "We want to keep building momentum, cultivate our following, and work on getting into new markets."
