Author: Artsy Chow Roamer

MOD Pizza

HAVE IT YOUR WAY-A REVIEW

If you’re looking for table service and real silverware this might not be your place but MOD Pizza is giving you pie your way and that’s a good thing. In this post I’ll give you more than a few reasons why you should check out MOD Pizza sooner rather than later.

MOD SQUAD STORY

The idea was born in Seattle of course-just another trendy city with great food on the West Coast. Scott and Ally Svenson were trying to find quick, affordable options for their growing family. What kid doesn’t want pizza? Am I right?

Only thing was they wanted it to be freshly made on the spot in an artisan but quick sorta way. They wanted fresh healthy ingredients even though it was fast food. They wondered if there was a better way to do pizza and just as importantly; a better way to do business.

So they started MOD. It all works pretty simply and straight forward. Offer fresh made stuff either their way or your way with over 30 ingredients to choose from and no matter what you pick-it’s the same price.

LET’S TALK MENU

The menu is right up front and lets you pick their options and change them up or go down the cafeteria style service line and make up your own as you go. Extremely helpful that they have the calorie counts on everything! They offer 9 different styles; some more classic such as the Mad Dog for meat lovers and the Dillon James for margherita fans.

Want something a little more outta the box? Try the Caspian with bar-b-que chicken or the Lucy Sunshine with artichokes. Even if you choose one of theirs you can add something or take away anything you don’t want. No price change…say whhhaatt? I said no price change! 😉

Maybe you don’t want a pizza. How about one of their salads offered in several sizes and types like Caesar or Simple; add a side like garlic or cheesy strips. Different locations offer a good range of beverages too including beer and wine.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

This is a chain folks with lots of locations in the US and UK with more coming soon. The one we recently visited was in Dawsonville and there is also one in Decatur, Sandy Springs, Chamblee and Kennesaw if you live around Atlanta. Our visit was for “linner”; what I call a meal that got too late for lunch but too early for dinner.

It usually means a slower time so I can get better photo ops etc. Such was not the case as the place was still busy with constant foot traffic coming and going and a long line at the drive through for take out. One employee was doing nothing but folding all the boxes necessary for this traffic.

WHAT WE ORDERED

The server explained the process to us and pulled out a sheet for each of us and wrote down what we ordered. Clever how this also turned out to be the lining paper they put on the tray with your pizza-saving paper is a good thing.

I took the Mad Dog cause that’s just how I roll. Being European, my husband went for the Dominic which involved red onion, white sauce, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. I took mine the way it came-he added anchovies to his. Nice!

We also took small Caesar salads with tomatoes added-something that really wasn’t necessary as it turns out. We easily could have shared one and the tomatoes didn’t add anything to the mix-we should have just kept it simple stupid.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PIE

Everything was extremely fresh. The salad, while good, was not the best I have ever had but it worked. The pizza was excellent. I could see why the drive through line was so long. Thin crispy crusts with good flavor finished just right by an Italian style oven with fire (did I mention those gluten free and cauliflower options? Oh yeah-they got you covered).

The right amount of sauce so as not to be sloppy when picked up is a good detail. Nice finish on the meats on mine with a good amount of cheese. My husband’s only criticism was he felt it was skimpy on the anchovies but I am pretty sure the kids on the service lines take an American approach to this fish-less is best!

The place smelled like Italian herbs and fresh bread baking. While it feels modern and retro at the same time (note the cool teal cement blocks that said old style Florida to me) it also had the busy feel of a family run place that is popular. This means that it gets messier than it should.

I had to clean our table off myself but an employee did swing by to pick our trays up when we were done. You do have to pick up your own tray when ready as well. This is a fast food concept but they might take some hints from Culvers down the road.

PRICES

The good news is a 6” Mini thin crust runs a little over $6. An 11” MOD to share is a little over $8 and a Mega crust model is $10. That’s some pretty darn good fresh pizza prices. The bad news to me was a mini Caesar Salad at the same price as the pizza making our lunch with two beers (sorry folks, no wine at this location..hmmmm…) at more than your average fast food ticket for sure-but there was beer! 😎

CONCLUSION

MOD Pizza is trying to have a better business model by paying their employees higher than industry rates, giving benefits, hiring folks with special needs and ones who need a second chance. They put people first cause they feel if you take care of your people they will take care of you and the business will flourish.

They are community committed and do a whole butt load of giving back. They are trying to be mindful of animal ethics, environmental impact (can I just mention that there could be more thought given to the number of single use plastics) and a commitment to quality. You can’t ask for much more than that. Check plus MOD Pizza! 👍

I hope you enjoyed reading this review and take a trip out to see the MOD Squad in action-the pie is most definitely worth it. If you enjoyed reading this, you might like to read others under Edible Fare as well. Hey, Constant Reader, let me hear from ya on anything generally having to do with pie OK? Until next time…

Cheers,

ArtsyChowRoamer

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