Doing Time w/ Darby Aldaco of Pizza Thief

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On this episode, meet Darby Aldaco, owner of Pizza Thief! 🍕 We dive deep into Darby's journey from literally stealing pizzas as a teenager to becoming one of Portland's most respected pizzeria owners. Plus: Tony (Darby's business partner) makes a surprise appearance, social media burnout confessions, and why Darby thinks pizza ovens are overrated!

 

Key Ingredients 

✅ How to transition from pastry chef to pizza maker   ✅ Managing a team of 30+ employees across two locations   ✅ The real cost of using premium ingredients (spoiler: their cheese alone costs $0.70 more per pound!)   ✅ Why Pizza Thief's margins are only 30% on their most expensive pie   ✅ The psychology of pricing $30+ pizzas in today's market

 

 

Chapters:

2:07 Pizza Maker Secrets: Why Baking Takes Talent, Pizza Takes Time

3:25 From Pastry Chef to Pizza Maker

10:25 Pizza Thief Origin Story: How Stealing Pizza Led to Prison Time

15:16 How to Start a Pizza Business: From Failed Bakery to Portland Success

19:47 Pizza Shop Partnership: When Business Partners Feel Trapped

23:08 Portland Pizza Scene: Market Analysis & Local Competition

37:47 Pizza Shop Operations: Managing Staff & Daily Challenges

31:36 Pizza Business Finances: The Reality of Premium Ingredient Costs

50:17 Restaurant Social Media Burnout: Is Instagram Hurting Your Business?

01:24:11 Pizza Equipment Deep Dive: Why Pizza Masters Are Overrated