Independent pizza doesn’t just survive Vegas. We show up and take notes.
The Slice booth is must-visit
More of what you want to know
- Who will be on the panels?
- How can I stay informed at the Expo?
- How do I connect with Slice at the Expo, outside of the booth?
- What hashtags will you be looking for to reshare content at the Expo?
- What if I can’t make it?
If you see a sign like this, you’re in the right place.
Who will be at the Slice booth?
Check out the schedule (and then download the calendar so you’re notified of when they’re happening).
| 3/24/2026 — 11:00AM | |
|---|---|
| Session | What to do this year to sell more pizza |
| Overview | What worked three years ago (even one year ago) probably won’t work now. And if you’re not evolving with the times, you’re risking your shop losing business. In What To Do This Year to Sell More Pizza, we cut through the BS and focus on what’s actually moving the needle for independent shops now, and into the future: direct ordering, customer retention, and building a brand that doesn’t depend on third-party platforms to stay visible. |
| Host | Bruce Irving (Slice) |
| Panel | Adrion Thomas (BLK Crust) Juan Robles (Triple Beam) Joey Sexton (Sexton Pizza) Victoria Tiso (Tori T’s) |
| What you’ll learn | 1. A clear, no-BS plan that’s working for independent shops right now 2. What it takes to build a brand that keeps customers coming back without relying on anyone else to stay visible |
| 3/24/2026 — 2:00PM | |
|---|---|
| Session | Operating a Profitable Pizzeria with a 10-Item Menu (and No Discounts) |
| Overview | More menu. More discounts. More promotions. Convention and tradition says do more to earn more. That’s not always the case. And for some, it’s actually the opposite, In Operating a Profitable Pizzeria with a 10-Item Menu (and No Discounts), we take a closer look at profitable shops that made more with less. This is about focus, margins, and why saying no to complexity is one of the best business decisions an independent owner can make. |
| Host | Bruce Irving (Slice) |
| Panel | Alex Plattner (St. Francis) Giovani Oriente (Pizza Di Farfalla) Justin De Leon (Apollonias) |
| What you’ll learn | 1. How simplifying your menu can actually increase profits 2. Why ditching discounts and promotions is a smart business move 3. How independent shops are winning by focusing on margins over complexity |
| 3/24/2026 — 3:15PM | |
|---|---|
| Session | Will Your Pizzeria Exist in 2036? |
| Overview | This is the panel we think every independent owner needs to sit in on. Not because it’s pessimistic — but because the shops that will still be standing in ten years are the ones thinking about it now. Rising costs, shifting customer habits, delivery economics, and the growing gap between chains and independents: we’re going to talk about all of it, honestly. |
| Host | Ilir Sela (CEO, Slice) |
| Panel | Tomor Turkeshi (Argento’s by Tommy) Sadeer Oraha (Del Cerro Pizza) Vito DeCandia (Angel City Pizza) |
| What you’ll learn | 1. An honest look at the forces reshaping the pizza industry (rising costs, delivery economics, and shifting customer habits) 2. What separates the shops that will thrive in 10 years from the ones that won’t 3. The long-term thinking and strategies you need to make sure your pizzeria is still standing in 2036 |
| 3/25/2026 —2:00PM | |
|---|---|
| Session | People, Profit & Pizza: How Women Are Shaping Independent Ownership |
| Overview | We’re teaming up with Women in Pizza to bring Expo-goers a look at Independent ownership and how the industry relies on people who bet on themselves. How Women Are Shaping Independent Ownership highlights the women who are doing exactly that, and what their experiences reveal about where the industry is headed. For those interested in a new perspective on how the industry is shifting. |
| Host | Anna Crucitt (Owner, Mercurio’s, world pizza champion) |
| Panel | Giorgia Capouruscio (Don Antonio) Mary Ann Giannone (Paulie Gee’s) Blair Pietrini (Pietrini Pizza) |
| What you’ll learn | 1. Firsthand POVs from women who bet on themselves and built thriving independent pizzerias 2. A fresh perspective on what their experiences reveal about where the industry is headed 3. How the stories shaping independent ownership today are redefining what success looks like in pizza |
Add these to your Google Calendar so you get reminded among all the chaos at the Expo.
How did we choose these topics?
We’re focused on the future of independent pizza — from the Predictions Report to why the “Pizza is in Decline” narrative is just wrong.
Working with thousands of indy shops, the threat to our industry isn’t just competition. It’s margin pressure, confusing operations, and relying on platforms that take more than they give, and don’t have an owners’ best interests in mind.
If you walk away from the panels at Expo with just one thing you can actually use, we’ve done our job.
How to connect with Slice before, during, and after the Expo
We want to hear from you before, during, and after the Expo.
- Before the Expo
- Follow us on Instagram at @slice and expect to see questions, polls, and conversations leading up to the show.
- We want to know what’s on your mind heading into Vegas.
- During the Expo
- Stop by Booth #735 and say hi to Will, who’ll be sitting down with owners for quick, casual in-booth interviews.
- No prep needed. We just want your honest take on the industry, the show, whatever’s on your mind. If you’ve got something to say, we want to capture it.
- Stop by Booth #735 and say hi to Will, who’ll be sitting down with owners for quick, casual in-booth interviews.
- After the Expo
- We’ll be sharing what we heard, what we saw, and what the community had to say across our Youtube and Instagram channels.
- Stay tuned to @slice for all of it.
Be sure to tag @slice on Instagram and share your Expo moments using #ExpoWithSlice. We’ll be resharing your thoughts in real-time.
Independent pizzerias deserve to thrive.
Technology, marketing, purchasing, data and all these benefits shouldn’t be exclusive to chains. You need this power, too. And it’s why we keep showing up to have these conversations.
Whether or not you’re at the Expo this year, you can be asking yourself these questions:
- Is your menu working for you or against you?
- Are you building direct customer relationships, or renting them from a platform?
- What does your business look like in five years if nothing changes — and is that okay?
The shops asking these questions today are the ones still standing tomorrow. Come find us at Booth #735.
See you in Las Vegas.
Slice helps independent pizzerias compete with the major chains. Online ordering, automated marketing, and tools built specifically for the way independent shops operate, Slice has you covered. Learn more at Slice.com