Mineo’s Pizza in Squirrel Hill delivering pies in new ways during pandemic
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Mineo’s Pizza House in Squirrel Hill will bring the pie to its customers.
For a limited time, the pizza shop is offering delivery. This hasn’t happened in its 61 years of business, except for a short time in the 1970s.
The covid-19 pandemic has restaurants exploring different ways to stay in business while adhering to social distancing rules and keeping employees and customers safe.
Dominic Mineo who co-owns Mineo’s with his brother Giovanni Mineo, Jr., said they offer delivery in roughly a 2-mile radius.
“It’s also a way for us to build some more business during this trying time,” Dominic Mineo said. “We want to help our customers who feel the need to or who have to stay home or who just don’t want to worry about social distancing. We will take care of getting the food to them.”
During the past six weeks, employees have contributed by making deliveries and cleaning the store. Dominic Mineo said he was able to keep everyone employed who wanted to work but had to cut hours.
The business remains cash only.
The bar and party room have been closed since the state’s mandate for take out only. The delivery business has been steady, but the overnight FedEx shipment of pizzas all over the country is growing, he said. There are days they ship 15 to 25 orders.
They also sell 25 to 30 pizza kits a day which include a dough ball, sauce, Mineo’s famous cheese and one topping.
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“The kids really like the pizza kits,” said Shawn Filson, Mineo’s manager and Dominic Mineo’s son-in-law. “It gives them something to do, because they are quarantined at home. They also feel like they’ve accomplished something by making the pizza. And everything is in there so they don’t have to go searching for ingredients.”
Curbside pickup is available.
“It’s all so scary,” Dominic Mineo said. “So many small businesses are struggling and many may not be able to survive. These are trying times.”
He said Mineo’s has been able to endure because of a loyal customer base and experience of a substantial take-out business for 55 years. They are losing money on the alcohol from the bar area, Dominic Mineo said. He said customers have been telling him they miss coming in and sitting at the bar.
“They can’t wait for it to be open,” he said.
Bottles and cans of beer are available to go.
Mineo’s has donated pizzas weekly to places such as UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, UPMC St. Margaret Hospital and Pittsburgh Police Squirrel Hill precinct.
“It’s our way to say, ‘Thank You,’” Filson said.
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“We appreciated all they are doing for the people of this city,” Dominic Mineo said. “They risk their lives every day for us, to keep everyone safe so we can get one day back to some sense of normalcy hopefully soon. We definitely want to open, but we need to focus on keeping this from spreading.”