Pizza complaints at Tommy's Tavern and Tap dropped from roughly 1.5 percent to just 0.25 percent after the 19-location bar-and-grill concept switched to Bacio Cheese — a result that frames the brand's broader push to reposition premium cheese as an operator growth strategy, not simply a commodity input.

The Opportunity on the Menu

Bacio, a mozzarella-style pizza cheese made with a Kiss of Buffalo Milk® and part of the Leprino Foods family of brands, has long been a fixture in dedicated pizzerias. Now the company is actively courting full-service bar-and-grill operators, where pizza often occupies a supporting role on sprawling menus. According to a 2026 Bacio survey, 97% of U.S. consumers love or like pizza, and 88% say they are eating the same amount or more pizza compared to the prior year — data points the brand is using to make the case that upgrading a pizza program can meaningfully shift guest behavior.

"Guests are becoming more selective when dining out, so operators need a standout pizza program that creates a distinct reason to return," said Bobbi Laski, brand manager for Bacio. "A premium pizza program can be the differentiator operators need."

The cheese is available in blocks, diced, and shredded blends, and is formulated to perform across oven types — a practical consideration for bar-and-grill kitchens that were not purpose-built for pizza production. Bacio cites rich melt, superior stretch, and strong reheat performance as core selling points for operators serving both dine-in and growing off-premise channels.

A Real-World Case Study

Tommy's Tavern and Tap offers a concrete proof point. The concept serves sushi, burgers, and classic tavern fare across 19 locations, yet its coal-fired pizza has become a signature destination item. Executive Chef Chris Perrino credits the consistency of the cheese with making that possible.

"When people eat our pizza and can't figure out how to replicate it, it has become part of the secret sauce of our business," Perrino said. "I went with Bacio because it's a quality cheese that makes a great pizza, consistently every time."

For Perrino, the economics are straightforward: spending more on premium ingredients to generate outsized returns in guest retention is, in his framing, "really good math." He also notes that Bacio's reheat performance has proven especially valuable as takeout volume grows — a slice picked up twenty minutes after cooking still stretches "almost like fresh mozzarella" rather than turning oily or rubbery. For operators navigating the expanding off-premise dining landscape, that kind of hold quality can be the difference between a one-time order and a loyal takeout customer.

Beyond the pizza line itself, Tommy's uses Bacio in menu items like its signature spinach and artichoke dip, consolidating SKUs while maintaining quality across the kitchen.

Rewards That Fund Training

Bacio pairs its product pitch with its Gold Club Rewards program, through which operators earn monthly cash-back rewards and access to customized marketing support. Tommy's used those accumulated rewards to hire a dedicated pizza specialist who rotates among all 19 restaurants, training staff on technique and consistency.

"We used our rewards to hire our best pizza guy to travel restaurant to restaurant teaching our staff how to make pizza with Bacio," Perrino said.

Operators can enroll through a Performance Food Group distributor partner, with purchases tracked automatically. The program also unlocks access to Bacio's Marketing Store for co-branded merchandising support — a resource that positions the cheese supplier closer to a menu-development partner than a broadline vendor.

For bar-and-grill operators weighing where to invest as food costs and guest expectations continue to shift, the Bacio model suggests that ingredient quality, consistency infrastructure, and supplier incentive programs can work together to convert an ordinary menu line into a measurable traffic driver.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.