Courtesy of Mello Mushroom
In 1974, three college-aged guys—Mark “Banks” Weinstein, Rocky Reeves, and Mike Nicholson—opened a counter-service pizza store with a psychedelic vibe in midtown Atlanta. Over the following 50 years, Mellow Mushroom grew right into a full-service restaurant with greater than 160 areas throughout the nation. The model is now returning to its roots with a brand new prototype retailer in Grant Park that focuses on counter service. Now open on Grant Park Boulevard alongside the Eastside Path of the Atlanta Beltline, the brand new Mellow Mushroom kiosk gives ordering, cellular funds and distinctive menu objects, resembling “panizzi”—sizzling sandwiches made with pizza dough.
“Our flour is our bedrock,” says Elizabeth Brush, govt vp of selling. “We take an extra-small dough ball and run it by means of the pizza oven. It is the right marriage of a sandwich and a pizza and might be eaten on the go.”
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
The three,400-square-foot area contains a smaller footprint than most Mellow Mushroom areas. Nonetheless, because it sits alongside the Beltline, it features a 50-seat patio. With an outsized purple fake mushroom hanging above the bar and two enjoyable murals protecting the partitions, it maintains the ’70s type the chain is thought for. On the similar time, it introduces trendy conveniences together with self-service ordering and tap-to-pay.
“For a lot of visitors, eating in a restaurant is turning into much less necessary,” stated Ahsan Ziva, govt vp of technique and transformation. “We needed a fast, seamless choice for visitors.” Though there aren’t any servers, meals runners (operated by RFID expertise) ship meals and drinks to restaurant patrons.
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
Mellow mushroom followers will discover a number of variations on the menu. The hoagie has been swapped out for the aforementioned panizzi—steak with rooster pesto or spicy pickled peppers and garlic ricotta—and new pizzas have been added. These pies embody Cosmic Cheese (traditional cheese in a pesto and vodka sauce swirl), Home Occasion (Italian sausage, bacon, ham, pepperoni, bell pepper, onion, olive, mushroom), and Fajita Steak (ribeye, mozzarella, onion, pickles). jalapenos, pico de gallo, chives, bell peppers, and chipotle aioli).
Different new choices embody Magic Meatballs (rooster and beef varieties with three sauces) and Apple Monkey Bombs (dough bites with apple compote, caramel icing and cinnamon sprinkles) for dessert. The bar gives new drinks, together with the Java Lamp (Titos, cappuccino and chocolate syrup) and an Orange Tango mocktail (monin orange syrup, easy syrup, orange juice, lemon juice, water and chilly foam cream).
Further adjustments, although invisible to the shopper, improve the back-of-home expertise This contains implementing digital show techniques in kitchens and utilizing automated information and analytics to foretell ordering and preparation wants, thereby decreasing waste.
“We’ve got a protracted and storied historical past as a model,” Brash stated. “Proper now, we’re combining effectivity with preserving and selling the model’s vibe and spirit.”
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
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