sorry to say

i'm sorry to say i've been advised to stop the magic i've been sharing here. we are going into a growth period and we need to keep our cards close to our vests.
i would love to let everyone know where were going but when we get there we'll all know.
ciao for now.
john david dicapo

down in mexico

i'm down in playa del carmen recharging the batteries. just read the glen bell story, the man who started taco bell and funny i seem to be right on track. i see many parallels.
enjoying my time down here.
ciao,
john david

they're coming from all over

friday night we had customers come from overland park and raytown to get a bucket of past, pizza and italian cookies. if that's not a testament to the quality of our food, the value you receive and our great service, i don't know what is.
ciao,
john dicapo

so much happening

we have so much happeneing it's just great.
this is what i've been waiting for.
the team is coming into place.
ciao,
john dicapo

the time has come

the time has come for us to move forward and move forward we will!
john david dicapo

very busy

it's amazing how busy i am. i have so much going on and so many exciting things happening. it's a great time in my life.
i am truly blessed by god on this holy day to have such a wonderful family. a business that's getting ready to expand and my health.
the next few months are going to be great and could define the direction of the company.
stay tuned.
happy easter.
ciao,
john david

we have alot happening

i think were about ready to grow. we have several people who want to be involved. we are checking our options wisely.
we need to get to overland park and we need to make some kind of deal here on barry road.
the world is open and welcoming to the igtogo concept.
were about to take a wild ride.
ciao,
john david dicapo

we are consistant

business is good and consistent. we have our spikes like we did yesterday when we opened at 11am and had 20 cars in a row come through but in general we are remaining very steady in sales.
we are pleased with the progress we've made in the year and a half we've been open and now were ready to grow.
we have many deals in the works including franchising.
we have a great biz model that we know will be successful all over the country.
ciao

the owners came out

i met the owners of the property on barry rd. where the igtogo is located and we discussed the QT problem. they saw firsthand what the problem is and hopefully we can get something done this week. it has definitely hindered business. we need relief.
other than that our customers are very dedicated and love our food. we get compliments daily. it's a good feeling knowing your providing great food at a great price in a clean and fast setting.
we have the recipe for success.its just around the corner.
looking forward to the future. it looks bright.
ciao,
john david dicapo
"ava's dad"

we need some relief

its a shame when a neighboring property owner and a landlord have no regard for an on-time rent paying tenant.
that's our situation on barry road.
QT is our neighbor and they really don't care if we stay in business or not.
they almost closed us down last summer with their construction and now with their 300% increase in gas pumps and building size the amount of traffic that come from their business is staggering.
our properties are adjacent to each other and we share a driveway onto barry road. when their customers exit QT they pass onto our property to exit onto barry road which totally blocks our customers ability to enter or exit our drive thru.
its a bad situation that needs to get fixed.
i am working on several options.
will keep you informed.
ciao,
john dicapo

this may be the way to go

i was recently contacted by an attorney who represents a group who has an interest in licensing the igtogo concept in the kc area. i am excited about the possibilities but also have heard many horror stories about others running your business not necessarily the way you do. this is something we would need to discuss and put on paper. franchising or licencing is a way to expand the concept rapidly and make a huge impact. we are defiantly going to discuss our options and if it's a direction we necessarily want to go.
ciao,
john david dicapo

something normal seemed strange

yesterday while working the pick up window after a customer had picked up his food i stuck out my hand and said thanks. he shook my hand and said that was the first time he had ever been through a drive thru restaurant and had a person shake his hand and say thank you. we'll that's the way we do it at the italian gardens. personal service, restaurant quality food in a clean fast moving environment. we think we have found the magic alchemy for restaurant success. now we need to spread it throughout the country. ciao, john dicapo

New Loyalty Card

we are introducing anew loyalty card today. it will enable any customer to get a free pasta meal or sandwich with the purchase of 10. i have heard and read that loyalty cards are a great promotional item for businesses and we hope this is true. we are always trying to keep our good customers happy and attract new customers. i have several meeting this week that could change the direction of igtogo. we hope we can make a deal and start to move forward. we're sitting on top of a gold mine and we need to keep digging and grinding it out. it's a beautiful thing!. ciao, john david dicapo

i can't believe

i can't believe its been two weeks since i updated the blog. i have been so busy with so much going on. we are real close to getting something done and there is so much excitement in the air.
business is just ok bust the possibilities are endless. with a great location we can make history. i will be back soon.
ciao,
john david dicapo

another good week

we're starting to have good weeks back to back. that's a very encouraging sign.
we know we have a good product and a good name.
we have to make sure we keep our employees motivated to do the very best job they can do.
it's important that we grow and stay green.
we need to keep improving and continue to add more customers to our base.
we're doing the right thing we just need to keep getting better.
ciao,
john david

another good weekend

we are becoming consistently busy friday-sunday and that's great.
we have steady customers who now have igtogo etched in their weekly food schedule and that was one of our goals.
serve high quality italian food in a quick serve setting, providing value to the consumer with a smile and a thank you ciao baby.
it's working and now we need to expand.
john david dicapo

it's getting close

we're getting real close to making a deal. we really need to grow. we have the best new food concept to come along in years and we need to expand it. it still boggles my mind on what business we could do in jo/co with the right location.
our barry road location is doing good. we have great managers and our staff is top shelf. i'm a lucky guy and i thank god for it.
maybe this will be the week we make a deal and break out. if not this week than next.
we will not quit until we have accomplished our goals.
ciao,
john david dicapo

best saturday day shift ever

we are on a roll. the day shift yesterday was non-stop. in speaking with customers i found that borders books had our book on sale yesterday prominently displayed in the front of the store. that started a buzz and people came from the book store straight to igtogo. what a great marketing idea. the book has really brought attention to the restaurant and guess where we've sold most of our books in the k.c. area?
overland park. i can't wait to get there.
all we need is a few more investors and we're ready to get started.
i'm going to church right now to pray that we get those investors soon so we can realize the dream.
ciao and god bless.
john d. dicapo

never felt so good

i've really never felt as good as i do now about the direction of the igtogo.
we have several interested investors who want to take us to the next level. when you see the happy and satisfied look on our customers faces when we give them their order you would surely understand how that makes me feel.
i can't wait to make the move and show the world.
ciao,
john dicapo

steady as she goes

we have been very lucky to have been able to stay open in these tough turbulent times with a new concept in a location that's very hard to access. we have seen many established businesses go under. i guess it's a testament that good italian food in a drive thru scenario that provides value to the consumer works.
our business has been real steady and we hope to increase sales as the weather gets better and folks go out more.
we will continue to market and advertise and sell a quality product in a fast, convenient,clean, friendly atmosphere.
ciao,
john david dicapo

posting on facebook

i've been posting the op opportunity to my friends on facebook looking for a few folks to participate in our overland park expansion. if all goes well we should be funded by the end of feb so we can get started and be open in the fall. business is really steady on barry road. i had a meeting with an experienced fellow who complimented us on the success we've had on barry rd. saying "with the lack of accessibility you have on barry to do the sales and business you've done is almost impossible".
it's good to hear from a stranger how hard work pays off.
we need to keep the ball rolling and make our operation better, faster, cleaner.
QSR quality, service, cleanliness.
have a great weekend.
ciao,
john david dicapo
head meatball

we are awarded

We are pleased to announce the Italian Gardens Togo has been awarded the 2010 Grade A Food Excellence Award form the Kansas City Health Department.
Congratulations to our managers and staff.
Salute
John D. DiCapo

best day ever

we had our single best day ever on sunday feb 13th and our best weekend. what a great time for great sales. our customers love it and our employees are doing a great job. we intending a little employee shake-up creating a day shift and a night shift bring one of our stronger people in to help develop the 11-4 business. we are initiating the new changes with a free drink offer with pasta or sandwich
still seeking investors for the op store. it will be a winner!
ciao,
john dicapo

cold, cold week

we had a very cold week in k.c. and it was reflected in our sales. we just started to come out of it yesterday and hope that the mild temps will get biz back on track.
i have several meeting in jo/co today and tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to make a deal and see what we can really do in a more upscale neighborhood.
ciao,
john david

just an average weekend

we thought with the relatively mild weather and the valuemail advertising we would have a great weekend. it was just ok. average at best. must have had to do with the blizzard on monday. people went out and spent and didn't have money for the weekend. i'm curious to see the sales from the pizza companies.
we have a promotion starting today. buy a sandwich or pasta from 11-4 and get a free drink. we'll see if we can spark some day biz.
you have to keep marketing. that's the tool for success.
enjoy your week.
ciao,
john david

crazy week so far

what a crazy week so far. the blizzard started tuesday morn and kept us closed for the past 2 days. no revenues yet no expenses. we're back at it today and are excited to open back up and get the pasta flowing. we received several calls last night wanting to know if we were open and i had to tell them reluctantly no. they were calling!
we have an ad in the valumail magazine going out today so this weekend along with superbowl should be great.
i will keep you informed.
ciao,
john dicapo

we exceeded our numbers

can you imagine hitting your projected numbers at a location that customers have to literally drive thru quik trips parking lot to get to.
that's what we did on barry road for 2010. its amazing we can do much business in a location that is land locked and almost impossible to get into and then out of.
i have been spending time speaking to our customers and almost all agree that if the igtogo was in an accessible location we could do 50% more business and maybe more.
that alone is driving me to get to jo/co and get a location that is easily accessible.
we'll do great. people love our food, value and service.
it will be the beginning of a restaurant powerhouse.
come along for the ride.
contact me on my cell 816-590-9950
ciao,
john david dicapo

out looking for a few good men or women

we have our subscription agreement completed and i'm out looking for those few men and women we need to get the igtogo op financed and started. it's amazing how broke alot of the people i thought had money are and how much money i thought people who were broke have.
the people participating are working class folk who see in me and the igtogo an opportunity to get a residual income for the remainder of their lives if were successful and their money back before i take a dime of profits. sometimes the unsophisticated investor is the smartest and i defiantly think the people who have signed up with me will get way more in return than they have put in and it will be a privilege for me to pay them back.
unlike swindlers and wall street stock brokers I'm here to make money for me and my investors and grow the italian gardens togo into a major restaurant chain.
i will dance with the ones that are bringing me to where i want to go.
i feel great!
ciao,
john david

i'm really excited

i worked at the igtogo last night and i'm so pumped up about the new place it's hard to keep it in. the customers that came by were so happy to get the wonderful food we sell and told me so. several said they enjoyed the gardens more than any restaurant in town drive thru, sit down or otherwise. they can't believe the customer service we give. one guy said he was talked to more at the gardens than he was at an applebbes where he sat as a customer.
that's great for me to hear and i know it will help make the gardens successful.
i am going to call each and every potential investor today and see what happens.
i feel its going to be a good day.
ciao,
john david dicapo

were on our way

we finalized the subscription agreement over the weekend and sent it out this morning. we are really excited to get our investors together and get started. hopefully we can be done by the end of the week.
we can then go to the sba and get approval. sign purchase agreement for the land and were off to the races.
an igtogo in op is going to be a game-changer not only for us but for the whole quick serve industry.
i feel so good about it it's hard to keep it in. i just had a plate of penne with tomato sauce and the folks in op will just go wild.
life is good!
john david dicapo

i can't believe its been a week

with my daughter ava's 8th birthday and the snow storm this week i haven't had time to blog. business has been down because of the snow but that was to be expected. we had our crew placing door hangers in the neighborhood. i think its helping. it sure can't hurt. business is really tough right now but we are doing a good job connecting with our customers. service with a smile.
i have spent the last couple of weeks working on our subscription agreement for igtogo op. it's going to be a great restaurant and will take our company to a higher level. we expect to do over $1m in sales but to be on the safe side were projecting $900k for business purposes.
i get so excited sometimes i can see the new building and the customers driving around it picking up their food enjoying themselves listening to great italian music.
life is good.
john david dicapo

advertising doesn't cost it pays

i'm a believer. we have great food and great prices now we just need to let people know. we sent out a team of people to put door hangers on the apartment complexes around the igtogo and we saw business double. we had a before the blizzard sales day yesterday just 1 day after the team went out. alot of new customers. wow!
now i know why mcdonalds and BK are always on tv advertising their restaurants. it works. we hope to see the spike in sales continue thru the weekend and become a trend and you can bet me that team of door to door advertisers will be back out next week.
salute,
john d. dicapo
p.s. my dad and i are going to be on the radio today celebrating our new book and the igtogo. another boost.

it's been a week

wow i haven't blogged in over a week. flu bug and the terrible weather we've had are the culprits of that. i'm back now and in the process of getting the subscription letter done for igtogo overland park. we should be able to start getting investors to write checks in a week or so and get this ball rolling. before we know it spring will be here and we need to be ready.
with the snow and cold temps business has slowed but we are prepared by limiting our labor and keeping costs down. we need to advertise a little more and think about new ways to attract customers. if they don't come to you you must go to them.
overall i'm very happy and can't wait to get things moving forward at a rapid pace.
ciao,
john david dicapo

the holidays are over

we had a good holiday season. business was up from last year and the staff at the igtogo was just great. we received several compliments on how courteous and fun our staff is and how it is a welcomed pleasure to drive thru igtogo.
i really think that's great and that's exactly what we've tried to accomplish in our business. even though we are a drive thru only we are still in the food service business and we need to always treat our customers like their coming into our home.
now that the holidays are over we need to establish our lunch business and market our family dinners.we need to promote off-site catering. we need to look at new menu items folks asked for during the holidays like chicken spedini and continue to make our service better.
we always need to strive to improve.
ciao,
john dicapo