What does the future hold for Pizza Express?

Pizza Express is one of my favourite restaurants. In general the staff are excellent and attentive, the environments are contemporary, friendly and conducive to many occasions and the food and drink are very good (I defy to not be impressed by a Capriciossa or Siciliana pizza!)

But not so long ago (or maybe a few years) Pizza Express embarked on a bold strategy – The Threshers Strategy. This strategy turned me and Mrs Monkey from regular and loyal customers into voucher hungry junkies, swapping our favourite pizzas for Bella Italia or worse in the quest for perceived value. These days, embarrassingly, we only go when there’s some sort of money saving offer to warrant the trip to our favourite eating haunt.

Pizza Express’ reliance on downloadable vouchers has intrigued me. Did this start as an ad hoc reactive tactic to drive footfall? Or was this a long-term data acquisition programme that will reap revenue and loyalty when they launch something new to the world?

Well maybe the latter isn’t such a daft thought, as Pizza Express are planning on turning their concept on its head., starting with an experimental new restaurant unit. Well, maybe. Or they might just be opening up a fancy new restaurant in London for a PR stunt?

If Pizza Express really are embarking on a new type of restaurant concept then what does this hold for a brand that, to an outsider like me, seemed to get very confused about its core offering without ever really changing its fundamental product. I wonder if people have changed their perceptions of Pizza Express through their voucher-reliant period or have they been very clever in riding a recession and maintaining a strong brand as well as their market share?

Does Pizza Express’ new experiment in Richmond contradict the voucher led strategy, or can the two work side by side to create value and experience under one ubiquitous brand?

Next time I sit down with a Peroni Gran Riserva and dough balls I wonder if I’ll be clutching a (scrumpled up) printed-voucher in hand or whether I’ll be there for the Richmond-inspired ambience.