PIZZA STEEL & TAKEOUT + INFORMATION
We’ve searched far and wide for ways to improve our takeout pizzas so they are closer to “straight out of the oven” (including box inserts, foil, fans, etc), but we’ve found that what “kills” them and makes the crust soft is the steam that is created when the hot pizza goes in the box. We have an awesome solution which is to order your pizzas “Takeout Plus” and reheat them on our Pizza Steel cast iron pan on the stove top when you get home. It both heats the pizza back up and crisps the bottom again so it doesn’t have that soft crust in the middle. It only takes 1-2 minutes and the result really is worth it! You can use our Pizza Steel, or if you have a cast iron pan that fits our pizza, that will work just as well!
The Punch Pizza Steel is a flat cast iron pan designed to heat up and restore Punch takeout pizza. It works on any kitchen stove top and takes only 2 – 3 minutes. The difference is remarkable! Watch the Pizza Steel in action!
To reheat using the Pizza Steel order your pizzas as TAKEOUT + (“Takeout Plus”). Select “Customize” under your pizza and you’ll find “Takeout Plus” under the Options submenu.
Think of Takeout Plus as a different word for “Parbake”. The pizzas themselves are exactly the same as a normal pizza except they are uncut and the bottoms of the pizzas are cooked in a way that they reheat extremely well on the Pizza Steel.
HOW TO PURCHASE A PIZZA STEEL
You can add one to your online order and we will have it ready with your food when you arrive to the restaurant. You can also stop in and place your order at the restaurant. If you already have a Pizza Steel, remember to order your pizzas Takeout + for best results.
HOW TO USE A PIZZA STEEL
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS
STOVETOP VS OVEN
The Pizza Steel can be used on the stovetop or in the oven. Ideally, if the pizza is under 30 minutes old it’s best (and easiest) to use the stovetop and if it’s over 30 minutes old the oven is best. The determining factor between the stovetop and the oven is how cold the pizza is. When a pizza is no longer warm, the oven will heat the pizza up in less time than the stovetop. Under 30 minutes the pizza is still warm enough to use the stove top. The Pizza Steel works on gas, electric, flat top, and induction burners. Refrigerated pizzas should be reheated in the oven. Punch does not recommend freezing our pizza.
HEAT
You want to thoroughly heat the Pizza Steel before using it. Since everyone’s burners are different, the key is to have the pan hot enough so the cheese and/or tomatoes start to bubble within 1 ½ – 2 ½ minutes. If it takes longer, then the pan isn’t hot enough. If it takes shorter, then the pan might be too hot (and will burn the crust).
JUST LIKE PANCAKES
To make great pancakes, you need to get the heat of the pan right. Too hot and the pancakes will burn before the inside is cooked. Too cool and the pancake will dry out before achieving a golden-brown color.
PRO-TIP
Rubbing a little water on the bottom of the pizza crust adds moisture that is reabsorbed into the crust. Although not necessary, it does make a more tender crust. Wet your hand under a faucet and then rub the bottom of the crust. It also helps protect the crust from burning.
REHEAT + RESTORE
When you use a Pizza Steel, you are “Reheating” the pizza while it “Restores” the crust back to normal. NOTE: A Pizza Steel crust will always be more firm/crisp than our normal pizza.
PREVENT BURNING
You should constantly check the bottom of the pizza to prevent burning. Since every stovetop is different, you should modify the heat of your stovetop so tomatoes/cheese bubble within 1 ½ – 2 ½ minutes. Even if the bottom begins to darken a little, like char on our pizzas (or on toast) it still has a great flavor.
OPTIMAL REHEAT TIME
Ideally, you want to “reheat” the pizza and “restore” the crust in as short amount of time as possible WITHOUT burning the bottom. The longer the pizza stays on a pan, the drier and less tender the crust will become. This is why for cold pizzas, it’s best to use an oven so the pizzas don’t have to spend longer than 3 ½ minutes warming up. Pizzas that are more heavily topped will take longer than lightly topped pizzas (all things being equal).
CAN YOU REHEAT A CUT PIZZA?
Pizzas that are cut can still be used on the Pizza Steel but they should be placed on a round piece of parchment paper (normal parchment paper cut into a circle with scissors). Parchment paper can catch fire if it is allowed to hang over the pan.
HOW IS TAKEOUT + DIFFERENT THAN PARBAKE?
Typically, parbaked pizzas are only partially cooked and have to finish cooking in a home oven. The extra time in the oven dries out the pizza crust and makes it tough. Takeout + pizzas are fully cooked but the Pizza Steel allows the pizza to reheat more quickly – keeping the crust more tender. BOTTOM LINE: Takeout + pizzas reheat quicker and the crust is more tender than parbaked pizza. “Parbake” is still an order option if you don’t have a Pizza Steel or cast iron pan.
FOCACCIA
Unless specifically requested, salad focaccia will still be cut (if pizzas are ordered TAKEOUT+). Whole or individual pieces can be “REHEATED + RESTORED” on the Pizza Steel. The same pizza instructions apply to focaccia as well – just less time on the Pizza Steel. 1-2 minutes.
GLUTEN-FREE PIZZAS
GF pizzas can be “REHEATED + RESTORED” on the Pizza Steel. Same pizza instructions apply but with additional care to not let bottom of crust char.
SERVING THE PIZZA
After the pizza has been reheated, place the pizza on a cutting board and cut the pizza with a knife or pizza cutter. Do not cut the pizza on the Pizza Steel.
OTHER USES FOR THE PAN
Grilled sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, warming tortillas, panini – the uses are endless!
PIZZA STEEL CARE
Like any cast iron pan, it’s pretty easy to care for. Just wash it with soap and water and dry it by hand. Rub a little bit of oil on it after drying to keep it from rusting.
WHAT IS DIGITAL DINE-IN?
Punch Digital Dine-In is the new & easy option for dine-in service. Use our App or Website to order your food and select a dine-in time. At Punch, skip the order line and simply check in with our host. When your table is ready, you’ll be seated and your food made and served.
HOW DOES DIGITAL DINE-IN WORK?
STEP #1: PRE-ORDER USING OUR APP OR WEBSITE
- Select the Dine-In order option
- Add your food and drinks to the basket
- Choose your dine-in time – popular times go fast!
STEP #2: AT PUNCH, SKIP THE ORDER LINE
- Visit the Check-in counter to be seated
- Once you’ve been seated, your food will be made and served hot and fresh out of the oven
CAN I STILL JUST ORDER AT THE RESTAURANT?
Absolutely! Just come in and place your dine-in or takeout order with our cashier. Please Note: we now have two ways you can order: app/website or walk-in. Availability is first come first served. During busy lunch and dinner periods, certain times can sell out. We do not prioritize one order method over the other and believe two ways of ordering are better than just one.
WHY DID YOU CREATE THE DIGITAL DINE-IN OPTION?
To save customers time! The number one complaint we get is about the long order lines. Digital Dine-In saves customers time and provides a better experience for the majority of our loyal customers. Additionally, customers now have the flexibility of ordering whenever they want, how they want, and for the time they want.
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WHY DO YOU LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PIZZAS YOU SELL?
The number of pizzas that we sell is determined by the capacity of our oven. We sell only as many pizzas as we can make every hour. If we sold more than we could make, then our kitchens would get backed up and everyone would have to wait longer for their pizza. By selling only what we can make, our kitchens can run fast, have the highest quality and be on time.
HOW DO YOU LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PIZZAS YOU SELL?
We have a capacity management system that orders are filtered through. When you order a pizza, you are actually reserving a spot in our oven for a specific time. When all of the spots are taken, we stop taking orders for that time. When we are really busy, times can get sold out.
Before we offered online ordering, customers had only one way to order – wait in the order line at the restaurant. One good cashier could ring in exactly what our ovens could produce. That’s why our stores never had a second cashier or allowed phone orders. The additional orders would overwhelm the capacity of the oven. When we designed our online order system we knew we had to build a system that wouldn’t sell more pizzas than we could make. That’s why some times aren’t available when you order – they are sold out. All orders (online, phone and walk-ins) will go through our capacity management system. By managing capacity in this way, our kitchens can remain on time and we can deliver the best possible service.
WHY DON’T YOU RESERVE PIZZAS FOR WALK-IN CUSTOMERS?
Most of the time, a customer can walk in, order with the cashier, and get their pizza quickly. But during really busy periods when orders are coming in fast (whether placed in-store or online) our oven capacity fills up. During these busy hours, we do reserve about half of our oven capacity for orders placed in-store but please be aware that those times still go quickly! After even ten minutes of in-store orders, all the dedicated capacity could be used up for the next hour.
WILL I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A TABLE?
Not usually, but when our patio is closed or during peak dinner hours, it is possible to have a short wait. Our Host prioritizes each customer based on their dine-in time and will seat each customer in order. We make sure that every customer is comfortably seated before their order comes out.
Where do I place my order online?
Visit our website or download our app at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for a seamless ordering experience!
Where do I go to pick up my order? Do I need to wait in line if I’ve placed an order online?
No need to wait in line. Stop in at your designated time and give your first name and pickup or dine-in time to the greeter at the Check-In counter.
Why can’t I make a special request?
In order to streamline the online order process, we are unable to accept special requests. Please order at the restaurant if you need us to accommodate a special request.
Why can’t I order as many pizzas as I want?
At certain times our oven is at maximum capacity – or close to it. Subsequently, we are only able to accommodate smaller online orders. Our maximum online order size is 6 pizzas and 6 salads to ensure your complete order is hot and fresh at your pickup time. If you need to order more than 6 pizzas feel free to place a second order – just make sure you remember to let us know you have two orders!
Why can’t I change my order once I’ve paid?
Once you submit an online order, it is stored in a network and not printed until your order is ready to be made. If you’ve noticed a mistake after ordering, you can speak to our Call Center at 612-223-7200 who may be able to adjust your order for you. *Please note: We cannot always adjust pickup times or pickup locations. We can only modify future orders that have not yet been sent to the store. Orders are sent to the store a minimum of 30 minutes before the pickup time.
Do I have to create a profile?
When placing an order online, you have the option to create an account or checkout as a guest. We recommend creating an account. By creating a profile, you will be able to:
- quickly replicate your order using Favorite Orders or Recent Orders.
- save individual customized menu items as favorites to allow for quick adding of your favorite pizza or salad with desired modifications.
- save your personal and payment information for quick and easy checkout.
- use Apple Pay or Google Pay!
Please reach out to our Call Center at 612.223.7200 or email us here.
We do not have phones at our stores, but our Call Center is staffed with Punch employees and can help with any issues or concerns you have. We regularly monitor our voicemail, so if we don’t answer please leave a message and we will give you a call back as soon as possible.
At this time we do not have a delivery option available. We have found through testing that we are not able to ensure our high quality standards are met using the 3rd party delivery options available. Please place your takeout order online and select your desired pickup time for the quickest way to get Punch Pizza!
Please note: We do not have a partnership through any 3rd party marketplace websites. If you place your order on a 3rd party site (i.e. postmates.com) we do not have access to the order and unfortunately cannot help with any issues with orders through those sites. Thank you for your understanding.
We offer a few ways to check the balance of your gift card:
- Easiest: Using the web, navigate to our online ordering site. Select any location. When the menu opens, you will see a “Gift Card Balance” option appear on the top banner or in the menu on mobile. Follow the instructions there to read your current gift card balance.
Please note: If you have a gift card that does not contain a pin and would like to use it to pay for an online order, please call us at 612-223-7200 and we will help you with this request. - Contact our Service Center at 612-223-7200.
- Bring the gift card into any Punch location and the cashier can swipe to get the balance.
- Send a message with the numbers on the back of the card here and we will get back to you with the balance.
Can I use a gift card to pay for my online order?
Up to two gift cards containing a security pin may be used for payment on online orders. The security pin is a 6-digit number that you’ll find under the silver scratch-off area on the back of the gift card.
If you have a gift card that does not contain a pin and would like to use it to pay for an online order, please call us at 612-223-7200 and we will help you with this request.
Three of our salads are available with a half size option: Punch, Caesar, and Gorgonzola.
Full size salads are served with 4 pieces of focaccia and half size salads are served with 2 pieces.
If you own a Punch Pizza Steel (or similar), pizzas are best when ordered “Takeout Plus” and follow the instructions here to reheat. If you do not have a Pizza Steel but want to finish your pizzas at home, ordering them “Par Bake” is the best option.
What is the difference between TAKEOUT + and PARBAKE?
Typically, parbaked pizzas are only partially cooked and have to finish cooking in a home oven. The extra time in the oven dries out the pizza crust and makes it tough. Takeout + pizzas are fully cooked, but the Pizza Steel allows the pizza to reheat more quickly – keeping the crust more tender. BOTTOM LINE: Takeout + pizzas reheat quicker and the crust is more tender than parbaked pizza. “Parbake” is still an order option if you don’t have a Pizza Steel or cast iron pan.
To re-heat your parbake pizzas:
1. Take pizza out of the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
2. Place oven rack in center of oven.
3. For best results, place a large cast iron pan, griddle or pizza stone on oven rack.
4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (about 30 minutes).
5. Using your fingers, lightly rub a little water on crust and bottom of pizza.
6. Place pizza (out of the box) in pan, griddle or pizza stone (or directly on oven rack).
7. Cook approximately 3-3.5 minutes. Cheese should be melted and starting to bubble. Do not overcook.
8. Cut and serve!
Yes, we offer a gluten-free crust. You can order it online* or in-store.
*Since we make our gluten-free dough from scratch daily, we have a limited amount of gluten-free crusts available every day. Please order ahead on our online ordering site to confirm availability.
The ingredients in the crust are Gluten Free Flour (Wheat Starch, Dextrose, Maize Starch, Buckwheat Flour, Rice Starch, Psyllium Seed Fiber, Thickener: Guar; Flavoring), Water, Salt, Yeast, Olive Oil.
Please note: This crust is not safe for those who have severe gluten allergies because our kitchen environment has wheat flour in the air and all pizzas are cooked in the same oven. While we have kitchen procedures in place to avoid cross-contamination, we can’t guarantee our Gluten-Free pizza will be 100% gluten free. Please consider this when ordering our GF pizza.
Please see our Allergy Matrix to check if a menu item contains gluten.
We do not have a detailed nutritional analysis of our food. If you have any specific questions about ingredients or allergens click here or please email us directly.
More about Neapolitan style pizza:
While the benefits of a Mediterranean diet are well documented, it’s not until you travel to southern Italy that you discover how healthy the people appear. We don’t know if it’s because Naples is the birthplace of both espresso and pizza, but Neapolitans exude energy. While we are not nutritionists, there appears to be some fundamental reasons that the diet is healthier than others — specifically how Neapolitans make and enjoy their pizzas.
Simplicity:
- Crushed Tomatoes: One thing that usually surprises our customers is the answer to what’s in our tomato sauce: Our sauce is simply crushed tomatoes – nothing else. If you pick up a jar of tomato sauce in the store, it’s shocking to see just how much stuff is in there besides tomatoes.
- Dough: It is no secret that our dough recipe is top secret! While it contains only flour, yeast, water and salt it is a very complicated recipe and scientific process. We are passionate about making dough from scratch every day and committed to the old world standard of dough making.
- Ingredients: We take pride in using fresh, natural, non-processed “whole” ingredients. All of our vegetables are received fresh and prepped daily. We source all of our meats and cheeses from purveyors dedicated to quality above all else. Our prosciutto from Parma, Italy is made using a centuries old technique and our sausage is from a local family-run whole-hog producer. At Punch, we don’t cut corners and we purchase ingredients based on quality first.
Lightness:
When people come to Punch for the first time many are surprised by the difference in the amount of toppings compared to traditional American pizza. Neapolitan pizzas are designed to be light and are offered as a first course in Naples rather than a main course. After eating an American pizza you are usually left feeling heavy and maybe a little guilty, but after eating a Neapolitan pizza you actually feel good and even energized.
Tradition:
The classic pizza of Naples, Italy is the Margherita. This pizza is made with only fresh mozzarella, crushed tomatoes, and fresh basil. When this “simple” pizza is prepared and cooked properly it is one of the most delicious things in the world. We like to use this pizza to measure our competitors because this pizza doesn’t lie – you can tell almost everything about a restaurant’s commitment to quality on how the classic Margherita tastes.
The origins of pizza date back civilizations and centuries ago, but it was in Naples, Italy that the pizza we think of today was created. At Punch we make authentic Neapolitan pizza. Our pizzas are meant to be light with a thin bottom crust and a delightfully chewy outer crust. They are individually sized for one hungry adult (about 10.5”) and cooked in our 900+ degree wood-burning oven. The bottom of the pizza should have some dark spots to achieve a “set”. We expect a properly cooked Neapolitan pizza to have some char.
Our Neapolitan pizzas are going to be “wetter” because of the crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and olive oil. Unlike American pizza, a Neapolitan style pizza is meant to be eaten with a knife and fork. In our opinion, nothing tastes better than dipping your crust into the pool of tomatoes, cheese and olive oil in the middle of your plate! However, if you prefer a drier pizza you can order “Punch Dry” style which will be made with light crushed tomatoes and light oil and a firmer “set” on the bottom of the pizza.
If you are dissatisfied with your pizza or your experience at Punch, please email us directly. We want to hear your feedback.
Punch has two main charity partners whom we’ve chosen to focus our cash donations to: Children’s Cancer Research Fund and Second Harvest Heartland. Last year, with the help of our generous customers, we raised $35,000 for cancer research and provided over 15,000 meals to help feed the less fortunate in our community. We are proud to make a bigger impact by focusing on these two great non-profits based in the Twin Cities.
Gift Card Donations
Since the founding of Punch in 1996, we have been committed to supporting local organizations. We have supported schools, academic and athletic clubs, non-profits that help children and families, and groups in the Twin Cities that fight hunger, seek a cure for cancer and support our first responders. We will be delighted to donate a gift card for silent auctions, raffles or fundraisers to support these non-profits and other community focused organizations. All requests will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
**Request a gift card donation
Fundraisers at Punch
Due to the high volume of requests, we’ve chosen to focus our in-store fundraising to support local schools and academic / sports clubs. Once an event is booked, friends and family of the organization can dine at Punch on a scheduled date and time, and we will donate 20% of the pre-tax proceeds from your group back to your organization. Fundraisers are available Monday – Thursday only from September to the end of May (academic school year). Please submit your request at least 4 weeks prior to your event.
**Request a fundraiser at Punch
We love Highland Park and remain committed to having a store in the neighborhood. Our original location has expanded into three floors of office and training space and we continue looking for a new, larger location for the restaurant. Our founder & co-owner, John Soranno, still lives down the street so we are committed to being here! We look forward to serving our most loyal customers who have been patiently waiting for our return to Highland. Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.
We are always accepting applications! Check out your preferred location for updated hiring needs and apply on our website.
Tips are never expected. The reason they are an option on our checkout page is simply because we had enough requests from our customers to have the ability. Any tips are split evenly between our hourly employees (front and back of house).
If you’d like to add a tip onto your order, you can easily add online or ask our cashier to add to your order if placing in store.
Because we can only cook a limited number of pizzas at a time and our pizzas are best right out of the oven, we do not have any catering options at this time. We also do not have any private dining space in our restaurants for private parties. If you would like to inquire about a large takeout order, please reach out to us at 612.223.7200 or email us here.
We do not franchise.
Please contact Blois Olson with Fluence Media: bolson@fluence-media.com