Ghost Pizza Opened With 2019 Pricing in Dallas
The new Lakewood restaurant keeps costs low by minimizing overhead to maintain affordable menu price points.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Owner Frank Nuccio has launched Ghost Pizza in East Dallas, offering a two-pizza special for $20. The menu maintains pricing at 2019 levels by sourcing organic flour and imported ingredients.
Why it matters
The business model prioritizes lower overhead costs through limited renovations and lean staffing to keep consumer prices accessible. This approach follows the legacy of the owner's parents and their former business, Pizza by Marco.
The restaurant offers a two-pizza special for $20, with current menu pricing anchored to 2019 benchmarks. This launch represents a lean-overhead approach to independent dining in Dallas.
The players
Frank Nuccio
The owner of Ghost Pizza who seeks to maintain his parents' legacy from their former business, Pizza by Marco.
Ghost Pizza
A new restaurant in Lakewood/East Dallas that operates on a low-overhead business model.
Pizza by Marco
A former business operated by the owner's parents that serves as the strategic legacy for the new establishment.
The details
Ghost Pizza maintains its pricing strategy by processing ingredients like house-cooked meats and beef tallow in-house to manage food costs. By avoiding heavy renovation spending and large staffing requirements, the business aims to provide affordable dining options to the Lakewood community. The menu features organic flour alongside imported ingredients from Italy and California.
Timeline
2019 served as the base year for the restaurant's current menu pricing.
The restaurant plans to replace existing tables with booths in late 2026.
Market Landscape
Ghost Pizza's opening follows the precedent set by the family's legacy business, Pizza by Marco. The venture marks a departure from modern trends of high-capital, high-staffing restaurant launches in the Dallas area.
Operators looking to maintain competitive pricing should evaluate whether their overhead costs, particularly in staffing and renovations, allow for 2019-level margins. Future margin pressure will depend on the owner's ability to maintain these low-cost operating efficiencies.
The takeaway
Ghost Pizza illustrates that maintaining legacy price points requires strict discipline regarding overhead and internal processing of raw ingredients. Operators should track their own food and labor cost ratios against historical benchmarks to identify similar efficiency opportunities.
What happens next
The owner has committed to a specific operational update in late 2026 when existing restaurant tables will be replaced with new booths.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts and new establishments, visit the Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Lakewood/East Dallas.
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