Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Pub expands

Fan Pavorite

Story by Amy Whitley

Photography provided by Kaleidoscope Pizzeria

Rogue Valley patrons of Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Pub noticed a marked change as they stepped inside the doors of this local institution this past October: the lack of the to-go crowd waiting on orders, bottlenecking the building’s front waiting area. But fans of the pizzeria’s take-out can take heart: to-go orders have not been eliminated; rather, they’ve been given an new home, at Kaleidoscope’s brand new to-go location at 1923 Delta Waters Road, just behind the restaurant. According to Kristi Haavig, co-owner and marketing manager of Kaleidoscope, the change was long overdue.

“Trying to keep up with both sit-down and to-go business was getting increasingly hard,” she said, explaining that Kaleidoscope’s to-go orders have increased to 30 percent of the pizzeria’s business in recent years

The new to-go location, which is well marked and well lit, sits just across the parking lot, and has been open since early October. Once serving as a storage space for the business, Haavig noted that the structure had to be completely re-imagined, with the space stripped down to the bones, and space up-front added to receive customers. The end result doubles Kaleidoscope’s production capacity, increasing the oven count to eight, up from four.

“The to-go location is like a mini Kaleidoscope,” Haavig said, “People can come in, grab their pizzas.”

It has been well received, as wait times for both take-out pizza and sit-down service in the main restaurant have decreased, thanks to the change. To-go orders are still placed via phone, utilizing the same phone number as the main restaurant. Wait times, which had stretched to levels unacceptable to Haavig and her co-owners, have returned to normal for both sides of the business, with tables turning faster and pizzas tasting even better.

Customers to the to-go location won’t find tables and chairs; this is strictly a carry-out venue, and those wanting to buy a growler of beer or cider will still need to head to the original Kaleidoscope, as growlers are unavailable in the to-go space. However, the smaller building is equipped with a full bottle shop of beer and wine to go, and Kaleidoscope’s full menu is available, including all salads, soups and calzones. Hours vary depending on demand, but generally mirror those of the main restaurant. While for the time being, customers will need to place orders via the phone or simply stop in, online ordering is the owners’ next focus, which will ease the wait time even further.

To Kaleidoscope’s many patrons, it’s no wonder the business has experienced growing pains. Long a fan favorite, garnering local awards ranging from Best Restaurant Customer Service and Best Overall Restaurant and Best Pizza for five consecutive years (Medford Mail Tribune Best of the Best) and Best Selection of Pizza and Best Salads (Sneak Preview), the pizzeria has also been recognized nationally. Since opening in 2004, Kaleidoscope has been honored by trade magazine Pizza Today, in their Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias List, as one of the country’s top-grossing independent pizzerias.

Kaleidoscope, with only one main location, competes on the list against many restaurants with multiple locations, yet has steadily climbed up the rankings since first making the Hot 100 list in 2005. “They ask us our volume, and we keep going up,” Haavig said, adding that this year, (2017), Kaleidoscope came in at number two. “It’s a kudos for the whole valley,” she said. “I think it speaks to the people who come into the restaurant, to their loyalty and support.”

Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Pub

3084 Crater Lake Hwy, Medford

541-779-7787

www.kaleidoscopepizza.com