Greensboro locations of these two chains opened beside one another late last year across from Whole Foods at the Friendly Center, increasing the number of options (and the amount of traffic) in an already bustling shopping area.
Pieology can best be summed up as the Chipotlefication of pizza. An $8.95 flat rate gets you an 11.5 inch pie with unlimited toppings of your choosing (house favorite pies are listed to aid the indecisive), usually in a matter of minutes. Salads are similarly customizable, and there are a few side and dessert items as well.
The two biggest upshots to this concept are flexibility and convenience, and to that end, Pieology acquits itself well. There are enough available crusts, sauces, and toppings for a gluten-sensitive vegetarian and a meat connoisseur to each be satisfied. While Pieology can get busy, the establishment is built to handle a crowd: there is adequate seating both indoors and out and enough caring, well-managed staff to keep the lines moving efficiently. The wait times for pizzas have been as advertised: minimal.
The pizzas themselves, however, are fairly pedestrian, definitely better than most freezer pies, but no real threat to the competition. The crusts are very thin, the flavors sometimes muted (the house red sauce more so than the Alfredo), and the pies can be rather greasy as well. Given the convenience and price, this is, perhaps, an inevitable tradeoff, but whether it is one worth making depends on how much of a hurry you are in.
7.25/10
Rise, Pieology’s neighbor, is very nearly its opposite. Whereas Pieology has plenty of seating, Rise is essentially standing-room only. It isn’t uncommon to see a line literally out the door (friendly staff and a dedicated lane for touchscreen/credit card ordering ameliorate the experience). And where Pieology’s pricing can be deemed a value, some of Rise’s specialty offerings – like the $6 pork loin biscuit or the $3 apple fritter – may invite some measure of sticker shock.
But for those who are willing to stand and to spend, Rise’s food is quite good. The biscuits are buttery and crumbly, and there is a wide range of condiments and toppings to choose from (as well as eclectic rotating specials). The decadent donuts are grouped into old school (glazed, iced, and old fashioned), new school (maple bacon bars, crème brulee, pineapple basil), and our school (rotating specials like a cookie dough bullseye or fruity pebbles). They are definitely on the very sweet side, but I’ve sampled from all three categories and have yet to find a dud. That Rise can be dinged for leaving us wanting more – more space, more hours (they close at 2 p.m.) – is a testament to everything it is doing right.
8.5/10
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