Rapid Fired Pizza's New Beer Wall

            It’s a Wednesday night in Bowling Green and you’re getting ready to watch a movie with your friends when one of your friends chimes in that you all should order a pizza first. Everyone delightfully agrees and starts discussing pizza choices as you look up the nearest pizza place’s number through Google. It’s not long before you realize that all of your friends are indecisive as sin and recognize that it could be hours before you all agree, that’s when you remember Rapid Fired Pizza, a fast-casual pizza place that offers 9 to 11 inch custom pizzas.

            Rapid Fired Pizza was founded by Ray Wiley (he also co-founded Hot Head Burritos) and they opened their first store in Centerville, Ohio. After opening a store in Lima, Ohio, they wanted to expand their company even further, so BG franchise owner Ross Wiley raised money and opened Rapid Fired here in Bowling Green in September of 2017. Rapid Fired follows the create-your-own idea, where the sky is the limit with what you can add to your pizza. For those that don’t want to get crazy with the unlimited toppings option, they also have craft pizza options. As of October 2018, Rapid Fired currently offers 13 craft pizzas. Every pizza gives you the choice of an 11 inch thin crust, 9 inch pan crust, “no doh” where the dough is replaced with a parmesan or spinach base, or Udi’s Gluten free crust (for an extra $3).

            Rapid Fired doesn’t just have pizza. They also offer salads, pasta, garlic bread, pepperoni and cheese sticks, and a variety of desserts. They have also just introduced calzones throughout the entire franchise and the Bowling Green location is the first to have an 18-tap self-pour beer wall. The self-pour beer wall is also a first for Bowling Green and features everything from stouts and IPAs, to ciders and meads. They try to get many Ohio local brews including Fat Head’s, Rhinegeist, Great Lakes, and Bowling Green Beerworks.

            To use the beer wall, patrons must first get their ID scanned at the counter and get a wristband. This works like a bar tab with the maximum amount being 32 ounces. When you want to pour your beer, just scan your wristband on one of the screens above the tap of the beer you want and you are able to pour as much or as little as you please. They charge 30-50¢ an ounce depending on what beer you decide on. When you’re done, just return the bracelet to the counter.

            When it comes to how Rapid Fired selects what brews they get in, Ross says that they go down the list, but the main thing they look for is “does it have a cool name, does it have a good reputation, and does it have a cool picture.” They’re in the process of trying everything, but Ross has noticed that they go through the meads, ciders and gosés the quickest. He even said that they’ll bring out some of the specialty beers around the holidays.

            So far, Rapid Fired has been going through a couple kegs a day. For those that find a beer they like at Rapid Fired, follow the restaurant on the Untappd app. This lets you know when they have your favorite beer on tap and gives you recommendations on what other beers you may enjoy. If there is a beer that many people really enjoy, Rapid Fired would definitely make sure they have it in for you. With all of these options available, everyone is bound to find something they enjoy. So stop in and give it a try, you may just find your new favorite beer!