Wayne’s World Offers Healthy Alternatives and Family-Oriented Dining

BY JANIE ROSMAN

This week a new eatery opened that’s guaranteed to resolve the “everyone wants to eat something different” meal-time puzzle. Conveniently located one-quarter mile west of The Shops at Nanuet, Wayne’ s World Pizzeria & Frozen Dessert Café offers casual, family-oriented dining.

While the final touches were being added to their new venture Cindy and Wayne Mack spoke with the Rockland County Times about becoming entrepreneurs.

“We wanted to open a fast casual, family-oriented dining experience with great customer service and great food,” Cindy Mack said. “And we wanted to be in Nanuet, which is the hub of Rockland County.”

The Macks moved to Rockland County in 2001 from Long Island because “my father grew up here, and we’re coming back to his roots,” Wayne Mack said.

A short commute from their Suffern home, Wayne’s World is the result of two years’ research. “I was looking at various options like frozen yogurt, salads and trying to come up with a way to incorporate these into one business,” Wayne Mack said. “We came up with pizza.”

The certified financial planner with retail management experience said he’s ready for a change at 51. “I wanted to immerse myself in a family business and fun environment, and bring this to my customers and employees.”

“Every day is a different learning experience,” he said. “I surrounded myself with professionals in the restaurant industry to develop the new venture” with 15 employees.

Wayne’s World will feature 15 varieties of pizza, assorted pastas, heroes and appetizers. Beer and wine will be available to age-appropriate dining patrons. “The concept was built to offer healthy alternatives and will have non-fat and non-sugar yogurt options as well as gluten-free selections,” Mack said.

Sandwich favorites like meatball Parmesan and grilled sausage, and appetizers of hot pepper chicken or fresh baked garlic bread, are on the menu. Meat entrees are served with choice of pasta or mashed potatoes, and pizzas are traditional or Neapolitan. Gluten-free pizza crusts are per pie only.

A corporate recruiter for a management consulting company, Cindy Mack looks forward to working there on weekends with their daughters Emma and Alexis.

“It’s exciting and risky,” Cindy Mack said. “We’re very particular about food, cleanliness and service when we go out to eat so we want people to know when you come here you can feed the entire family,” she said.

Future chef Emma Mack smiled broadly. Very cool,” she said. “She watches cooking shows all the time and has her eye on culinary school,” her dad said.

Their daughters’ penchant for cooking encouraged Mack to sign a 15-year lease with two five-year options for the 3,450 square foot space. “If she (Emma) wants to take over one day she can continue the family business,” he said.

A frozen dessert wall — 14 flavors of yogurt with toppings, sorbets, gelato, ices and ice cream  — and a create-your-own salad bar with an assortment of toppings and dressings are some of the renovations that transformed the location, a former pizzeria/Italian restaurant, into Wayne’s World.

There’s also a kids’ menu with favorites like ravioli and cheese, grilled cheese and fries, and chicken fingers and fries.

A $15 minimum order applies to take-out orders within a three-mile radius; additional charges may apply outside that area.

Wayne’s World is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. The address is 249 W. Route 59; phone number is 845-623-1432 or 845-501-PIZZA (7499). Order online at http://www.waynesworldpizza.com/.