San Diego man says he started selling pizzas from his apartment after being laid off, claims his waitlist jumped from 75 to 1,500 people in just a week

Losing a job can leave people scrambling to figure out their next move, but one San Diego man turned an unexpected layoff into an opportunity to pursue his passion for pizza. AJ Miller started selling homemade pizzas from his Ocean Beach apartment after losing his marketing job, and what began as a small side business quickly attracted hundreds of hungry customers, according to Axios.

Miller says he’s been selling pizzas for about a month when his waitlist experienced an extraordinary jump. In just one week, the number of people hoping to buy one of his pies reportedly increased from 75 to 1,500. Despite the growing demand, he apparently makes only around 15 pizzas per week, and they reportedly sell out in less than 30 seconds.

Miller shares videos of his pizza-making process on his social media accounts, @ajeatworld. His pizzas have become particularly popular among younger customers, partly because getting one requires signing up and waiting for an opportunity to place an order. “I think people do like what they can’t get, so the exclusivity does play into it a bit,” Miller said.

It takes three days to prepare

His approach to making pizza helps explain why customers are willing to compete for such limited availability. After moving to San Diego from Connecticut in 2020, he says he struggled to find the New York-style pizza he enjoyed back home. He says he then began experimenting with homemade recipes, spending a couple of years refining his technique.

Although he says his favorite variety is New Haven-style pizza, Miller’s own creations are reportedly closer to New York-style pies. New Haven pizza is traditionally thinner and crispier, often cooked in coal-fired ovens. Since using one in his apartment isn’t practical, he says he relies on a baking steel and an oven heated to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, and turns on the broiler toward the end of the cooking process to give the crust its crispy edges.

The preparation apparently starts well before baking day. Miller’s homemade dough undergoes a three-day cold fermentation process, while his ingredients come from Specialty Produce in San Diego’s Old Town neighborhood.

Customers place their orders through Hotplate, an online platform that allows him to notify people when new pizzas become available. He typically sends out an alert on Saturdays before opening a limited number of ordering slots. Once customers secure their orders, he spends the following days preparing the dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings.

On Fridays, he bakes the pizzas and offers pickup appointments between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. Each pie takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare, with prices ranging from $25 to $30 depending on the toppings.

Despite the growing interest, Miller acknowledged that the operation isn’t yet large enough to provide a full-time living. “I am making a profit, but I can’t quite like to make a living off of it because there’s only so many pizzas I can make,” he said.

A 2022 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Retailing examined 416 effect sizes across 131 studies to understand how product scarcity influences consumer purchasing decisions. Researchers found that limited supply can significantly increase purchase intentions, particularly for experiences.

This may help explain Miller’s growing popularity. With only 15 pizzas available each week and orders disappearing in seconds, customers are eager to get their hands on something that few others can claim.