Tag: pizza

10 Surprising Slices of Facts about Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut Fast Casual Restaurant. Pizza Hut is a subsidiary of YUM! Brands
Photo by depositphotos.com

Pizza Hut, one of the world’s most recognizable pizza chains, has a rich and savory history filled with interesting tidbits. Here are 10 surprising facts that add extra flavor to the story of this renowned pizza brand:

  1. Classic Touch: Pizza Hut cherishes its heritage with the existence of “Pizza Hut Classic” restaurants. Endorsed by co-founder Dan Carney, these locations flaunt legacy logos, iconic red roofs, classic lamps, and the character Pizza Hut Pete welcoming guests at the door.
  2. Space Delivery: Pizza Hut marked its cosmic presence by delivering a pizza to the International Space Station in 2001. The venture saw them paying Russia a whopping $1 million to transport the savory delight into orbit.
  3. Slogan Showdown: In a saucy legal battle, Pizza Hut successfully sued Papa John’s, claiming that their slogan “fresher ingredients” didn’t necessarily mean a “better” pizza.
  4. Cheese Monopoly: The cheese crowning your Pizza Hut pizza likely comes from Leprino Foods, which dominates the pizza cheese market with an 85% share, supplying other major pizza chains like Domino’s and Papa John’s as well.
  5. Franchise Flip: After selling Pizza Hut to Pepsi in 1977, one of the original founders turned his attention to Papa John’s, becoming a major franchisee with ownership of 133 locations by 2001.
  6. Upscale in China: In China, Pizza Hut is a slice above the rest, considered an upscale restaurant offering delicacies like escargot, tiramisu, and lamb shanks.
  7. Presidential Promotion: Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet President, added a slice of endorsement to the brand by starring in a Pizza Hut commercial.
  8. Online Ordering Pioneer: Pizza Hut blazed the digital trail in 1994 with PizzaNet, the first restaurant to test online ordering for delivery, based in Santa Cruz, California. The original site is still accessible, commemorating one of the earliest documented Internet purchases: a pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese.
  9. Fragrance Fling: In 2012, the brand toyed with the idea of releasing a limited-edition perfume that encapsulated the scent of fresh dough. Although thousands expressed interest, only 110 fans snagged a bottle through a Facebook competition, receiving their prize in mini pizza box packaging.
  10. App for Assistance: A Florida woman ingeniously used the Pizza Hut app to get police help when she and her children were held hostage. By conveying a message through the app’s comment section, she managed to alert the authorities and ensure the captor’s arrest.

Pizza Tops the List: A Study on Food Addiction Rankings

In 2016, research from the University of Michigan discovered that out of all foods, pizza was the most likely to create addictive behavior, with chocolate and potato chips coming in close behind. On the opposite end of the spectrum, cucumbers, carrots, and beans were found to be the least habit-forming foods, being even less addictive than water.

Pizza Farms: A Delicious Blend of Agriculture and Education

Have you ever heard of pizza farms? These are unique establishments that either sell pizzas made from ingredients grown on-site, or they function as educational farms that cultivate pizza ingredients, often on a circular piece of land divided into pizza slice-like segments. Some of these farms primarily focus on selling pizzas. They have gained significant popularity in regions like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. These farms typically cultivate or rear many of their ingredients, akin to the demonstration pizza farms. Additionally, there are farms dedicated to other foods, such as a farm that specializes in “burgers and fries.”

7 Tantalizing Tidbits About the World’s Favorite Pie: Pizza

Get ready to dive into the delicious world of pizza as we serve up seven scrumptious facts about everyone’s favorite comfort food. From its humble beginnings to its global impact, these tidbits will leave you craving a slice and appreciating the rich history behind this irresistible culinary creation. So, grab a piece of pizza and join us on this mouth-watering journey!

1. Beware of surprise pizza deliveries in Louisiana! Sending a pizza to someone’s house without their permission is illegal and can result in fines up to $500 or even jail time. So, make sure the recipient is expecting that delicious surprise.

2. Pizza gained popularity in Italy only after it became a hit in America. Originating as a cheap street food in Naples, it wasn’t until Southern Italian Americans created more elaborate pizzas that it gained traction in Italy. Nowadays, Neapolitan pizza must meet specific ingredient requirements to be considered authentic.

3. The New York Times played a role in introducing pizza to the American public. In 1944, an article in the newspaper presented pizza as an exciting new food, paving the way for its widespread popularity.

4. Domino’s Japan once attempted a Reindeer Delivery Program in 2016, but the initiative was short-lived. After just one week, the program was halted due to the reindeer’s refusal to cooperate and issues with pizza transportation.

5. Pizza has a place in the history of e-commerce. In 1994, Pizza Hut’s PizzaNet was one of the first online services to offer pizza ordering, starting in Santa Cruz, California. Impressively, the website is still up and running today.

6. Did you know that the CIA has a penchant for pizza? On the night before Iraq invaded Kuwait, there was a spike in pizza orders made by the CIA, possibly indicating a long night of intelligence work.

7. Thomas Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s, acquired half-ownership of the now-global pizza chain in 1961 by trading his used Volkswagen Beetle. Today, Domino’s is one of the largest pizza companies in the world, a testament to Monaghan’s business acumen.