Pizza Hut Taiwan has become known for its bold and unconventional pizza creations, often sparking both excitement and outrage on social media. From unique flavors to unusual presentations, the chain has found a way to keep customers talking—and ordering.
Over the years, the Taiwanese branch of Pizza Hut has introduced some eyebrow-raising combinations, such as a 2022 pizza topped with Oreos, deep-fried chicken, and calamari. One critic called it “a crime against humanity,” but the pizza sold out in just three days. In 2023, they released an April Fools’ special—a ring of dough with nothing in the middle. Despite its simplicity, it became the best-selling specialty pizza in the company’s history in Taiwan.
Since 2019, Pizza Hut Taiwan has become a pioneer in creating bizarre yet popular pizza combinations, including pig’s blood and intestines, boba tea pizza with milk-tea sauce, and spicy hot pot pies. Occasionally, the pizzas are even shaped like Olympic rings or cartoon characters.
The latest offering, a turtle-shaped sticky rice pizza with mugwort and red bean, generated significant buzz on social media in 2024. The odd appearance, described by some as resembling a flattened turtle in radioactive waste, left many international commenters puzzled. However, Taiwanese customers instantly recognized it as a playful take on a traditional rice pastry linked to the Tomb Sweeping Festival. Anthony Leung, general manager of Pizza Hut Taiwan, admitted that “making a perfect turtle is difficult,” acknowledging the unconventional look of the dish.
Leung explained that offending people is actually part of Pizza Hut Taiwan’s marketing strategy. “The whole objective is to get people to talk about Pizza Hut,” he said. Leung, who joined Pizza Hut Taiwan in 2019, has worked in multinational companies like Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. He was brought in to revitalize the brand’s presence in Taiwan, where pizza was not yet a regular part of the diet.
Pizza Hut had been in Taiwan since 1986, but the chain struggled to attract customers beyond holiday occasions like Lunar New Year and Christmas. Leung’s challenge was clear: how to make Pizza Hut a year-round staple for Taiwanese consumers. After analyzing sales data, he discovered that 80% of Pizza Hut Taiwan’s sales came from online orders.
“We are quite a digital company here,” Leung said, highlighting the importance of online platforms in the company’s success. By embracing digital marketing and continuously pushing the boundaries of pizza toppings and shapes, Pizza Hut Taiwan has found a way to keep its customers engaged and its sales growing.
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