Pizza Hut has fired back at Domino’s after the latter introduced its first-ever stuffed crust pizza. While Domino’s debuted its new menu item on March 3, Pizza Hut has been serving stuffed crust for 30 years, and the brand wasn’t shy about calling attention to that fact.
In response to Domino’s launch, Pizza Hut posted on social media, saying, “Cute! We’ve been stuffing our crust for 30 years,” highlighting its longstanding commitment to the cheesy innovation. The following day, the chain took another jab, announcing a 30% discount on its “OG Stuffed Crust” with the promo code NOTLIKEUS. This playful marketing tactic isn’t new; similar brand rivalries have long played out in advertisements, with McDonald’s and Burger King famously engaging in their own back-and-forths over the years.
Experts believe these “diss marketing” tactics are effective in today’s fast-paced, internet-driven world. “Consumers love a good brand battle, and when a company calls out a competitor in a clever, timely way, it creates buzz, engagement, and often, sales,” said Mike Vanelli, creative director at digital ad agency Envy. “Social media has supercharged this tactic, allowing companies to be more agile and responsive to the moment.”
Domino’s, seeking to reclaim market share, introduced its Parmesan Stuffed Crust Pizza as part of an effort to tap into the growing demand for stuffed crust offerings. “Nearly 13 million Domino’s customers each year are buying stuffed crust from our competitors,” said Kate Trumbull, Domino’s CMO. “These are our customers who have to leave our brand because we’re the only national pizza brand that doesn’t offer it.”
The new stuffed crust features a mozzarella-filled crust, coated with garlic flavor and topped with parmesan cheese. Priced at $9.99, it is part of Domino’s carryout menu deals. Before launching, the company spent three months training staff at 7,000 locations nationwide.
Pizza Hut’s stuffed crust pizza, introduced in 1995, quickly became a success, bringing in $300 million in its first year. In fact, the concept was so innovative that Pizza Hut enlisted Donald Trump, then a prominent businessman and pop culture figure, for its commercial campaign. Since then, the stuffed crust has become a hallmark of the brand, and while other competitors like Little Caesars and Papa John’s have introduced their own variations, Pizza Hut remains the original creator of the packed crust pizza.
As the pizza wars heat up, it’s clear that the competition is only getting more intense, with both Pizza Hut and Domino’s vying for the attention—and appetites—of pizza lovers everywhere.
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