Pizza Hut‘s significant presence during the “Love Island USA” Season 6 reunion, which aired on Peacock, sparked frustration among fans who tuned in expecting drama rather than product placement.
Throughout the reunion, former contestants were seen enjoying slices of pizza from the Plano-based chain during breaks. Pizza Hut was quick to tout its involvement. “As a part of our relationship with Peacock, we were able to serve up delicious pizzas and My Hut Box combos to feed the entire Love Island cast and crew,” a spokesperson for Pizza Hut shared in an email to The Dallas Morning News. “We’re so happy our pizza could add a bit of flavor to the reunion!”
However, the overt branding didn’t sit well with all viewers. The partnership led to a wave of jokes and criticism on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. One user quipped, “Is this a love island reunion or a Pizza Hut commercial?” Another commented, “Pizza Hut getting more screen time than the final four… love island production, you will pay for your crimes.” A third chimed in, criticizing the reunion’s production choices: “Why would the Love Island producers waste so much time like that??? The awkward Pizza Hut placements, the excessive footage of the girls whispering over who to send home? Who signed off on this??”
Pizza Hut’s official X account embraced the attention, reposting a meme with the caption, “We did our big one,” a nod to a popular catchphrase from the season.
Despite the backlash, Season 6 of “Love Island USA” was a standout success for the American adaptation of the popular British dating series. The season ranked among the most-watched original series on streaming during its run. The show’s premise involves singles living in a tropical villa, where they couple up and face challenges to test their relationships, all while competing for a $100,000 cash prize.
Among the reunion attendees were Dallas-Fort Worth residents Kordell Beckham, Kendall Washington, Kenny Rodriguez, and Kassy Castillo. Beckham, the younger brother of NFL star Odell Beckham Jr., won the season alongside Serena Page after earning the most public votes.
Rodriguez, who finished third with partner JaNa Craig, shared an update on their relationship during the reunion, revealing that they had explored North Texas together. “I gave her a lil tour of Dallas. She met my mom,” Rodriguez said. “We’re dating now.”