Pizza Hut has launched a new dish called Melts, which is being marketed as a "party of one" meal. Unlike traditional pizzas, Melts offer individual eaters the chance to enjoy a slice or two without having to order a whole pie.
On Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Melts was introduced into the pizza company's menu with the descriptor, "All-new way to go solo." Each order of this cheesy and crispy treat consists of two folded slices of the company's signature 'Thin n Crispy' crust filled with generous meat and cheese. The dish is paired with a complimentary dipping sauce.
The mouth-watering folded sandwich pies are available for a limited time in participating stores across the US. A spokesperson for the company stated,
"With Melts, now there's a new way to get the bold flavors of your favorite pizza – or what you might get on your favorite sandwich – just for you, whenever and wherever you want."
Pizza Hut Melts: Variants, prices, and calories of each Melt explored
This individual-focused dish comes in four variants, each priced at $6.99, perfect for a quick meal. As mentioned on the website, diners can choose from the following meat-loaded melts:
- Meat Lover's Melt, which features pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, beef, bacon, and cheese, has 1100 calories. The dish is served with marinara for dipping.
- Chicken Bacon Parmesan Melt contains chicken, bacon, creamy alfredo sauce, and cheese. It has 1170 calories and comes with a ranch dip.
- Buffalo Chicken Melt, which consists of chicken, onion, buffalo sauce, and cheese, has 1190 calories. The meal is served with ranch and buffalo sauce for dipping.
- Pepperoni Lover's Melt, which features extra pepperoni and cheese, has 1150 calories. It is served with marinara for dipping.
As part of their promotional strategy, the fast-food franchise, through an online sweepstakes-style "Melts Disclosure Agreement (MDA)," called for diners to "pledge" to never share their Melts, not even photographs of the slices on social media. This contest allows participating individuals a chance to win a $100 reward.
Pizza Hut began trending the hashtag #NotForSharing on Twitter and posted hilarious memes to market this new addition.
Twitter users react to Pizza Hut Melts
Despite the MDA, pizza enthusiasts have been tweeting their reviews for everyone to see. While there are several mixed reactions, many netizens seem to love this decadent delight and are also having some fun at its expense.
One user, who found the dish delicious, addressed Pizza Hut's marketing strategy and pointed out the need for more robust advertising:
However, some social media users talked about their negative impression of the new item.
One Twitter user compared Melts to a competitor menu item that is also targeted at solo diners.
About Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. Known for its signature pan-pizza and individual-sized variant, the company has frequently experimented with handheld, personal serving menu options, including the 2012's P'Zone and the 2002's P'Zolo.
It's been less than a week since Melts debuted, so the jury's still out on whether it's a long-term success, but it sure is a delicious investigation.