Pizza Hut To Sell Pizza By The Slice

Pizza Hut plans to begin selling pizza by the slice in a bid to stay relevant among fast competitors. Two locations – one in York, Neb. and the other in Pawtucket, R.I. – will begin testing the by-the-slice model today, according to the Associated Press.

But don’t go there expecting traditional Pizza Hut pizza. The slices will use new recipes with thin crusts typical in the Northeast, presumably to cut down on baking time. Each slice will take three to four minutes to warm up and will cost between $2 and $3.

The Nebraska location will have salad and pasta stations in addition to offering pizza slices. Customers will order at the counter, and employees will bring food to their tables. The Rhode Island location will be smaller, offering little more than individual slices.

Staying Competitive In An Evolving Pizza Market

The new sale style marks a major attempt to compete with places like Domino’s, which also recently started selling individual slices.

And Chipotle’s new Pizzeria Locale offers similarly quick pizza. At this new chain, customers can watch as their custom pizzas are built, and new ovens cook each pizza in only about two minutes. That’s about a quarter of the time of Pizza Hut’s ovens, which need seven to 10 minutes to cook a pie.

In addition to keeping up with its rivals, Pizza Hut’s new model seems to be a logical step for the chain. It has been focusing on its carry-out stores and drifting away from more traditional dine-in restaurants, marking a preference for fast, on-the-go service.

Similarly, its online ordering system has proven quite popular with its clientele. Its delivery app on the Xbox 360 saw $1 million in sales in just the first three months.

We’re seeing the trends for quick and ready products,” Carrie Walsh, the chain’s chief marketing officer, told the Associated Press.

Al Litchenburg, Pizza Hut’s chief development officer, said the company will be working to perfect the new model throughout the year, testing variations to find out what works best.