Pizza Hut targets sandwich chains with new P'Zolo

Pizza Hut will introduce Monday a new P’Zolo menu item, marking the pizza chain’s return to its competition with the sandwich segment.

While it resembles a wrap more than the chain’s calzone-like P’Zone, the P’Zolo targets the sandwich competition both in marketing and price point.

The three meat-and-cheese-filled offerings are sprinkled with Asiago cheese and priced at $3 for one or $5 for two, positioning it alongside such competitors as Subway’s $5 footlong sandwich.

Pizza Hut said it will offer the P’Zolo in three varieties: Meat Trio with Italian sausage, pepperoni, ham and cheese; Italian Steak with marinated steak, roasted vegetables and cheese; and Buffalo Chicken with white-meat chicken, buffalo seasoning and cheese. Each P’Zolo is served with a choice of ranch or marinara dipping sauce.

The Plano, Texas-based division of Yum! Brands Inc. said the new item aims at “rescuing sandwich-lovers from the doldrums of cold cuts.”

Pizza Hut is taking the comparison with Subway a step further with a planned Chicago “Subway Takeover” on June 7, when it will pass out free P’Zolos at select Red Line El stops in the city. Pizza Hut will announce the giveaway locations on its Facebook page.

The chain is also planning a Facebook “See Ya Subs” game, which it said will allow “Facebook users to test their firing skills to take down subs with an arsenal of P’Zolos.”

Pizza Hut has nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 nations.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
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