Pizza Hut has always been a good pizza chain. However, in the 90s, I think that it was The BEST pizza chain.
With their delicious pizzas. eye-catching exterior, and interior design on their buildings, Pizza Hut attracted many people, parents and children alike all wanting to go to “The Hut” for a delicious slice of pan pizza and thicker crust.
Back then, Pizza Hut released interesting and memorable commercials, mascots, and especially pizzas. One of the most famous is the Bigfoot Pizza, a culinary invention that took the country by storm and became an instant among everyone.
Let’s take a trip back to the 90s!
What Is The Bigfoot Pizza?
Pizza Hut’s Bigfoot Pizza was a light sourdough pizza released in 1993 that was two feet (24 inches) long and one foot (12 inches) wide. It had a rectangular shape and was cut into square slices. It was a “Legendary Value” with a 3 topping pizza costing only $10.99.
At 12 inches by 24 inches, the two square foot of pizza was so big that it was delivered in a bag instead of a normal box.
This was a perfect pizza for birthdays, parties, or hanging out with friends. It was cheaper than others, meaning that you could get more pizza for less money. For example, buying two 12-inch large pizzas was not worth it because you could get 25% more pizza for your money by opting for the Bigfoot option instead.
Did The Bigfoot Pizza Taste Different Than Their Regular Pizza?
The Bigfoot pizza had a distinct taste compared to other pizzas. The crust on the Bigfoot was slightly different. It had a unique thickness somewhere between a regular and a crispy crust.
According to many people, the Big New Yorker style pizza crust was very similar to Bigfoot’s. Apart from the thickness, Bigfoot’s crust had a unique taste thanks to the light sourdough that was used.
Also, you probably noticed that this rectangular pizza was greasier than most, especially toward the middle. While this wasn’t necessarily good or bad in terms of taste, it all came to preference. Some people preferred the oily parts, while some enjoyed the crunchiness of the crust.
Pizza Hut’s Bigfoot Pizza Marketing
Before officially releasing the Bigfoot pizza throughout the whole country, Pizza Hut did a test run to see if there would be any interest in such a product. Luckily, everyone was impressed and Bigfoot Pizza had an official rollout in 1993.
To boost their sales and make sure that the news about this pizza reaches every American, Pizza Hut spent a lot of money on its marketing. They created their own Bigfoot character that served as a cartoon mascot who was a main part of the advertisements seen on billboards, in newspapers, etc.
They also made very fun commercials, with great music and fast-paced scenes to catch your attention. However, they never used Bigfoot as a mascot in these commercials and instead opted out for a new character called “Pizza Delivery Guy”.
Apart from the solo advertising, there were a few collaborations that were part of the promotion of the newest pizza attraction in the States. Pizza Hut joined forces with HBO and Blockbuster and gave out free video rentals with every purchase of the Bigfoot Pizza.
The Infamous Pizza Hut Blimp
Pizza Hut’s marketing team wasn’t satisfied with using normal marketing channels to advertise their products and decided to try something else. Something that is not commonly seen.
So, on July 4th of 1993, Pizza Hut launched a 4 million dollar blimp with the Bigfoot Pizza’s logo to fly over the country. However, while over New York, the blimp started to deflate and crashed into a building. Luckily for everyone, no one was hurt.
As crazy as it sounds, this event attracted so much attention to Pizza Hut that it actually boosted awareness of their new Bigfoot specialty pizza.
How Were Sales?
We know that Bigfoot Pizza was huge, both literally and figuratively. How popular was it? How well did the Bigfoot pizza sell?
According to Pizza Hut sources, Bigfoot Pizza made an astonishing 5.7 billion dollars in a single year. These numbers represented 18 percent of Pizza Hut’s total sales in 1993.
What Happened To Pizza Hut’s Bigfoot Pizza?
Things were looking great, so Pizza Hut’s spokesman Rob Doughty said, “We expect in the next 12 to 18 months that Bigfoot will be a billion-dollar brand for us.” However, this didn’t come to be true as the sales dropped to 8% by the summer of 1994.
When Will Pizza Hut Bring Back The Bigfoot?
There are currently no rumors or indications that Pizza Hut will bring back the Bigfoot Pizza any time soon.
Despite not being in the spotlight for a long time, Bigfoot Pizza was a success. It was a great addition to Pizza Hut’s menu and was one of the most iconic foods in the early 90s.
Apart from the blimp situation, Pizza Hut managed to have a great advertisement strategy that attracted a lot of customers and brought happiness to many.
The question still remains, will the Bigfoot Pizza return so we can remember what the 90s tasted like?
