Pizza Hut announces its latest modern menu innovation, Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza, alongside a toppings transformation, marking the biggest toppings menu overhaul in over a decade. Pizza Hut is the first global pizza chain to offer a Tavern Pizza, in addition to being the first global quick-service pizza brand to offer Chicken Sausage, Pesto Swirl and Spicy Sauce as permanent topping offerings. With Rachel Antalek, Pizza Hut’s new Chief Food Innovation Officer, at the helm, the brand is ushering in a fresh era at Pizza Hut with the addition of this new thin-crust style and pizza toppings, which all debut on menus nationwide today.

The origins of the tavern-style pizza date back to Chicago in the 1930’s and became a staple within taverns with bartenders serving up the thin-crust pizza style cut into squares, often for free, in an enticing effort to keep patrons staying longer. In recent years, the style has grown in popularity as a favorite amongst pizza enthusiasts of all generations who gravitate towards its square-cut, crispy thin-crust style that makes it a shareable and snackable pizza offering. What’s more, the cracker-thin crust is then loaded from edge to edge with delicious toppings, so a burst of abundant flavor is enjoyed in every single bite of the pizza. Pizza Hut’s take on the tavern-style pizza offers a trendsetting, modern experience that delivers a deliciously crispy bite with its thin-crust and innovative, contemporary flavors available in four recipes: Pesto Margherita, The Ultimate, Spicy Chicken Sausage, and Double Pepperoni.

“These menu additions represent a bold step forward as part of our culinary mission to bring our guests modern innovation that embraces what we know our customers are loving and looking for in a pizza. Tavern is not just a pizza; it is a culinary trend that reflects the excitement of today’s pizza scene,” says Rachel Antalek, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut. “We perfected these recipes to truly pay homage to Chicago and the hundred-year-old style in a modern way while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a pizza with fresh new toppings and flavors.”

As part of this launch, the brand unveils its biggest toppings transformation in over a decade with 8 new bold, fresh toppings and sauces joining menus nationwide as permanent additions. These 8 additions include Spicy Marinara Sauce, Pesto Sauce Swirl, Chicken Sausage, Fresh Diced Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Fire Roasted Peppers and Crispy Cupped Pepperoni. Customers can enjoy these new additions found on the four new Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza recipes or select them as toppings on custom Pizza Hut pizza orders.

  • Pesto Margherita Tavern Pizza: A combo of sweet marinara, grape tomatoes, garlic and basil pesto topped to the edge and served square-cut on Thin ‘N Crispy crust & sprinkled with parmesan-oregano seasoning.
  • The Ultimate Tavern Pizza: A square-cut Thin ‘N Crispy crust topped to the edge with sausage, pepperoni, fire roasted peppers, onions, grape tomatoes & parmesan-oregano seasoning.
  • Spicy Chicken Sausage Tavern Pizza: A square-cut Thin ‘N Crispy crust topped to the edge with spicy marinara, chicken sausage, fire roasted peppers, caramelized onions & parmesan-oregano seasoning.
  • Double Pepperoni Tavern Pizza: A combo of sweet marinara, classic pepperoni & crispy cupped pepperoni topped to the edge and comes square-cut on Thin ‘N Crispy crust & sprinkled with parmesan-oregano seasoning.
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