The Madness is back. Which means, the Pizza Hut Pie Tops are back.
Pizza Hut, the Official Pizza of the NCAA March Madness and the Final Four, has resurrected its cultural phenomenon called Pie Tops by partnering with famed sneaker designer, the Shoe Surgeon, on a second iteration of the first-and-only shoe ever created that orders pizza at the push of a button.
In year two, Pizza Hut didn’t stop there. Not only do the Pie Top IIs order pizza, but this year’s version—comes in two colorways (red and wheat)—also pauses live TV. Yes, a button inside the tongue of the other shoe will pause the game so March Madness fans do not have to miss a minute of the action.
The technology highlights the Pizza Hut special offer for this year’s tournament—two topping medium pizzas for $5.99 each when you order two or more.
“This year, the Pie Tops II were created to showcase our focus on giving customers the best delivery experience while making sure that tournament fans can feed their pizza craving without missing a moment of the action,” says Zipporah Allen, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut. “It’s called March Madness for a reason. We don’t want anyone to miss a play while answering the door to get their pizza.”
Similar to last year, the Pie Tops II are equipped with Bluetooth technology that links the shoe to the user’s phone and Pie Tops app, allowing them to press a smart button in the shoe’s tongue and instantly submit a pizza order. NCAA fans can also call their own time out when their pizza arrives with the new Pie Tops II pause functionality – which links the user’s shoe to their TV through applicable cable provider—so they don’t miss any of the madness while getting their hands on oven hot, craveable pizza.
For the second iteration of the fan-favorite shoe, Pizza Hut has continued its partnership with Dominic Chambrone ‘The Shoe Surgeon’ to design the exclusive custom silhouette of Pie Tops II and create two color variations: a red version inspired by the signature red used in the Pizza Hut logo and a wheat version, one of the most popular new hues to sneaker enthusiasts. Also in 2018, the Pie Tops II will be made in expanded sizing options for women and teenagers.
In addition to the new color scheme and ordering/pause capabilities built into the tongue, the shoes have plenty of unique features, including:
- Extreme marinara splash
- Cheese grater mesh
- Branded Pizza Hut lace tags
- Extra “cheese pull” laces
- Branded inner soles
- Mixed material upper—patent, suede, nubuck and gum
For the first time ever, a select number of Pie Tops II will be available for the public to purchase. Pizza Hut will make 50 pairs available on http://www.hbx.com, the fashion and lifestyle retail site globally curated by Hypebeast, the week of March 19. HBX features a truly eclectic mix of numerous styles and has become a one-stop destination for innovative and highly sought-after brands. Follow @PizzaHut and @Hypebeast for more details on how to purchase and to learn how to access additional pairs.
Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easier, more convenient customer experience with an emphasis on delivery and digital ordering. In addition to the Pie Tops II, the company has recently launched voice command ordering through Alexa, the first pizza tracker that includes text messaging and Hut Rewards, the only national pizza loyalty program that awards points for every dollar spent on food online.
Customers can root for their favorite teams while scoring a slam-dunk craveable and affordable deal: $5.99 medium two-topping pizza deal with the purchase of two or more. Deal does not apply to other menu items, tax, delivery charge, or driver tip. Pie Tops are not generally available to the public and have limited functionality.
