Pizza Hut Launches “Hut Crust” Platform with New Recipe and Pi Day Deal
Pizza Hut has unveiled Hut Crust, a new brand platform designed to spotlight the signature pizza crusts that have long defined the company. To celebrate the launch, the chain is offering a $10 large pizza with any three toppings, allowing customers to choose from three of its most recognizable crusts: the newly updated Hand-Tossed crust, Tavern Style, or Thin ’N Crispy. The promotion coincides with Pi Day and is available for a limited time at participating locations and through Pizza Hut’s website.
Pizza Hut Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Friebe said, “Crust is the heart of a great pizza, and fans have been asking for more ways to celebrate it. With Hut Crust, we’re not only introducing a new Hand-Tossed recipe that elevates a fan favorite, but we’re also offering a $10 large three-topping deal that gives people real value every time they order. And for those who live for crust, the new Hut Crust Connoisseur is a dream come true – a way to get paid for tasting and loving crust every day.”
A major highlight of the initiative is the first update to Pizza Hut’s Hand-Tossed pizza recipe in more than a decade. The refreshed crust is designed to deliver a lighter, airier texture while maintaining the soft interior and crisp outer bite that fans expect. As part of the campaign, Pizza Hut is also introducing a playful promotion called the Hut Crust Connoisseur. The brand is seeking a fan who will taste and review new crust innovations, earning a $31,415.92 payout plus free pizza for a year. Interested applicants must post an Instagram review of the new Hand-Tossed pizza using designated hashtags and submit their entry online. The launch will be supported by a national advertising campaign featuring a disco-inspired remake of the song “Hot Stuff,” highlighting the brand’s renewed focus on pizza crust as the centerpiece of the experience.
Watch the promotional video on YouTube here.
American Airlines Expands AAdvantage® Program With New Gift Card Redemption Platform
American Airlines has introduced the AAdvantage® Gift Cards platform, giving members a new way to use their miles for everyday purchases. Through the new portal, travelers can redeem miles for digital gift cards from popular brands such as Sephora, Nike, and Best Buy®. Gift cards are available in amounts ranging from $10 to $500, allowing members to turn their miles into flexible rewards across retail, dining, entertainment, and other categories. Customers can access the new redemption option by visiting the dedicated AAdvantage gift card website.
Scott Long, Senior Vice President of AAdvantage®, said, “The AAdvantage® program offers customers more value for their miles than any other U.S. airline, and our members are looking for more flexibility in how they redeem them. By expanding our portfolio of member offerings and adding new ways to use miles, such as gift cards, we’re making it easier for customers to engage with the program and experience the full value of AAdvantage®.”
The launch builds on a series of enhancements to the AAdvantage® loyalty program as the airline celebrates its centennial. Members already have a wide range of redemption options, including flights, seat upgrades, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, in-flight purchases, and exclusive experiences through Mastercard Priceless®. Recent additions such as the AAdvantage Exchange℠ platform and expanded AAdvantage Cruises® redemption options have further diversified rewards. The new gift card platform continues that momentum by giving members even more practical and flexible ways to enjoy the value of their miles.
Learn more here.
El Pollo Loco Expands Beyond California as Growth Strategy Gains Momentum
El Pollo Loco CEO Liz Williams believes the brand’s fire-grilled chicken concept stands apart from competitors nationwide, a claim she says is supported by the strong performance of new restaurants outside its traditional West Coast base. Locations opened in 2025 in Kent, Washington, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, both new markets for the chain, are performing above the company’s systemwide average. The Kent restaurant has drawn so much customer traffic that it hasn’t yet activated third-party delivery services, while operators in Albuquerque are already scouting additional sites after seeing promising early results. Williams noted that while some familiarity with the brand comes from nearby California, demand is largely driven by the lack of similar fire-grilled chicken offerings in those markets.
Williams said, “And when you think about fire-grilled chicken, when we open in these markets, we serve our chicken in the delicious way that everyone knows and loves it. There’s just the same consumer type that loves the food, whether they’re in California or Arizona or Nevada, they love it in New Mexico and Washington and eventually across the country.”
Expansion is a key element of El Pollo Loco’s turnaround strategy since Williams became CEO in March 2024. The chain opened nine restaurants in 2025, including its 500th location in Colorado Springs. Many were built in second-generation restaurant spaces, which helped control construction costs while still delivering strong results. New restaurants opened since 2024 are averaging more than $2 million in annual sales. In 2026, the company plans to accelerate growth with 18 to 20 additional openings, largely driven by franchise partners, while also continuing a multi-year remodel program designed to refresh about half of the brand’s system within four years. Sales performance and operational improvements are helping fuel this expansion. Same-store sales rose modestly in 2025 and continued climbing in early 2026, supported by higher average check sizes.
Explore the Loco Rewards program here.
Original Article Links:
PIZZA HUT LAUNCHES HUT CRUST PLATFORM FOR CRUST LOVERS & SETS OUT TO HIRE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND HUT CRUST CONNOISSEUR
American Airlines makes AAdvantage miles more flexible with ability to redeem miles for gift cards
El Pollo Loco Sees Strong Demand in New Markets, Plans Faster Expansion