If you thought Pizza Hut pizza wasn't cheesy enough already, you've got a treat in store, as the company's baking up a new gimmick: "cheese pocket" pies. The cheese-stuffed bread bowls or "pockets" are literally attached to the specialty Pizza Hut pizzas, making the pies from one of America's most popular chains appear to be a kind of blossoming flower.
Pizza Hut is hoping the cheese pocket concept itself will blossom, and released the "Crazy Cheese Crust" pies on Wednesday, April 3. The pizzas come with 16 of the cheese pockets and will be available for a limited time (a few weeks).
As indulgent as the Crazy Cheese Crust craze might sound, this is not the first product Pizza Hut has released that brings new meaning to the term "extra cheese." Other pizza chains have also had some fun with pizza innovations, so here's a countdown of favorite pizza novelties from over the years:
Five: Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pizza
Pizza Hut's own Stuffed Crust Pizza was released in 1995 and was, like its Crazy Cheese Crust counterpart, released for a limited time. That is, until the popularity for the pizzas with crusts infused with gooey melted cheese nudged Pizza Hut into making the item a permanent fixture.
Four: Chocolate/Dessert Pizza
You can get yourself a chocolate or dessert pizza (strawberry jam actually works better than one would think) from many restaurants and bakeries these days. Before you make the gagging sound in jest, give a slice of the chocolatey goodness a try. It's basically like eating a piece of regular chocolate or fruit pie, only "thinner" (or "shorter," depending on your angle) with a firmer crust. Might sound disgusting to some, but all will find it delicious if they just give it a shot.
Three: Domino's Kobe Beef Steak Pizza
Earlier this year in Japan, Domino's released a Kobe Beef Steak Pizza (for a limited time, of course). Not surprisingly, the pizza is topped with Kobe beef and was only out for a few weeks, so best wait until the company decides to make it a permanent part of the menu before jetting on over.
Two: Roma Restaurant's Nutty Idea Pizza
The Nutty Idea Pizza might be local to Greeley, Colo.'s Roma Restaurant (and likely nowhere else for its pure uniqueness), but we're hoping to be able to try a slice at nationwide chains soon. That is, if this particular nutty idea catches on. A pizza topped with cashews, cream cheese, pepperoni, mozzarella and tomatoes? This nutty idea sounds strange but also oddly ap-pealing.
One: Pizza Hut's Cheeseburger and Hot Dog Crust Pizza
You may not be aware of it, but — yes — Pizza Hut has released pizzas with cheeseburger and hot dog crust filling. They've not been released in the U.S. for the reason that non-U.S. markets see cheeseburgers, hot dogs and pizza as "American" food, according to Pizza Hut spokesperson Doug Terfehr, who says combining these foods "makes sense," at least outside of the U.S. where even we might not necessarily be so "indulgent."
Hence why the Associated Press says the Crazy Cheese Crust Pizza Hut pizza has been kept exclusively for the U.S. market: "By not making it an over-the-top indulgence, Terfehr said it would be more likely that people would buy the pies repeatedly rather than just trying them once as a novelty."
What are some of your favorite pizza indulgences (imaginary or otherwise!)? Let us know in the comments below!
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