Pizza Hut Really Doesn't Want To Talk About The Cheez-It Pizza

Is it possible that, in this insane year of 2019, someone—let alone a fast food chain—is still able to feel shame?

You may recall that in September Pizza Hut introduced a Cheez-It Pizza, which was not actually a pizza but rather four small calzones. We tried it. We all had a few laughs. But did the masses descend on Pizza Hut the way the Powers That Be hoped that they would?

On its third-quarter earnings call this week, MarketWatch reports that Pizza Hut executives made no mention of the Cheez-It Pizza, despite the fact that it was its most-hyped new menu item over the past few months. Analysts found this omission curious. "We were surprised no update was given on the company's Cheez-it pizza, given the level of advertising around the product and its presence on the value platform," they said.

Overall, Pizza Hut had a weak third quarter. Sales fell 2% and the company announced that it would be closing 500 of its restaurants and shifting to delivery.

Of course Pizza Hut would never publicly admit that it had made a mistake by selling the Cheez-It Pizza, but at least no one was trying to spin it so that it was somehow a good thing. Maybe that's progress?