PEPSI® "CHASE CARS" GUARANTEE EVERY PIZZA DELIVERY ARRIVES WITH A PEPSI TO UNLOCK MAXIMUM FLAVOR

Rhea-AI Summary

Pepsi launched the "PEPSI Chase Cars" stunt to promote that pizza tastes #BetterWithPepsi and to drive trial the brand offered tens of thousands of free pizzas via DoorDash when customers purchased qualifying Pepsi 2L or 20 oz bottles on September 13, 2024. The promotion applied at Little Caesars, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Marco's Pizza with minimum order thresholds ($30–$45) and ran 4–10 p.m. ET while supplies lasted.

The campaign includes humorous videos by BBDO showing branded "PEPSI Chase Cars" delivering complimentary Pepsi with pizza orders, and invites fans to view content on Pepsi's YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok channels.

Insights

Brand Marketing Analyst

PepsiCo launches a multi‑brand DoorDash promotion tying Pepsi purchases to free pizzas; promotional impact is uncertain and short‑term.

Bold partnerships with Little Caesars, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Marco's Pizza use a limited‑time DoorDash promotion to incentivize beverage attach‑rate at the point of pizza purchase. The activation promises "tens of thousands" of free pizzas during a 6‑hour window on September 13, with specific minimum order thresholds per brand and purchases of Pepsi 2L or 20 oz. bottles required.

The business mechanism is simple: drive incremental beverage sales and trial by bundling a high‑value, time‑limited offer through a delivery partner. The primary dependencies are supply limits ("while supplies last"), DoorDash order flow, participating franchisee acceptance of minimums, and consumers redeeming within the 4–10 p.m. ET window. Operational constraints or low redemption rates would limit measurable impact.

Watch short‑term metrics over the next week: beverage unit sales at participating restaurants, DoorDash promo redemption rates, and any reported promotional costs to partners. For signaling to stakeholders, review campaign reach and engagement in the first 7 days and any published follow‑up reporting in the subsequent quarter.

Brand Debuts Humorous Stunt Content Promoting That Pizza Tastes #BetterWithPepsi and To Prove It, Offers Fans Tens of Thousands of FREE Pizzas On DoorDash with Purchase of ANY Pepsi from Leading Pizza Restaurants Little Caesars, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Marco's Pizza

PURCHASE, N.Y., Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ordering pizza on a Friday night is a classic end-of-week celebration (with nearly 43% of pizza orders taking place then), but if you're not chasing that crispy crust and gooey cheese with a refreshing sip of ice-cold PEPSI®, you're leaving taste on the table – and that's nothing to celebrate. In hopes of putting a screeching halt to eating pizza without a Pepsi, today, the brand debuts "PEPSI Chase Cars," a new stunt reminding all pizza lovers (and anyone who appreciates good taste 😉) that your next pie should be chased with a Pepsi, for optimal enjoyment. The stunt content highlights the thrill of the chase – the Pepsi chase that is – because pizza simply tastes #BetterWithPepsi. And to prove it, this Friday, Pepsi is offering tens of thousands of FREE pizzas to fans who choose to "chase their pizza" with a Pepsi.

UNLOCK THE "PEPSI CHASE CARS" DEAL ON DOORDASH:
Tomorrow, September 13, when pizza cravings peak, Pepsi is upping the takeout order ante with a craveable deal too good to pass on. Pizza lovers who purchase Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Diet Pepsi, or Pepsi Wild Cherry in 2L or 20 oz. bottles will have the chance to enjoy a delicious FREE* pizza (any size, any number of toppings!) with minimum order amount, from one of America's most famed eateries:

• Little Caesars - With minimum order amount of $30 including a 2L or 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi
• Papa Johns - With minimum order amount of $40 including a 2L or 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi
• Pizza Hut - With minimum order amount of $40 including a 2L or 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi
• Marco's Pizza - With minimum order amount of $45 including a 2L or 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi

All qualifying orders must be placed through DoorDash so fans can chase and taste the difference of a refreshing ice-cold Pepsi between every bite of the savory flavors of pizza. Fans must act fast as the offer is available while supplies last from 4 – 10 p.m. ET. Terms apply, please visit https://tinyurl.com/PepsiChase.

FOLLOW ALONG THE PEPSI CHASE:
The brand's humorous stunt videos show the lightning-fast "PEPSI Chase Cars" in action, ensuring pizza deliveries aren't completed without an ice-cold Pepsi on the scene. Created in collaboration with BBDO Worldwide, the content depicts various deliveries, where hungry, everyday consumers are waiting for their piping hot pizza when a surprising twist occurs. Suddenly, a visibly marked "PEPSI Chase Car" pulls up alongside a pizza delivery vehicle and an over-eager delivery driver jumps out just as the pizza is being handed to the customer – handing over a complimentary Pepsi to ensure flavor doesn't get away! Fans can check out the "PEPSI Chase Cars" in action on the Pepsi YouTube channel here and can view additional cutdowns and bloopers across Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok.

"We're more committed than ever to proving that food – especially America's favorite, pizza, tastes Better With Pepsi. We love pizza and Pepsi together so much that we unleashed a fleet of ridiculously overpowered 'PEPSI Chase Cars' to make sure that no pizza is eaten without a Pepsi chaser," said Jenny Danzi, Head of Brand Marketing – Pepsi. "When you're eating pizza, you deserve to enjoy it to its full potential, and that's why we're offering tens of thousands of free pizzas to prove that Pepsi, with its citrusy sweetness and carbonation, perfectly complements the deliciousness that is pizza. If your bites aren't chased by sips of Pepsi, you're leaving taste on the table." 

"PEPSI Chase Cars" is the latest creative stemming from the brand's #BetterWithPepsi platform which has set out to prove all food, especially pizza, deserves Pepsi.

To stay current on the latest news around "PEPSI Chase Cars," please follow Pepsi on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube (@Pepsi).

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About Little Caesars® 
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Little Caesars was founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch in 1959 as a single, family-owned restaurant. Today, it is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with restaurants in each of the 50 U.S. states and in 28 countries and territories. 

Known for its HOT-N-READY® pizza and famed Crazy Bread®, Little Caesars uses quality ingredients, like fresh, never frozen, mozzarella and Muenster cheese and sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes. The brand is known for innovation and is home of the exclusive Pizza Portal® pickup, a heated, self-service mobile order pickup station. Little Caesars is also the Official Pizza Sponsor of the National Football League. 

An exceptionally high-growth company with over 65 years of experience in the $145 billion worldwide pizza industry, Little Caesars is continually looking for franchisee candidates to join the team in markets around the world. In addition to providing the opportunity for entrepreneurial independence in a franchise system, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar. Little Caesars is proud to be part of the Ilitch Companies family of businesses.

About Papa Johns
Papa John's International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) opened its doors in 1984 with one goal in mind: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.® Papa Johns believes that using high-quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Its original dough is made of only six ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. Papa Johns tops its pizzas with real cheese made from mozzarella, pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes that go from vine to can in the same day and meat free of fillers. It was the first national pizza delivery chain to announce the removal of artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its entire food menu. Papa Johns is co-headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. and Louisville, Ky. and is the world's third-largest pizza delivery company with approximately 5,900 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories. For more information about the Company or to order pizza online, visit www.papajohns.com or download the Papa Johns mobile app for iOS or Android.

About Pizza Hut®
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and since then has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original® Pan and Original® Stuffed Crust pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order. Today, Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards®, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Hut Rewards is open to U.S. residents 18+. See applicable terms at https://hutrewards.pizzahut.com/terms/. A global leader in the pizza category, Pizza Hut operates more than 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its enormous presence, Pizza Hut works to unlock opportunity for its team members and communities around the world.

For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. You can remain up to date on what's happening at Pizza Hut by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA
Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 34 states with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico. Most recently, Marco's Pizza was ranked No. 48 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2024 "Franchise 500" ranking. Other recent accolades include a high ranking on Newsweek's 2023 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR's Top 50, and being featured on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking. To find your nearest location, please visit www.marcos.com or download our mobile app available on the App Store or Google Play.

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SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages North America

FAQ

What is the PEPSI Chase Cars promotion announced on September 12, 2024 for YUM investors?

Pepsi offered tens of thousands of free pizzas on DoorDash when customers bought qualifying 2L or 20 oz Pepsi products on September 13, 2024, with restaurant-specific minimums.

Which pizza chains qualified for the Pepsi Chase Cars DoorDash deal on September 13, 2024?

The offer applied at Little Caesars, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Marco's Pizza with minimum order amounts between $30 and $45.

What were the minimum order requirements to unlock a free pizza with Pepsi on DoorDash?

Minimums were: Little Caesars $30, Papa Johns $40, Pizza Hut $40, and Marco's Pizza $45, including a 2L or 20 oz Pepsi bottle.

When and for how long was the Pepsi Chase Cars DoorDash offer available?

The promotion ran on September 13, 2024 from 4–10 p.m. ET while supplies lasted.

Where can investors and customers watch the PEPSI Chase Cars campaign videos?

Campaign videos and cutdowns are available on Pepsi's YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok channels.

Does the Pepsi Chase Cars promotion mention broader company financials relevant to YUM shareholders?

The release notes PepsiCo generated $91 billion in net revenue in 2023 as background for the brand's global scale; no YUM-specific financial guidance was provided.