Pizza Hut Offers ‘Free Pizza’ For Presidential Debate Publicity Stunt

Pizza Hut is currently offering free pizza for life to anyone who stands up during the next presidential debate and poses the question “Sausage or pepperoni?” to the candidates. According to the Associated Press, the company announced their publicity stunt on Tuesday, a move that could anger anyone with a passing interest in the political future of the United States.

Next Tuesday’s Town Hall-style debate could be interrupted by an opportunistic individual looking to cash in on Pizza Hut’s free pie offer. The lucky man or woman will be given one free pizza a week for the next 30 years, though walking down the street without getting pelted with garbage may be a little difficult as a result. If free pizza isn’t your thing, you can always cash out to the tune of $15,600.

Pizza Hut spokesman Doug Terfehr thinks there’s plenty of room during the presidential debate for some inquiries that everyone can relate to and understand. Sausage or pepperoni, the company feels, is one of those questions. “We know there are a lot of serious topics that are going to be debated and need to be debated,” he said. “Pizza seems to be a question everyone understands.”

Although Pizza Hut may feel their publicity stunt is just a casual way to lighten to the mood during what’s sure to be an intense presidential debate, many feel this is nothing more than a cheap way to gain some free advertising. What’s more, some Slate readers believe the “Sausage or pepperoni?” question ultimately takes time away from the important issues at-hand.

“Between this and Big Bird-gate, we’re officially a boxers-or-briefs question and a rose ceremony away from this race devolving into some sort of bizarre episode of ‘The Bachelor,’ ” one reader wrote.

“We recognize there are a lot of serious issues to be debated, but we also know a lot less serious—but no less important—ones are being discussed every night inside houses across the country,” Pizza Hut CMO Kurt Kane said in a statement. “So for the candidates to be able to show that they’re in tune with all the issues, we felt a pizza-related question on behalf of The Pizza Party was very appropriate for a town hall debate.”

Do you feel that Pizza Hut’s presidential debate publicity stunt is inappropriate?