Pizza Hut Is Testing Beer And Wine Delivery

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Pizza Hut bets you want some booze delivered with that pepperoni pie.

The pizza chain said Tuesday that it will start testing beer and wine delivery in certain cities.

"We're excited to offer the convenience of beer and wine delivered to a customer's home," said Stacy Lynn Bourgeois, Pizza Hut's director of brand marketing, in an interview with CNNMoney.

The service will debut in Phoenix, Arizona with six-packs of Anheuser-Busch (BUD) brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light and Shock Top and Kilt Lifter, which is made by Arizona-based craft brewer Four Peaks.

All options will cost a flat $10.99.

Wine delivery will roll out in Phoenix in January, but details are still up in the air.

The company still hasn't decided which wines to deliver, or whether it should offer full bottles or single servings, Bourgeois said. She declined to say where the pilot program will expand to after Phoenix.

The move is Pizza Hut's latest attempt to shore up sales. Parent Yum! Brand has been on a tear, with shares up 32% this year. But Pizza Hut hasn't been performing as well as siblings Taco Bell and KFC -- spurring a turnaround effort.

In October, the company unveiled a new delivery system that it said would keep its pies hotter. Over the summer, the chain announced plans to hire 14,000 new drivers by the end of the year.

Beer and wine delivery could also provide an edge. Competitors Papa John's (PZZA) and Domino's (DPZ) only offer water bottles and soft drinks for delivery, according to their websites.

Still, the move will take some logistical coordination.

Stores need to have a license to distribute alcohol, though Bourgeois said many Pizza Hut locations already have one.

All drivers with beer and wine deliveries on their routes will be at least 21 years old, according to the company. Customers will be required to show their IDs at the door.

By Julia Horowitz 
December 5, 2017
Source: Money.cnn.com