Open Post: Hosted By Pizza Hut’s Answer To Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza, The Italian Taco

The fast-food wars are the modern version of the Hundred Years’ War. But instead of various Germanic and French royal houses besieging one another and birthing new fiefdoms, we get Burger King sniping at Ronald McDonald and heart disease. The most recent assault comes from Pizza Hut on Taco Bell. Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza is a cult hit with celebrities like Doja Cat and Dolly Parton among its devoted follower base. And as the arbiter of all things pizza (sorry Papa John), Pizza Hut has thrown some subtle shade at Taco Bell’s “pizza” by creating its own Tex-Mex dish: the Italian Taco. And people say America isn’t cultured!

If you haven’t had a Mexican Pizza, it’s basically two flat crispy tortillas with meat in the middle and melted cheese on top. Pizza Hut took umbrage with Taco Bell’s liberal use of the word “pizza” and fired shots in a now-deleted tweet. via Food & Wine:

The pizza chain has announced they’ve begun selling a “new” product called the “Italian Taco.” Except — and here’s when they take an implied jab at Taco Bell — the Italian Taco isn’t new at all: Simply fold your slice of pizza down the middle (as many people already do when eating pizza) and, voila, you’ve created your own Italian Taco.

“Feast your eyes and mouths on a hand-tossed taco shell stuffed with a classic marinara sauce, mouthwatering melted mozzarella cheese and whichever fillings you choose from pepperoni to jalapenos,” a Pizza Hut representative explained — even though, moments later, they admitted the whole thing is just “a slice of pizza folded like a taco.”

This brings a whole new twist to taco Tuesday! Pizza Hut went on to say that this new taco will never run out, a dig at the fact that Taco Bell ran out of the Mexican Pizza when they brought it back at the start of the year. Who knew pizza could be so catty? Taco Bell has yet to respond because they’re likely selling too many Mexican Pizzas to care. Pizza Hut should be less focused on other brands and more focused on improving its own offerings. How long has it been since they’ve done a pizza buffet? I haven’t seen one in my neighborhood since 1997. I’ve grown up and can eat as much as a whole Little League baseball team. Bring back the buffet!

Pic: Pizza Hut