Hong Kong – Delivering on their promise of ‘Deliciousness without the Wait’, Pizza Hut Hong Kong has unveiled a comical new pop-up store to urge diners to skip the long queues of the city’s lunch rush.
Conceptualised by Edelman Hong Kong, the ‘Pop-Up Pizza Hut’ plays on the concept of a “pop-up” in both name and function. The activation features a giant pizza box that unfolds into a temporary store, appearing in the middle of Hong Kong’s busy lunch queues to serve diners on the go.
The activation also moves between Hong Kong’s busiest lunch spots, surprising restaurant managers and waiting diners with the message, “What are you waiting for? ”. Once the pizzas sell out, the mobile store relocates to another high-traffic area with a fresh supply.
Amy Cheng, creative director at Edelman, shared, “When Pizza Hut came calling to revive awareness of their lunch menu, we knew we had to find a disruptive way to differentiate the brand – and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
“Lunch breaks are always mayhem, and for some reason, queues have become an accepted feature of Hong Kong lunch culture. It’s a behaviour no one has ever questioned or made a point of, so it was the perfect opportunity to do something unexpected and get the brand noticed and remembered,” Cheng added.
The Pop-Up Pizza Hut, designed as a humorous and unconventional activation, debuted on April 1st—a day when brands often engage in playful marketing stunts. Beyond highlighting the Meal-for-One menu, it also served as a platform to announce the brand’s light-hearted three-day promotion of the controversial ‘Superb Pineapple’ pizza.
Following its initial launch, the initiative is expected to continue appearing across the city, targeting busy lunch crowds and other high-traffic areas where time-conscious diners gather.
“Pizza Hut always has a presence at live events in Hong Kong – and live events always have people lining up for food and drinks. So, along with the daily lunch rush, we will keep finding times and places for the Pop-Up Pizza Hut to give people ‘deliciousness without the wait’,” Cheng said.
Renee Chan, customer experience and marketing director of Pizza Hut HK, commented, “With only a 1-hour lunch break, what are you waiting for? ’… It’s the question no one seems to ask themselves, but it resonates with everyone. QSR in Hong Kong is very competitive, and we need to use what we can to our advantage – without terrorising the competition too much. This insight and idea really show our personality and playful side and, most importantly, highlight one of the many ways Pizza Hut always delivers.”
