I Tried the New Pizza Hut Cheeseburger Melt and While It’s Not a Burger, It Has Everything You’d Look for in One
You don’t have to choose between the two anymore.
Photo courtesy of Pizza Hut
Grabbing lunch on-the-go is often about compromise. One person may feel like a burger while the other wants to grab a pizza. Often, someone is inevitably going to be disappointed – unless, of course, you happen upon an opportunity to get both experiences in the same place.
Pizza Hut’s Cheeseburger Melt skips the traditional burger bun and honors the chain’s pizza roots by enveloping the burger in a Parmesan-crusted Thin N’ Crispy crust melt that is then folded and packed with a filling of chopped beef, smoky bacon, onions, and of course, loads of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. There’s even a side cup of burger sauce for dipping.
“For the first time ever, we packed everything you know and love about a cheeseburger into our craveable Thin N’ Crispy crust to develop the new Cheeseburger Melt,” says Rachel Antalek, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut, in a press release. “Unlike a traditional cheeseburger, the Cheeseburger Melt dips perfectly into what we would argue is the world’s best burger dipping sauce. We challenge you to find a better burger and sauce experience.”
I had the opportunity to try a Cheeseburger Melt, and while it wasn’t a cheeseburger in a classic sense, it did feel like exactly what would happen if a pizza chain decided to try to offer a burger. The Cheeseburger Melt really does feel like a pizza-burger hybrid, losing the bun (which the chain rightfully points out often is pretty soggy when ordering delivery), for a more pizza-crust inspired “sandwich.” It’s an interesting approach because while I missed the traditional bun option, this sort of folded crust does make the Melt feel more portable, and like something I could eat while in the car or on a walk.
That’s a selling point for anyone who appreciates a grab-and-go lunch option. With all the expected burger components – from beef to bacon to onions and the cheese blend – it’ll taste enough like a burger, but you’re going to feel more like you are having a patty melt or skinny calzone than the classic burger and fries experience.
If you are more of a cheeseburger traditionalist though, the Melts are also available in flavors that include Buffalo Chicken, Pepperoni Lover’s, Meat Lover’s and Chicken Bacon Parmesan. All the Melts are eligible for the My Hut Box deal as well, which include a choice of Melts or a two-topping Personal Pan Pizza, plus a side and drink. Because, really, is it a burger if you can’t have a soda and fries with it?
Pizza Hut is trying to woo burger lovers with a sweet deal to usher in the new Melt, sending their delivery couriers to various fast-food drive-thrus driving cars with QR codes on the windows, so that people can order a free Cheeseburger Melt and Pepsi. This offer is available in Chicago and Miami. And, it’s definitely just a coincidence that Chicago is the homebase of McDonald's and Miami is where Burger King is headquartered.
As Donatos Pizza and Red Robin have collaborated for a while now and non-burger spots have made burgers before – remember when IHOP briefly rebranded as IHOb? – a pizza chain launching its own spin on a burger isn’t really all that groundbreaking. Still, it’s an interesting direction for Pizza Hut, and could be a sign of all kinds of interesting new menu expansions …
We’re all about synergy. Maybe they’ll enter the fried chicken sandwich wars next?
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