Mmmm PASTA in a HUT. Is there really any other way to eat one's pasta?

[underpants]

DALLAS - Pizza Hut restaurants across the country have begun installing banners that read 'Coming Soon . . . Pasta Hut' as the company rebrands the chain as 'Pasta Hut' in conjunction with the arrival of its new Tuscani Pastas, which are now available nationwide. (Source:
Pizza Hut) (PRNewsFoto/Pizza Hut)

DALLAS, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- After 50 years of delivering great
pizza, today Pizza Hut revealed that efforts are currently underway to
rebrand the chain as "Pasta Hut" in conjunction with the arrival of its new
Tuscani Pastas, which are available starting tomorrow. Speaking to
employees at a celebration for the launch of the new pasta offerings, Scott
Bergren, Pizza Hut CEO, described the large-scale changes the company has
made to support this new direction:


-- All exterior signage at Pizza Hut's Dallas headquarters facility has
been replaced with the new Pasta Hut logo.

-- A national print and television advertising campaign begins today,
proclaiming "Pizza Hut is now Pasta Hut."

-- The company's Web site has been redesigned, including the new URL
http://www.newpastahut.com, the new Pasta Hut logo and a message for
consumers: "Pasta so good, we changed our name to Pasta Hut!"

-- Pizza Hut restaurants across the country have begun installing banners
that read "Coming Soon . . . Pasta Hut."

[quip]

1. Olive Garden vs Pasta Hut... There can be only one!

[Ava]

3. i know i'm in the minority here

but i like olive garden. they have a very good vegetarian ravioli. *putting on flame suit* ;)

[quip]

7. I hope your flame suit has the following features:

1. Asbestos lined
b. Has a flap to allow easy access for breastfeeding.

That is all.

[Ava]

8. .....

:spray:

[laconicsax]

14. HERETIC!!!

[flvegan]

2. Has anyone actually TRIED their pasta?

I have yet to see a pizza chain come up with what I'd consider really good pasta. Just curious if Pizza Hut has found the Grail.

[jakefrep]

4. Is this an April Fool's joke?

I have difficulty believing that Pizza Hut would change a recognizable brand name willy-nilly.

[Ava]

5. actually no

but the link is messed up in the OP:
http://www.newpastahut.com/

[Akoto]

6. Unfortunately, this is not a joke.

Several major news outlets are carrying the story. It seems quite a gamble to me, to entirely rebrand the chain for a dish that may or may not even take off.

[MorningGlow]

9. And Dunkin Donuts is now selling pizza

It's anarchy! Anarchy, I tell you!

[underpants]

10. Wake Up And Smell The Slurpee®! --SLURPUCCINO™

http://www.7-eleven.com/newsroom/articles.asp?p=2441

7-Eleven® Debuts Slurpuccino™ – First Coffee-Flavored Slurpee Drink

Dallas, TX, February 22, 2008 - In the mid 1960s, 7-Eleven, Inc. introduced thirsty Americans to two new beverage concepts – hot coffee to go and Slurpee® frozen carbonated beverages, two drinks that are now synonymous with the convenience giant. Combining these two top-selling ideas into one great-tasting new drink – the Slurpuccino, a coffee-flavored Slurpee -was an idea whose time has come.
The Café Latté-flavored Slurpuccino is not a milk-based product, but is caffeinated, fat-free and has only 61 calories per 8-ounce serving, unlike most frozen cappuccinos on the market. Prices are similar to any other Slurpee drink, which range from 99 cents for a 12-ounce cup to $1.69 for 40 ounces.

“Slurpee is a beverage for kids of all ages,” said Jay Wilkins, category manager for Slurpee and Big Gulp® fountain drinks. “Slurpuccino capitalizes on the consumer-driven trend of coffee-flavored products and, while it may be more of a grown-up Slurpee, we believe young adults and older teens will enjoy it as well.”

Developed for 7-Eleven® stores by The Coca-Cola Company, the Slurpuccino drink is a new beverage platform with Café Latté as the version offered. The coffee- and caramel-flavored frozen drink targets young adults ages 18-34, both male and female. More than 75 percent of Slurpee drinkers are under the age of 34.

“Coffee flavors are ‘hot’ right now, whether served hot, cold or frozen,” Wilkins said. “We sell millions of Slurpee drinks each month, plus numerous chilled coffee-flavored drinks in the stores’ cold vault. This indicates we have a very receptive customer base for the Slurpuccino drink.”

Slurpuccino also provides a “better-for-you” alternative for coffee-lovers who want to monitor calories, fat or caffeine in their diets. Compared to some other retailers’ frozen cappuccino drinks, 7-Eleven’s coffee-flavored Slurpee beverage has approximately one-third the calories, half the sugar and no fat grams. Adding a whipped topping can raise fat content by 20 grams. Compared to a cup of coffee, which contains between 100 and 175 milligrams of caffeine, an 8-ounce Slurpuccino has only 5 mg.

“Customers purchase a Slurpee drink as a treat,” Wilkins said. “Adding Slurpuccino provides a more indulgent option to our frozen beverage line-up. Customers can now indulge in a rich, great-tasting frozen coffee drink without worrying about the impact of a lot of calories or fat content.”

The new drink is expected to be offered in a hazelnut-cappuccino flavor this fall.

[SacredCow]

11. Well, that's just COMPLETELY going to mess up one of my favorite movies...

[fizzgig]

12. ...

:rofl:

[laconicsax]

13. I'm sure the whole pasta thing will do well...

:rofl:

Pasta Hut?  Pasta Hut?  Are they freaking kidding?  Shouldn't they maybe wait a bit to see if their 'Tuscani Pasta' does well?  You know...so they don't accidentally spend lots o'money changing their name on a complete dud? :shrug:

This is their idea of Pasta:



mmmm....Looks so absolutely delicious, I can't wait to go and try out their new:puke:

It looks more like "TV Dinner Hut"

[SacredCow]

15. Exactly what I was thinking....

Changing the brand name, before seeing how this stuff sells? Seems kind of premature to me.

And yeah- that pasta looks SO frozen and reheated!

[AwakeAtLast]

16. Are they trying to compete with Fazoli's?

I'm not sure the right word is "compete" per se, when talking about Fazoli's, but you get my drift. :shrug: