California Pizza Kitchen is rewarding guests who boycott pizza and order the chain’s new West Coast Burger instead.
What’s the deal? CPK Rewards members who skip ordering pizza during October get a free 7-inch pizza that can be redeemed on their next visit that month.
The promotion is designed to spotlight CPK’s first-ever burger, which will debut on the menu Tuesday. It’s a blend of Wagyu beef, chuck and brisket, topped with melted cheese, applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, tomato, pickles, lettuce and house-made burger sauce, layered on a brioche bun.
The chain’s “pizza boycott” and launch of the West Coast Burger tie into National Pizza Month in October. Guests who opt for a salad, pasta or other non-pizza entree will also be rewarded with the freebie throughout the month.
Aside from playing up CPK’s first burger in its 35-year history, the chain aims to showcase the diversity of its menu.
“We love our California inspired pizza, and it will always be our first priority,” Scott Hargrove, CPK’s executive vice president and CMO said in a statement. “But we’re boycotting pizza this month because we know our non-pizza menu items don’t always get the same attention. We want guests to explore our menu and try something new.”
In Technomic’s Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, CPK ranked No. 91 with 2021 sales estimated at $490 million across 180 locations. According to the chain, more than 65% of those sales come from non-pizza items.
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