Restaurants: How Pizza Hut and Yum! Brands are Bringing Chicken to the Forefront

Why This Topic Is Trending:

• Gen Z’s Protein Preferences Nearly half of consumers aged 18–24 now rank chicken as their favorite protein after pizza, making poultry an essential category for chains seeking to capture younger diners. This shift reflects broad lifestyle changes—Gen Z seeks leaner proteins and varied menu options that balance taste with perceived health benefits.

• WingStreet’s Early Move to Wings Pizza Hut’s 2003 launch of its WingStreet concept was ahead of the curve, pairing its pizzas with crispy wings and laying the foundation for today’s chicken-focused innovations. That early investment in specialized equipment and delivery logistics has paid dividends as wings have surged in popularity once again.

• Deep Consumer Co-Creation Spending a year conducting ethnographic interviews in 12 countries, Pizza Hut invited Gen Z into the innovation process—tasting, rating sauces and suggesting pizza-chicken combinations. This hands-on research yields ideas that truly resonate with global youth culture, rather than top-down menu changes.

• Event-Fueled Awareness The 2024 Super Bowl campaign that spotlighted Pizza Hut’s wing-pizza bundles drove 5 million wings sold in a single day. By tying new offers to high-visibility occasions, Pizza Hut rapidly converted awareness into trial among both football fans and value-seeking consumers.

• Portfolio-Scale Poultry Power Yum! Brands’ four major chains together purchased 3.7 billion pounds of poultry in 2024, generating $7.4 billion in U.S. chicken sales. This collective scale enables shared R&D, bulk purchasing and cross-brand learning—amplifying each innovation far beyond a single restaurant concept.

Overview

Pizza Hut is revitalizing its menu by putting chicken front and center—expanding from bone-in and boneless wings to chicken sausage toppings and global flavor twists—while Yum! Brands leverages its system-wide scale to ensure every division (Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, Habit Burger & Grill) innovates in poultry. Guided by rigorous Gen Z research and propelled by event-driven marketing, this strategy marries consumer insight with portfolio strength to drive trial, build value perception and future-proof the brands against shifting dining preferences.

Detailed Findings

• WingStreet Foundations In 2003, Pizza Hut recognized rising demand for chicken wings and rolled out WingStreet within its restaurants—developing proprietary fryers and packaging that deliver hot, crispy wings alongside pizza in perfect tandem.

• Gen Z Protein Data Research shows 46 percent of Gen Z cite chicken as their top protein choice, signaling that poultry is a must-have innovation focus for capturing this cohort’s limited dining dollars and social media attention.

• Global Ethnographic Insights Teams conducted in-market taste tests and focus groups across Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America, uncovering nuanced preferences—spice levels, dipping sauces and serving occasions—that inform both product formulation and localized menu execution.

• Super Bowl Success A 2024 TV spot and social push around pizza-wing bundles not only highlighted the “harmonious pairing” but also demonstrated that awareness was the barrier, not product quality. Record sales of 5 million wings on game day validated the approach.

• Value Bundle Introduction Early 2025’s $15.99 boneless wings + fries + dip deal and the $24.99 Ultimate Hut bundle during the next Super Bowl removed cost barriers, incentivizing first-time trials among budget-conscious diners and cementing chicken as a go-to category.

• Menu Diversification Chicken sausage, added as a topping in summer 2024, quickly ascended to one of the fastest-growing pizza toppings nationwide, illustrating that poultry can transcend wings and infiltrate core offerings.

• Cross-Brand Poultry Power KFC’s classic upgrades and shared insights, Taco Bell’s Cantina Chicken (projected to be a $5 billion business by 2030) and Habit Burger’s top-ranked grilled Chicken Club sandwich all contribute learnings and scale—accelerating menu roll-outs across the Yum! portfolio.

• Flavor Globalization With 40 percent of U.S. Gen Z having immigrant roots, Pizza Hut’s R&D explores regional sauces (e.g., gochujang-infused glaze, peri-peri marinade) that can be piloted locally before broader deployment, ensuring both novelty and cultural relevance.

Key Success Factors of the Product Trend

• Data-Driven Insight: Targeting the protein Gen Z already loves ensures product relevance.

• Embedded Co-Creation: Real-time consumer feedback yields authentic, on-point innovations.

• Event-Linked Roll-Outs: Aligning new launches with major cultural moments maximizes reach and trial.

• Value-Oriented Bundles: Competitive pricing drives trial among price-sensitive diners.

• System-Wide Synergies: Shared R&D, supply chains and learnings across brands accelerate development and reduce costs.

Why chicken is important:

1. Alignment with Gen Z Preferences Chicken ranks as the second-favorite food for Gen Z (after pizza), with 46 percent citing poultry as their preferred protein. By elevating chicken from a side option to a menu centerpiece, Pizza Hut meets young consumers’ desire for leaner proteins, variety and novelty—keeping the brand relevant to a cohort that values both taste and perceived health benefits.

2. Significant Sales Growth Driver When Pizza Hut highlighted its wing-and-pizza bundles during the 2024 Super Bowl, it sold a record 5 million wings in one day and chicken became its fastest-growing category for the remainder of the year. Across Yum! Brands’ system, chicken generated $7.4 billion in U.S. sales in 2024, demonstrating poultry’s power to drive traffic, boost average checks and deliver rapid revenue gains.

3. Portfolio-Wide Synergies & Scale Yum! Brands purchases 3.7 billion pounds of poultry annually across Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill. This collective scale enables:

• Bulk Purchasing & Cost Efficiency: Lower input costs and stronger negotiating power.

• Shared R&D & Insights: Innovations tested at one brand (e.g., KFC’s product tweaks or Taco Bell’s Cantina Chicken launch) inform menu roll-outs across the portfolio.

• Cross-Brand Marketing: Coordinated launches and value bundles leverage each brand’s audience, maximizing reach.

4. Menu Innovation & Diversification Beyond wings, Pizza Hut has rolled out:

• Chicken Sausage Topping: One of the fastest-growing pizza toppings in the U.S.

• Value Bundles: Examples include a $15.99 wings-fries-dip deal and a $24.99 “Ultimate Hut” bundle, which pair multiple chicken formats with pizza and sides.

• Global Flavor Explorations: Ethnographic research in 12 countries surfaced regional tastes—think gochujang glazes or peri-peri marinades—feeding a pipeline of limited-time and permanent flavor innovations.

5. Deep Consumer Engagement & Co-Creation Pizza Hut’s team spent a year conducting in-market ethnographic interviews with Gen Z in 12 countries—sampling sauces, rating spice levels and brainstorming occasions (“What’s a Tuesday-night pizza?”). This hands-on approach:

• Yields Authentic Insights: Innovations resonate because they’re born from real consumer dialogue, not top-down mandates.

• Fosters Brand Loyalty: Involving customers in product development builds ownership and evangelism.

Advantages of Chicken:

Financial Advantages

• Cost-Effectiveness Chicken typically costs less per pound than beef or pork, allowing restaurants to maintain attractive price points or enjoy higher profit margins without passing extra cost on to diners.

• High Margin Potential With relatively low ingredient costs and strong consumer demand, chicken dishes can yield robust margins—especially when paired with signature sauces or seasonings that justify premium pricing.

Operational Advantages

• Fast, Consistent Cooking Chicken cooks quickly and predictably, reducing ticket times and smoothing kitchen workflows—critical in high-volume environments where speed and consistency drive guest satisfaction.

• Easy Portion Control Pre-butchered cuts and standard portion weights simplify inventory management and waste reduction, helping operators forecast costs and minimize overproduction.

Culinary Flexibility

• Versatile Menu Applications From grilled breasts and crispy wings to ground chicken patties and sausages, poultry adapts to countless preparations—letting chefs innovate across appetizers, entrées, salads, sandwiches and breakfast items.

• Flavor Customization Chicken’s mild taste readily absorbs diverse marinades, rubs and global spice blends, enabling restaurants to introduce limited-time offers or regionally inspired specials without overhauling supply chains.

Consumer Appeal

• Broad Dietary Appea lSeen as a lean protein, chicken resonates with health-conscious diners, families and food-allergy sufferers alike, expanding a restaurant’s potential customer base.

• Familiar Comfort Universally recognized and widely loved, chicken dishes often carry low “risk” for guests—encouraging trials of new formats and flavors without deterring more cautious eaters.

Marketing & Branding Advantages

• Trend Alignment Poultry is at the forefront of major dining trends—“better-for-you” proteins, global street-food flavors and customizable shareable plates—making it a natural vehicle for timely promotions.

• Event and Bundle Opportunities Chicken lends itself to crowd-pleasing bundles (e.g., wing nights, family packs) and event tie-ins (game days, tailgates), offering compelling promotional angles that drive foot traffic and off-premise orders.

Sustainability & Supply Chain

• Reliable Sourcing Global poultry production is mature and distributed, reducing the risk of severe shortages and enabling consistent pricing—unlike more volatile red-meat markets.

• Perceived Lower Environmental Impact Compared to beef, chicken typically requires fewer resources (feed, water, land) per pound of protein, supporting sustainability messaging that appeals to eco-minded consumers.

Key Takeaway

By combining deep Gen Z research, targeted event marketing, value-focused bundle deals and portfolio-wide collaboration, Pizza Hut and Yum! Brands have repositioned chicken from an add-on to a marquee menu pillar—driving significant sales growth and future-proofing against evolving consumer tastes.

Main Trend

Chicken-Forward Menu Innovation

Description of the Trend

Quick-service restaurants are elevating poultry from a secondary side to a primary menu driver through new formats (wings, sausage, nuggets), flavor fusions and occasion-based bundles—transforming chicken into a platform for variety, personalization and cross-brand storytelling.

Consumer Motivation

• Protein Preference: Gen Z and younger millennials actively seek lean, versatile proteins that align with health and lifestyle goals.

• Flavor Exploration: Desire for novel spice profiles and global tastes encourages experimentation with sauces and seasonings.

• Value & Convenience: Bundles and easy-to-share formats cater to budget constraints and on-the-go lifestyles.

• Social Participation: Consumers relish being co-creators, sharing feedback and recipes on social media platforms.

What Is Driving the Trend

• Empirical Preference Data: Surveys and POS analytics confirm chicken’s rising share among key demos.

• Cultural Moments: High-visibility events like the Super Bowl catalyze rapid trial and word-of-mouth.

• Portfolio Leverage: Yum! Brands’ consolidated chicken purchasing and cross-brand R&D fuels faster innovation cycles.

• Global Palate Shifts: Increased multicultural influence pushes flavor fusion and regional adaptations into the mainstream.

Motivation Beyond the Trend

• Community & Belonging: Collaborative innovation processes foster a sense of ownership and brand affinity.

• Economic Pressures: Value bundles and multi-serving formats appeal in times of budget vigilance.

• Sustainability Considerations: Consolidated packaging and bulk purchasing of concentrate volumes can reduce waste and highlight corporate responsibility.

Description of Consumers

• Age: Primarily 18–24 (Gen Z), with extension into 25–34.

• Gender: Broad gender balance, with slight skew toward female for lighter-option bundles.

• Income: Students and early-career professionals, budget-aware but willing to splurge on perceived value.

• Lifestyle: Highly social, digitally connected, favor communal dining occasions and shareable deals.

• Shopping Frequency: Frequent QSR patrons—many visit 2–3 times per week—and open to app-based ordering.

• Decision Drivers: Heavily influenced by social media trends, peer reviews and perceived novelty/value ratio.

Conclusions

Pizza Hut’s transformation into a chicken-centric brand—supported by system-wide Yum! Brands collaboration—is a case study in aligning product innovation with deep consumer insights, strategic event marketing and portfolio-scale execution. This multi-faceted approach not only drives immediate sales spikes but also embeds chicken as a core pillar for future growth.

Implications for Brands

• Embed Consumer Voices: Institutionalize ethnographic research and co-creation panels to keep innovations on target.

• Leverage Cultural Moments: Tie new product launches to high-impact events for amplified visibility and trial.

• Design for Shareability: Craft formats and bundles that encourage group ordering and social media sharing.

• Exploit Portfolio Strength: Share R&D, supply chains and marketing insights across brand umbrellas to accelerate roll-outs and reduce cost.

Implication for Society

Broader access to value-oriented, globally inspired chicken offerings shifts quick-service dining toward more inclusive, creative and communal experiences—where price pressures and convenience no longer preclude flavor exploration.

Implications for Consumers

• Expanded Choices: A wider array of chicken-centric menu items satisfying varied tastes and occasions.

• Participatory Innovation: Opportunities to influence menu development foster deeper brand engagement and loyalty.

• Better Value: Bundles and multi-serve formats deliver perceived savings without sacrificing quality or novelty.

Implication for Future

Expect ongoing diversification of poultry formats (functional ingredients, plant-forward hybrids), deeper digital integration for real-time feedback and increasingly holistic value propositions that marry flavor innovation with economic and environmental responsibility.

Consumer Trend

Chicken Co-Creation Culture – Consumers shaping new poultry products through hands-on research and social feedback loops.

Consumer Sub Trend

Value Bundle Enthusiasm – High-value combos emerging as primary drivers of category trial and repeat purchase.

Big Social Trend

Event-Anchored Menu Launches – Major cultural occasions serving as launchpads for new QSR offerings.

Worldwide Social Trend

Global Flavor Fusion – Immigrant and regional taste profiles informing mainstream fast-service menus.

Social Drive

Collaborative Innovation – Brands and consumers co-innovating to accelerate product evolution.

Learnings for Brands to Use in 2025

• Institutionalize Ethnography: Build permanent consumer panels across key markets for continuous insight.

• Align with High-Visibility Moments: Calendar-map product roadmaps to sports, holidays and cultural festivals.

• Prioritize Value Design: Develop bundles and formats that combine novelty with affordability.

• Foster Cross-Brand Ecosystems: Share learnings, supply chains and R&D within multi-brand portfolios to maximize impact.

Strategy Recommendations for Brands to Follow in 2025

• Scale Co-Creation Platforms: Formalize digital and in-market feedback loops to co-design menu items with target demographics.

• Orchestrate Omnichannel Launches: Synchronize TV, social, in-app and in-store activations around unified creative stories.

• Diversify Format Innovation: Expand beyond wings to sausage, nuggets, bowls and hybrid offerings, each tied to specific consumer use cases.

• Integrate Real-Time Social Listening: Deploy agile monitoring tools to capture emerging flavor hacks and iterate faster.

Final Sentence (Key Concept)

Data-driven co-creation, event-focused launches and portfolio-wide synergy are redefining chicken as the next powerhouse category in quick-service dining.

What Brands & Companies Should Do in 2025 to Benefit from This Trend and How

Deploy permanent, digitally enabled co-creation panels; synchronize product launches with marquee events; design affordable, shareable bundles; share R&D and supply capabilities across brand portfolios; and leverage real-time social listening to iterate and scale winning chicken innovations.

Final Note

• Core Trend: Chicken-Forward Innovation – Elevating poultry to a star category with diverse formats and global flavors.

• Core Strategy: Consumer Co-Creation & Event Activation – Engaging youth directly and leveraging cultural moments for maximum impact.

• Core Industry Trend: Portfolio Synergy – Harnessing cross-brand scale to accelerate development and reduce costs.

• Core Consumer Motivation: Value & Novelty – Younger diners seek affordable, creative experiences that reflect their tastes.

• Final Conclusion: Pizza Hut and Yum! Brands’ unified chicken strategy—rooted in deep consumer insight, strategic timing and system-wide collaboration—demonstrates a blueprint for QSR portfolios to adapt swiftly and authentically to evolving dining preferences.

Core Trend Detailed

Description Chicken has evolved from a secondary add-on to a primary menu driver in quick-service restaurants. Brands are repositioning poultry across multiple formats—wings, boneless pieces, sausage toppings, nuggets and sandwich offerings—as the centerpiece of innovation, blending comfort, convenience and global flavor influences into mainstream menus.

Key Characteristics of the Trend (Summary)

• Format Diversity: Multiple chicken presentations (bone-in, boneless, sausage, nuggets, sandwiches) tailored to varied occasions.

• Value Bundling: Bundles combining chicken and core offerings (e.g., pizza + wings, sandwich + sides) at compelling price points.

• Consumer Co-creation: Ethnographic research and in-market feedback loops that involve Gen Z in flavor ideation and menu testing.

• Event Alignment: Tying launches to cultural moments (e.g., Super Bowl) to accelerate awareness and trial.

• Global Flavor Fusion: Incorporation of regional marinades, spice blends and sauces reflecting immigrant and international tastes.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend (Summary)

• Gen Z Protein Preference: 46% of 18–24-year-olds now rank chicken as their top protein after pizza.

• WingStreet Resurgence: Record sales of 5 million wings on Super Bowl Sunday 2024 validate renewed interest.

• Portfolio Scale: Yum! Brands’ $7.4 billion in U.S. chicken sales and 3.7 billion pounds of annual poultry purchasing demonstrate category heft.

• Digital Engagement: Social-media shareability of “hack your chicken” recipes and event-driven content drives peer influence and repeat visits.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior (Summary)

• Primary Category Shift: Consumers increasingly order chicken as the focal item rather than a side.

• Experimentation & Customization: Shoppers embrace build-your-own combos and global flavor mash-ups, treating chicken as a canvas.

• In-Market Involvement: Participation in taste tests and feedback panels creates a sense of ownership and loyalty.

• Value-Driven Loyalty: Attractive bundle pricing encourages trial, frequency and program enrollment.

Implications Across the Ecosystem (Summary)

• For Brands & CPGs:

  • Build flexible chicken platforms that can pivot across formats and flavors.

  • Integrate continuous consumer input into R&D pipelines.

• For Retailers:

  • Highlight chicken innovations with dedicated merchandising, sampling stations and digital menu spots.

  • Offer bundled deals and tiered value options to meet budget and occasion needs.

• For Consumers:

  • Access a wider variety of chicken-centric experiences that cater to both indulgent and everyday eating occasions.

  • Influence product development through feedback channels, enhancing brand connection.

Strategic Forecast In the next 12–24 months, expect:

• Health & Wellness Iterations: Introduction of grilled, air-fried and plant-protein hybrid chicken offerings.

• Hyper-Local Flavor Rotations: Rapid, region-specific menu experiments responding to local taste trends.

• Tech-Enabled Feedback Loops: Real-time social listening and AI-driven sentiment analysis guiding rapid product refinement.

• Sustainability Messaging: Emphasis on responsible sourcing and packaging innovations tied to chicken platforms.

Final Thought By centering chicken as a versatile, co-created centerpiece and leveraging event-driven launches alongside portfolio synergies, quick-service brands can forge deeper engagement, drive repeat visits and future-proof their menus for the next generation of diners.

Source: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/how-pizza-hut-is-bringing-chicken-to-the-forefront/