Pizza Hut Prints Job Seekers’ ‘ResZAmes’ on Its Boxes. Will It Work?

Pizza Hut knows that it’s hard out here for job seekers. That’s why it’s stepping up its efforts to help the unemployed with its new “ResZAmes” program, where employers can get a box of pizza with a potential employee’s resume on the top of the box. But will it work?

Pizza Hut’s ResZAmes Program

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A press release revealed that Pizza Hut launched “ResZAmes,” a new service designed to make professionals stand out in today’s cutthroat job market by delivering their resumes to potential employers via the company’s recognizable pizza boxes, as of Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Even though 75% of resumes are never read, according to Careerminds, who could pass up an office pizza? During the “September Surge,” the time that begins in Q4 and sees a noticeable rise in job openings across industries, Pizza Hut is “leveraging what it does best — deliver hot, ready-to-eat pizza — to help job seekers grab the attention of employers and deliciously differentiate themselves in a crowded job market.”

With ResZAmes, job seekers in the most competitive employment market — New York City — can make a lasting impression by having their resumes printed straight onto a pizza box, which they can then have delivered to the corporate headquarters of their choice at no cost. A medium-sized cheese pizza will be included in every ResZAme pizza box.

“We know finding a job can be daunting especially during this key hiring season, so we wanted to lend a hand to our job seeking customers and help them break through the clutter,” said Pizza Hut’s chief marketing officer, Melissa Friebe, in a statement accompanying the press release. “By combining Pizza Hut’s iconic pizza boxes with job seekers’ resumes, we are hoping to help resumes drum up the same excitement as office pizza and help the applicant make a lasting impression. Who could possibly ignore a resume when it is delivered as a delicious pizza?”

Through Sept. 22, 2024, Pizza Hut ResZAmes applications will be accepted online at ResZAmes.com. Pizza Hut will then review the submissions and select a group of winners “whose resume will be hand delivered via custom Pizza Hut ResZAme pizza box to their desired employers.”

Clever Promotion for a Beleaguered Brand?

The ResZAmes service is a clever promotion that could prove successful for both Pizza Hut and beleaguered job seekers. However, the pizza chain is still facing some issues.

Back in July, after closing 15 of its locations, a Pizza Hut franchisee with over 140 locations in the Midwest and South filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

According to Nation’s Restaurant News, franchisee EYM Pizza L.P. and associated companies filed for bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Texas on July 22. The outlet verified that two creditors are listed in the bankruptcy case, along with related companies located in Wisconsin and Indiana. According to the statement, the franchisee owes Manufacturers Bank over $21 million and Pizza Hut little under $2.25 million.

Although a forbearance period that had been permitted earlier in the year ended in February, the pizza chain sued EYM Group in June for mismanagement and late royalty payments. This lawsuit stems from a previous legal issue that started when EYM sued Pizza Hut for many reasons, including a contract breach. A court dismissed the claim in April, enabling Pizza Hut to countersue.

In 2008, Eduardo Diaz, a former McDonald’s Mexico president, founded EYM. According to The Times of Northwest Indiana, the company shut down more than 15 stores in Northwest Indiana after operating Pizza Hut businesses since 2015.

“While some local franchisee-operated restaurants have temporarily closed, Pizza Hut remains committed to providing outstanding service and products to our valued customers. The company is working to transition these locations and expects many of them will reopen soon,” said a spokesperson for the pizza chain.