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Pizza Hut chatbot plays catch-up to Domino's tech-savvy ordering

Pizza Hut chatbot plays catch-up to Domino's tech-savvy ordering

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Good news: everyone wants to make it easier for you to eat pizza

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Three screenshots of Pizza Hut’s chatbot
Pizza Hut via Engadget

Pizza Hut might be the biggest pizza chain in the world, with global sales of more than $13 billion, but it's still got some catching up to do when it comes to using new technology. This week, the company announced its first pizza chatbot, which will allow "conversational ordering" via Facebook Messenger and Twitter. Customers add Pizza Hut as a friend via social media (yes, that's how the world works now), set up the basics of their account, and can then "reorder their favorites" or ask for the latest deals. You order, your food gets delivered, you get sent a receipt via email.

Pizza Hut wants to catch up with Domino's

However, it's clear that Pizza Hut's announcement is about more than just serving pizza — it also wants to catch up with Domino's. The smaller pizza chain has been quick to embrace all sorts of new ways to reach its customers and let them order. You can buy Domino's using emoji, from your smart TV, from your car, from an app, and even through Amazon's voice-controlled Echo. (Now that's convenience: shouting vaguely in your living room.) Pizza Hut still has some catching up to do then, but the new chatbot — which launches some time this fall — should be a decent start.