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Which Pizza Rewards Program Delivers the Best Deals?

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Pizza rewards programs -- does it make you salivate?

The only thing that tastes better than pizza is free pizza. Three of the top chains in the U.S. give loyal customers the opportunity to earn free food. Here comes a comparison of the pizza rewards programs offered by Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s.

Domino’s

Domino’s Piece of the Pie program gives you 10 points for each order over $10, tax and tip excluded.

A maximum of 10 points can be earned per order, and only one qualified order is allowed per 24-hour period. Once you earn 60 points, you can redeem them for a free two-topping medium pizza — that’s the only reward option, however.

However, if you play your cards right, you could earn that free pizza after spending just $60, parsed out over six separate orders. That’s a pretty good deal.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut Rewards members earn two points for every dollar spent ordering online.

There’s no limit to the number of points you can earn per order. And since you can claim a reward after spending just $75, so you might even be able to score it in your first delivery if, say, you’re getting a delivery for a party.

The program actually has three tiers of rewards:

150 points ($75)– medium two topping pizza with the choice of hand tossed or thin and crispy crust
200 points ($100)– any medium pizza
250 points ($125) – any large pizza

Papa John’s

Rewards program members earn one point for every five dollars spent online. Papa Rewards members have an impressive amount of choices when redeeming reward points:

10 points ($50)– bread sides or desserts
15 points ($75)– medium two topping pizza
25 points ($125)– large three topping or pan pizza
30 points ($150) – specialty pizza

The Best of the Pizza Rewards Programs

Ultimately the choice between pizza rewards programs ought to rely on your consumption habits: If you make a large quantity of small orders, Domino’s might seem like the best deal.

However, if you tend to make a smaller quantity of larger-sized orders, then you might prefer Pizza Hut or Papa John.

If you want the most variety in pizza rewards, then Papa John’s might be for you — or if you really want to mix it up, you could sign up for all three and alternate. Of course, the latter choice might be best for people who really consume a lot of pizza.

Readers, what’s your favorite pizzeria? Do you belong to any pizza rewards programs, or would you switch pizzerias in order to claim (more) free pizza? If you’re in any pizza rewards programs, how often do you score free pizza?

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National Pizza Day Deals, Coupons and Freebies

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National Pizza Day Deals
Pizza is a pretty common favorite food. Although it is an “Italian” food, it is one of the most popular meals in America. In fact, it is so popular that we have a national day for it. Tuesday, February 9, 2016 is National Pizza Day. You may be thinking, “Well, what does that mean for me?” It means tons of deals, coupons and freebies, of course.

National Pizza Day isn’t a day people get off from work. However, it is a day that everyone can indulge in a free or discounted cheesy, doughy, greasy treat. After a long day at work and probably a long weekend (after the Super Bowl), pizza will be an easy (and affordable) dinner for the family.

If you are looking for coupons, discounts, deals and freebies, look no further. Here is a list of places offering deals for National Pizza Day:

  • Chuck E. Cheese’s: Print a coupon for $2 off any large pizza of your choice.
  • Domino’s: You can use the following codes to get money off your order:
  1. 9193 gets you two of the following for $5.99 each: medium, two-topping pizza; oven-baked sandwich; cheesy bread; eight-piece chicken; pasta dish.
  2. 9204 gives you two medium pan pizzas for $8.99 each.
  3. 9174 gives you any large pizza with up to three toppings for $7.99 (carry-out only).
  • Donatos Pizza: Subscribe to the Donatos Email Club and get a $3 coupon.
  • Extreme Pizza: Sign up for Extreme Savings Club and get a $5 coupon.
  • Godfather’s Pizza: Offering numerous pizza coupons. $1 off small pizza; $2 off medium pizza; $3 off large pizza; $4 off jumbo pizza.
  • Hungry Howie’s: If your name or surname is Howard or Howie, you can get a free small cheese pizza.
  • Papa Gino’s: Register for Papa Gino’s Rewards Program and earn one point for every dollar spent. For every 50 points you earn, $5 is automatically credited to your account.
  • Papa John’s: Use coupon code 25OFF at checkout and get 25 percent off your next menu price online order. You can also use the following codes:
  1. GB30 gives you 30 percent off.
  2. F26FREEBIE gives you free cheesesticks with a large specialty pizza.
  3. POST3M gets you three medium, three-topping pizzas for $21 total.
  4. 6BRWN gives you a double chocolate chip brownie for $6.
  • Pizza Hut: Use coupon code visafive to get $5 off your order of $25 or more at Pizza Hut. You can also use:
  1. TEOMED3T6 gets you any medium, three-topping pizza for $6.
  2. ELEVENONLINE gives you any medium or large pizza with up to five toppings for $11.
  3. 10BOX gets you a one-topping pizza, five breadsticks and 10 cinnamon sticks for $10.
  4. 3T gives you two medium pizzas, breadsticks and cinnamon sticks for $20.
  • Pizza Inn: Sign up for email updates for $5 off your order.
  • Pizza Schmizza: Get 25 percent off your order when you sign up for Pizza Schmizza email updates.
  • Round Table: Register with the Round Table Pizza eClub and get 15 percent off your order.
  • Sbarro: Get two XL New York cheese pizzas at Sbarro for only $20.
  • Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Buy any pizza and get a second pizza of equal or lesser value for $5.

Of course, if there is a pizza place near you that you are wondering about, give them a call. After all, it is National Pizza Day, many places will be offering excellent deals on one of America’s favorite meals.

Photo: Flickr: Jasmine

Study Says Kids Eating Pizza Is One Culprit Behind Childhood Obesity

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Study: Pizza a cause of child obesity
In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama started her Let’s Move! Campaign to combat child obesity. As discussed in the October 7, 2014, issue of The New York Times Magazine, the average weight of American children has been increasing since the 1980’s, and approximately 33 percent of children are overweight or obese. Unfortunately, these obese and overweight children often become obese and overweight adults, and by 2030 more than half the adult population in the US is expected to be “dangerously overweight.”

However, the ramifications of carrying around extra weight go far beyond aesthetics. Overweight individuals are more likely to suffer from diabetes, stroke and heart disease, and to treat these chronic diseases will continue to drive healthcare costs at a staggering annual rate. Already heart disease and stroke account for $432 billion per year in healthcare spending and diabetes costs $174 billion each year.

In this context, the Institute of Medicine has recently completed new guidelines in order to “bring school meals in compliance with national dietary guidelines.” But such guidelines are only half the battle. Indeed, when children go home, parents must be aware of what foods they feed their children and how that food can impact their future health.

Thus, the importance of a new study published online in the journal Pediatrics, the authors studied the impact of pizza consumption on children’s’ caloric intact. The researchers discovered that pizza is a significant source of calories, salt and saturated fat in children’s diet. Specifically, when children eat pizza, they consume approximately 408 additional calories compared with their regular diets, whereas teenagers consume an additional 624 calories.

To complete the study, the authors used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants using this survey are asked to remember the various food items they consumed or drank in the past 24 hours. Responses form over 7,400 children and more than 6,400 adolescents were also examined between 2003 and 2010.

Lisa Powel, one of the study co-authors and director of the Illinois Prevention Research Center has said, “People should aim to curb pizza consumption, particularly as a snack where it was shown to have the largest adverse impact on children’s [caloric] intact.” Powel recommends that a “healthy pizza” should be developed in which the amount of saturated fat and salt in certain food items is reduced and the whole grain content is increased.

While pizza is not the only food driving childhood obesity, its large-scale consumption by school-age children and teenagers alike underscore that changes must be made to America’s lifestyle. As Alexis Tindel, a clinical dietitian with the Center for Healthy Weight & Nutrition told journalist, “Make [food] at home, instead of ordering it out where you don’t have any control how it’s made…choose healthier toppings, increase the vegetables and lean proteins, and put less cheese…” These steps will afford parents greater control over the quality of foods they place in their children’s mouths — and their own.

(Photo courtesy of David K)