If there is one thing California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is known for, it’s, well, pizza. Founded in 1985 in Beverly Hills, the brand has become one of the best-known pizza chains in the country through the strength of its unique menu including, of course, the California-style pizza.
Yet, for National Pizza Month 2022, the restaurant is pulling an unexpected move by boycotting pizza.
To highlight the chain’s many non-pizza items, the restaurant will be rewarding guests who order anything but its signature pizzas from Oct. 4-31. CPK Rewards members who order salads, pasta or burgers will receive a complimentary 7-inch BBQ chicken, traditional cheese or pepperoni pizza to be redeemed on their next visit.
As a majority of its sales are gleaned from non-pizza items, the “boycott” intends to highlight the less publicized elements of the CPK menu. The promotion is launching alongside the brand’s first-ever burger, the West Coast Burger, which features a Wagyu, chuck, and brisket beef blend, smoked bacon, caramelized onions, melted cheese, pickles, lettuce, house-made sauce and a brioche bun.
“We love our California inspired pizza, and it will always be our first priority,” said Scott Hargrove, evp and CMO at CPK. “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,” Hargrove continued. “Whether it’s an original CPK salad like the Thai Crunch, an unexpected pasta pairing like our Kung Pao Spaghetti, or a fresh take on a traditional comfort food like our new West Coast Burger, there is so much menu creativity.”
The West Coast Burger and pizza boycott will roll out across CPK locations on Oct. 4. Customers can sign up for CPK Rewards at the brand’s website.
