Pizza Hut, the giant pizza company that fueled many a birthday party when I was growing up, is now rolling out vegan cheese options throughout the UK. It's time for them to bring vegan cheese pizzas to the US, too!
Pizza Hut spent 8 weeks testing out their line of vegan cheese pizzas at a few select stores in the UK, with no advertising or fanfare, to see how the public would respond to these expanded choices. Their trial proved such a resounding success that now the chain has decided to bring vegan cheese to its entire suite of British restaurants.
This is GREAT news for vegans all over the UK, but leaves me, a US consumer, feeling hurt, confused and left behind. A full 6% of all US consumers now identify as vegans, which is millions and millions of people. And so many of us — myself included — have spent years missing out on the wonderful party fast food that we remember from our pre-veggie years. I can guarantee Pizza Hut that we would all JUMP at this chance to rejoin the ranks of Hut-goers, if we were given the opportunity.
How many times have we had to eat salad, staring longingly at greasy stretches of crust when our friends decided to go out for a pie? How many times have our mouths watered, remembering the fantastic flavors that we've been unable to enjoy after we made the vegan switch?
So I beg of you, Pizza Hut: Don't abandon your vegan American fans. We're so glad the Brits love you and that you love them back. But we love you, too! So please love us back as well.
