Pizza Hut announces first pizza chatbot for “conversational ordering” via Twitter, Facebook

Pizza Hut announced its first pizza chatbot, which would allow "conversational ordering" via Facebook Messenger and Twitter. Customers add Pizza Hut as a friend via social media, set up the basics of their account, and can then "reorder their favorites" or ask for the latest deals. One orders and one's food delivered. A receipt is also received by email.

According to commentators, it was also clear the Pizza Hut's announcement was about more than just serving pizza - it also wanted to catch up with Domino's. The smaller pizza chain had quickly adopted new ways to reach its customers and allow them to order. One can buy Domino's using emoji, from one's smart TV, from one's car, from an app, and even through Amazon's voice-controlled Echo. Pizza Hut's new chatbot, is set to launch in the coming months.

Pizza Hut announced the new service while revealing a partnership with chatbot startup Conversable, which also recently added Foods Market and fast-casual food chain Wingstop to its list of clients.

Pizza Hut would make the social ordering platform available starting in August, at which point customers would be able to reorder favourite or saved orders from any US location of the restaurant chain by chatting directly with the Pizza Hut accounts on either Twitter or Facebook. Orders through chatbot would not cost more and customers could also get answers to frequently asked questions and access info on recent Pizza Hut promotions.

''The new Pizza Hut social ordering platform is another example of making it easy for our customer to order their favorites from Pizza Hut,'' Baron Concors, Pizza Hut's chief digital officer, said in a statement. ''We are constantly pursuing ways to simplify our ordering experience. This platform allows our consumers to quickly order or get information where they are already spending a great deal of their time.''