UPDATED: Don’t ask presidential candidates about pizza preferences anymore

by Sarah Blaskovich

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Plano-based company Pizza Hut will pose the question online instead.

AP Photo

In this combination of file photos, Republican presidential candidate former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, left, takes a bite of pizza during lunch with his wife Ann while campaigning at Village Pizza in Newport, N.H., December 20, 2011. Then-Senator Barack Obama, right, takes a bite of pizza at American Dream Pizza in Corvallis, Ore., March 21, 2008. Pizza Hut has since changed their stance on the "pepperoni or sausage?" question at the presidential debate October 16, 2012.

PLANO — Plano-based Pizza Hut has backpedaled on its original idea to have an attendee of the presidential debates ask President Barack Obama or Governor Mitt Romney on Tuesday: “pepperoni or sausage?” Instead, they’re taking the debate online, where interested parties can duke it out virtually.

Sounds like a lot less fun. And a lot more appropriate.

"This got so much attention and interest and excitement from people: Let’s take this to an online debate and take the free pizza offer to a broader audience," said Doug Terfehr, spokesperson for Pizza Hut.

Slate criticized the original plan, calling it a marketing ploy, and the Associated Press suggested it could singlehandedly ruin the debate.

Pizza Hut's decision to take the discussion online didn't have anything to do with the negative criticism, said Terfehr. "This, for us, was truly just the natural progression of the campaign as it got more attention," he said.

Of the people who participate in Pizza Hut's online vote, one will be randomly selected to receive pizza for life. Originally, that prize was going to be bestowed upon the gutsy debate attendee who asked the question to the presidential candidates on live TV.

Logging onto The Pizza Party online requires that you give your email address, name, birthdate, and agree to their terms if you do not already have a Pizza Hut online account.

What happens if someone still asks "pepperoni or sausage?" during the presidential debates? "We’ll still honor [free pizza for life] in case it does [happen]," Terfehr said, "but we’re encouraging that discussion to happen on our website."