National Poll on Super Bowl Eating and Viewing Habits Confirms: Pizza Remains Top Choice in 2016

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 1, 2016) - A Leger poll conducted from January 18 to January 21 confirms that pizza is the preferred food choice for Canadians who are planning to watch the Super Bowl at a private residence. Forty one per cent of Canadians watching the game at home selected pizza as their food item of choice, followed by chicken wings (20 per cent) and nachos (3 per cent).

Although pizza was the clear national favourite, chicken wings have always been a popular option for fans taking in the big game. The survey identified that 24 per cent of respondents in Ontario and Quebec said they preferred chicken wings vs. 13 per cent in other provinces.

"It's one of the busiest days of the year for us," said Pat Finelli, Chief Marketing Officer for Pizza Pizza. "We do whatever we can to understand the needs of Canadians and through this process we're able to offer new promotions and food choices that score points with our customers and sports fans alike."

Each year, Pizza Pizza experiences an important rush that starts a few hours before the game - as its call centres, restaurant locations, website and mobile apps receive a spike in orders. The company says it has the experience and resources to prepare for the increased volume.

"We've been preparing for months," said Finelli. "Thanks to the dedication of our franchise partners, staff and suppliers, we've implemented a variety of measures to ensure that our customers have a great experience."

Pizza Pizza expects to fill more than 70,000 orders on February 7, a 45 per cent increase over a typical Sunday. During peak times the volume is expected to reach more than 120 orders per minute. The company will employ some 330 order takers to handle the influx of calls.

Chicken wings continue to be the perfect pairing for pizza, with 30 per cent of Canadians surveyed selecting them as their favourite side dish. In Quebec, French fries and poutine reign supreme with pizza orders, with 56 per cent selecting the potato-based treat.

New Fiery Red Hot Wings

To help football fans get fired up for the big game, Pizza Pizza has introduced a new chicken wing sauce option - Fiery Red Hot Sauce, fueled by TABASCO® Sauce. Customers can choose to have Pizza Pizza's classic, breaded or naked chicken wings sauced and tossed in this extra spicy hot sauce. The sauce will become Pizza Pizza's sixth wing sauce option on the menu.

"We wanted to ignite wing lovers' taste buds and this new hot sauce, fueled by TABASCO® sauce, will bring your spicy meter into the red zone," adds Finelli.

For customers looking to beat the game day rush, Pizza Pizza suggests placing an order in advance using its website (www.PizzaPizza.ca) or mobile app. Orders can be placed up to three weeks in advance on these platforms.

About Pizza Pizza Limited

With more than 730 locations across Canada, Pizza Pizza Limited is Canada´s pizza pioneer and a quick-service restaurant leader. The company operates two banners, Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73, that together with its network of operators and franchise partners, deliver quality food choices, diverse menus and exciting promotions for all tastes, lifestyles and budgets. Since 1967, Pizza Pizza Limited has been guided by a vision to provide the "best food, made especially for you" with a focus on quality ingredients, customer service, continuous innovation and community involvement. Visit www.pizzapizza.ca and www.pizza73.com for more information.

About the survey

The survey was completed online January 18-21, using Leger's online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1,530 Canadians aged 18 and older. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.