September 20, 2025 marks National Pepperoni Pizza Day — a holiday that may seem lighthearted, but one that carries rich implications for pizza lovers, ingredient suppliers, and pizzeria owners alike. Chains are rolling out deals, brands are crafting campaigns, and pepperoni is hitting a high note in taste, marketing, and commerce.
What’s on Deck: The Best Deals to Savour
Here’s a rundown of what some big chains and pepperoni suppliers are offering this year, plus what makes the deals interesting from the crust to the crustacean (i.e. anything salty & circular like pepperoni). Sources: WRAL, Savor Nation, etc.
| Chain / Brand | Deal Highlights | Why It Matters / What’s Unique |
|---|---|---|
| Blaze Pizza | Two build-your-own (BYO) 11-inch pizzas + two 16 oz fountain drinks for $22.99. | Great bundle for pairs; drink inclusion boosts average ticket. Opportunity for upsells. |
| Domino’s Pizza | “Choose 2 or more menu items including select pizzas for $6.99 each.” | Low entry price to bring customers in; margin thin but volume potential. |
| Hungry Howie’s | Free pizza giveaway on Sept. 20 + “Large Pepperoni Duo for $11” with code HOWIE1. | Engagement via contest + strong mid-priced pie. Good mix of promotion + product push. |
| Marco’s Pizza | Large Pepperoni Magnifico for $9.99 using promo code (LPMAG9) for a limited time; plus “unlimited medium 1-topping pizzas for $6.99” (code MED699) Sept. 8-28. | Long-window promotions help smooth demand; code-tracking gives data. |
| Papa John’s | 30% off the Ultimate Pepperoni Pizza for rewards members; new “Papa Dippa” (“designed exclusively for dippin’”) + 4-sauce flight for ~$13.99. | Combining pepperoni with innovation (sauce flights, dipping) — pushes accessory sales and trial. |
| Papa Murphy’s Take ’N Bake | Ultimate Pepperoni Pizza for $9.99. | Lower price point, appealing for families or smaller orders; prep-at-home angle helps with margins. |
| Pizza Hut | Multiple offers: Crafted Flatzz starting at $5 until 5pm; large one-topping carry-out $9.99; “Big Dinner Box” style deals; “Deal Lover’s Menu” (2+ items). | Layered deals to hit different segments: lunch crowd, carry-out bargain hunters, multi-item spenders. |
| Round Table Pizza | Use code RTP808 from Sept. 19–21 for a large Double Play (classic + mini pepperoni) at $21.99. | Dual-pepperoni style gives novelty; limited time creates urgency. |
Additionally: Hormel is pushing a creative campaign called “Pepperoni Insurance”, giving away 10,000 free packs of HORMEL® pepperoni (via $5 digital gift cards) to ensure “your pizza is properly protected” from topping theft. Also launching themed merch.
For Pizza Enthusiasts: Behind the Slice
- Ingredient story: Pepperoni as a topping has roots in Italian-American adaptation of salamis. Its vibrant red from paprika & other spices vs. the dried peperones of southern Italy.
- Fun fact: Most of us are guilty of “pepperoni poaching” — Hormel’s consumer survey says ~60% admit to taking pepperoni off someone else’s slice and 80% of those incidents occur between spouses or partners.
- Home-pizza tip: If you use pepperoni on homemade pizzas, consider “cup & crisp” styles (where slices curl and edges crisp), or mixing classic & mini slices for texture contrast—like Round Table’s Double Play. The difference in fat content, thickness, and heat exposure gives interesting mouthfeel.
Supplier & Ingredient Insights
These deals show more than just promotional flair. Here are supply-chain and ingredient angles:
- Margin pressure on meat toppings: Deals with aggressive pricing (e.g. $6.99 pizzas, or very low add-on cost) mean suppliers need to ensure cost of goods remains manageable. Pepperoni suppliers who can offer consistency (in fat content, slice thickness, shelf life) will be in demand.
- Innovation in pepperoni formats: Brands are pushing novelty: smaller slices (mini), crisped edges (cup & crisp), and “double pepperoni” offerings. Suppliers who can offer variants, or help with custom cuts, may capture more business.
- Merch & marketing around pepperoni: Hormel’s “Pepperoni Insurance” campaign and merch shop suggest pepperoni isn’t just an ingredient—it’s a lifestyle icon now. Suppliers should consider co-branding opportunities: limited-edition flavors, packaging collaborations, or branded pepperoni decisions.
- Digital & code-tracking matters: Many deals rely on promo codes. That gives both operators and upstream suppliers data on demand surges, geography, flavor preferences. If you supply pepperoni, tracking how usage shifts (classic vs mini, etc.) can allow better forecasting.
What Pizza Shop Owners Should Do (Especially Small & Medium Pizzerias)
Here are action points to ride the pepperoni wave profitably:
- Localize a deal. You don’t need national scale. Offer a Pepperoni Day special: e.g. “Buy one large pepperoni, get one half off”, or a pairing with drinks or games. Use limited time (1-2 days) to concentrate orders.
- Highlight uniqueness. Maybe you use house-made pepperoni, or a spicy version, or wood-smoked. Emphasize texture, ingredients. Education matters: let customers know why your pepperoni is different.
- Upsell smartly. Things like dipping sauces, side items, or “double pepperoni” options add incremental revenue without big supply cost increases.
- Use scarcity + exclusivity. Limited-edition pizza (e.g. dual pepperoni types, or a pepperoni flight), special merch, or even pepperoni tasting nights. Encourages social media shares and draws in enthusiasts willing to pay a little more.
- Inventory plan with your supplier. Deals mean demand spikes. Make sure you’ve locked in rates for pepperoni ahead of time, have enough stock, and ensure delivery logistics will hold. Nothing kills margin like paying rush fees or substitution of lower quality.
- Leverage rewards & loyalty programs. Many big chains are giving extra value to loyalty members. If your shop doesn’t have one, even a simple digital punch card or discount for repeat customers can help increase AOV (average order value).
Bigger Trends This Year & What They Tell Us
- Toppings as central marketing hook. Pepperoni isn’t just “what people want” — it’s the topping under which brands build campaigns or promotions. Suggests that pepperoni remains a major differentiator in taste and value perception.
- Price tiers & price bracketing. Deals cover a spectrum: from super-cheap (Carry-out large 1-topping for $9.99, or even lower) to higher novelty or premium pieces. Shows market segmentation: some consumers chase bargains, others are willing to pay more for creative or specialty offerings.
- Promotions that combine value and experience. Sauce flights, dipping options, novelty formats. People aren’t just after price—they want something fun, shareable, Instagrammable.
- Use of digital promotion + codes. Mostly online ordering, promo codes — this gives traceability. Shop owners who already use or can adopt digital ordering/codes will be better positioned to benefit.
Pizza Pro Tip: Maximizing Profit Margin on Pepperoni-Heavy Offers
To pull off a pepperoni-centric deal without being eaten alive by topping costs:
- Blend higher fat pepperoni with leaner slices to balance cost and flavor.
- Use shrinkage-aware cuts (cup & crisp tends to shrink and curls; flat slices use more surface area) to control topping mass.
- Preheat ovens well—crisping pepperoni needs heat; longer bake times cost energy. Time & shape of pepperoni matters for cook-time.
- Use dynamic pricing: during slow hours, push value combos; during peak hours, emphasize specialty pies or upsells.
Final Slice
National Pepperoni Pizza Day isn’t just another pizza holiday: it’s a lens into consumer behavior, ingredient supply dynamics, and marketing trends. For enthusiasts, it offers new ways to appreciate a classic. For suppliers, it’s a chance to showcase innovation and reliability. For shop owners, a golden opportunity to boost sales, deepen customer loyalty, and elevate your pepperoni game.
