[Screenshot: Youtube.com]
- Yesterday, Pizza Hut released a concept video on their Youtube channel demonstrating an idea in the works: interactive tables, giant tablet-esque creations that you would be able to use to order your meal on, or play games while you wait. According to Geekosystem, it's a collaborative project with Chaotic Moon Studios, who developed Whole Foods' "Smart Cart." The concept video is nicely slick, but it's clear there are still some kinks to work out (how to stop people from just sticking around playing games all day? Will it appeal to older audiences? etc.) Either way, we're pretty mesmerized.
Pizza Hut + Chaotic Moon Studios Interactive Concept Table
- I'm not a huge awards show person, but my family is devoted to them, and so Sunday rolled around and I sat by idly watching but mostly eating the dinner I'd made (spicy tuna roll, anyone?). While it was still a mostly boring (for me) and unsurprising (for me) event, Ellen DeGeneres was a great host, and one particular stunt (not her now-infamous selfie) she pulled is most certainly Slice-worthy: ordering pizza for the crowd. According to the LA Times, Ellen called in an order for three pies—cheese, pepperoni, and everything—from Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria, owned by brothers Ararat and Allen Agakhanyan. Ellen tipped the deliveryman (and franchise owner) who brought the pies with the $600 she'd gathered from the celebrity audience, and then threw in an additional $400 to bring the total to a cool grand. Big Mama's and Papa's popularity has been through the roof since then, and the 20-location chain is scrambling to keep up with the sudden demand. "This is what happens when you work hard," Agakhanyan said about Martirosyan. "You work hard, you don't take anything for granted and you succeed." And then you go on the Oscars, apparently."
Jimmy and Tina share Pica's [Photograph: Tonight Show/NBC Philadelphia]
- Upper Darby (a township outside of Philadelphia) pizzeria Pica's made it to primetime on Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" last night—as NBC has it, show writer Luke Cunningham was Uppr Darby born and raised, and wanted to surprise guest and fellow UD native Tina Fey with a pie. Cunningham coordinated with Pica's owner, Frank Pica Jr., who made a delivery to 30th street to meet up with a show intern, who then carried the square pizza back to the studios at 30 Rock...for Tina and Jimmy to enjoy during the show.
About the author:Kate Andersen is a Contributing Editor for Slice.