Papa John's seasonal Jack-O'-Lantern pizza was supposed to be an adorable take on a Halloween pumpkin. But in real life, the promotion turned out to be more a little more alarming than it was appetizing.
Earlier this month, Papa John's announced that it would be selling a Halloween-themed pie designed to look like a happy carved pumpkin. The $11 pie is made from a regular round pizza with a protruding stem, a border of pepperoni and a smiley face in the middle (also made of pepperoni) with two olives for eyes.
"We’ve never actually tried dipping a pumpkin in garlic sauce, but this Jack-O’-Lantern pizza is definitely better," the chain tweeted earlier this month.
Is it, though?
At first, folks were pleased by the idea of a different type of pumpkin pie ... but then the deliveries started, and the results were, well, the pictures speak for themselves.
According to lots of tweeters and Instagram posts, the Jack-O'-Lantern pies haven't quite met consumers' expectations.
Papa John's actually replied to several of the complaints. Some people received rather saucy comebacks, but others got some sincere apologies.
The pizza even seems to be freaking some customers out, so in its defense, Papa John's responded that the pie still tastes good — even if it does look Freddy Kreuger.
Nice one, Papa.
In regards to the sometimes eerie nature of the festive pie, a Papa John's spokesperson told TODAY Food, "Each crust is made to order by the individual pizza maker. We of course want all Jack-o-Lanterns to turn out flawlessly, but because they are handmade, each pizza will be unique. We do want you to know though, if your pizza for some reason doesn’t reflect the spooky pumpkin you had in mind, let us know!"
According to the chain, customers can always call the support center, tweet @askpapajohns or post on the company's Facebook page. However, quite a few people have been showcasing their impeccably put together pies.
For anyone looking to make a little last-minute Halloween magic happen (with or without pizza), there are still plenty of ways to incorporate a fun, fall theme into your spread. From a tasteful pumpkin-sausage lasagna to an insanely easy pumpkin keg, don't be discouraged if your own Jack-O'-Lantern pie comes out looking a little spooky.
