Prices go up, sizes go down

Prices go up, sizes go down

Pizza Hut -- Is ingenuity thy name?

Fast food businesses in Jakarta must indeed be a cut-throat
competition, but I didn't know that customers' throats are so
deliberately targeted.

A few years back, Pizza Hut provided plates at their "self-
service" vegetable salad counters. Later, the restaurant changed
the plates to small bowls, which again often changed shapes.

Pizza Hut used to keep large spoons to generously scoop out
the vegetables from each container. Now, they have provided tongs
which are designed very flimsy and thin, having no weight. The
items have to be literally ferried from the container to the
bowl.

While picking up the vegetables, the tong holds three or four
pieces but when you try to transfer them to your bowl, either an
empty tong stares you in the face, or, if you're lucky, one piece
of vegetable mercifully drops down in the bowl.

Pizza Hut runs a "special" promotional campaign every now and
then. The latest gambit is that for ordering one Regular size
Pizza, you get one free personal An American Favorite Pan Pizza.
Why not an Indonesian favorite, by the way?

The "free" coupons are valid from Monday through Friday,
exchangeable only until Nov. 27, 1995. Also, the coupons are
meant only for dine-in purposes and not for take-away orders.
With all these restrictions, I wonder whether they are conferring
a privilege on the customers or trying to sell empty space on
week days.

Until recently, vegetable salad and soup were priced
separately and customers had a choice of ordering either one or
both. Now the prices are combined and whether one likes it or
not, a customer who wants to order for any one is forced to pay
for both the items. Why should soup piggy-ride on salad, or vice-
versa?

Are Pizza Hut in such a soup that they can't market their non-
saleable soup? I'm unable to figure out the principles behind
their move. Or are they following their U.S. policies?

Of course, I could abandon Pizza Hut but it seems they do
indeed care for their customers as can be seen, even now, from
their cleanliness, friendliness and acceptable quality.

Dear Pizza Hut: Please don't alienate your customers. You have
built an enormous goodwill over the years. Do you have to resort
to these sale gimmicks? We need you as much as you need us.

D. CHANDRAMOULI

Jakarta