Papa John’s currently has a deal going where if you buy any large pizza at regular price, you get a second, one topping large pizza for 30 cents. This is strategically timed to happen while leading up to the Super Bowl, of which Papa’s Johns has been designated as the official pizza.
My initial reaction was “why didn’t they just make it a ‘buy one get one free’ promotion?” I think there are a couple reasons. First, it’s their thirtieth anniversary so they were trying to work in the number 30. Second, they don’t mention the price of the first pizza; only the 30 cent pizza. I think it does something psychologically. When something is free, there is a perception that that the quality is cheap (enough for them to just give it away) or there must be a catch. Paying at least something make it seem more legitimate.
I think the 30 cents emphasizes the fact that it’s a good deal. Everyone knows Papa John’s is normally the more expensive pizza but it also has built up a reputation in quality (“Better Ingredients, Better Pizza”). With this promotion, they may be able to attract some of the cheaper customers who would normally go for Little Caesars. The thinking would go: “I will pay roughly the same amount for the two pizzas so why not try Papa Johns?” Then a few weeks later when it’s time for the Super Bowl parties, the people that tried it out for the first time and liked the better quality would re-order, only now at full price.
I think overall it’s a good strategy but hopefully it doesn’t de-value the perception of their product by making it appear “cheap.”