Pizza Hut gives you delivery estimates before you order online
You won't have to wait until after you've paid to see when your food arrives.
You know the score: you order from an unfamiliar pizza place and have little idea as to when your food will arrive until you've already made a purchase. Wouldn't it be nice if you knew when that pie would show up before you spent your cash? Pizza Hut thinks it can help. It's offering an estimated "Visible Promise Time" that tells you when your online order is likely to reach your door (or, for carry-out, when it's ready) before you commit. The time varies based on the volume of orders, how many drivers are on hand and the typical drive time for your part of town. If you're not sure that ordering at 6PM on a Friday is a wise idea, you'll find out very quickly.
This is a marketing tool, of course. Pizza Hut hopes that the estimates will keep you coming back rather than leaving things to chance with companies that only tell you what to expect. However, it's still a big deal -- it shows that data can be used to improve the experience of something as simple as dinner. Don't be surprised if other big delivery chains follow suit, since it's doubtful that they'll want to be seen as slowpokes.
