California Pizza Kitchen Gives Away 25,000 Free Pizzas for National Pizza Month in Return of Fan Favorites
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is turning National Pizza Month into an opportunity to reconnect with longtime fans — and make a playful apology for leaving some of its most beloved pizzas in the past.
The iconic restaurant brand, known for its innovative approach to pizza and its influence on modern casual dining, has launched a special limited-time promotion offering up to 25,000 free “Apology Pizzas” to customers during October. The campaign responds to years of customer requests and social media comments calling for the return of discontinued favorites.
Among the pizzas that fans continue to remember are Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Shrimp Scampi, and Pear and Gorgonzola. While those selections are not all returning immediately, CPK says it is listening to the feedback. As part of the campaign, the company has also promised to bring one fan-favorite pizza from its past menus back to restaurants in 2027.
The campaign combines a customer giveaway with a social media-driven effort designed to identify which discontinued pizza fans want to see return the most.
A Playful Apology to CPK Fans
California Pizza Kitchen is calling the promotion its “Apology Pizza” campaign, acknowledging the strong nostalgia surrounding some of the restaurant’s former menu items.
Chef Paul Pszybylski, Vice President of Culinary Innovation at California Pizza Kitchen, said the company recognizes that customers have continued to remember and request pizzas that are no longer available.
The campaign is designed to address that feedback with a combination of free food, humor and a future menu commitment. CPK is giving customers an opportunity to receive a complimentary pizza during National Pizza Month while also inviting them to share which past menu item they would most like to see return.
To reinforce the tongue-in-cheek nature of the campaign, CPK has even introduced a CFO, or “Chief Forgiveness Officer.” The company created a special video message featuring the fictional title as part of its social media campaign.
The unusual executive role is intended to emphasize the playful “apology” theme while giving the brand another way to engage with its community online.
How to Claim an “Apology Pizza”
Starting October 1, CPK fans can participate through the brand’s social media channels. Customers can look for qualifying CPK posts and videos on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and comment with the phrase “Apology Accepted.”
After participating, CPK will respond through direct message with a redemption code, while supplies last.
The promotion includes up to 25,000 redemption codes, making the giveaway a limited opportunity for fans who want to participate during National Pizza Month.
The offer runs through October 31, 2026, or until the available codes are claimed. Customers who receive a code can redeem their free pizza through November 10, 2026, subject to the promotion’s terms and participating locations.
The free pizza applies to a 7-inch pizza from a specified selection when customers make a qualifying online purchase.
Eligible pizza varieties include:
- The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage
- Pepperoni
- Margherita
- Wild Mushroom
- Hawaiian
Customers must make a minimum $20 net purchase through CPK.com or the CPK app. Taxes, gratuity, delivery fees and alcohol are excluded from the qualifying purchase amount.
Because the promotion is available while supplies last, CPK is encouraging customers to keep an eye on its social media feeds throughout October.
CPK Invites Fans to Help Choose a 2027 Return
The free pizzas are only one part of California Pizza Kitchen’s National Pizza Month campaign.
The restaurant company is also asking customers to help identify a discontinued pizza that could return to the menu in 2027.
CPK says its executives will monitor social media conversations throughout the campaign to identify which former pizza continues to generate the strongest customer interest. Fans can participate by commenting on CPK’s posts or creating their own social media posts about the pizza they would like to see return.
Dawn Keller, Chief Marketing Officer at CPK, said the company plans to pay particularly close attention to customer feedback during National Pizza Month.
This approach gives CPK an opportunity to use its social media community as a source of direct customer feedback. Rather than announcing a specific returning pizza immediately, the company is leaving the selection open while it gathers reactions from its fan base.
The strategy also taps into the nostalgia surrounding restaurant menus, where discontinued products can maintain dedicated followings long after they disappear from regular offerings.
A Campaign Built Around Pizza Nostalgia
For California Pizza Kitchen, the promotion highlights the connection between its menu history and its longtime customers.
The restaurant brand has developed a reputation for experimenting with pizza combinations beyond traditional toppings. That history has resulted in menu items that some customers remember years after they have been discontinued.
The current campaign puts that nostalgia at the center of CPK’s National Pizza Month activities.
By combining a limited-time giveaway with a potential menu comeback, the company is encouraging customers to revisit the brand while also sharing their opinions about its culinary history.
The campaign also gives CPK an opportunity to generate conversations across social platforms, where customers can discuss former menu favorites and interact directly with the brand.
Promotion Runs Throughout October
The “Apology Pizza” promotion is scheduled to run from October 1 through October 31, 2026, with redemption available through November 10.
Customers interested in participating should monitor California Pizza Kitchen’s social media channels for qualifying posts and videos. The company plans to provide multiple opportunities throughout the month for fans to submit their “Apology Accepted” response.
The offer is available at participating CPK locations and is subject to the stated purchase and redemption requirements.
While the giveaway provides an immediate benefit to customers, the longer-term focus is the promised 2027 return of a fan-favorite pizza. Which pizza ultimately comes back will depend on the feedback CPK receives during the campaign.
For a restaurant brand with a long menu history, the initiative turns discontinued pizzas into a source of customer engagement — giving fans a chance to revisit familiar flavors while potentially influencing what appears on the menu next year.
For more information about the campaign and its terms, customers can visit CPK’s official Apology Pizza promotion page or follow the brand across its social media platforms.
With 25,000 free pizzas available and one former favorite potentially returning in 2027, California Pizza Kitchen is using National Pizza Month to combine a limited-time promotion with a broader celebration of the pizzas that customers still remember.
Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/
