Does Pizza Hut Accept Amex? (Must Read Before Using Amex Card)
Trying to pay for goods with your credit card and then discovering your payment network is not accepted by the merchant can be quite frustrating.
Hence, knowing the payment networks that merchants accept in a particular country or enterprise is essential before initiating a transaction.
For example, Pizza Hut is one of the most frequented restaurant chains in the United States and the UK. Therefore, many have been asking if they accept Amex cards.
Yes, Pizza Hut does accept Amex cards alongside Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo, Electron, JCB, and a host of other payment network options. However, it is important to note that Pizza Hut does not accept payments for Amex cards for online orders and purchases. It means you can only use Amex cards for over-the-counter purchases and orders.
In this article, I will explain why Pizza Hut and other enterprises now accept Amex cards and how to use them when ordering from Pizza Hut.
I will also answer whether or not Pizza Hut accepts payment on delivery and elaborate on the different payment networks acceptable by Pizza Hut. Let’s dive in.
Does Pizza Hut Accept Amex Credit Cards?
Yes, Pizza Hut accepts Amex credit cards. However, they are not accepted for online orders or purchases.
Even though Amex Cards are one of the world’s most extensive and widely used payment networks, they lagged and still need to catch up to payment networks like Mastercard and Maestro.
A recent study has seen increased adoption of Amex cards by almost 99% of merchants in the United States.
However, it doesn’t mean all stores in the United States now accept Amex cards. Instead, it means there is a higher adoption percentage within various merchants than in the past.
The past low adoption rate was due to high interchange fees imposed on merchants who used the payment network.
Amex interchange fees were much higher than rival payment networks like Visa and Mastercard.
This defect prompted many merchants to abandon Amex and utilize other cheaper and much more efficient payment network services.
Interchange fees are fees paid by the store or merchant to the payment network provider to ensure the customer gets charged.
The money is then transferred to the store owner or merchant immediately. In essence, store owners must pay an amount to the credit card company to receive payments from you.
Usually, all or a part of the interchange fees adds to your bill. So, merchants are wary of adopting payment networks with high interchange fees for fear of losing customers.
Interchange fees usually make up about 1-3% of a transaction, but this varies depending on the card type, merchant type, transaction volume, and value.
Interchange fees for debit card providers such as Visa or Maestro have a limit, but Amex doesn’t. Unlike debit cards, federal law does not have a limit for interchange fees.
Hence, the fee could range anywhere from 1-4% in most cases.
This percentage range may seem small in contrast to other payment networks, but a 1% additional charge can make a huge difference in a customer’s bill and affect business owners.
Tiny businesses that operate on very thin margins. The recent change enacted by Amex operators has veered the company away from the traditional system.
The new system allows merchants to utilize much lower and more competitive rates provided by third-party payment processors who set the interchange fee rates.
Can You Order Pizza Hut with Amex?
You can’t order Pizza Hut products online with your Amex credit card. Therefore, when it comes to Pizza Hut meals, Amex cards are regulated to over-the-counter purchases only.
However, adopting Amex cards on a wide scale is due to the new OptBlue Program, which allows merchants to utilize Amex cards through third-party payment processors.
The third-party payment processors are in partnership with Amex.
This recent development now enables merchants to utilize competitive rates within a healthy price range issued by third-party payment processors as opposed to the old unregulated system.
Even though you cannot order Pizza Hut meals online with your Amex credit card, there are some perks to having an Amex card.
A few of them include the following:
- Earning points that can accumulate to get users rewards such as free flights and hotel accommodations.
- Flexible reward redemptions
- An Amex Gold card can get you 120 dollars a year in Uber cash, distributed 10 dollars monthly.
- The Gold Amex card also dishes out 100 dollars resort credit.
So when you book a room with Amex travel cards and stay two nights, you’re entitled to 100 dollars worth of hotel credit.
Has Pizza Hut Gone Cashless?
Yes, Pizza Hut operates a cashless paying system. All payments are made online and offline via debit or credit cards, except Amex cards.
This decision has received backlash from customers and has even affected the brand’s image and sales. However, it has still held since its implementation.
Pizza Hut explained that adopting a cashless and contactless policy was rooted in considering the foreseeable future.
Many enterprises have taken this bold step after the COVID onset and the pandemic’s effects on businesses and human lives.
Unfortunately, the cashless policy also covers deliveries. Therefore, even if you make an order and it’s delivered, you must pay with your card or a bank transfer.
Pizza Hut reports that they intend to continue with this policy but value customers’ input and will consider it.
For more information on Pizza Hut’s cashless policy, click here. Below is a list of restaurant chains that totally or partially operate on a cashless policy:
| Restaurant Chain | Scope |
|---|---|
| Pizza Hut | Operates on a cashless policy |
| Tender Greens | Operates on a cashless policy |
| Sweetgreen | Operates on a cashless policy |
| Starbucks | Partially operates on a cashless policy |
| Shake Shack | Partially operates on a cashless policy |
Does Pizza Hut Take Payment on Delivery?
To be certain if Pizza Hut takes cash payment on delivery, confirm the payment option from the checkout section of the Pizza Hut mobile app or when ordering online.
Since Pizza Hut enacted its cashless policy, customers have had to pay using only debit or credit cards or a bank wire transfer.
Select Pizza Hut restaurants may feature cash payment on their mobile app or website. But it is best to confirm from the checkout section before ordering.
For phone orders, ask first if the cash payment on delivery option is available.
Confirming first-hand from a correspondent while making a phone order or from the checkout section of the mobile app will save you future inconveniences.
Although there are stores that accept cash payment on delivery as a payment option, digital and cashless payment methods are becoming increasingly popular.
It has, in turn, seen a slow decline in cash payment stores and many stores adopting a cashless policy approach.
What Payment Method Does Pizza Hut Accept?
Pizza Hut operates on a cashless policy and accepts payment from various card networks such as Visa, American Express (Amex), Mastercard, Maestro, JCB, Barclaycard, Discover, etc.
Payment with these cards via the Pizza Hut mobile app or online websites is also acceptable, except for Amex credit cards.
When you pay for your meal in the store, you can either pay for it when you pick it up or have it delivered to your doorstep.
But it would be best if you were mindful that Pizza Hut operates on a cashless policy and may not accept cash payments in the store or after delivery.
Therefore, keeping your debit or credit cards handy before making a delivery order from Pizza Hut is best.
FAQs
Can I Pay With Cash at Any Pizza Hut Restaurant?
No. Pizza Hut operates on a cashless payment policy; hence, you can only make payments via debit or credit cards.
Where Can I Purchase a Pizza Hut Gift Card?
You can buy a Pizza Hut gift card via this link or from all Pizza Hut stores, supermarkets, or shops. Gift cards help treat a friend to a slice of pizza without breaking a sweat.
Does Pizza Hut Accept Debit Cards?
Yes, Pizza Hut accepts payments made through Debit cards such as Mastercard and Visa. This makes their cashless operations even smoother since many customers operate this way.
Why is Pizza Hut Not Popular Anymore?
There is no definite answer for this; however, Pizza Hut has experienced some decline in popularity after introducing a few innovations, for one, their cashless policy.
