Pizza Hut to Allow All Ages to Participate In Book It! Reading Program

Pizza Hut plans to serve up a million free pizzas as it honors one of its longest running promotions that encourages kids to read. But it's not just about the kids this time.

What Is Book It?

Sometime in 1984, Pizza Hut launched its own reading program called Book It! The idea was to encourage school-age kids to read books and earn free pizza.

The promotion was hit around the U.S. as it continued to evolve over time. In the '80s, young readers would receive a button that they would fill up with stickers representing every book they read.

Book It! would continue to be popular on into the 2000s. Pizza Hut said it has awarded readers with more than 1.5 billion pizzas since the start of the program. Of that total, more than 56 million were awarded just between 2013-23.

Most recently, Pizza Hut expanded Book It! to help make books more readily available to schools and students of all backgrounds.

All Ages Can Get Free Pizza This Year

In a press release from Pizza Hut, the company touts Book It! as "the nation's longest-running corporate-supported reading initiative." The program is been mainly for students in pre-K through sixth grade.

That all changes this year.

Book It! is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and Pizza Hut has pledged it will give away 1 million personal pan pizzas to mark the occasion. And this time, ALL AGES can participate.

"Whether you're a young student just discovering the magic of reading or an adult rekindling your love for books, Pizza Hut is here to celebrate your journey with a free Personal Pan Pizza – because great books deserve great rewards," the company announced.

READ MORE: What It Means If You See A McDonald's With Black Arches

The offer is open to readers of all ages through Oct. 30 or until all of the 1 million pizzas have been claimed. Details about how to get your free pizza and other Book It! anniversary opportunities are available on Pizza Hut's official blog.