BJ’s Backpedals On Awful Broccoli Cheddar Pizookie—Now It’s Just Awkward
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse recently announced a Broccoli Cheddar Pizookie—a bizarre-sounding dessert that was never meant to be real. It was a marketing stunt, a setup for their actual product drop: a Snickers Pizookie. But instead of building interest, the fake-out just created confusion.
And that’s the problem. BJ’s had a genuinely compelling release on their hands with the Snickers Pizookie, but instead chose to lead with a half-baked joke dressed up like news. We reported it because it came directly from the brand, and our audience trusts us to vet what’s legit. What could’ve been a straightforward launch got derailed by a press release that read like ChatGPT trying to pitch broccoli as dessert. Now BJ’s is backpedaling like none of this ever happened, tweeting:
Okay, real talk… there’s no Broccoli Cheddar Pizookie® We were hungry and clearly not thinking straight. What we meant was: SNICKERS® PIZOOKIE® is here—and it’s 🔥
— BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (@bjsrestaurants) April 17, 2025
Even an official statement from BJ’s admits the campaign was born from hunger-induced chaos:
“BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is back, baby—and this time, we’ve come to our senses. Turns out, hunger really can make you do crazy things, like seriously considering a Broccoli Cheddar Pizookie®. But then we had a SNICKERS®—and everything clicked, a SNICKERS® Pizookie®.”
They’re spinning this as a lighthearted mix-up, but the campaign feels more like a weird detour than a clever setup.
Look—we get it. Most people won’t think twice about this kind of PR fumble. But it’s worth calling out when a brand spoils its own moment. Honestly, if they had launched the broccoli version as the April Fool’s joke, then hit us with the Snickers pivot—it might’ve actually worked. But right now, it just looks like BJ’s got played by their own punchline.
We didn’t forget. But sure, we’ll still try the Snickers one. Just next time, don’t bury the good stuff beneath a stunt.
