Edinburgh Pure Pizza offering free pizza to residents from takeaway in Morningside Drive

Pure Pizza in Edinburgh’s Morningside is offering free pizza this January 2023

A Morningside pizza takeaway is offering to give everyone in Edinburgh a free pizza in January – to help people out during this cost of living crisis, but also to provide more guaranteed hours for its staff.

Pure Pizza owner Marc Wilkinson is offering all customers in the Capital a free pizza each outwith the hours of 5.30pm to 8.30pm, seven days a week, for pick-up only from the shop on Morningside Drive. The business has already seen large queues outside since the offer was announced on Sunday (January 1).

He said: "The main reasons for doing this is that it is a win-win-win situation. Obviously our customers get a free pizza so it’s a win for them. It’s a win for our team of chefs getting extra hours during January when it’s normally quiet. And it’s a win for the suppliers because we will carry on ordering more food.

Pure Pizza owner Mark Wilkinson outside his Morningside Drive shop.

"And it’s a win for the business as well. As customers will enjoy their free pizza and come back to us again.

"From a commercial perspective our general policy is to offer the best delivered pizza cheaper than the rest, so it’s important for people to know about our best offers. I have had people from all over the world contacting me about this deal.

"We have had a great response. People are offering their bank details to support us to do what we are doing. Which I wasn’t expecting at all! I took a call just now from an Indian guy who lives in London who is going to send us some money!”

Marc said the shop, which he opened at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, will operate a queuing system, with people who visit the shop by half five given a token so they will get served. And then again from 8.30pm.

Customers are already waiting outside for their free pizza.

The Pure Pizza owner is delighted to be able to help out others this winter, providing some welcome community spirit as people struggle to cope with the cost of living crisis, with many having to choose between heating and eating as energy and basic essentials continue to rise in price.

"If we do 1,000 free pizzas a week for four weeks that will cost us about £12,000. But I’m happy to help people out,” said Marc, “And rather than having to lose staff then re-hire them for Valentine’s Day, we can keep them on throughout.

"Also, if the oven is on we still pay the same, so it’s better to have the oven full than half empty. So we can help a lot of people cost effectively in the sense that it’s not costing us any extra on gas, as our gas ovens are already on.

"There will be some benefits for us as well as a business, getting our name out there. It’s the very definition of community. Helping each other out during difficult times.”

Marc hopes that anyone who takes up the offer of free pizza will pass on this act of kindness in their own way, with customers only needing to provide a valid mobile number to enjoy the kind offer.