PEPSI® and Kelly Rowland Kick Off Search for Loyal Restaurant Regulars Who Have Earned Celebrity Status at Their Local Eatery

From Their Favorite Booth to Their First Big Break, the Local Eats Better With Pepsi Program Gives Food Lovers a Shot at Their Own Pepsi Ad and Honorary Menu Item

PURCHASE, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Before Kelly Rowland was an internationally renowned celebrity, she was a regular that was treated like one at her favorite Houston restaurant. To find the next dine-in star, PEPSI® is partnering with the award-winning singer to turn local restaurant regulars into hometown celebrities with a chance to be featured in a Pepsi ad and have their favorite menu item renamed in their honor. 

To kick off the Local Eats Better With Pepsi program, Kelly is inviting fans to enjoy the meal that keeps her going back to her top hometown spot, Houston This Is It Soul Food.

"A meal at Houston This Is It Soul Food isn't just about the delicious food and drinks but the memories you create when you're there. The pairing of soul food and drinking Pepsi will always remind me of celebrating some big moments with my family and friends, and I'm excited to share a taste of that with others," said Kelly Rowland.

The Houston restaurant is a fourth generation, family-owned institution, serving comforting dishes in a relaxed setting, and has renamed Kelly's favorite meal in her honor. From August 27 until September 24, Houstonians can enjoy the Kelly Rowland - special of peppered steak with rice and gravy, green beans, peach cobbler, and an ice-cold fountain Pepsi for $15 exclusively at both Houston This Is It Soul Food locations.

"Neighborhood restaurants have a unique way of connecting with their diners. The Local Eats Better With Pepsi program is about celebrating the eateries that keep guests coming back for more than just the food but also the community they create. We're honored to spotlight these hometown gems and the loyal regulars who support them," said Scott Finlow, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Global Foodservice.

Loyal patrons can enter to win time in the spotlight for them and their favorite local restaurant by nominating the spot on PepsiLocalEats.com until October 31, 2024. Winners will be featured in their own Pepsi campaign and have their favorite, signature dish renamed in their honor. Winners will also get to enjoy their namesake meal for free for a limited time.

All fans who submit their restaurant story by October 31, 2024, will also receive $3 to make their next meal better with Pepsi. Fans can go to PepsiLocalEats.com to learn more.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.