John Key's pizza party frenzy

Prime Minister John Key takes his pizza order last night. Photo / TV3

John Key's penchant for pizza struck with a vengeance over election weekend as he enjoyed slices twice in as many days.

Shortly before 9pm on election night, a barefoot Key - clad in shorts and a blue polo shirt - paid for boxes of Pizza Hut delivered from the franchise near his Parnell house.

Mr Key ordered Meatlovers, a combination of beef, ham, cabanossi, pepperoni, bacon and mozzarella on a tomato sauce base.

He's understood to get home deliveries from the store every couple of months, be on good terms with staff and order under his own name.

He even mentioned Pizza Hut employee Sanjay Kumar in Parliament last year to demonstrate support of his 90-day trial policy.

It was the second day in a row Key tucked into pizza, after munching on slices on National's campaign bus on Friday.

A Twitter picture posted by TV3 political reporter Patrick Gower shows Key standing in the bus aisle with a box containing a half-eaten pizza - which again appears to be Meatlovers.

Pizza Hut were coy about Mr Key's delivery but Dominos stores across Auckland recorded bumper orders on election night and had to bring in extra staff to cope with demand.

New Zealand general manager Josh Kilimnik said orders picked up after Key was broadcast taking pizza into his house.

"We run a promotion after 9pm, but I'm pretty sure the John Key thing would have driven a lot of that demand."

Mr Kilimnik said the peak period of orders lasted almost until closing time at midnight when it usually ended about 7.30pm.

People phoning in their orders were full of excited election chatter and often discussed results with staff, Mr Kilimnik said.

Mr Key's takeaway order sparked a slew of amusement and cravings on Twitter.

Blake Dwan tweeted "hahaha John Key gettin pizza deliverd on election night.... NZ rules!", while Joseph Garner remarked "Would have thought John Key could afford better than Pizza Hut".

Another Twitter user voiced his need for pizza: "Damn you John Key, I want Pizza now."