NEW RESEARCH SHOWS OUR MINDS DECIDE ON TASTE BEFORE WE EAT

Working closely with Call of Duty, Fireaway, the UK’s fastest-growing pizza franchise, has developed a pizza that’s inspired by the mind-bending nature of Black Ops and is based on two of the Japanese themed maps in the latest installment of Call of Duty. To support the release of the pizza and the game, Fireaway has commissioned consumer research that proves that taste is all in the mind – with pizza at the heart.

The Black Ops series has always leaned into themes of mind control, paranoia, and unreliable perception. From the original Black Ops (2010) to the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, the narrative consistently explores how war isn’t just fought on battlegrounds – it’s waged inside the mind.

Research commissioned by Fireaway shows that 71% agree that the mind makes up 80% of taste before you even try something and that nearly half of Brits (45%) would rather go hungry than eat a pizza with their most hated topping. And one in five (18%) said they wouldn’t even risk tasting a topping they didn’t like. The biggest villains? Anchovies (41%) and blue cheese (35%); flavours most often rejected based on smell, texture or assumption rather than actual taste.

Dr Jack Lewis, neuroscientist and author, explains why: “What we taste is a vast multisensory illusion. The tongue can only detect five basic chemical signals – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami – and the brain builds up everything else on the basis of intel arriving via all other senses. Smell, sight, sound and even touch can all pre-filter the flavour before the food has even hit the taste buds.

“When those cues are removed – darkness, silence and particularly blocked scent – the same food can taste completely different. Your brain isn’t just part of taste; it’s the main course.”

At the heart of the campaign is the Tokyo Hijacked Pizza which combines a tomato base, mozzarella, crispy chicken tenders, chilli flakes, raw chillies, crispy onions and a Teriyaki x Kewpie mayo drizzle. Every purchase of the Tokyo Hijacked Pizza or Fireaway’s Call of Duty bundles unlocks bonus in-game rewards: a bespoke Calling Card, Charm and Emblem, plus a Double Weapon XP Token to use in Black Ops 7.

Further findings from the research of 2,000, conducted in October 2025, expose a national “taste illusion”, showing how much of what we think we love (or hate) is decided by the brain before the first bite, showing that:

76% admit “we eat with our eyes first”
84% still believe they’d enjoy their favourite pizza in complete darkness – a confidence that neuroscience suggests is misplaced
18% confess they’ve never actually tried their most disliked topping – they’re simply assuming they won’t like it
1 in 2 Brits (45%) would rather go hungry than eat pizza with their least-favourite topping

To bring the findings and science behind them to life, Fireaway has teamed up with Dr Jack Lewis and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to create a multi-sensory campaign experience designed to shatter taste expectations. From a sensory-deprivation “taste lab” where influencers were served pizzas blindfolded, with noses clipped and sonic seasoning on, to Fireaway’s limited-edition Tokyo Hijacked Pizza, every moment is built to test the line between perception and reality.

Fireaway’s Head of Marketing, George Whiting, said: “This campaign started with a question: how much of taste can you really trust? The answer – not much. Just like Black Ops 7 blurs reality on-screen, we’re blurring it on the plate. Your Brain Bites First is about proving that flavour isn’t fixed, it’s something your brain decides, based on what you see, smell and hear. We wanted to make that science feel real – and even a bit fun in a way that brings to life our authentic recipes with innovative flavours.”