Pizza Hut was the fancy pizza place in town that the dads would take us so they could drink Coors light and play quarters.

Pizza Inn was the buffet with the good pizza that all the kids loved. Good selection of pizza (pepperoni and green chiles was a must have) and a separate buffet of desert pizzas.

Buffet, red cups, killer juke box and pac man.

Gaeilge said:

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They're going to pump it full of so much debt, bankrupt it, and then flip the real estate.

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If so, the idiots loaning them money deserve it then.

The worst part of it is...the iconic lampshade will be no more. Which I had one.

KatyAggie2000 said:

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The worst part of it is...the iconic lampshade will be no more. Which I had one.

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For 300 one can be yours

vintage lamp

Logos Stick said:

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Gaeilge said:

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They're going to pump it full of so much debt, bankrupt it, and then flip the real estate.

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If so, the idiots loaning them money deserve it then.

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Depends on how the debt load is incurred. PE firms have their own investors as well as outside lenders.

Outside lenders do their own due diligence. Probably require some cross collateral or guarantees of some sort to justify that investment to the fed regulators.

It's no longer upper crust?

TXAG 05 said:

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The original owners sold it about 50 years ago, but those damn CEOs, am I right?

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I went to school with the Carney childern. We called it that Irish Pizza. It was good pizza up until 1980. I can honestly say I have not been in a Pizza hut in 20 years.

Jeeper79 said:

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The Ex Officio Director said:

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Local taco trucks are killing taco bell.

For a few dollars more I can a better taco than at taco smell.

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Taco Bell has never been good. It was a first mover, but that's about it.

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I love Taco Bell. They destroyed the great Mexican pizza, but I forgave them.

infinity ag said:

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Pizza Hut on University Drive. College Station (now closed). Back then it had a different look. Used to love going there.

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That photo should have been taken in pan view.

IIIHorn said:

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infinity ag said:

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Pizza Hut on University Drive. College Station (now closed). Back then it had a different look. Used to love going there.

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That photo should have been taken in pan view.

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Photo would have been to stuffed

Love the circa 90's plain bean burritos from Taco Bell ($.59/per) with onions and drenched in their hot sauce. About 5 of those after a night out with a Dr Pepper was like heaven. Lol. Ha.

They did take a version of deep dish, their pan pizza, and make it popular nationwide.

I had never had anything like that before Pizza Hut.

flown-the-coop said:

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Nothing beats a Red Baron hot and fresh from the oven. Totino's Pizza Rolls if you want something even more special.

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A man of sophistication

doubledog said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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The original owners sold it about 50 years ago, but those damn CEOs, am I right?

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I went to school with the Carney childern. We called it that Irish Pizza. It was good pizza up until 1980. I can honestly say I have not been in a Pizza hut in 20 years.

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Evidently, so can a **** ton of other people.

infinity ag said:

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Pizza Hut on University Drive. College Station (now closed). Back then it had a different look. Used to love going there.

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That picture shows more than an old location, I think it shows a large part of the failure. Underneath "Pizza Hut" on the sign, it says "Wing Street". That has all the hallmarks of a company that has lost its way.

People don't go to Pizza Hut to get hot wings any more than they go to Buffalo Wild Wings to get pizza (ironically it looks like Buffalo Wild Wings DID briefly try this). It demonstrates a failure to execute on the core business. Either management didn't know how to expand a previously successful business model, or they mismanaged what they had and were desperate to establish a new source of revenue.

It's the sort of bad decision that would be made by private equity.

KatyAggie2000 said:

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Love the circa 90's plain bean burritos from Taco Bell ($.59/per) with onions and drenched in their hot sauce. About 5 of those after a night out with a Dr Pepper was like heaven. Lol. Ha.

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3 tacos and 2 bean burritos (for about $4) was the ultimate hangover preventer. You blew out an o-ring on the toilet next day, but your head didn't hurt.

HarveyUpdyke_Ag said:

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infinity ag said:

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Stupe said:

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The one in Hempstead has the checkered cloth and red glasses.

We stopped there about two months ago and they said that they were looking into getting 80's video games.

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What a crap idea. Another gimmick.

All they got to do is improve the food, improve the quantity, the convenience and experience. Frikkin give the customer what they want, that is it. Make him/her feel like they got a great deal and they will tell everyone.

80s games will work only in niche areas where folks are gamers. Not suburban places.

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wrong everyone remembers going to Pizza Hut as a kid and having the whole experience.

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Yes, but I don't think the games will translate on to today. It will just be a bunch of crusty olds around those machines talking about the days of yore. The kids get their games fix through their iCrap devices.

Best pizza ever was a Super Supreme in Ennis Texas after 92 Cotton Bowl when it was freezing cold the entire game. My wife and I devoured that thing and it was so damn good. That being said it had to be the hunger and cold that made that happen.

KatyAggie2000 said:

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CoPilot says 6700 locations in the US alone. So, for 1.5B that's roughly $225K per store. I assume there's debt as we'll the PE firm will be buying so how does this math add up?

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Underperforming stores will shutter, which they should. Menu changes will come, which they should. Recipe changes to classic staples will slightly change to increase quality, which they should.

Pizza Hut has been going nowhere for 20+ years. Dominoes admitted they lost the plot in 08 or 09 and vowed to change. It was hard work but they did. And they did it by adjusting to the new consumer.

Everyone on this thread is just posting nostalgia nonsense. That's not going to fix Pizza Hut.

torrid said:

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infinity ag said:

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Pizza Hut on University Drive. College Station (now closed). Back then it had a different look. Used to love going there.

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That picture shows more than an old location, I think it shows a large part of the failure. Underneath "Pizza Hut" on the sign, it says "Wing Street". That has all the hallmarks of a company that has lost its way.

People don't go to Pizza Hut to get hot wings any more than they go to Buffalo Wild Wings to get pizza (ironically it looks like Buffalo Wild Wings DID briefly try this). It demonstrates a failure to execute on the core business. Either management didn't know how to expand a previously successful business model, or they mismanaged what they had and were desperate to establish a new source of revenue.

It's the sort of bad decision that would be made by private equity.

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They all sell wings now. Domino's, Papa Johns, et al. They all do it because the margins on wings are very high.

When the chicken wings and tender places came in, Wingstop, Canes, Zaxby's , Slim Chicken, etc, they lost market to those places.

infinity ag said:

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TxLawDawg said:

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I have very fond memories of Pizza Hut as a kid, but their food is absolutely terrible now. I wish they'd resurrect the old style sit down restaurants with salad bars and lunch buffets, but maybe that's just wishful nostalgia. I don't know if that would work any more since it doesn't seem like many other restaurants do it. But I will say one of the most popular restaurants near me still has a great salad bar and there's almost always a wait for tables. Either way, Pizza Hut needs to start from scratch with their pizza like Domino's did several years ago, because their current pizza is trash.

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That is exactly how I remember it. I would love to go to a sit down buffet pizza restaurant, there aren't any obvious ones near me that are reasonably priced. They are either very expensive or have a Take it and GTFO model.

I feel that people would like a change and will welcome it if they go back to this with improved pizza quality.

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I haven't been to Lake Charles in awhile but after a long night of gambling, our go to stop on the way back to Houston was that Lake Charles Mr. Gattis buffet. It was pretty decent, especially for being hungover.

For anyone who lives in Houston, Star Pizza has a good lunch buffet couple day a week. I haven't been in awhile but their have pretty good pizza

The decline of Pizza Hut and the rise of dominos over the past decade has been fascinating.

David_Puddy said:

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infinity ag said:

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TxLawDawg said:

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I have very fond memories of Pizza Hut as a kid, but their food is absolutely terrible now. I wish they'd resurrect the old style sit down restaurants with salad bars and lunch buffets, but maybe that's just wishful nostalgia. I don't know if that would work any more since it doesn't seem like many other restaurants do it. But I will say one of the most popular restaurants near me still has a great salad bar and there's almost always a wait for tables. Either way, Pizza Hut needs to start from scratch with their pizza like Domino's did several years ago, because their current pizza is trash.

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That is exactly how I remember it. I would love to go to a sit down buffet pizza restaurant, there aren't any obvious ones near me that are reasonably priced. They are either very expensive or have a Take it and GTFO model.

I feel that people would like a change and will welcome it if they go back to this with improved pizza quality.

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I haven't been to Lake Charles in awhile but after a long night of gambling, our go to stop on the way back to Houston was that Lake Charles Mr. Gattis buffet. It was pretty decent, especially for being hungover.

For anyone who lives in Houston, Star Pizza has a good lunch buffet couple day a week. I haven't been in awhile but their have pretty good pizza

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There was a nice Mr Gattis on Univ Dr where the Chipotle is today. Too expensive me back then though.

aggiehawg said:

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Actually preferred Shakey's Pizza over Pizza Hut back in the 60s, 70s. Their thin and crispy simple hamburger pizza was not loaded with toppings but have a very good taste as the beef was flavorful. You could also watch them make your pizza.

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This right here. Me and my brother had on our little league uniforms. Shakeys was nirvana for a hungry kid. Knowing my father, their pitcher of beer was probably cheaper than Pizza **** so that is where we landed.

Domino's was always delivery and take out, but they have upped their game on quality.

One thing to note though: a lot of ingredients - like cheese - for all pizza restaurants come from the same company.

Shakey's was the best pizza ever, imo.

David_Puddy said:

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infinity ag said:

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TxLawDawg said:

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I

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For anyone who lives in Houston, Star Pizza has a good lunch buffet couple day a week. I haven't been in awhile but their have pretty good pizza

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Star Pizza is in a completely different league. My family has been going for years, usually when doing something in that part of town. PH is about convenience and nostalgia.

infinity ag said:

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The Ex Officio Director said:

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Local taco trucks are killing taco bell.

For a few dollars more I can a better taco than at taco smell.

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The only reason I go to TacoHell is for nostalgia - the TB on Univ Drive that still exists used to be my haunt. My wife hates the place and I have also stopped going there because it is so expensive that is actually costs more there than to get Thai or Chinese takeout that is more food and better taste.

I go only every 6-8 months to feel young again.

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Try Taco Casa. I don't know what they do w/ their taco shells, but you can actually bite into it w/o the whole shell crumbling. They have a deal on a dozen regular tacos. I'll order a dozen and eat them for several days. Sauce is good too.

Logos Stick said:

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Domino's was always delivery and take out, but they have upped their game on quality.

One thing to note though: a lot of ingredients - like cheese - for all pizza restaurants come from the same company.

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Yup Pizza Hut was on top 10+ years ago and has consistently declined while Domino's was at the very bottom of chain pizza spots, acknowledged it, and turned it around to become the best major chain pizza spot.
Only time I really ever eat pizza anymore is if I stop in at hops and pie and have their square deep dish pizza, damn good.

infinity ag said:

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Pizza Hut on University Drive. College Station (now closed). Back then it had a different look. Used to love going there.

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That's when Pizza Hut tried to co-brand their "wing street" line.

infinity ag said:

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Stupe said:

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The one in Hempstead has the checkered cloth and red glasses.

We stopped there about two months ago and they said that they were looking into getting 80's video games.

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What a crap idea. Another gimmick.

All they got to do is improve the food, improve the quantity, the convenience and experience. Frikkin give the customer what they want, that is it. Make him/her feel like they got a great deal and they will tell everyone.

80s games will work only in niche areas where folks are gamers. Not suburban places.

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Well, the place had plenty of people eating lunch and the feedback about the games had been good according to the waiter.

HtownAg92 said:

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Sit down Pizza Hut dinners as a kid were the best. I remember when the deep dish came out too. They would bring it over to the table and serve everyone their first slice.

Then in high school when I lived in a town with no Pizza Hut, Tuesday night buffets were the best. We'd bust out of football practice and load 5-6 into several cars and destroy the buffet about 20 miles away. I think 21 slices was the record.

Since moving to Arkansas, I've noticed a lot more old school sit-down pizza joints. Big fan.

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About 4 yrs ago we were road tripping to PA to see the in-laws from Katy.

We spent the night near Forrest City, AR right on I40. We arrived at the hotel about 8p and the only thing open was a Pizza Hut in Wynne, AR about 15 min away.

It was an old school Pizza Hut w/ table service and we each got an individual pan pizza. They brought them out in cast iron skillets like they used to and it was pretty good. Kids loved it.

It seems as though PE always fails.