Pizza Hut's pizza is so bad, why go there?

Hola!

Pizza Hut's pizza is so bad, why go there? I have never gotten a good pizza there. My parents and I never went into a Pizza Hut. I remember once as a teenager my mother buying me a Pizza Hut pie, and we ate it and just went, "not good." and my mother apologizing that she bought me this crap.

Are any Pizza Huts franchised, or all corporate owned? The company has been around 50 years, and there are pizza huts EVERYWHERE, so I am sure that some local operators ran theirs well.

I am an American in China and Pizza Hut is very popular here, and I have even seen people stand outside to get in the place. I have eaten there a few times, but not for a long time now. The pizza is the same as in America, greasy, fattening, no flavor. It is not disguistingly awful, it's just not good. The only good thing to get there are the waffle fries and the salad bar, however the salad bar is annoying because you can only go there once, with people getting a mountain of vegetables at one time. The place is just too expensive too!

I call their pizza "the gutbomb". There is also Papa John's here, and their food is just as bad if not worse (I say worse.) I've had their food twice here. No more. However, they seem to be thriving here.

Is there a good pizza hut in the World? Care to say where it is?

Senor

It's a chain. You're not going to find one that's makes a pizza superior to the rest. If the pizza is that bad, you might want to try just making your own at home

Our local Pizza Hut is truely crummy, on top of the fact they always screw up the delivery, haven't bought anything from them for over 5 yrs.

I think the title of this thread, "Pizza Hut's pizza is so bad, why go there?" says it all.

Calling Lee. Calling Leethebard.

I do not know a single soul that goes to Pizza Hut so cannot answer your question.

I've got a Pizza Hut about 1/3 mile from my condo.... the only thing it's good for is during a rare south Jersey snowstorm; if the roads are undriveable, and I'm snowbound..
so I've been there about twice, at best...

The only other time Pizza Hut can come in handy is if one if desperate during an airport layover...

We've got WAY too many real pizza places here in the AC area!!!

I don't find their pizza horrible. It's nothing to write home about, but it doesn't make me sick and it fits the bill. Not that I don't prefer the local joint around the corner, but I'm not going to refuse to eat if it's from Pizza Hut.

I have been fortunate enough to spend my last 40 years in the upper East Coast pizza belt where the pizza choices are myriad and range from horrible to ecstatic.But I also spent about 20 years in the Heartland,and there are many towns there in the midwest which offer no pizza alternative to the Hut.They have made that a marketing opportunity and thats why they thrive in those locations.They deliver a mediocre product and since they are the only game in town the customer base is there.
However,its a mystery to me why a Pizza Hut store can stay in business in places like Chicago,Boston or NYC.

I took the kids swimming over to my brothers the other day and his girlfriend brought home 5 of those Pizza Mia's for us to eat. I was half blitzed and they werent awful. A lot better than those pan pizzas they have. I wont be rushing back for any though.

Regarding the Pizza Huts located in China, I submit that the locals in that country are not familiar enough with pizza to know what a good pizza tastes like. As a result, the newly enriched masses in that country who are looking for new experiences and for ways to spend their new-found wealth, can be excused if they indulge in the leaden mass that passes for pizza at Pizza Hut.

Likewise, if one lives in a small town in one of the "square states", there may likely be no other type of pizza available, except for the stuff served up by P.H., Domino's, and Papa John's. So, in this case, I would also excuse these people for their choice of pizza. If it's the only game in town, there is simply no good pizza to be had.

What I can't understand is how people in NY, NJ and CT, where genuine Mom & Pop pizza establishments abound, can countenance going to one of these chain outlets for pizza. Surely they must have tasted the real thing at least once in their lives and as a result, must know the difference between good pizza and bad pizza.

All of this being said, I would like to point out that Yum Corp, the parent company of Pizza Hut (and KFC, Taco Bell, and Long John Silver's) is heavily invested in marketing their products in China and in other developing countries where their products are eagerly sought by the newly affluent masses. I don't like their products, but who am I to argue with the taste of tens of millions of customers in China, India, Indonesia, etc!

As of yesterday's market close, my long-term gain on Yum stock is 268%, so I hope that Pizza Hut's non-discriminating customers continue to patronize them. I may not like their products, and you may not like their products, but since this is a lawful business that depends on the free will of their customers and on a free enterprise environment, it is certainly as valid an investment as any other consumer product company. Long may bad taste reign!

quote:

Originally posted by Tedbear
[
What I can't understand is how people in NY, NJ and CT, where genuine Mom & Pop pizza establishments abound, can countenance going to one of these chain outlets for pizza. Surely they must have tasted the real thing at least once in their lives and as a result, must know the difference between good pizza and bad pizza.

I believe it is because of the superior marketing of the chain pizza chains. Whenever they deliver a pizza, they also try to "paper" the neightborhood with menus, coupons, etc. The print media is in full color with pictures, rather than the red, green, and white menus of the mom-and-pop places with their spelling errors. They hand out kitchen magnets with picture of mouth watering pizzas on them. They have TV commercials. Then, they bring out heavily-advertised novelty menu items, such as the Dominos's Brooklyn Pizza. If you call for delivery, that have your mailing address. You get postcards and coupons in the mail. They put ads (sometimes with coupons) in the newspapers. I once saw a section of Queens with menus left on doorknobs from a Papa Johns a mile away, while there were three mom-and-pop places within a five minute walk.

When a Dominos first opened near me, I would order their thin crust pizza for a change of pace (which also has a spicier flavor profile.) Either my taste buds became more educated or Dominos changed their formula, because I don't like their pizza anymore.

I don't know this for a fact, but there may be a few people who prefer the styles of pizza the chains produce to that of a quality pizza establishment.

quote:

Originally posted by Billfish

I have been fortunate enough to spend my last 40 years in the upper East Coast pizza belt where the pizza choices are myriad and range from horrible to ecstatic.But I also spent about 20 years in the Heartland,and there are many towns there in the midwest which offer no pizza alternative to the Hut.They have made that a marketing opportunity and thats why they thrive in those locations.They deliver a mediocre product and since they are the only game in town the customer base is there.
However,its a mystery to me why a Pizza Hut store can stay in business in places like Chicago,Boston or NYC.

I agree with your thoughts. I have been places where, strange as it sounds, the best pizza around was chain store pizza.

Reasons to eat pizza hut, dominos, or papa johns:

1. Poor college student and it was part of your college's meal plan. I went to Rowan University in South Jersey. They had pizza hut on the meal plan. EVERYONE ordered it because to us it didn't cost money. Mind you a majority of us were from North Jersey so we knew the difference between good and bad pizza. However, we also knew the difference between pizza that cost us money and pizza that didn't.

2. Late night hunger. It's late, the normal pizzeria is closed, you are either lazy or inebriated and starving. What do you do? Call to see which pizza hut, dominos, or papa johns is still open and delivering to your area.

3. You are in the mood for pizza, or just plain old starving, and there's nothing else around.

4. You grew up with crappy pizza and don't know any better.

5. You're cheap or poor and want the most food for your money regardless of taste.

Throwing in my 2 cents worth:

Pizza Hut has been here in Chipley (population 4,000) since 1980, & was the first of the "chain"
restaurants to put up stakes here. When they first came, they were in a small location as part of
the new shopping center that opened up. Nice atmosphere, good pizza, but then of course, they moved
across the street & built the familiar surroundings everyone has known.

Little Caesar's, Pizza Inn Express & Buck's Pizza tried, but couldn't match up to the behemoth.
Hungry Howie's & now Domino's (one month old location in a Petro convenience store) provide the
challenge to PH here.

Of course, if you want a real "Roadfood"-type place, the closest is 16 miles away in Vernon
(KC's Pizza & Subs), on the way to the beach in the southern half of the county.

I can tolerate PH, although their prices have shot up, just like everything else. Hungry Howie's
still offers a large cheese pizza on Wednesdays for $5.55 (once $3.99). [|)]

"Pizza Hut's pizza is so bad, why go there?"

Your car got repossessed and it's within walking distance?

Or it's next door to the motel your staying at... I don't know what they do to their pies, but salty as can be, every time. I just stick with their bread sticks now, and make sure you ask for an extra portion of marinara. Even the worst of mom and pops around here normally serve something better then they do.. Not that it's saying much.

I am not fond of Pizza Hut pizza.

But....

I must be in the minority, as it would seem that tens of millions of people patronize them. In my area, there are no Pizza Hut sit-down restaurants that I am aware of. Their business is all take-out or delivery. I see Pizza-Hut/Domino's/Papa-John's delivery vehicles all over my neighborhood in the evening, and I imagine that it is mothers ordering out for supper. There are two non-national-chain places nearby, but I guess the endless coupons and advertising sway the buyers to the national brands.

Just my $.02

Bob and I, both raised in Milwaukee, were lucky to live near some of the greatest Italian pizzarias.Sadly, as the chains moved in, the Mom and Pop places were forced out.They couldnt compete with the pricing,coupons,etc.We do not eat at Pizza Hut, and still will drive 20 miles to our old neighborhood for a good pie.And unfortunately, the younger generation, not having experienced good italian pizza,think Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, etc IS good pizza.

quote:

Originally posted by Tedbear





What I can't understand is how people in NY, NJ and CT, where genuine Mom & Pop pizza establishments abound, can countenance going to one of these chain outlets for pizza. Surely they must have tasted the real thing at least once in their lives and as a result, must know the difference between good pizza and bad pizza.

It is like visiting a coastal area, Atlantic, or Pacific, and seeing people lined out the door of Red Lobster.

Just ordered three Pizza Mia pies last night (what was I thinking?).

The sauce was overly sugar-y; the dough was tasteless. Lesson learned.

I have had several relatives work for pizza hut, I was told they don't use real mozzarella cheese it is a cheese food or product. I also agree Pizza Mia is awful.

quote:

Originally posted by fattybomatty

Reasons to eat pizza hut, dominos, or papa johns:

1. Poor college student and it was part of your college's meal plan. I went to Rowan University in South Jersey. They had pizza hut on the meal plan. EVERYONE ordered it because to us it didn't cost money. Mind you a majority of us were from North Jersey so we knew the difference between good and bad pizza. However, we also knew the difference between pizza that cost us money and pizza that didn't.

2. Late night hunger. It's late, the normal pizzeria is closed, you are either lazy or inebriated and starving. What do you do? Call to see which pizza hut, dominos, or papa johns is still open and delivering to your area.

3. You are in the mood for pizza, or just plain old starving, and there's nothing else around.

4. You grew up with crappy pizza and don't know any better.

5. You're cheap or poor and want the most food for your money regardless of taste.

I love those 5 answers you gave, Fattybomatty!
So well worded!!

I'll add a #6 : Because that's about the only kind of pizza your kids will eat. So we should'nt feel so bad when we see mothers and dads picking up pizzas in there. They may very well just be trying to keep their kids happy. (better than having whining kids!)
So my theory is that the parents actually enjoy more sophisticated pizza and other foods even better, but...

We don't have good pizza around here, and you're better off getting a Boboli crust or making your own from scratch, or getting a Reggio's frozen cheese pizza and dressing it up. If you have to resort to a chain, Papa John's and Little Caesar's (because of their $5.99 deal) are your best choices here. Domino's(yuck) went out of business and the Pizza Hut is just too salty. It is a shame when there's no good pizza around.......

Andrea

I would never eat at one in my hometown as I can think of dozens of better alternatives. However, a couple of weeks ago we were staying in Charlottesville, VA on the way back from the Outer Banks. We had filled up at the Virginia Diner a few hours earlier and were not terribly hungry. We drove around and found the first pizza place we saw and got a large pepperoni to take back to the room. It was a place called Pizza Bolli's and it was terrible. I think I would have been much happier with something from Pizza Hut or Papa John's as I would have gotten exactly what I had expected instead of spending close to $15 on something we ate about 1/4 of. Normally I like to explore and ask and find a local gem. I guess that night we were just too tired to put the effort into it and maybe (notice I said maybe) Pizza Hut would have been the better choice.

Next time you find yourself in Tullahoma, Tn., (Everybody passes through there occasionally, right?) there's a small chain called Raphael's. Their chef's special pizza is surprisingly good.

oh yea, Pizza Bolli's is the worst. We have them in the Baltimore area. I'm normally pretty easy going when it comes to ordering out - don't get me wrong, I have my preferences - but Pizza Bolli's is one of those places that I'll flat out refuse.

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB

We don't have good pizza around here, and you're better off getting a Boboli crust or making your own from scratch, or getting a Reggio's frozen cheese pizza and dressing it up. If you have to resort to a chain, Papa John's and Little Caesar's (because of their $5.99 deal) are your best choices here. Domino's(yuck) went out of business and the Pizza Hut is just too salty. It is a shame when there's no good pizza around.......

Andrea

Old Chicago in Hamburg will be opening some time this month.

quote:

Originally posted by jman

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB

We don't have good pizza around here, and you're better off getting a Boboli crust or making your own from scratch, or getting a Reggio's frozen cheese pizza and dressing it up. If you have to resort to a chain, Papa John's and Little Caesar's (because of their $5.99 deal) are your best choices here. Domino's(yuck) went out of business and the Pizza Hut is just too salty. It is a shame when there's no good pizza around.......

Andrea

Old Chicago in Hamburg will be opening some time this month.

Thanks JMAN --- that's kind of out of the way for us but we'll try it. Joe Bologna's is closer and I like it but my husband doesn't. Maybe we'll finally get some decent pizza in the area?

Andrea

About once a year I order from PH just to remind myself why I don't do it more often. I agree also that Domino's thin crust has gooten bad over past few years. THouhgt it was just my location, but it is super dry these days. BKK