One guy who owns a ton of Pizza Hut franchises has a bold idea that he thinks will revitalize the once-beloved pizza chain. And to be honest, it might just be crazy enough to work.
Tim Sparks is the president of Deland Corporation, a private restaurant management company. He’s been converting Pizza Hut restaurants into “Pizza Hut Classics,” which are retro-focused based and resemble the Pizza Hut you went to in the ’90s. Sparks wants to bring back the dine-in experience that us older Pizza Hut customers remember fondly and associate with the chain’s peak years.
Sparks has 93 Pizza Hut franchises, and he’s already turned 38 into Classic locations, according to Inc. Those locations have vinyl booths, checkered tablecloths, stained-glass lamps, and even an old-school salad bar—just like they did in the ’90s.
Best of all, there are even posters for Pizza Hut’s long-running Book It! reading program, a staple of every ’90s kid’s childhood.
One Guy Is Trying to Save Pizza Hut by Making It Feel Like Pizza Hut Again
Many fast-food chains have shifted away from sit-down dining and leaned heavily into carryout and app-based delivery. And it makes sense, we live in an Uber Eats and DoorDash world now. Despite this, Sparks is trying to go in another direction, and it’s one that resembles a model that we know works… or at least one that did 20 years ago.
Perhaps the secret sauce to this recipe is nostalgia. After all, those kids who loved going to Pizza Hut in the ’90s have adult money now, and many now have families of their own. They know what Sparks knows: Pizza Hut’s classic image is one of its strongest assets. That, and that the old-school Pizza Hut experience truly was special.
Will that be enough to bring the chain back to its former glory? Only time will tell. But I know one thing: if I could spend a Friday evening in a Pizza Hut that had the same vibes (and food!) as the one I grew up going to, I’d be there at least once a month with my family.
The post Pizza Hut Is Trying to Become Pizza Hut Again, Which Honestly Might Work appeared first on VICE.
