Over the last few decades, the once-dominant Pizza Hut has come under pressure from international competition like Dominos. In New Zealand, these new arrivals and a general trend towards healthy eating meant that the former institution of the dine-in Pizza Hut restaurants closed one by one, with Pizza Hut New Lynn holding out for longest. However, if rumblings across the ditch are anything to go by, Kiwi pizza lovers may soon see a return.
In late 2017, Pizza Hut opened a concept restaurant in Sydney. The restaurant serves as a testing ground for new flavours and experiments, with flavours such as Mac & Cheese, Sriracha Prawn and ‘Butcher’s Block’, an upper-class meatlovers.
Pizza Hut Australia innovation director Matt Sawyer said that nostalgia played a large part in the revival of the brand. “I remember running up when a great pizza that you liked hit the buffet,” he said. “Part of the plan is to bring back what we know everyone loves — and that is the dine-in that we remember from when we were younger.”
Instead of the pizza buffet of the past, the pizzas are offered around the restaurant in a ‘yum cha’ style straight from the oven. Diners are offered free popcorn, craft beer and a range of tapas-style menu items.
A Darwin site will open in a few months, as well as one in Perth and Brisbane.
