Remembering Pizza Hut : A Desi Tradition
I drove by a Pizza Hut today and barely gave it a cursory glance. I noticed it was there and had no inclination to go in. About ten minutes later I somehow ended up taking a stroll down memory lane, and it hit me.
I sadly realized something: my relationship with Pizza Hut was essentially over. Or was it? I could still tell you the closest location even though I haven't gone in years.
Like so many other Desi’s, Pizza Hut was such a major part of my childhood. As our parents were learning the language and lay of the land, this was the one place we always ended up. Not only that, It was the one place we went as a treat!
Get an A in school? Excellent, now I can go to Pizza Hut!
Have a birthday? Sweet! We’re going to Pizza Hut!
Cousins coming over? OH! Maybe they will take us the Pizza Hut!
Did something stupid? Damn it, no Pizza Hut this week.
It wasn’t just a Pizza place; it was the one place where even new immigrant Desi parents went without hesitation. Safe. Easy. Delicious. Above all, Affordable. Oh and don't even get me started on the Lunch Buffet!
For a time, Pizza Hut was the only place we went, and no matter how bad things were, it was the one place we went as a family and forgot the world outside. Time has not been kind to Pizza Hut, though, with so many “better” options available now. A lot of the damage was self inflicted by a brand not in touch with reality. The quality of products took a nosedive. Service is now atrocious. Most aren’t even clean anymore. At least not in North America.
Randomly someone will say, "Let's go to the 'GOOD' Pizza Hut" because some locations are okay, but most are barely keeping it together. Funny enough, we all generally know which one they are referring too. Its like a mental review index that we all share in each region.
I miss the Pizza Hut of my memories, and what it stood for in the Desi community. Everyone knew that something good happened because we were going to the Hut. I don’t know what replaced it, but something did. Perhaps when my 4-year-old grows up I'll take her to the magical land of Pizza Hut, and it will have regained some of its lost glory.
What is your childhood Pizza Hut memory?
Image Source: Yum! Brands, Inc.