Aimeé
Nostalgia is a dangerous drug, but I’m drinking it right now like unlimited Pepsi out of a red plastic cup. This year has been rough, so let’s all go back to a happier place for a minute or two today and consider: The Pizza Hut.
The youths of today may not know this, but Pizza Hut wasn’t always just a place to get not great defrosted pizza in a cardboard to-go box. ’90s Pizza Hut was once a sit-down destination, full of culinary delights and engaging promotions that turned a meal into an Event.
Twitter account @Super70sSports is dedicated to reminding people of how awesome the last few decades have been, usually posting pictures or stories of things from Boomer, Gen X, and older Millennials’ childhoods that they’ll be able to join in and tweet about. They really hit a nerve when they reminded everyone of how Pizza Hut once served their fresh dough pizzas inside of an actual skillet:
Remember when Pizza Hut pan pizzas were basically a goddamn culinary delicacy? They’d bring them out in a real fucking skillet that was piping at about 700 degrees Fahrenheit right as your third song kicked in on the jukebox after you’d played a game of Galaga. We were kings. pic.twitter.com/G7dQBRd3qQ
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) June 20, 2020
The reminder got the words “Pizza Hut” trending on Twitter fast as memories came flooding back. There was more than just skillet pizza at the Hut: there were glass lamps, toys, video games, and the sweet, sweet satisfaction of getting a free pizza just for reading. Simple, delicious pleasures.
Nostalgia always has a bit of a sadness to it, as you consider what you had and what you won’t ever have again. So I’m delighted to say that at least Book It! still exists:
What’s the age requirement?
— Kevin Morrison (@KMorrisonATL) June 21, 2020
Scroll through and see what other memories get jogged by all the specifics and jokes people came up with. One day we will eat in restaurants again, even if we can’t go Hut again.
1.
What if we kissed by the salad bar at Pizza Hut pic.twitter.com/4uMjwf50QJ
— max (@5ft6withtimbs) June 21, 2020
2.
Whenever you see a building shaped like this, know that it used to be a Pizza Hut. pic.twitter.com/36VfPYapq4
— Elizabeth Simpson (@emaestra) June 21, 2020
3.
Pizza Hut is trending and all I can say is take me back to the 90’s where the red cup got me free refills all night and that Book It! pin was sought after like treasure pic.twitter.com/yExIr8sMdJ
— WhoBuiltTheArk (@WhoBuiltTheArk_) June 21, 2020
4.
While Pizza Hut seems to be trending how many y’all saw these in them back in the day. pic.twitter.com/vfo7lPJ9D1
— jamal to seattle (@realFinnJB) June 21, 2020
5.
what if we kissed under the warm glow of a pizza hut lamp? pic.twitter.com/RaWWxS1Di4
— Digital Don (@yehme2) June 22, 2020
6.
Even the soda in them long clear cup used to hit different. Pizza Hut was a magical place. https://t.co/ieDdzwL7Ti
— Amajahl Knowles (@3AM__MO) June 21, 2020
7.
Every time I see the Book It pin I get such an overwhelming wave of nostalgia. I was weird in school for my love of books, but dammit, the servers at Pizza Hut validated me and I’ll never forget
— cjantifa (@EnnuiFit) June 21, 2020
8.
In the mid-90’s, if you didn’t have a Pizza Hut Final Four basketball you were NOT cool. pic.twitter.com/HP9BagcWt9
— The Chipster (@chipperwade) June 21, 2020
9.
There were exactly 3 things ’90s kids respected:
1. ABC’s Friday night TGIF lineup
2. The killing power of slap bracelets (which our parents convinced us they had) and
3.) The Pizza Hut pan pizza skillet (after failing to respect it & searing your flesh with a 2nd-degree burn) https://t.co/HfUoX397jy— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) June 21, 2020
10.
Those lights had me thinking, “wow, I’m just like the grownups in Cheers!” I had not seen Cheers.
— Sarah (@sourcitruslady) June 21, 2020
