Remember When Going Out for Pizza Was a Big Deal?

Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn, and the little hometown pizza joints we loved.

Back in the day, going out for pizza was something to look forward to.

Maybe it was Friday night, somebody's birthday, or dinner after a Little League game. Whatever the occasion, everybody piled into the car and headed to their favorite pizza place.

For some families, it was Pizza Hut with its famous red roof. For others, it was the all-you-can-eat buffet at Pizza Inn. And in just about every small town, there was that one family-owned pizza joint everybody swore made the best pizza around.

It wasn't just about the food. Those restaurants were part of growing up in America.

Remember the Old Pizza Hut?

You could recognize a Pizza Hut from a mile away.

That big red roof was unmistakable.

Inside, the lighting was low, the booths were comfortable, and those hanging lamps gave the dining room a warm, cozy feeling.

You'd slide into a booth, order a pitcher of soda, and wait for your pizza.

Remember those thick red plastic cups? And the Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper shakers sitting on the table?

Then came the pizza.

A waitress would carry out a piping-hot pan pizza in its black metal pan. The crust was golden and crispy around the edges, the cheese was bubbling, and everybody reached for the first slice.

You had to be careful because that pan was HOT.

And don't forget the salad bar that many Pizza Hut restaurants had. You'd grab a plate, pile on the iceberg lettuce, croutons, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing, and somehow still have plenty of room for pizza.

Nobody was in a hurry. You sat there eating, talking, and enjoying the evening.

Pizza Inn and the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Pizza Inn had its own kind of magic.

The buffet.

You didn't have to agree on one pizza for the whole table. Everybody could get whatever they wanted.

Pepperoni. Sausage. Supreme. Cheese. Taco Pizza.

You'd grab a couple of slices, sit down, eat them, and head right back for more.

One of the best moments was seeing an employee walk out of the kitchen carrying a fresh pizza. Everybody watched to see what kind it was and where it would land on the buffet.

And then there was the Pizzert.

Pizza Inn's dessert pizza came with sweet toppings, including favorites like chocolate and fruit. Somehow, no matter how much regular pizza you'd eaten, there was always room for dessert.

The Little Hometown Pizza Joint

Some of the best pizza places weren't chains at all.

They were the little mom-and-pop pizza joints tucked into small-town America.

Maybe it was called Tony's Pizza, Pizza Palace, or Joe's Pizzeria.

Maybe it sat on Main Street between the hardware store and the barbershop, or in a little strip mall next to the grocery store.

The owner might have been making pizzas there for decades. His wife worked the register, his kids helped clear tables, and half the employees were local high school students.

There was usually nothing fancy about it.

A few booths, some tables and chairs, a big menu board, and maybe an old jukebox or arcade machine in the corner.

Some places served thick, doughy pizza loaded with cheese. Others made thin, crispy crusts with homemade sausage and a secret sauce recipe.

And every town seemed to believe its little pizza joint made the best pizza in America.

Maybe they were right.

These restaurants were part of the community.

The walls might be covered with Little League team pictures, high school sports trophies, and newspaper clippings about local championships.

The owner might have sponsored a youth baseball team, and you could recognize the restaurant's name on the back of the jerseys.

Regular customers had their favorite tables. The employees knew their orders. And there was a good chance you'd run into somebody you knew before you finished dinner.

They weren't trying to become national chains.

They were just making good pizza and taking care of their neighbors.

Remember All the Cool Stuff Pizza Hut Had?

Pizza Hut wasn't just famous for pizza.

Remember all the promotional stuff you could get there?

One of the coolest was the Back to the Future Part II Solar Shades.

Those futuristic sunglasses looked like something Marty McFly might wear. Bright colors, unusual shapes, and a style that probably looked ridiculous on just about everybody.

But when you were a kid, those things were AWESOME.

You could get a pair with a qualifying pizza purchase, and suddenly you had a little piece of your favorite movie to take home.

Then there were the NCAA Final Four mini-basketballs.

Remember those?

Little basketballs with NCAA, Final Four, and Pizza Hut logos. Just the right size for shooting baskets into a bedroom trash can or bouncing around the house.

During college basketball tournament time, you could get one with a qualifying pizza purchase.

Pizza Hut also had promotions tied to movies like The Land Before Time and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

For kids, those promotions were part of the excitement.

You went for pizza, but you might come home with a pair of futuristic sunglasses, a mini-basketball, or something featuring your favorite movie characters.

And some of those old promotional items have become collectibles.

Who would have thought we'd someday be looking for the same little things we got at Pizza Hut?

Remember Getting Free Pizza for Reading Books?

Pizza Hut had something that made a lot of kids suddenly interested in reading.

BOOK IT!

You'd read books, meet your school's reading goals, and earn a certificate for a free Personal Pan Pizza.

And it wasn't just any pizza.

It was YOUR pizza.

Your parents might order a large pizza for the family, but you got your own little pan pizza.

For a kid, that was a big deal.

Suggested image: A vintage Pizza Hut BOOK IT! reading certificate or button.

The Arcade Games and the Quarters

Depending on which pizza place you visited, there might be a couple of arcade games tucked away in the corner.

Pac-Man. Ms. Pac-Man. Galaga.

You'd ask your dad for some quarters while you waited for the food.

If he handed you a dollar, you were in business.

Four games, if you could make every quarter count.

You'd be standing there completely focused on the screen when somebody from your table yelled that the pizza was ready.

Finish your game or eat your pizza?

That was a tough decision.

Pizza After the Friday Night Game

In a lot of small towns, the local pizza place was where everybody ended up after the high school football game.

Players still wearing their team jackets.

Cheerleaders crowded into a booth.

Parents talking about the game.

Somebody was always replaying that one touchdown, the bad call by the referee, or the play that should have won the game.

The restaurant stayed busy long after the final whistle.

Win or lose, pizza after the game was part of the tradition.

Whatever Happened to Those Pizza Places?

Pizza Hut and Pizza Inn are still around, but many of the old restaurants have disappeared or changed.

Those familiar red-roof Pizza Huts are harder to find. Traditional dining rooms have become less common, and plenty of hometown pizza joints have closed their doors.

Sometimes the owners retired. Sometimes a new chain moved into town. Sometimes the next generation simply wanted to do something different.

Today, ordering pizza is easier than ever.

Pull out your phone, choose your toppings, and somebody drops a box at your front door.

It's convenient, but it's a different experience.

You miss the smell of pizza coming out of the oven, the familiar booths, the arcade machines, and the people who made those places feel like part of your hometown.

Here's to the Old Pizza Places

Here's to the red-roof Pizza Huts, the Pizza Inn buffets, and the little family-owned pizzerias on Main Street.

The sizzling pan pizzas. The red plastic cups. The dessert pizzas. The BOOK IT! certificates. The Back to the Future sunglasses. The NCAA mini-basketballs.

And the owners who knew their customers by name.

Maybe the booths were a little worn out. Maybe the decorations hadn't changed in decades.

But that was part of their charm.

Sometimes the things we miss most aren't the big moments in life. They're the ordinary Friday nights we never thought we'd forget.

And a whole lot of those nights happened around a pizza.

What Was Your Hometown Pizza Place?

Was it Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn, or a little mom-and-pop restaurant that made the best pizza you've ever had?

Tell us the name of your favorite old pizza place and what town it was in.

We'd love to hear about the places that made pizza night special.

Back in the Day — An Apple Pie Clothing blog celebrating the places, traditions, experiences, and little things Americans love and remember.