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A slice of Pizza Hut’s history has been revealed as excitement builds for the return of its all-you-can-eat buffet.
The restaurant chain announced Monday it is celebrating 50 years in New Zealand by reviving its all-you-can-eat buffet for three nights in Auckland.
After the first lot of ticketssold out within an hour, the second tranche went live at midday and sold out in nine minutes, with no current plans for further ticket releases.
Diners at the “Pop-up Hut” can expect unlimited chips, garlic bread and soft drinks, the pizza buffet complete with pizza, salad bar, as well as the famous dessert bar, with soft-serve ice cream, raspberry jelly, chocolate mousse, hot fudge sauce and a range of toppings.
The event will be at the City Works Depot in central Auckland, with lunch and dinner sessions running from September 26-29.
In another blast from the past, a New Zealand Pizza Hut menu appearing to date from the mid-to-late 1980s is circulating online.
The menu says the prices don’t include the 10% GST, which was introduced in October 1986, and mentions Leed, a lemonade soft drink phased out that decade.
A standard-size Super Supreme pizza for one or two adults, described as “The Works” and featuring “beef, pepperoni, capsicum, ham, onion, mushroom and pineapple” with more toppings available, cost $11.45.
With the current 15% GST added, and adjusted for inflation, this price in 1986 comes to $36.52 in 2024; a single pizza more expensive than the current $30 buffet ticket.
The “Jumbo” size, said to serve four or five people, is priced at $23.45 - $74.21 nowadays.
“Two-topping”, the cheapest pizza on the ‘80s menu, would cost $31.72 in 2024.
Numerous items on the old menu are no longer served at Pizza Hut, including entrees such as shrimp cocktail ($4.65, now $14.72), mains including rib-eye steak ($10.95, now $34.64), and desserts like brandy snaps ($3.50, now $11.09).
Ale and wine are also no longer sold at the restaurant.
In a statement, Pizza Hut said it was “thrilled” to have all funds from the sold-out buffet going to charity.
“We’re proud to have been providing quality products that represent great value to Kiwis over the last 50 years and thrilled to have all funds raised with our sold-out limited-edition Buffet being donated to an essential service for New Zealanders, Hato Hone St John.”
The 50th birthday celebrations will continue through all stores, with limited-edition retro products available nationwide including an Apple Crumble Pizza as well as Ultimate Double Cheesy, Cheesy Bites and Detroit pizzas for a limited time.
The first Pizza Hut in New Zealand opened in Auckland’s New Lynn in September 1974 and there are now 135 stores throughout New Zealand.
Pizza Hut is owned by Restaurant Brands which also operates the KFC, Carl’s Jr and Taco Bell brands. The company has owned and operated Pizza Hut since 1997 when it took over from Pepsico.
