Pizza Hut (Blanchard St. Location)

Long past are the days when Pizza Hut reigned supreme, one of the only choices for pizza in Findlay (or any other town, for that matter). Sure, there have always been smaller, local competitors, but in its heyday Pizza Hut was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Their global success can probably be attributed to their memorable pan-style pizza, distinctive buildings with dine-in and pizza buffets, and the fact that they are a cornerstone of the global giant Yum! Brands (also operators of Taco Bell, KFC, A&W, Wing Street, and a little company called Pepsi). With over 6,500 locations worldwide and some of the deepest pockets in the world from which to draw advertising dollars, not many competitors are even in the same league as Pizza Hut, much less a threat.

Alas, the success must have gone to their heads, because it seems they have been neglecting the focus on quality and customer service that helped build an empire. On a visit to the Pizza Hut location on Blanchard St. this past Saturday evening (before heading to the Downtown Winter Blues Festival), it was apparent that their biggest threat these days isn't Domino's, Papa Johns, or even the growing number of highly popular, independent pizza shops in America. No, their biggest threat is themselves.



We arrived at around 6pm, prime time for any restaurant on a Saturday night. The dining room was fairly empty and we were able to be seated immediately. It became quickly evident, though, that they were bustling with take-out and delivery orders, as the phone was ringing off the hook and people were lining up at the counter to pick up their pizzas. This may have contributed to our wait between being seated and the first visit from our waitress, which was uncomfortably long. Also a contributing factor was the obvious fact that there was only one waitress on staff, for the entire dining room- a dining room which was quickly filling up after our arrival. By the time she finally made her way back to us she was saddled with eight new tables, which would be difficult for even the most skilled server to juggle. It was apparent that the entire staff was having trouble keeping up; we could see into the kitchen, and the employees there looked as if they were surprised that it was so busy.

I wanted to order their "award winning" Wing Street buffalo wings, but when I was told that the restaurant was "out of beer," I decided on the personal-pan pizza combo instead...who wants wings without beer? For that matter, how does Pizza Hut run out of beer? I know that, given my recent experiences with their delivered pizza, I would have probably headed elsewhere if I had known that this was even a possibility (I know, I know...I was about to have access to plenty of beer at the Blues Festival...I shouldn't have been bothered by it. But, I like my beer).

When I say that it took a long time to get our food, I by no means compare this to any other restaurant. For a weekend dinner, I wouldn't even dare to expect lightning fast service. I think that on this occasion it just seemed longer, given the tense atmosphere of the restaurant and the fact that we were the first table to order. It didn't help that we watched a family that arrived after us receive their breadsticks while we sat, hungrily waiting. I will say that, once our breadsticks arrived, I was surprised by how crispy and delicious they were. I wish I could say as much about the main course...

Eventually she brought us our personal pan pizzas, and I almost laughed. I remember when they used to bring them out in the pan, and they were deep, hearty little meals unto themselves. What sat on my plate was smaller and more pathetic looking than a Red Baron frozen oven pizza, and less appetizing (if that's possible). Sad and soggy, this isn't what I used to order when I was a kid and my family went to Pizza Hut; instead, it was as if another pizza place tried to copy their recipe and came up short (pun intended).

No matter, as we were in a hurry to leave, so we finished our Lilliputian pies and asked for the check. To the waitress's credit, she both brought it out and had it processed in record time seeing as all of her tables had been served and the clamor had died down. The kitchen, on the other hand, seemed to still be swamped, and I cringed at the display I witnessed: In a hurry, one cook knocked a pan onto the floor, picked it up, placed it on the counter, and walked away. Another cook, oblivious, walked over, picked up the pan, and placed it with the rest of the pans on the shelf where the staff were grabbing from to make orders. I guess what they say is true, "A little floor spice makes everything nice!"

All told, we were out of there around 7pm. That is fairly respectable for how busy it was, but if there had been ample staff in the dining room and kitchen we would have likely been out in half that time. I don't blame the waitress at all, as I know the poor staffing comes from the same "focus on cost" that is also to blame for the poor quality of the food, and is purely a corporate decision. I only feel bad that the other patrons probably tipped he poorly, unaware of the true cause of their slow service.

I do have to say that the experience was about on par with what I expected, which is sad to say about a company that used to be one of the great places to go for a pizza and a brew. I may, masochistically, visit the location on Trenton Ave. as well, if only to see how the experiences compare. Anyone out there have your own experiences with this location, whether for dine-in, carry-out, or delivery? Please let us know in the comments section!

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The Pizza Hut store we visited is located at 339 South Blanchard Street, across from the Marathon gas station. You can call them for carry-out or delivery at 419-423-9292 and their full menu (and online ordering system) is located on their website.