Check out these iconic & preserved Pizza Huts that bring you back to the 1980’s

Sav McKee

Before Netflix and Uber Eats, we spent our Friday nights renting a flick from Blockbuster and devouring the pizza buffet at our local Pizza Hut. You know the Pizza Huts I’m talking about – the ones stuck in the 80’s, with the red, checkered vinyl tablecloths and the iconic, stained glass Tiffany lamps, dimly lighting the bright red pitchers of soda.

It seems like I’m not the only one craving this sense of nostalgia. The 80’s are making a comeback – we can see it in digital design, in certain fonts chosen, in popular TV shows, in songs with synthesizers, and even in Pizza Hut’s latest commercial, featuring Craig Robinson playing Pac-Man in their classic pizza joint.

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Pizza Hut’s genius marketing is igniting a yearning in people to seek out these legendary establishments that encapsulate a night out in the 1980’s. Entire Reddit and Facebook threads are dedicated to finding this feeling of nostalgia again, specifically at a Pizza Hut – a place where people flocked to for first dates, for birthdays, for any occasion, really.

Fortunately for pizza aficionados that find solace in the past, Ohio has some of the best preserved Pizza Huts that will make you feel like you’re on an episode of “Stranger Things” in the best way possible. There are so few of these Red Roofs (the Reddit terminology for vintage Pizza Huts) left, and to find one, especially in our own state, feels like striking gold. 

Zanesville, OH: 3355 Maple Ave, Zanesville, OH 43701
Get in while you can! According to a restaurant employee, they’re renovating in August. She mentioned that many people dine-in specifically for the 1980’s nostalgia, but they’ve still decided to move forward with renovations.

Retro Hut : r/pizzahut
Picture via @buckeye_man18 on Reddit

Hillsboro, OH: 1461 N High St, Hillsboro, OH 45133
A recent Google Review reads, “Found this spot from a Facebook post and drove the hour to experience the nostalgia! Brought my son for his first Pizza Hut experience and had a great time…the food brought me right back to being 10 years old after a little league game.”

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Photo via Seth Adams on Google Reviews

Alliance, OH: 2200 W State St, Alliance, OH 44601
This location still has a pizza and salad buffet! A Google Review mentions, “Absolutely amazing. Really takes you back to better days.”

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Photo via Alex Mangus on Google Reviews

Warren, OH: 3401 Elm Rd NE, Warren, OH 44483
They knew exactly what their customers wanted. In 2019, this location went through a retro remodel to purposefully induce a feeling of nostalgia for their patrons. Complete with a salad and pizza bar, this is worth the visit. 

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Photo via Google Reviews

Want to read more? Check out our print publication, (614) Magazine. Learn where you can find a free copy of our new July issue here!

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