Well, Pizza Hut, about 10 years ago I first visited a Pizza Hut in New Delhi, and being a teenager, loved the aroma of wafting cheese, the (at the time), large servings of Pepsi, and the fact that, however cheesy (pun not intended), the staff would break into a song and dance every hour.
But enough nostalgia, lets go straight to the ratings:
- Food
A few months back, Pizza Hut revamped their ever changing menu, introducing a range of Pastas, drinks and starters, to project a more versatile menu compared to their rivals, vis-a-vis Pizza Corner or Dominos.
a. Pizzas
Pizza Hut continues with the classic pan pizza, a staple since it started in the country, and they do taste all right. Compared to Dominos and Pizza Corner, I found them to be of a slightly thicker crust and the toppings have a juicier base (perhaps a better sauce), as compared to its rivals. However, the amount of toppings is not very great in quantity, and the consistency is not exactly maintained among outlets. Apart prom the normal, International toppings, there is also a range of Indian toppings, which I am not a big fan of. I mean, come on, do you really want to mix your Paneer/Chicken Tikka with a dollop of Cheese and Tomato sauce? I wouldn't.
Other Pizzas in the range include the Stuffed crust or Ring-of-garlic Pizzas, which, as the name suggest, have their outer crust lined or stuffed with cheese or garlic and spices. I would say, avoid these two varieties.
However, if you are definitely not counting calories, or fat, and want a lottttttttttttttt of cheese, try out the 'Cheesy Bites' Pizza, which have the outer ring surrounded by cheese filled bread rolls/nuggets. This is best shared, in my opinion, for the taste of cheese gets overpowering after some time, but, not a bad thing to indulge in, once in a while.
b. Pastas
Pizza Hut is making a big fuss about its new range of Pastas, which are very good, esp. compared to the horrible ones at Dominos. And while they taste ok, after awhile you find the range of Pastas available to be too small, and the tastes too similar (i.e. either Mild Creamy or Tomato Tangy). However, they are served with 2 pieces of Garlic Bread. So if you are eating alone, this would make for a good, light meal-in-one.
c. Soups, Starters and Salads
If you do go to Pizza Hut, do not order wither of the three soups available, for they taste insipid and like something which came out of a Knorr/Maggi Soup Packet.
The starters hold more promise, and have a larger selection. They run the gamut, from Potato Wedges to different forms of Garlic Bread, to chicken wings. I would always recommend the Garlic Bread in Pizza Hut, but I wish they would always come out hot and fresh. A couple of times, they were a bit cold.
The salads are not bad at all, but recently, I think their portion sizes have reduced.
d. Drinks
Drinks come in nice heavy glasses (I think around 275-350ml), a big improvement from the horrible plastic glasses they used to have earlier. Now, you need not restrict yourselves to Pepsi. You can have the Shakes, Cold Coffees, Mocktails, Iced Teas, Lemonade and even a cup of earl grey tea. In fact, there choice is almost too much choice. A word of warning, do not have the warm tea, it just does not go well with any item on the Menu.
e. Desserts
There are single serve ice cream scoops which are ok, if you are dining alone, but nothing special. However, if you are sharing desserts, I would recommend the Choco Chip Cookie Sundae, which is quite nice, esp. with he warm and cool flavors balancing each other out nicely. Desserts can be shared among 2 at best, or 3 if you really try.
Overall, food is a mixed bag in Pizza Hut. In Short, I would recommend the Pan Pizza (International Flavours), some Pastas, Garlic Bread, Drinks and perhaps, the shareable Dessert. To avoid: Indian Flavoured Pizzas, Ring Stuffed Pizzas, Soups and the Warm Tea.
- Service
Here comes the first problem for the chain. In some restaurants, (the bigger ones), service is more courteous, but in some places the service does tend to get a bit sloppy and they seem to take a loing time with their food. In short, if you are at a popular outlet during lunch or dinner time, expect to be served better than in a less popular outlet.
- Ambience
Pizza Huts ambiance seems to follow a general theme of nice warm colours to complement the warm, cheese laden food, and it works well. Considering that it is more of a dine-in restaurant than Dominos, that isn't really a surprise. Again, tables and chairs in some places are new, in some outlets, old and worn out. At least these days, the plates on which they serve seem to be clean and washed, unlike my earlier experiences, two years ago. And all outlets I visited had a washroom, which is generally kept reasonably clean. But, here also, some I found were not maintained very well.
- Prices
I will just list the general range of prices here (excluding Taxes):
Pizzas: Starts from around Rs.70 for the most basic, smallest Pizza and can go upto Rs. 400+ for the largest, family size Pizza. For a medium Pizza, (serves two), you would find yourself spending on average, around Rs. 180 - 300).
Pastas: Range from Rs.100 - Rs.170 (each Pasta serves one)
Drinks: Rs. 40 - 90 (per serve). Some drinks come in Pitchers for larger groups.
Soups: Around Rs.40-60.
Starters: From Rs. 60 - Rs.200 (for the larger starter platters for a group).
Desserts: Rs. 40 (single serve ice cream) to Rs.100 (for the larger shareable desserts).
P.S. In addition to Taxed (normally VAT of 12.5 depending on state, Pizza Hut Charges 10% service charge compulsorily). So, for instance, if you spend Rs.400 on a meal (before all taxes and charges), your total bill payable may come upto Rs. 490-500.
And that takes away from the value which you do get
Conclusion
In the end, we have to accept that, while Pizza Hut tries to move upmarket, it remains, first and foremost, a fast food outlet. The good and service have improved a bit compared to two years ago, but then, the prices have increased. For me, I wouldn't like to go there as a place to eat because I want to. I would go because I can normally find an outlet, that it is a safe choice, that the food is quite ok, and that you can take almost anyone there, from family to friends, to children. All in all, pretty good, but not spectacular.
