The Real Reason People Stopped Buying Pizza Hut's Priazzo

Before there was Stuffed Crust, there was Priazzo. In 1985, Pizza Hut introduced the deep-dish-like concoction, which was reportedly like eating a bread bowl made with tomato sauce, cheese, and meat. The Hut spent more than $36 million dollars on the Priazzo, and even hyped it as authentically Italian, which varieties called the Roma, the Florentine, the Milano, and the Napoli.

But then sometime between 1991 and 1993, the fan-favorite Priazzo disappeared, and nostalgic Pizza Hut fans online today are gathering to mourn it. Why would the pizza chain get rid of a dish that customers loved so much? Here's the real reason Pizza Hut got rid of the Priazzo.

#Pizza #PizzaHut #Priazzo

[MashedFood]

Did you ever try Pizza Hut's Priazzo? What did you think?

[CarolinaGuy]

I was a cook at Pizza Hut when they introduced the Priazzo to the menu. We had training classes and got to sample each variety. It was the best thing to ever happen to the hut and it was wildly popular. Business was booming and we were packed full 7 days a week. Greed was why it went away. They claimed it took away from their profits and it was gone. There was no other reason despite what people think, it was just plain old greed. Pizza Hut is garbage nowadays but I do remember when it was great and Priazzo was the king of pizza.

[InfamousKillah]

Pizza hut went down hill after the 90s. I remember when their Pizza used to taste fresh.

[mabahokano]

I was a cook at Pizza Hut in the mid 80's, these were absolutely delicious and popular but an absolute pain in the ass to prep and cook. The managers didn't like it because you had to double the ingredients from a pizza and you had to mix a special dough for it in the mornings, this made a total of 3 doughs, thin crust, pan crust that requires oiling pans and proofing in the fridge and finally the priazzo crust. Then it required special pans that were deep but thin and you had to add a special heating element that you had to push into the pie before cooking and the cheese always stuck to it when removing. They were difficult to clean as well. Pizza hut charged $22 dollars for these back then so I know they made money but the added labor is the real reason along with cooking issues (cold middle) when the ovens got dirty. If they were brought back it would be popular because they are so much different and tasty. Us cooks would (accidentally)😉 make an extra some nights and had no choice but to eat it, couldn't let it go to waste😁

[thexrayman]

To me it was the best pizza any chain ever made. You can make something similar, but the heat sinks (or heat pins as they called them in the training video) are no longer available. None of the restaurant supply companies have any. The wait time never bothered me. The stuffed crust pizza, , don't like it all. The new Detroit Pan pizza, total fail to us. If they would just make the pan pizza like they did make it, they'd have something. I'd buy that because I can't get a Priazzo, but they don't seem to listen to the customer survey comments. Almost no major food chain today does.

[roselyncampisi]

OMG. I loved this pizza. I was disapointed when they stopped making it. I wish it would come back.

[urbanstrider]

I loved the priazzo as a kid going to Pizza Hut. I was so sad when they stopped it.

[prestonmcleod]

That was the best thing of Pizza Hut. I wish they bring that back.

[Thebrothaisback]

This was great! You can tell because we never forgot about it.

[BWR]

I was working at a Pizza Hut when they first started making the Priazzos. They took a long time for us to make, and took some skill. They needed a special pan and a special heating element that was placed in the middle to help them cook. Those heating elements were covered in non-stick silicone. They worked fine when they were new, but as they aged they started to stick in the Priazzo and messed up the top crust. The cooks hated cleaning those heating elements.

[officialgimpygardener]

If Pizza Hut only realized that if they used the original ingredients and knew that there’s actually a FB group growing all the time to Bring Back the Priazzo!!!
Personally I’m dying for an original Milano!
The ‘special equipment’ is a mere Heat Sink. Not a budget buster nor justification for not bringing it back. At their current struggles, it would be worth it (as long as they go to the quality of ingredients from those days. Face it, their ingredient quality hasn’t worked for them.

[MikeInf]

My sister hated me over this pizza. I loved it but she worked at Pizza Hut and hated making them. I always called her store near to close and told her to bring a Priazzo home when her shift ended knowing she was the one who would likely have to make it hehe.

[argetech]

It should come back once in a while like McDonald's does with the "McRib"... It would be great!

[chriscagle]

Pizza hut please bring this back - the priatso it was good and people enjoyed it. Now is the time. Jeff Cagle

[ketwil]

I wish they would bring it back, too. That was a big part of my teenage years. I miss it. My mother misses it. we talk about it quite often, actually At least see how well they do in sales now are just for a limited time😢

[stephensmith]

Pizza Hut use to be so good...now it's just another fast food pizza place.

[cpthwdy]

Best thing Pizza Hut ever had. I don't eat there now.

[loveme]

R.I.P to all 80s and 90s fast food companies

[christenandersen]

Priazzo was the best thing to ever come out of Pizza Hut. Unbelievably delicious.

[andrewknaff]

My family LOVED the priazzo from Pizza Hut! So much nostalgia for this.