Last red roof Pizza Hut to go

The iconic red roofed Pizza Hut is now part of history. Pictured: the former Whangarei Pizza Hut / Photo by Ron Burgin

Next month will mark the end of an era for pizza lovers as the last Pizza Hut eat-in restaurant is demolished.

The restaurant chain used to be known for its all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, salads and desserts but has moved away from this model in the last few years in a bid to keep up with the changing fast food industry.

The last remaining restaurant in Auckland's New Lynn was also the first of the chain to open in New Zealand in 1974 and has been running for 41 years.

The store will close next month and reopen as a takeaway and delivery store on the edge of LynnMall, with the site being demolished to make way for more carparking for the mall.

Pizza Hut is owned by Restaurant Brands which also operated the KFC, Carl's Jr and Starbucks brands. The company has owned and operated Pizza Hut since 1997 when it took over from Pepsico.

The space would make way for 80 carparks for Lynn Mall shoppers, Lynn Mall centre manager Lauren Riley confirmed.

Ms Riley said Pizza Hut restaurant's decision to move away created an opportunity to create more carparks for shopping mall customers.

However, she was pleased the restaurant would remain for LynnMall shoppers.

The carpark was currently awaiting council consent and would be complete for shoppers to use in March or April this year, Ms Riley said.

LynnMall has had problems with a lack of carparks for its shoppers.

A Facebook user vented his frustration on LynnMall's Facebook page writing, "Your parking availability has become so frustrating that I am avoiding your mall and only come to you if I really must. New World parking is much better. Why was there not a second level of car parks done under the cinemas? It looks high enough to have done so!! Your businesses are losing money due to this fiasco!"

Another user said, "What are you going to do about the parking issue? Family and friends all agree, too big of a headache to come here on the weekends."