Pizza Hut’s iconic all-you-can-eat buffet is back - here’s what it’s like to dine in

Pizza Hut is bringing back its all-you-can-eat buffet from the 90s for four days only. Photo / Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut’s buffet may be a thing of the past, but now Kiwis are getting the chance to relive it as the takeaway chain celebrates 50 years in New Zealand. Herald reporter Raphael Franks was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the all-you-can-eat buffet - and that iconic dessert bar - before it opened to the public.

Before the likes of Uber Eats meant you could order takeaways with the click of a button, Kiwi families dined in at Pizza Hut restaurants across the country.

Now in honour of the chain’s 50th anniversary, its iconic all-you-can-eat has been revived for just four days at Auckland’s City Works Depot.

The Pop-up Hut is running lunch and dinner sessions from September 26 to 29, complete with pizza, salad bar, soft drinks and dessert bar serving up ice cream, jelly, chocolate mousse, hot fudge sauce and a variety of toppings with a dash of nostalgia.

When the first round of limited tickets were released last week, starting from $30 per person, they sold out in less than an hour.

The Herald’s Raphael Franks got a sneak peek at the buffet the day before it opened.

Wednesday night’s sneak peek was open to media and social media influencers, all keen to relive memories from decades past.

With such a high demand for reservations, each table only had an hour to scoff as much food as possible. To truly exploit the all-you-can-eat promise, diners had to rush through each slice to get a full preview of the foods on offer.

The Pop-up Hut was held in a small venue with a buffet bar in the middle of the room surrounded by hungry people eager for a slice. The buffet was constantly replenished as each pizza - including Hawaiian, pepperoni, cheese, meat lovers and vegetarian - was gobbled up.

About two dozen people crammed into the space to get an opportunity to enjoy the nostalgia trip.

Ultimately, the dessert bar was the highlight. The Herald enjoyed the soft-serve, jelly, marshmallows and M&Ms in particular. The pizza itself seemed no different to what Kiwis would be used to from their nearest Pizza Hut - but the fact it was all-you-can-eat (in the space of an hour) was a great throwback.

The first Pizza Hut in New Zealand opened in Auckland’s New Lynn in September 1974 and there are now 135 stores throughout New Zealand.

The last remaining eat-in restaurant in New Lynn – which closed in 2016 – was also the first of the chain to open in New Zealand in 1974. It had been running for 41 years.

The restaurant chain used to be known for its all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, salads and desserts but moved away from this model during the 2010s in a bid to keep up with the changing fast-food industry.

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

The proceeds from the Pop-Up Hut will be donated to Hato Hone St John.