Massachusetts: Do We Really Only Have One Dine-In Pizza Hut?
As a kid there was something special about hopping in the car and pulling up to a Pizza Hut restaurant. Inside was lined with booths, a jukebox, a tasty good time. Now, it appears there is only one dine-in Pizza Hut restaurant left in Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, it appears this location is under the more modern branding. Nonetheless, it does offer you the option to cram into the booth and have one of the scorching pans placed in the middle of your table (usually with a little plastic table wedged into the center).
You can smell your order coming from around the corner, and then can have the thrill of scraping the pie server through the melted cheese. Here is what you can find at this dine-in Pizza Hut in Massachusetts today.
Methuen
216 Haverhill St. in Methuen is the one dine-in Pizza Hut location in the Bay State. It does have the more modern attributes of a fast food restaurant (similar to a Papa Gino’s) where you order at the front counter then go find your seat.
PizzaShops.info shows there are 40 Pizza Hut locations in the state of Massachusetts. The home of the original stuff crust pizza is operated by Yum! Brands, which also has Taco Bell and KFC under their umbrella. So, it is not a coincidence that your more common Pizza Hut experience is a take-out counter that is either connected to or in close proximity to Taco Bell or KFC.
ScrapeHero reported last month that there are 6,824 total Pizza Hut locations. 13% of them are in the state of Texas (which has 908 restaurants). California and Florida then round out the top three states that have the most Pizza Huts. Still, of the 6,824 Pizza Hut spots, only one of them is in Massachusetts allows you to have the dine-in experience.
A 'Definitive' Ranking Of The 5 Fast-Food Restaurants
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) recently shared a study that details the top fast-food chains in the country based on customer satisfaction. While I agree with the top choice, the others are questionable. And hey, taste is subjective. I’m something of a fast-food restaurant connoisseur. So, here I will re-rank the country’s top five fast-food restaurant chains based on personal experience. (Hence, “Definitive” in quotes in the headline.)
First, let’s examine the numbers in this report, as there are certainly some valuable points to consider. It appears as if their customer satisfaction entails 11 important factors. These include areas such as the accuracy of food orders, staff courtesy, and cleanliness. Another important measurement these days is the efficiency of the chain’s app.
The ACSI report is based on 16,250 customers who were surveyed. Their top five looked like this:
- #1 Chick-fil-A
- #2 Jimmy Johns
- #3 KFC
- #4 Papa John
- #5 Domino’s
Technically “other” landed at number three, but for the sake of top brands, that is the top of the list.
Re-Ranking Methodology
While I do like the variety in cuisine displayed in ACSI’s list, I am surprised at many of the names I see there. To create this ranking, I did follow and considered the customer satisfaction criteria previously laid out in the survey. Though I am a drive-thru-first type of person, I will quickly peel out of the parking lot if I detect the joint doesn’t look like it takes cleanliness seriously. Regardless of how much I am craving that chicken sandwich. In other words, those scored questions are legit measurements.
It’s worth mentioning that I travel quite a bit as well. Whether taking my kids to a weekend lacrosse tournament or heading south to visit family, a fast-food meal is often all I have time for. Nonetheless, I don’t just stop for anything, and I do aim for the healthiest option possible (most of the time).
So, imagine I just pulled off a magical interstate exit where all of these fast food restaurants had an open establishment. I’m considering the criteria points ACSI has laid out, and looking for a quality meal. Here is my official re-ranking of the top five fast-food restaurant chains in the country.
*Side-note, the ACSI also includes statistic results on full-service chain restaurants. That is not applicable to my ranking, but Chili’s is the clear number one, with all the rest being second.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
