Pizza Hut and the Retro Restaurant Movement

For years, the leader in delivery pizza has been Dominos. For sit down pizzerias, there are plenty of options in most cities. Pizza Hut has largely been stuck in the middle and left behind. It has been the weakest performing brand in parent company YUM Brands' portfolio and the chain's U.S. same-store sales fell 4% last quarter. One franchisee who owns nearly 100 locations has a vision to try and turn this slide around: by bringing back the look and ambiance of the old Pizza Hut restaurants many of us might remember from the 80s and 90s.

Tapping a larger retro trend, owner Tim Sparks is aiming to restore what he feels is the core identity of the brand and what sets them apart from their delivery competitors. The renovated restaurants in his portfolio include the iconic salad bar, stained glass overhead lighting, plastic checkered tablecloths, red vinyl booths and even the chain's legendary "Book It" program that offered students a free personal pizza for achieving a monthly reading target.

It will be interesting to watch how this strategy plays out and whether nostalgia alone is enough to get diners to come back to the old school Pizza Hut they might remember.