4 Once-Beloved Pizza Chains That Failed Miserably
Pizza Hut, Dominos, Little Caesars… These nationwide pizza chains have been around for decades and despite ups and downs and financial issues, have managed to stay open, serving us delicious pizza, pasta, and sides. Not all chains have been as lucky or as successful. Some stayed operational for years before eventually closing down completely, with not a single location surviving. Here are four once-beloved pizza chains that just couldn’t survive long-term.
Pizza Haven
Once a very popular chain in the Pacific Northwest, Pizza Haven was one of the first companies to offer delivery services. Created in 1958, the chain couldn’t hold up against competitors such as Pizza Hut and Dominos and filed for bankruptcy by the late 90s. Fans still remember the chain fondly, with one reminiscing about the lasagna the chain would serve. “I’ve never had Lasagna as good as Pizza Haven. I would love to come across the recipe they used,” one former customer commented on Facebook.
ShowBiz Pizza Place
ShowBiz Pizza Place was a massively popular family restaurant founded in 1980 and completely shut down by the mid 90s. The chain was known for entertainment such as arcade machines and a very high-energy atmosphere. If this sounds suspiciously like Chuck E. Cheese, it’s not a coincidence—the chain was eventually merged with and then replaced by the Chuck E. Cheese restaurants.
Pizza & Pipes
Pizza & Pipes was a popular pizza chain in the 1970s and 1980s, with the final location in Santa Clara closing down in 2001. The niche concept had guests enjoying their pizza dinner while listening to a professional musician playing a giant pipe organ, plus an accompanying light show. Apparently people enjoyed this back then—it’s a pity the concept didn’t survive!
Pizza Cucinova
Pizza Cucinova was a promising chain that was founded in 2013, but couldn’t keep momentum going and closed down by 2019. The last social media post made was 2019 and no announcement or explanation was ever made for the Ohio-based chain closing down. The comments on the still-standing Instagram account are full of people begging the restaurant to come back.
