Thread by @owillis

why does it feel to me in the late 80s early 90s suddenly pizza became the dominant food for kids? maybe my perception is skewed but it seems like around 1988 or so things went from "oh, pizza" to PIZZA! PIZZA PARTY WE LOVE PIZZA, DOMINO'S AND PIZZA HUT ARE OUR GODS NOW. just me?

is it something to do with pizza hut becoming a destination? we had one between my house and school when i was in middle school and my mom and aunt used to take my cousin and i there all the time. i have very visceral memories of shaking out parmesan.

caveat: i was a fat kid (and a fat adult) so it could be my perception is skewed.

we love our pizza dont we folks? we love our pizza and we're putting on pepperoni and sometimes sausage, but we're eating our pizza, we're enjoying our crust, we're powerfully having pizza parties

some folks are citing a pizza hut/school promotion called "book it." never heard of it but fyi. also teenage mutant ninja turtles, which def was a thing but at least in my sphere, pizza maddness predated tmnt by a year or two (def way into it though)

my god was there a Pizza Industrial Complex? cui bono? is it a coincidence that this occurred during peak mario? im just asking questions.

https://twitter.com/MzSailiante/status/1454068183795736576

"... and then nintendo - japanese company - releases mario brothers on the nes. at the same time tmnt comes out and then suddenly theres a NOID?? there. was. a. pizza. hut. in. every. neighborhood. just saying, i dont think its a coincidence and please order a pepperoni for me."

also pizza hut in the dc metro had this "barbecue pizza" variety (it was under the cheese, not on top -- UNDER IT) and ive spent decades trying to find it again.

i first had it when i went to my friend's house in middle school for a sleepover and as a goody two shoes straight edge kid it was the closest i had to a dance with the wild side.

"mom, at jonah's house they eat barbecue pizza. and it was good mom. it was good."

also yes i def think chuck e cheese was a factor. our apartment complex was right next to a shopping center w one and def many of my preteen years involved pac-man, skeeball and pizza. the only things one needs in life at 12 in 1988-9

the one time i really broke the rules is when i went over to chuck e cheese. i wasnt supposed to leave our complex wo telling mom. it was the WORST trip ever i swore every second i played video games my mom would be behind me and bust me. dont break mom's rules.

i told my mom about the chuck e cheese caper when i was in my 30s and her very on brand reply was a remark "mmm, so you were lying to your mother. confession is good for the soul." ROFL

but the whole time i was in chuck e cheese my mind was like "i shouldnt be here, i shouldnt be here. mom knows. mom knows. what have you done? she's going to walk into chuck e cheese and telekinetically kill every game with her mind. you'll be in trouble forever. ABORT."