Why a Documentary About Repurposed Pizza Hut Buildings Made Me Cry

It's astonishing what a little documentary can do for your soul. In a time filled with strife, anger, and a feeling of despair, one delicious new film has come along at just the right time to show us that anything is possible — one rebuilt Pizza Hut location at a time.

In the soon-to-be-released documentary, "Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts," filmmakers Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker track down former Pizza Huts that have been transformed into, well, just about anything and everything — from BBQ spots to cannabis shops, churches, and oyster bars.

"These nostalgic spaces hold memories of a bygone era, but through the power of transformation, they provide something new and special for the communities that continue to flow through them," the duo stated in a fact sheet, adding that they hope the film acts as a "contemporary portrait of America." "As children of the '80s and '90s, Matt and I grew up going to Pizza Hut, so we have a strong nostalgic connection to these buildings," Tucker shared with Food & Wine. "Seeing them dotted around the U.S. landscape in their various reincarnations was fascinating to us."

And, as Tucker noted, they found that they aren't alone in this fascination, pointing to Mike Neilson's blog, Used To Be A Pizza Hut , which is the original online site dedicated to spotting "former Pizza Huts" in the wild. " We were lucky enough to interview Mike for our film in one of Pittsburgh's many former Pizza Huts, now operating as Kabab King," Tucker added.

And while the film does point to the staying power of the Pizza Hut brand, it isn't a simple history lesson on America's third-largest pizza chain — rather, it's a look at all the possibilities that come with rebirth and all the chances people can take in chasing their version of the American dream, just like the Carney family did when they opened their first Hut in 1958.

However, what is perhaps most interesting is that Salleh and Tucker both grew up in Australia, giving them a unique lens on American culture from an outsider's perspective. But don't get it twisted — these two are Pizza Hut lifers, and share the same magical childhood memories you likely do too.

"We both grew up in Australia, one of the first countries outside the U.S. to get Pizza Huts. As a result, we had most of the same elements, including the classic buildings with their trapezoidal windows," Salleh said. "In the '90s, the big thing in Australia was the All You Can Eat dinner, complete with unlimited soft serve ice cream at the dessert bar."

Tucker added, "My good friend Mel reminded me that to celebrate her birthday one year, our group of friends dressed up as the Spice Girls and went to Pizza Hut for lunch. I also have a vivid memory of getting caught in a trance using the soft serve machine – my dad had to jump in and turn it off as my leaning tower of ice cream toppled over."

In their quest to highlight post-Pizza Hut shops, the team said they "investigated hundreds of former Pizza Huts." And while they couldn't name which one was their favorite, Tucker noted, "Many former Pizza Hut locations are now immigrant-run restaurants, and we knew we wanted to represent this in our film. We were very lucky to discover Taco Jesús, as they were not actually in business when we started shooting the film. They were the last location we filmed in after I struck upon a news announcing their recent opening in Lynchburg, Virginia."

Two others stand out to Tucker, the Church of our Savior, in Boynton Beach, Florida, and the Bud Hut, a cannabis dispensary in Walsenburg, Colorado.

"Both locations gave us the opportunity to dive a little deeper with our storytelling — Church of our Savior is part of MCC, a group of churches that were originally established as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community. And the Bud Hut presented the opportunity to discuss the impact of the legalization of marijuana in rural communities," Tucker shared.

Their film does exactly what the duo is hoping — presents a portrait of America, but one that we've maybe forgotten. A place where people want to find connection, purpose, and maybe a good whiff of pizza still wafting in the air.

"All across the country, there are hard-working people who are creating places where the community can gather," Salleh said. "There's this idea of the 'Third Place,' a place separate from work and home where people can come together. These independent businesses are still an important part of the American landscape, and you can create these places anywhere — even in a repurposed Pizza Hut building."