dinein

PIZZA Hut is rolling out new digital ordering screens across all 136 of its dine-in restaurants, a move that could make over 100 staff members redundant.

The pizza chain, which employs 3,000 staff, is set to cut 120 front-end roles as part of the shake-up.

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The new terminals at the front of restaurants will make it quicker for customers to order.

A letter to staff at risk of redundancy said: “Over the coming months we are introducing new customer-facing technologies across our restaurants, including digital ordering through QR codes and the installation of in-store kiosks.

“These changes are designed to enhance the customer experience and allow guests to be more self-sufficient when dining with us.”

Other chains such as Wetherspoons and Nando’s have already installed similar screens or offer QR code ordering from the table. 

Emily Curtis from DC London Pie, which owns Pizza Hut UK’s dine-in restaurants, explained that the decision to cut jobs is due to more than 60% of in-store orders now being placed digitally.

She said the company has invested heavily in new technologies to keep up with changing customer preferences.

“As part of this journey, we are adapting our staffing model, particularly in our front-of-house teams,” she added.

“While these decisions are never easy, they are necessary to ensure we continue meeting customer expectations and stay competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.

“We are committed to supporting affected team members and will work closely with those impacted to help them find new opportunities within the wider Pizza Hut network.”

The dine-in arm of the restaurant was rescued by private equity firm Directional Capital, which created DC London Pie Ltd to take over the franchise.

It saved 3,000 jobs and saw the closure of one restaurant.

It is separate to the delivery side of the chain, which is owned by Yum! Brands, the US firm that owns KFC. 

Pizza Hut first arrived in the UK in 1973 and quickly became a favourite with diners.

At its height, the chain operated over 260 restaurants nationwide, employing 10,000 staff and welcoming three million customers each month.

Some of its most notable creations include the introduction of the pan pizza in 1980, the stuffed crust in 1995, and the re-launch of the pan pizza as the grand pan in 1998.

Pan pizzas are baked in a deep, oil-coated dish, giving the crust a deliciously crispy, golden edge and a lightly fried texture on the bottom.

Like many businesses, Pizza Hut faced challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. 

To manage its financial difficulties, the company entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) – a deal with lenders to cut costs and stay afloat.

At the time, Pizza Hut had over 240 locations across the UK but was forced to close 29 branches as part of the restructuring plan.

HOSPITALITY WOES

The hospitality sector has struggled to bounce back after the pandemic, facing challenges including soaring energy bills, inflation and staff shortages.

In January 2023, Byron Burger fell into administration with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.

Around 12 branches were saved in a rescue deal with Tristar Foods, which is owned by Calveton.

The Restaurant Group (TRG), which owned Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito and Wagamama, shut dozens of sites in the same year.

It then went on to sell its Frankie & Bennys and Chiquito brands to Cafe Rouge owner The Big Table group in September 2023.

Italian restaurant chain Prezzo also closed dozens of sites in the same year.

In April 2024, Tasty, the owners of Italian restaurant Wildwood and Dim T, a pan-Asian restaurant, announced plans to exit 20 loss-making restaurants.

In the same month, Whitbread revealed plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants across the UK.

Meanwhile, TGI Fridays was forced to close 35 locations immediately after falling into administration last October.

However, 51 restaurants were rescued through a last-minute pre-pack deal with private equity firms Breal Capital and Calveton UK.

Is a restaurant worth a visit simply because it’s been around longer than that bottle of yellow mustard in your refrigerator? Longer than your oldest living relative? Maybe. Proper respect should be paid to an institution.

Los Angeles is home to restaurants celebrating a century in business. About 36,500 days in operation. The feat alone is something to marvel at.

What is Hollywood without the martini culture built around Musso & Frank Grill? The Long Beach bar scene without the Schooners of cold beer and pickled eggs at Joe Jost’s? A South Pasadena stretch of Route 66 without milkshakes and phospate sodas at Fair Oaks Pharmacy? Over decades in business, these restaurants have become landmarks synonymous with the cities themselves.

Some of L.A.’s most popular attractions are our food halls, with Grand Central Market in downtown and the Original Farmers Market in Fairfax drawing millions of visitors each year. Grand Central Market opened in 1917 with nearly 100 food merchants. Its oldest running restaurant is the China Cafe, with a 22-seat counter that’s been around since 1959. In 1934, about a dozen farmers and other vendors started selling produce at the corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue, where the Original Farmers Market still operates today. Magee’s Kitchen, its oldest restaurant, began when Blanche Magee started serving lunch to the farmers in the ‘30s.

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1. El Coyote founder Blanche March. (El Coyote) 2. The counter at Fugetsu-Do in 1904. (Fugetsu-Do Bakery Shop) 3. Alicia Mijares, left, daughter of Mijares founder Jesucita Mijares, with Maria Guzman in 1984. (Mijares Restaurant)

Many of the restaurants on this list were built by immigrants from every corner of the world, their American dreams realized in a mochi shop in Little Tokyo, a French restaurant in downtown L.A. and a taste of Jalisco, Mexico, in Pasadena.

If you’re looking for the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles County, you’ll find it in Santa Clarita, a city about 30 miles northwest of downtown. Originally called the Saugus Eating House when it opened as part of a railway station in 1886, the Saugus Cafe boasts a history rich with Hollywood film stars, U.S. presidents and a train network that helped establish towns across the state.

In 1916, the cafe moved across the street to where it sits now, one long, narrow building that includes a dining room and a bar. It has closed, reopened and changed hands numerous times over the last 139 years. Longtime employee Alfredo Mercado now owns the restaurant.

It’s a place that exists in a cocoon of nostalgia. The history embedded in the walls, the decor and the friendly staff are the main draw. If you’re searching for the best breakfast in town, you may want to keep looking.

The following are decades-old restaurants that have stood the test of time, shrinking wallets and fickle diners. In operation for 90 years or longer, these 17 destinations (listed from oldest to newest) are worth the trip for both the history, and whatever you decide to order.