Pizza Hut returns to Culpeper
Photo by Laura Kebede
READY TO SERVE: Pizza Hut servers line up behind the counter during special hours for police officers and first-responders on Wednesday. From left are Jen Ballogh, Chaunti Wells, Emily Daigly, Kaila Racey and Ashley Corbin. The restaurant is scheduled to open to the public today. Members of management say they are still hiring.
Published: July 9, 2009
Updated: July 9, 2009
With friendly greeters at the door and a scent of everything new, Pizza Hut opens today at 11 a.m. according to employees.
Bright signs say “Get your Wings on!” and “Best of both worlds” advertising the addition of Wing Street — 162 varieties of chicken wings in all — to the menu.
Napkins give way to paper towel rolls on each table. TVs adorn each corner of the restaurant with Culpeper sports memorabilia on the walls.
Servers represent the new attitude printed on their fiery red shirts “Cut with Pride” as they prepare the new furnishings for customers.
The grand opening comes after an apparent electrical fire severely damaged the interior in August 2008.
After a long-awaited opening, community members are glad to have the business back in operation.
“We’ve missed it,” Marie Jenkins of Culpeper said of herself and her husband, Robert. “We’re looking forward to their service. My husband is looking forward to the wings.”
Server Ashley Corbin of Culpeper says that employees will help build a better reputation for the restaurant.
“This is a good hang-out place and this place is very up-to-date, yet still has Culpeper’s history here and I think that will draw people,” she said. “We will try our hardest to keep (the restaurant) new and make our customers happy.”
Shift Manager Jan Roberts says the restaurant is still hiring.
“We have about 20 to 30 employees right now and we are looking to hire more servers.”
Employees have been training for the past few weeks and served first-responders in uniform on Wednesday before opening to the public today.
Jen Ballogh of Culpeper, who applied for the job online, is looking forward to putting her training into practice.
“I’m really excited,” she said after explaining she had never worked for a Pizza Hut before. “It looks really good in here and we’re ready.”
The restaurant will be under the management of General Manager Dee Dee Walton and Assistant Manager Jeannette Southard.
Pizza Hut, located at 876 N. Main St., is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
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Reader Reactions
The had to close early on the first night of business, wow. Somethings never change.
Let’s hope they fixed the 2 inches of standing water that used to remain in the kitchen. The building stands in a swamp.
Either way the food is bad for you. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. I can hear your arteries from here.
Oberman was right…the old Pizza Hut was horrific. Things can only improve….however, they have done everything right so far in hiring bubbly, effective employees, and making the place look good.
For those who are so pessimistic because of the old Pizza Hut, shame on you…if the old one was so bad, why are you already knocking the NEW one when you probably haven’t even gone?! Give it a chance, then form your opinions…
Plus, I heard they might evenutally deliver…
New manager and new staff… new chance…. Best of Luck Pizza Hut!!
The service was bad, but so was the outside. They have shined the building up and thrown some mulch down, but take a look out back at the fences, bushes and other growth that run to the top of the hill. Not to mention they own the lot next door and never take care of that, even as simple as mowing the grass.
Oberman is so right. Pizza Hut’s service was so bad it can’t go anywhere but up, maybe. However, I will reserve judgment and wait to hear more. The management and staff need an attitude adjustment otherwise it will be more of the same. Thank goodness, there are other pizza outlets now besides Pizza Hut, which doesn’t even deliver.
Well to be honest the service really couldn’t be any worse than what used to be there. So that I guess is a plus…right??
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