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Pizza Hut

October 18th, 2010
Pizza Hut Lindale Texas

Pizza Hut Lindale Texas

Lindale has opened a walk in Pizza Hut. I really like the pizza here. Pizza Hut has great pizza and is known for their great selection of pizza crust. Although I really like the pizza and food here I was greatly disappointed the first time that I had gotten pizza from the Lindale Pizza Hut. When I walked into the small store with my sister I saw a small red sign under the cash register that said tat if the employee does not offer to show the costumer their pizza before they hand it over, the costumer will get their pizza for free.

We ordered our pizza and the young man behind the counter only had to deal with a couple phone calls and one other costumer besides us. We had about twenty minutes to spare before our order was done. We walked around the stores next to Pizza Hut, such as, Cato and Katie’s. When we came back the pizza was ready to go. The young employee handed us our pizza and did not offer to open the box and show us our order. I pointed out the sign and some what jokingly said that we should get our pizza for free. The employee got really upset that I would call him out on his mistake. I really was not going to make him to give it to me until he got mad at me and claimed that he was extremely busy (there was no one else in the store at this point) and it was wrong that I point out the policy. We ended up just walking out with our pizza and not getting it for free. I should of went back and complained but I knew that my family may have been annoyed when I brought back cold pizza. I was really frustrated that the employee gave such attitude. I like Pizza Hut pizza, but next time I go to Pizza Hut and the employee does not show me the pizza before handing it over, I will ask to get my pizza for free, no matter what excuse the employee gives me.

Papa Murphy’s in Tyler…Again

July 21st, 2010

            I realize that someone has probably already posted something on this site about Papa Murphy’s Pizza in Tyler. When several of us were newly hired to write for Tyler TX Directory, there was a mad rush to write about the Pizza places in town since there are so many of them. As someone once said, “a writer must write of what he knows.” Now I have previously stated that Bruno’s in Tyler is hands down the best in town, and I am still of that opinion. But I consider that to be dinning out pizza. Double Dave’s is also delicious, but that too, is eat out food. When it comes to carry out Papa Murphy’s has to be my first choice (and even by that standard it’s only marginally behind Dave’s). Now when I was a younger better fit man (ok that was a while ago), I ate pretty much whatever I wanted and worried not wit about the consequences, but now that I’m approaching middle age I find that I’m more concerned about my diet. Eating most take out in Tyler tends to leave me feeling… guilty and ashamed. Even the take- out pizza I like, seldom leaves me with a sense of well being. I really don’t need to dip my pizza in creamy garlic butter, or stuff the crust of my pizza with thick runny cheese! As good as cheap pizza may taste at the moment; there may be a physical price to pay in the long run. As my priest warns, sin is often pleasurable for a time.

            Papa Murphy’s food is not like other low quality greasy spoons in town. The ingredients are generally more wholesome and at least potentially healthy (depending on your choices of course). Now I am not going to claim that the Chicago Style stuffed pizzas are exactly good for you but they are delicious and for those of us who are conscious of what we eat; PM offers a great “deLite” menu that will leave the calorie counting customer both satisfied, and largely guilt free.  (I realize that’s a pretty tough call for fitness Nazis and other weight- loss gurus). Be that as it may, Papa Murphy’s seems to me to be the best tasting, and generally the healthiest take- out pizza in town. And I say that as a customer who is even now enjoying a slice. For more information on Papa Murphy’s see their website at www.papamurphys.com. To see a menu, go to http://www.papamurphys.com/pdf/PapaMurphysMenu.pdf. For more on Tyler’s various pizza parlors and or buffets look for the following titles or articles on this site: A Pizza a Beer and a Ball Game, The Best of the Buffets, The Worst of the Buffets and Bruno’s, the Best Pizza in Town.

Chuck E Cheese in Tyler Texas

February 17th, 2010

CHUCK E CHEESE
736 W SW loop 323
Tyler
75701
903 581 4550

ChuckECheese is a place dedicated for kid’s entertainment. It is located in central Tyler, not far from the mall (and nationally in over 500 locations!)

Even if you have never been there, you will probably recognize the mouse that is the trademark of ChuckECheese. Thanks to clever marketing and sponsorship of programs on PBS, my kids knew ChuckECheese way before we even went there and were begging me to take them.

I went somewhat unwillingly, but am glad I did as the kids had a whale of a time and I had a morning enjoying their enthusiasm and wonder. Luckily, it was a quiet day – I can’t imagine what it would be like on a Saturday morning or in the vacation time.

The main focus is arcade games. Some are modern ‘Sega’ style which encourage skill to play and are highly animated, others are more of a gamble and still others are like fairground games – ball toss etc. There are also ride on machines – for smaller children and a car where you can sit with a plastic ChuckECheese and have a photo taken.

As you enter you are stamped with a ‘magic’ UV number. This is for security so that they can monitor that the right children are leaving with the right adults etc. Then you need to buy tokens for the games and machines. There are deals which include food and drinks or you can just buy the tokens for the amusements. From there on, the fun starts and you are left in a whirlwind as your children take control and run around trying all the various games. Most of the games have a reward system which involves each machine spewing out paper tickets. The more points you score on the game, the more tickets you are given. Don’t lose these tickets – at the end of your playtime, you can trade them in for prizes.

Our kids had a blast at ChuckECheeses. It was quite an expensive morning but when the weather is not good for being outside it is a good option for a special treat. They serve pizza at ChuckECheese and we had a salad and drinks too which were fine – but the quality of the food is certainly not the main attraction.

Finally, a word of caution. Before you trade in your tickets, let your children know that the prizes are just little gimmicks and not to expect too much from just one day of gaming. The big prizes are for people that go there regularly and who are experts at the games. My friend’s toddler had a complete meltdown because the excitement had been so great all morning and she thought she had got so many tickets but when she came to redeem them for a prize she only had enough for a little plastic bracelet or some Tootsie Rolls, and that broke her heart!

Lastly, you can save a lot on the price of tickets by looking for coupons online (Google will find some). There is also a party package available for birthdays which is very popular. ChuckECheese is open every day from 9 am.

Cicis Pizza in Tyler

February 8th, 2010

Cici’s Pizza

211 Texas 323 Loop, Tyler TX
Phone: (903) 526-9494

1938 E Southeast Loop 323, Tyler TX
Phone: (903) 533-9494

CiCi’s in Tyler is one of those places that may seem like a good idea at the time but never actually fulfills any decent expectations you may have had of it. CiCi’s combines pizza, buffet style dining, and screaming children into a one of a kind restaurant experience. CiCi’s may offer a pizza buffet at a decent price but they know that any sane person will be driven away within half an hour by the accumulated sounds of arcade games, whining kids, and several televisions all projecting angry sports announcers. The over stimulating environment is, I suspect, nothing more than a clever ploy developed by the buffet style restaurant industry to stop you from claiming the seven pizzas your four dollars gives you the right to under the eternal Law of Buffet.

They bombard you with flashing lights, constant loud ringing noises. A petting zoo themed restaurant would have a better family environment. CiCi’s doesn’t have bad pizza either, they show no shame in baking a funnel cake in a pizza oven and then pretending pizza was always covered in chocolate syrup. And I can respect the kind of courage it takes to offer decent quality dessert at a buffet, I imagine strawberry chocolate cheesecake has brought many a great franchise to its knees. CiCi’s could definitely improve its atmosphere. But If you can handle the overwhelming surroundings they have some good pizza.

Little Caesar’s on 31 and SW Loop 323 in Tyler, TX

February 1st, 2010

Little Caesar’s

510 S Southwest Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 592-7373

This Little Caesar’s pizza restaurant is specifically designated as a Hot & Ready business. This means that they have a few items that are always prepared and still hot as long as they are open. The standard Hot & Ready item is the large pepperoni pizza for less than six dollars. I believe it is five fifty. They also usually have one or two plain cheese pizzas available hot and ready for the same price. The more interesting items they have ready to take are hot wings, which come in different levels of spice, their famous “Crazy Bread” with sauce, and cheesy bread sticks. They are also able to make pizzas with other standard toppings to order and to make tons of pizzas if you call in before or are willing to wait.

This little pizza restaurant probably gets more of my money in the average month than any other food establishment in Tyler. This is because the food is amazing and the price is perfect. I am a bit of a pizza fanatic. I tell people that I could eat pizza every meal for the rest of my life, which wouldn’t be that long on a diet like that, and I am not lying. I love pizza, and when it comes to eating pizza affordably in Tyler I choose this Little Caesar’s. The taste and texture quality are unlike any other pizza place I’ve experienced. I think they do a perfect sauce and crust, but the most impressive thing about this Little Caesar’s pizza is the cheese. They put a huge amount of cheese on each pizza and then cook it perfectly to where there is a slight crisp.

The cool thing is that they offer this for just over five dollars. That is the same price as a single meal at a standard fast food restaurant, and one pizza is enough for my wife and I to eat dinner and usually have leftovers. We also get them for their convenience. Hot & Ready means we don’t have to cook, and we don’t even have to wait. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had to wait more than five minutes for my food, and that was most often just because there were a few customers in front of me. It’s great for entertaining last minute house guests and family during an impromptu hangout.

It’s worth noting that they also have combo deals where you can grab a previously cooled two liter Pepsi product soda. They even have Pepsi Zero and diet Mountain Dew for all of those healthier pizza eaters out there. They also have combos that include “Crazy Bread” or hot wings. These combos are around ten dollars each and are definitely worth it when you consider the convenience and incredible taste and quality.

The last thing I’d like to note is that this location has some of the sweetest staff of any business in Tyler. They are pretty much all young people who seem happy to work there. Maybe pizza makes everyone else smile like me, or maybe their manager just knows how to pick employees and train them in customer service. I’ve gone so many times, that I’m almost starting to become friends with the cashiers. They may not remember me, but they make me feel so comfortable and valued that I remember them and recommend them to my friends and family. If you need a quick snack or want a break from cooking, swing by Little Caesar’s Hot & Ready on the South West end of Loop 323 where it meets with Highway 31.