Pizza Hut, 630 George Street, Sydney (now closed) (Weekend Notes)
Thursday, 21 January 2015.
Just before 5pm, as I have done countless times since 2007, I arrived at one of my regular dinner haunts – Pizza Hut, 630 George Street, Sydney.
One of the staff who knew me and served me made a stunning announcement.
Tonight, Pizza Hut 630 George Street was closing down.
That was stunning, and sad, for several reasons.
One, I had been visiting 630 George Street since 1987 when I was 16-17 years old (and in late 1993 I also enquired about a job there, but they weren’t hiring).
Two, since 2007 I had been visiting 630 George Street at least once a week, and many weeks more than once.
Three, since Black and Blue Man began in 2010, 630 George Street is where most of it was written.
*
I began dining out most nights in 2007, partly because I simply enjoyed it and partly because I preferred to do creative writing in public places rather than in the isolation of home.
630 George Street became one of my regular venues for several reasons:
- I’ve always liked Pizza Hut and its Works Buffet
- the Works was still under $20
- 630 George Street was close to Town Hall station, where I used to travel to and from work, and it’s only a 20-minute walk from home
As I became a familiar face there, the staff treated me very well:
- I always got a discount
- they never minded me staying 4-5 hours each time (and no, I didn’t spend all of those hours eating)
- if my favourite table was unavailable when I showed up, they would later inform me when it was empty so I could move there
As well as creative writing, I also came to like 630 George Street as a place to work. Up until 2010 when I began working from home full-time, I would leave the office early, arrive at 5pm to have an early dinner, and then at 6pm power on my laptop PC and complete my last 1-2 hours (or more). Even after I began working from home, though, I continued this routine at 630 George Street and other places.
By 2010, my interest in creative writing had waned – but I still wanted to write somehow, and that’s partly how Black and Blue Man came about. Soon, Saturday became ‘blog night’, and has mostly remained so ever since – and because I could stay up to 5 hours at 630 George Street on Saturday nights, it became my usual ‘blog place’.
So as I said above, Black and Blue Man was mostly written there.
(This post is being written at another favourite haunt only a few doors away on George).
*
That last night at 630 George Street, I was told that there may be plans to re-open somewhere else in the city.
If they do, of course I’ll go and see what it’s like – but, an almost 28-year era of my life is now over.
Pizza Hut 630 George Street – and especially the staff who worked there since 2007 – thank you and all the best.
Until next time, stay well and take care 🙂
Black and Blue Man 
I have just returned to Sydney after living away.This is terrible news, I was hoping to catch up with friends there. Any word if they are are reopening somewhere else?
I still look online every now and then for any news, but so far nothing.
Black and Blue Man
I was a regular there too. I probably saw you a trillion times as well. I was devastated when I found out they were closing. Like you, I used to actually stop there to ‘work’. My first published manuscript had its start there, and I would often turn over ideas or type or the like during a meal.
The staff were so friendly, welcoming and accommodating. When I heard the place was closing down, it was like a punch in the gut because I was genuinely concerned for them, their plans and what they would do afterwards. Last I heard they were trying to re-open the franchise elsewhere in the city, but that seems to have come to naught. More ominously, there doesn’t even seem to be a dine-in section of the Pizzahut website any more
Still, I can but hope.
Thanks for sharing the memories.
You’re welcome, and thank you.
(Opens another browser tab and goes Googling)
I see what you mean about the dine-in section.
As well, the only other dine-in Pizza Hut I knew of and went to in recent years was way up in Gympie, Queensland – and it doesn’t appear to do dine-in anymore, either.
They live! Sort of!
https://www.pizzahut.com.au/pizza-hut-dine-in.jsp
Not much help, buuuut…
That is helpful. Thank you! 🙂
I drove past a dine in Pizza Hut in Windsor (Western Sydney) today. There’s also one at Minto.
Can confirm the Pizza Hut in Windsor is there and is still open for dine-in buffet. Friendly staff, good selection… just a pity it’s an hour and a half (each way) out of the city, which kind of kills the convinience
yes, the staff were nice. they let me eat the pizza topping and throw away the crust. never complained. but the chocolate mousse was my favourite. and the view was nice too. George st will be changing a lot in the next few years with trams.
The George St Pizza Hut is now gone, replaced by a clothing shop. However, yesterday I went exploring and found a still functional eat in Pizza hut, $15 all you can eat all the way north at Windsor. 69 Macquarie Street. Like George St, the variety was small, the owner probably being reluctant to put out a big range of pizzas. Had only 4 types and mostly the same. The pan ones were a little over done. But the nostalgia!! The dessert bar had all the usual, no apple pie thing that day, and the green jelly was blue! Rest of the town was nice too 😀
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