Pizza Pit (Q465)
From Madison Pizza Wiki
pizza delivery chain founded in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1969
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Pizza Pit |
pizza delivery chain founded in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1969 |
Statements
1969
3 references
Pizza Pit was founded in Madison in 1969 and operates nine delivery stores and restaurants here.
1 reference
a once-lucrative pie that Voice started in 1969, creating a delivery market where there was none
2 references
October 2024
October 2024
September 2026
October 2024
1 reference
said the company's president Robby Bisbee
June 1983
June 1983
1 reference
Warren, who joined Pizza Pit as a driver in 1970
2 references
Jim and I both worked for Pizza Pit
January 2001
April 1983
June 1983
1 reference
Vincent Teske and Mark George have been named managers of two new Pizza Pit stores in Green Bay, the company's newest stores.
9
April 1983
12
June 1983
1 reference
Pizza Pit now has 12 stores in Iowa and Wisconsin.
10
July 1999
1 reference
Back in July, Pizza Pit had 10 corporate stores.
9
August 1999
30
August 1999
7
January 2000
29
January 2000
26
29 January 2000
1 reference
All 26 Pizza Pit franchise stores have remained open during the time the corporate stores were closed
15
September 2026
1 reference
all 15 of our independently owned stores
7
1980
47
August 1998
1 reference
a Madison chain of 47 restaurants
21
October 1998
1 reference
21 Dane County locations
In the 2010s and 2020s two separate businesses use the name: the franchise system (pizzapit.biz) and Jim Meyer's Pizza Pit/Pizza Extreme. When they separated is under research; the working date is early 2000.
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People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026; best chicken wings in 2026.
A 2016 profile of Athens Gyros names Pizza Pit/Pizza Extreme as the gyro maker's largest client.
Ad man Dick Zillman created the Pizza Pit television spot in the snowy winter of 1978–79: a model train set, children's voices, flour and the jingle — 'whose pizza fleet still delivers free, fast and steaming hot? Yeah, it's the Pit's. Pizza Pit.'
Seven Madison company stores reopened Jan. 29 – Feb. 14, 2000 under the Smith/Meyer group: Monroe St., E. Washington Ave. and Cottage Grove Rd. on Jan. 29 (for the Super Bowl), Odana Rd. on Feb. 2, Emil St. on Feb. 9, Northport Dr. and Raymond Rd. on Valentine's Day; former employees rehired through the Monroe Street store (257-5825).
Pizzas shipped to Germany, North Carolina and a Seattle wake; an ice-fishing delivery onto Lake Monona Bay (Jan. 2001); in the 1970s a driver walked onto a Livingston Street film set and ended up in the movie (Doug Moe, 2001). The slogan 'free, fast and hot'; 'Over 50 Awards for Best Pizza in Madison' (2002 ad); Heavyweight, Classic and Pizza Twins pizzas.
March 1999 ads claimed '21 convenient area locations' with free delivery; the Oct. 1999 guide listed seven Madison stores (Campus 1614 Monroe, Far East 4527 Cottage Grove Rd., North, South Central, Southwest, West, Near East).
2 references
The Great Pizza Pit Treasure Hunt of Jan. 14–23, 1991 hid a $1,000 medallion, with daily clues in The Capital Times.
Eleven Madison-area Pizza Pits in April 1992, against seven Pizza Huts, nine Rocky Rococos, six Domino's and two Unos among 74 pizza places.
1 reference
The 1993 Food Share list gave a Pizza Pit at '5750 Raymond Road' (the Raymond Road store is otherwise recorded at 5706).
1 reference
Ten Madison stores in Sept. 1994 — 'our local staple pizza, of course, the standard by which all others are judged' (Rath), who recommended the spicier, 35-percent-less-fat Light Pizza; two Pizza Pit stands at the 1994 Taste of Madison sold deluxe combo, garden party veggie, super meat sampler, bacon onion cheeseburger and 4-alarm special slices.
The 1995 Yellow Pages ad: ten Madison-area company stores (East Towne, Monona and Middleton among them), 14 franchise towns, catering at 221-6777 and a TDD line; specials Pizza Twins, Extra Topped and Pizza Light.
2 references
Sept. 1995 hiring ad: 'Production of Madison's most award winning pizza. Complete paid training.'
1980 Yellow Pages: seven stores, open daily 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. (2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, midnight Sunday); pizzas and submarine sandwiches; free delivery and carry-out; the Emil Street store traded as Diablos Inn.
2 references
Aug. 1998: Terry Voice, president of 'a Madison chain of 47 restaurants', said Pizza Pit would hold pizza prices as long as it could despite record cheese costs — 'We won't cut back on cheese. Absolutely not.' The 1998 restaurant guide counted 21 Dane County locations. Hiring that year ran through 246-7738 ('Bill or Bob'); drivers earned $8–12 an hour with tips.
4 references
By 1985 'Pizza Pit availability' was a Madison byword for delivery coverage (a gyros owner's ambition); Pizza Pit fed the Sematech site-selection delegation in November 1987 and sold Vilas Zoo benefit tickets in 1982 and 1984.
2 references
Nine area stores in October 1985 (616 and 2803 University Ave., 1349 Williamson St., 4126 Monona Dr., 1401 Emil St., 1417 Northport Dr., Raymond Rd., East Towne Mall, 2506 Allen Blvd.); 'Famous throughout the land for free, fast hot delivery of pizza, sandwiches and subs. Some locations have inside seating'.
Sold 800,000-plus pizzas in fiscal 1984 from 10 local outlets — 750,000 lb of dough, 48,000 gal of sauce, 395,000 lb of cheese — about 20 percent of area pizza sales by its own survey; held 67 percent of local delivery in 1984, about 60 percent by mid-1985 after Domino's arrived (marketing director Tom Hartl). Kaye Schultz (1985): 'the best pizza base in Madison', and the bargain.
'11 Madison-area locations' in October 1987.
Ten area stores in the Fall 1986 guide, adding 134 Westgate Mall (274-1730).
Ten locations in October 1984; the 'Pizza Pit deluxe' with every fifth topping free; 1984 honors: Best Delivery (Madison Magazine, July), Best Thin Crust Pizza (MNI's Ultimate Guide, Aug.) and Best Delivered Pizza (Isthmus Annual Manual, Aug.).
A 1989 obituary named Gerald H. Voice as 'one of the original owners and founders of Pizza Pit, Limited, which started in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1969'.
Five Madison locations in April 1975, when United Neighborhood Centers volunteers took its orders and deliveries for a day as a fund-raiser.
1 reference
Daily Cardinal contests: 2nd of six in 1971 ($1.90 with coupon), 3rd in 1972 and 1973, 5th in 1974; best thin crust in 1975 ('an authentic urban flair'). Its hot Italian submarine was a reviewer's benchmark in 1971.
6 references
About 1993 the delivery cars were red Ford Tempos with lighted "Pizza Pit" roof signs; a former driver says most were leased from Thorstad Chevrolet. A frequent customer recalled being sent a telephone shaped like the cars as a Christmas present.
221-6777
June 1990
3 September 1994
1 reference
616 University Ave… and nine other Madison locations
