Having spent several years in high school and college working in the food industry, I can tell you first hand that fast food is never better than the moment it is prepared. Once it is baked, cooked, or assembled, fast food does nothing but get worse. I have eaten Long John Silver’s hushpuppies seconds after scooping them from a vat of boiling grease and taken bites of Grandy’s fried chicken so hot the dripping grease burned my chin, and I am telling you… there’s nothing like it. The fresher, the better.
Based on the five years I spent working at Mazzio’s pizza, three different Pizza Huts, three different Pizza Inns, and the short-lived Heavenly Pizza, I can attest to the fact that there is nothing like a slice of steaming hot pizza right out of the oven. The buffet isn’t the same. Carry out is not the same. Delivery is definitely not the same. The only way to experience pizza the way it was intended is to go into a restaurant, order a pizza, and take a bite the minute it arrives at your table. The roof of your scalded mouth will thank you.
I told Susan that for Valentine’s Day this year, that’s what I wanted — to go to a restaurant and have burning hot pizza. We decided to go to Mazzio’s Pizza in Yukon. I’ve written about Ken’s Pizza in the past — both restaurants were founded by Ken Selby (who also founded Zio’s Italian Kitchen). Mazzio’s makes a decent pizza, but perhaps as important (or even more so) was that I worked at this particular Mazzio’s in high school, and Susan and her friends from band ate there many times. The layout and decor has changed multiple times since I worked there (and the arcade is gone!), but there’s enough that feels familiar to make it a fun date.
On Wednesday evening (Valentine’s Day), Susan and I walked into our local Mazzio’s Pizza and immediately noticed that other than two employees, we were the only people there. There wasn’t a single customer in the dining room — something I found odd on Valentine’s Day, a traditionally popular date event.
At the counter we were met by a very busy and frazzled manager. Susan began our order by stating “this is for here,” and the manager responded with, “we’re not doing dine in right now.” One of the many blessings of entering middle age is that, perhaps more than they should, words now come out of my mouth without ever checking in with whatever mental gatekeeping system I once had. I believe what came out of my mouth was, “lack of seating?”
The manager went on to explain that this Mazzio’s was about to be remodeled and would be closing on Sunday for “a couple of months.” He went on to explain that there were no plates or silverware in the store. All the salt, pepper, cheese, and red pepper shakers have been removed from the tables. Also, the soda dispense is missing.
“We don’t need plates,” Susan countered. “And we’ll go get our own drinks,” I added. And so we did. While our pizza was being prepared, Susan and I drove down the street to OnCue to buy a couple of drinks and steal a few extra napkins. (And yes, we offered to buy the manager a drink!) Just a few minutes after we returned, the sole other employee came out to the dining room and, rather unceremoniously, delivered our medium half-supreme, half Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza.
It turns out, you don’t need plates or silverware to eat pizza — napkins will do just fine.
The only thing better than a hot slice of pizza fresh out of the oven is having an entire restaurant to yourself on Valentine’s Date with your true love.
Since this happened, I learned through Facebook that the Yukon Mazzio’s is changing owners and has been purchased by someone who graduated from our high school. I’m looking forward to the remodel and returning to Mazzio’s when they reopen… although it’ll probably be busier then.
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