Pizza Hut Express replaces La Vincita in HMSU

There will soon be a new addition to the Commons—one that’s sure to please many hungry students. A Pizza Hut Express and WingStreet restaurant will replace La Vincita in the Commons, according to Sue Sluyter, ISU Dining Services general manager.

“Last spring we did an extensive online market survey asking the ISU community what they wanted to see, and the two things that ISU students want to see [are] wings…and pizza,” Sluyter said.

“Pizza Hut and WingStreet are in the Sodexo portfolio so it was an easy thing to put together for us,” Sluyter said.

Construction is expected to be completed by August 19, as move-in day for the fall semester is August 21.

The menu will include a wide variety of personal pan pizzas, P’zones, side dishes, pastas and both boneless and traditional wings with eight varieties of sauces.

Sodexo is sending two people to Texas in July to learn how to make Pizza Hut pizza.

Because special training is required and is only offered to a restaurant after a trial period, regular size pizzas will not be offered at the Commons Pizza Hut.

“We want to be able to [make the other items] really well…and get an A plus on this, and then we’ll worry about the future when it comes,” Sluyter said.

For students who will still want the healthy options provided by La Vincita, they won’t have to go very far to get it. The to-go concept of La Vincita will be moved to the front of Generations Restaurant and will be called Generations Express.

While few students know about the plan at this point, it is already becoming clear that there will be strong student support.

Wade Bush, a sophomore business administration major who eats in the Commons three or four times a week, said that he would be more likely to eat there if a Pizza Hut was installed.

Bush said that he would not be disappointed if La Vincita was replaced because he has never eaten there.

Ryan Niemiller, a senior psychology major, said that a Pizza Hut would not make him eat there more or less often.

“I only eat there a couple times a week because of time restraints, but if a Pizza Hut was there, I would enjoy it,” Niemiller said.

While Bush and Niemiller reacted differently to the possibility, they both believe that the recognizable food chain will improve business in the Commons.

“I think it could only help. I mean, if you are adding a restaurant and it’s of [a] different variety, then more people are apt to eat there,” Bush said.

“I think it would help,” Niemiller said. “It’s a name people know.”