Best Pizza Buffet In Town: The New Pizza Inn?

Nearly three years ago to the date, the infamous Pizza Inn in Gaffney, SC mysteriously and suddenly closed its doors. I wrote a piece about that immediately.

Fast forward to the present day. Lee Whitesides, who opened Fuji Expressuns a few months prior to Pizza Inn folding, has moved his Japanese eatery to the nearby the Gaffney Premium Outlets (i.e., The Yellow Mall) and has opened up a pizza buffet. He is calling it The Best Pizza Buffet In Town. Thus far, people are flooding the restaurant in droves, anxious to see the hype.

I decided to visit the place this past Friday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the pizza, the staff, and the overall atmosphere. They were quick with your beverages and kept pizza circulating on the buffet. I give it a A grading and a 9 ranking. The pizza, including the infamous chocolate chip pizza, were all reminiscent of the old Pizza Inn. The salad, pasta, and even tater tots were also top notch. Currently it is the best pizza buffet in Gaffney.

Now the food itself may taste like Pizza Inn and give locals that renewal that was taken from them in 2011. However, Best Pizza Buffet lacks the space, character and history that the old Pizza Inn had. Perhaps Whitesides should consider a larger building if business continues to improve in the coming months. He is not competing with other pizza buffets franchises such as CiCis Pizza, plus the buffet is all day long unlike Pizza Hut which only has a lunch buffet.

The location and price itself are hard to beat.  Around $8 for lunch, $9 for dinner, which includes your drink. It is right off of I-85, exit 92, close to the Big Peach and the aforementioned outlets. I would definitely recommend it to all and also to arrive early to avoid a long wait.

Have you been to Best Pizza Buffet yet? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not?

Pizza Inn: Another one bites the dust

It seems Pizza Inn restaurants everywhere have been closing. I remember when the one in Rock Hill closed years ago. And today, the one in Gaffney that I mentioned in my very first blog, closed its doors today.

Now there are still at least 5 Pizza Inn franchises within driving distance that are still open. However, the one in Gaffney had character, history, and some of the best all around cuisine around!

My mom once told me she first took me as only a toddler. I didn't really remember going until I went on a high school field trip and ate there. Years later when I lived in Rock Hill, I got attracted to the Pizza Inn in Rock Hill. I would sometimes eat there twice/week. When I started working in Gaffney around 2003, I didn't start eating there much. But then I started eating there once or twice per month.

Many folks don't realize what made the Pizza Inn in Gaffney special. It was more than the dessert pizzas, especially that chocolate chip and Oreo pizza, or even the salad bar and the wide variety of regular pizzas. The Gaffney Pizza Inn was one of the last restaurants anywhere to brew their delicious sweet tea fresh and the old fashioned way. Many restaurants now use machines, which are very effective, but do not give you the same taste.

I've heard Pizza Inn closed for financial reasons. Makes me believe someone was misappropriating funds because that place was always packed, especially whenever Gaffney High was having Homecoming. It was soo packed then they had police on duty and you had to pay in advance to dine, rather than at the register.

I can remember those larger corner tables, seeing most of my co-workers, classmates, etc in there. It was easily one of the best buffets in all of Gaffney. I'm soo sad over this loss.

I felt very similar when Ryans and Shoneys restaurants began closing. Although the Gaffney location was separate from the corporate realm, it has suffered the same fate as many others. And this was a complete shock to nearly everyone.

The economy is awful right now, and this is an obvious by-product. Although I don't eat buffets often, I did indulge at Pizza Inn frequently. I will go and visit one of the other locations in the near future.

It's sad to see Pizza Inn go, almost like a dear friend. I only hope Papa Johns doesn't close again.

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