Pizza Hut brings back to the US one of the favorite dishes of customers in the 90s

Pizza Hut is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 25 year hiatus.

Starting February 1st, “Big New Yorker” pizza is once again hitting menus across the US for a limited time. Despite being briefly sold in 1999, the extra large pizza quickly became a favorite, and fans have been asking Pizza Hut to bring it back ever since.

The “Big New Yorker” is really big: It’s a 16-inch pizza with six large, foldable slices. That’s about 30% larger than the large pizza currently sold at the chain.

Pizza Hut in a press release describes the “Big New Yorker” as being “inspired by the spirit of New York with an XL pizza that is as big and bold as the city that never sleeps”.

The pizza is topped with marinara sauce, extra cheese and seasoning to “mimic authentic New York pizzeria,” the chain said. Toppings include double pepperoni or another topping of your choice with prices starting at $13.99.

Since its demise more than two decades ago, pizza has developed a cult following online. There’s a Change.org petition begging Pizza Hut to bring it back that has collected nearly 4,000 signatures. “It was the only good pizza Pizza Hut ever offered,” claims one signer. Another adds: “I need this for my soul.”

Pizza is a competitive space, with customers often changing their preferences depending on promotions and new menu items. Fast food chains are finding that tapping into nostalgia is also a winning formula, as customers crave familiarity.

Yum Brands, owner of Pizza Hut, said in a recent investor day that the chain is in the midst of a reinvention aimed at younger consumers, including updating its app and selling more exciting items. This includes Melts, which are individual calzone-like slices of pizza that have performed well for the network.

The next results will be released on February 8.