When did the surburban late 20th century era peak, in your mind? I'd say around 1990.

When did the surburban late 20th century era peak, in your mind? I'd say around 1990.


You gotta stop doing so many threads :D

When did the surburban late 20th century era peak, in your mind? I'd say around 1990.


The John Hughes-style "suburban kid chilling in front of the TV after school, watching Ninja Turtles and playing NES games" culture? Well, it was really strong from, say 1986-1993/94 (if you just watch alot of the movies or sitcoms from then, it has that unmistakable feel), but yeah, probably 1989ish was its absolute peak.

However, I'd argue 1982-2001/02 was one giant "suburban/mall" era.

I would think Friday is the peak for Pizza Hut, for I never seemed to get a table!

When did the surburban late 20th century era peak, in your mind? I'd say around 1990.


I don't think it so much peaked as plateaued if you know what I mean..

Like went:

              1970        1980        1990          2000
                  *    *  *  *  *  *  *  * * * * * * * * *
              *                                                        *
        *
    *
*

The John Hughes-style "suburban kid chilling in front of the TV after school, watching Ninja Turtles and playing NES games" culture? Well, it was really strong from, say 1986-1993/94 (if you just watch alot of the movies or sitcoms from then, it has that unmistakable feel), but yeah, probably 1989ish was its absolute peak.

However, I'd argue 1982-2001/02 was one giant "suburban/mall" era.


Yeah, I'd say about 1988-1991 was its peak.  However I think this feel was definitely around as late as 1998, and in a reduced way up to 9/11.

Yeah, I agree that 1988-1991 was its peak...overall, it was sort of a 1982-2002 era. But it hasn't been discontinued, it's just been plateau'd off in the nutsy world of the '00s. And before it was the "Howdy Doody!" and "Brady Bunch" suburban days that my mom grew up with in the '50s-'70s...like elaborately decorated kitchens and housewives and such, as opposed to the "NES"/pizza delivery sort of suburban era.

I would think Friday is the peak for Pizza Hut, for I never seemed to get a table!


Friday's at Pizza Hut sure are crazy.  It's the end of the work week, so people want to relax with some Pizza. 

Yeah, I agree that 1988-1991 was its peak...overall, it was sort of a 1982-2002 era. But it hasn't been discontinued, it's just been plateau'd off in the nutsy world of the '00s. And before it was the "Howdy Doody!" and "Brady Bunch" suburban days that my mom grew up with in the '50s-'70s...like elaborately decorated kitchens and housewives and such, as opposed to the "NES"/pizza delivery sort of suburban era.


Yeah, I miss the late 20th century... this nostalgia is something both children of the '80s and children of the '90s share.

Yeah, I miss the late 20th century... this nostalgia is something both children of the '80s and children of the '90s share.


Maybe we'll recreate it in the 2010s. It's certainly possible.

[quote author=wһіѕ

If more people took more takeaways, there will be more available tables?


If only more people did that.  Thing is, people like eating out on Friday nights.  I hate Taking Pizza out.  I'd rather eat in the restaurant, that way, I don't have to dirty my own plates or use my own paper towels ;D

[quote author=wһіѕ

...and let someone else do the washing up.


exactly O0

Maybe we'll recreate it in the 2010s. It's certainly possible.


I do think the tens will be more family-oriented.

Speaking of Pizza Parlours...are there far less of them these days? It seems to be the case over here, with several pizza buffet places (As well as KFC buffets and other fast-food buffets, which seemed to all close down before the 90s were out). In the 80s and 90s, teens and pre-teens stereotypically met at the pizza parlour, the arcade, or the local shopping mall, but I have a feeling the shopping mall is the only one of these three which has survived. I think even 'popular' teens are spending more and more time at home, or at other peoples houses, rather than 'hanging out.'

Speaking of Pizza Parlours...are there far less of them these days? It seems to be the case over here, with several pizza buffet places (As well as KFC buffets and other fast-food buffets, which seemed to all close down before the 90s were out). In the 80s and 90s, teens and pre-teens stereotypically met at the pizza parlour, the arcade, or the local shopping mall, but I have a feeling the shopping mall is the only one of these three which has survived. I think even 'popular' teens are spending more and more time at home, or at other peoples houses, rather than 'hanging out.'


Blame the Xbox.  >:(  ;D

Blame the Xbox.  >:(  ;D


It's the Xbox 360 now...or the PS3...

But seriously, it seems places like that are really dying out. The new meeting places are virtual; myspace, etc...maybe that's an overly pessimistic assessment.

It's the Xbox 360 now...or the PS3...

But seriously, it seems places like that are really dying out. The new meeting places are virtual; myspace, etc...maybe that's an overly pessimistic assessment.


Yeah ... the nineties and also the eighties seemed to be more personal, in that way. 

Yeah ... the nineties and also the eighties seemed to be more personal, in that way. 


Exactly...now teens can no longer afford to buy pizzas at those 'gourmet woodfire places' with their pocket money (the places are no filled with yuppies lol), and Dominoes/Pizza Hut isn't exactly good for your health. And today's teens are more health conscious (though seemingly no more healthy) than those of yesteryear.

Exactly...now teens can no longer afford to buy pizzas at those 'gourmet woodfire places' with their pocket money (the places are no filled with yuppies lol), and Dominoes/Pizza Hut isn't exactly good for your health. And today's teens are more health conscious (though seemingly no more healthy) than those of yesteryear.


I know ... why are today's teen so square.  It's like come on, lighten up and smoke some riefer, or at least EAT FREAKING SWEETS!  ;D

I know ... why are today's teen so square.  It's like come on, lighten up and smoke some riefer, or at least EAT FREAKING SWEETS!  ;D


Especially girls...I'm sick of hearing about another 9 year old anorexic. We have alot of fat kids, and now alot of really skinny kids...doesn't seem to make sense.

Especially girls...I'm sick of hearing about another 9 year old anorexic. We have alot of fat kids, and now alot of really skinny kids...doesn't seem to make sense.


I know! I can't stand it!

Actually I'd rather a girl be a little chubby than a stick figurre.

Holy piss you guys like to overanalyze everything.  First of all, what makes anyone think that "Pizza Hut" days are over?  Or that "suburban days" are over? 

Did Skynet already take over the world?  Did I miss "Judgement Day"?  Are we being hunted by Terminators every night?  You people act like things changed so much in 2006 and that there is a T-1000 around every corner, making life absolutely miserable.  I realize kids always want to believe they are living in a more violent, gritty and on edge world then anyone else before them did, it makes you feel cooler then the previous groups that came before you, but get real. 

In terms of pizza, the only thing that has changed is that there are not that many pizza restuarants around anymore where you can go and eat a meal.  Most places are take-out, but families can still order delivery.  The pizza parlors actually started to die out as early as the Late 80s, and seemed to be virtually gone from the big cities by the Early and Mid 90s.  Though you can still find them in small towns.

Speaking of Pizza Parlours...are there far less of them these days? It seems to be the case over here, with several pizza buffet places (As well as KFC buffets and other fast-food buffets, which seemed to all close down before the 90s were out). In the 80s and 90s, teens and pre-teens stereotypically met at the pizza parlour, the arcade, or the local shopping mall, but I have a feeling the shopping mall is the only one of these three which has survived. I think even 'popular' teens are spending more and more time at home, or at other peoples houses, rather than 'hanging out.'


That's overly pessimistic...movie theaters, ice cream parlors, shopping malls, cheap restaurants, and coffee houses are still huge meeting places for teens.

Holy piss you guys like to overanalyze everything.  First of all, what makes anyone think that "Pizza Hut" days are over?  Or that "suburban days" are over? 

Did Skynet already take over the world?  Did I miss "Judgement Day"?  Are we being hunted by Terminators every night?  You people act like things changed so much in 2006 and that there is a T-1000 around every corner, making life absolutely miserable.  I realize kids always want to believe they are living in a more violent, gritty and on edge world then anyone else before them did, it makes you feel cooler then the previous groups that came before you, but get real. 

In terms of pizza, the only thing that has changed is that there are not that many pizza restuarants around anymore where you can go and eat a meal.  Most places are take-out, but families can still order delivery.  The pizza parlors actually started to die out as early as the Late 80s, and seemed to be virtually gone from the big cities by the Early and Mid 90s.  Though you can still find them in small towns.


No I personally consider the 90s grittier and more violent (despite all this media hype and bs) for the man (or woman) or the street. I live in one of the safest places you could hope to live in the developed world, where I feel perfectly safe walking about at any hour of the day.

OK now so 9-11 did change certain things in America, especially at airports, but I don't think things have gotten anywhere near as bad as some of you make it out to be. 

People still go about their daily lifestyles unhindered, and there are still soccer parties and soccer moms.  IMO, our lifestyle would have to be considerably more altered to seriously get into this type of discussion of "hey remember the old days when people used to order pizza and sit around the TV and watch movies"  (like we are being hunted by Terminators, and no one does that anymore today!)

Granted, as I have said in the big cities the pizza parlors like Pizza Hut and Pizza Inn are gone as restuarants to sit and eat a meal.  They started dropping off the map years and years ago.  I do miss that, but come on, is everything else so different?   

OK now so 9-11 did change certain things in America, especially at airports, but I don't think things have gotten anywhere near as bad as some of you make it out to be. 

People still go about their daily lifestyles unhindered, and there are still soccer parties and soccer moms.  IMO, our lifestyle would have to be considerably more altered to seriously get into this type of discussion of "hey remember the old days when people used to order pizza and sit around the TV and watch movies"  (like we are being hunted by Terminators, and no one does that anymore today!)

Granted, as I have said in the big cities the pizza parlors like Pizza Hut and Pizza Inn are gone as restuarants to sit and eat a meal.  They started dropping off the map years and years ago.  I do miss that, but come on, is everything else so different?   


Not really. I agree that being a teen now is more fast-paced than it was in the '80s and '90s, though. Though all of those things are obviously around.

I always think of those family scenes in "Uncle Buck" and "Home Alone" as highly reflective of my own childhood. I was close to Macauley Culkin's age when those movies came out, so I kinda felt like he was mirroring my generation. This was I suppose late 80's early 90's.

Holy piss you guys like to overanalyze everything.  First of all, what makes anyone think that "Pizza Hut" days are over?  Or that "suburban days" are over? 

Did Skynet already take over the world?  Did I miss "Judgement Day"?  Are we being hunted by Terminators every night?  You people act like things changed so much in 2006 and that there is a T-1000 around every corner, making life absolutely miserable.  I realize kids always want to believe they are living in a more violent, gritty and on edge world then anyone else before them did, it makes you feel cooler then the previous groups that came before you, but get real. 

In terms of pizza, the only thing that has changed is that there are not that many pizza restuarants around anymore where you can go and eat a meal.  Most places are take-out, but families can still order delivery.  The pizza parlors actually started to die out as early as the Late 80s, and seemed to be virtually gone from the big cities by the Early and Mid 90s.  Though you can still find them in small towns.


Very good points, Chris. I really don't see much of a change in this suburbia feeling. To me, it seems to have gotten worse. I mean, parents are pushing and shoving their kids into all kinds of stuff.

One advantage about being an 80's child is that we just had less disturbances than we have now. Like, 8 year olds weren't carrying cell phones around or rolling back packs, lol. We had video games, but they weren't anything near what they are now. Less children grew up with video games then because they were more expensive and more primitive. We had them, but it certainly did not dominate my days and nights *although I did have urgencies to play my Sega 8 bit Megasystem late at night  ;D * The thing back then were the actual arcades because those had the better graphics than our wimpy 8 bit systems at home. So, we'd spend days at the local arcade *like we had one called Pocket Change, which of course is gone now  ::) * I could go on and on and on..  :)

Very good points, Chris. I really don't see much of a change in this suburbia feeling. To me, it seems to have gotten worse. I mean, parents are pushing and shoving their kids into all kinds of stuff.

One advantage about being an 80's child is that we just had less disturbances than we have now. Like, 8 year olds weren't carrying cell phones around or rolling back packs, lol. We had video games, but they weren't anything near what they are now. Less children grew up with video games then because they were more expensive and more primitive. We had them, but it certainly did not dominate my days and nights *although I did have urgencies to play my Sega 8 bit Megasystem late at night  ;D * The thing back then were the actual arcades because those had the better graphics than our wimpy 8 bit systems at home. So, we'd spend days at the local arcade *like we had one called Pocket Change, which of course is gone now  ::) * I could go on and on and on..   :)


I think the people who experienced the whole undisturbed "suburban" childhood of sitting around watching movies and eating pizza and other yummy food all day is like 1973-1992 or so, really, but the people who are most like that are the XY types born like 1978-1983 or so, even if 1982 and 1983 are really more echo boom/Y. The "Home Alone" generation.

Hard to believe MaCauley Culkin's already 26. Wonder what he's doing now? I sort of relate to him and the kids of the 'Home Alone' era as being of the same generation as me (well, he is very early Gen Y), but it's amazing how fast time passes. To me he'll always be a 10-year old kid..

Hard to believe MaCauley Culkin's already 26. Wonder what he's doing now? I sort of relate to him and the kids of the 'Home Alone' era as being of the same generation as me (well, he is very early Gen Y), but it's amazing how fast time passes. To me he'll always be a 10-year old kid..


What's the Home Alone era? Like 1989-1994?

What's the Home Alone era? Like 1989-1994?


Yeah, I think it's like 1986-1994 or so, but the peak of it was like 1989-1991, like the "pre-'90s".

This thread's topic is kind of funny to me. One of my favourite childhood memories from the late 1980s is eating dinner at Pizza Hut with my family!

http://www.pizzahut.com/images_nav/_off/nav-hdr_site_02.gif

That restaurant will always have a special place in my heart!

Where the hell are Pizza Huts anyway?  I think I know of one in my area but it's only pickup/delivery.

One of my last experiences/memories of Pizza Hut must've been at least 15 years ago if not more, where our family was pushed aside and ignored after a little league baseball team walked in after us one Saturday afternoon.

Only arcades in my area are places like Boomers (which used to be called Grand Prix), it has or had (not sure about now) go karts and batting cages, or places like Dave and Busters which, is an arcade, but also a giant restaurant/bar, and I have trouble associating that with the old local mall arcade.  Arcades in malls are definitely nowhere to be found anymore.

I am craving Pizza Hut now...  ;D