While I tried to eat local for the vast majority of my meals while traveling across Northern Indiana by wheelchair, by the time I arrived in the small college town of North Manchester, home of Manchester University, I was a bit tired and soaked and really in the mood to eat something familiar.
Despite the rigors of the road, I opted for a visit to the local Pizza Hut and their buffet.
There isn't really a whole lot to be said about a smalltown Pizza Hut, but I felt compelled to write a review mostly because I found the place so completely cramped that functioning in a wheelchair was more than a little bit difficult. We were seated at a table fairly near the buffet, which had the usual and expected items of pizza, breadsticks, salad, pasta, and a couple other things. Pizza Hut was crowded and stayed crowded throughout our stay and, to their credit, I've got to say that the customers themselves were remarkably accommodating of the wheelchair. While I at times struggled to make my way around the buffet, my "excuse me" comments weren't met by glares but by genuine consideration.
The food was good or, at the very least, good if you're a fan of Pizza Hut (I am). While I thought there were times when the basic staples of pizza dining were ignored in favor of more imaginative toppings, I was able to enjoy my comfort food and get well fed on a particularly challenging day on the road.
The server was decent, though not stellar, in terms of keeping drinks filled. The atmosphere was certainly not relaxing as it was definitely crowded and you really felt like people were all around you most of the time.
However, who really goes to Pizza Hut for atmosphere? I think that would be a lot like going to a podiatrist for a headache. You might still get treated, but you sure won't get what you want. read more
