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Once, Pizza Hut was the go-to for families and friends to enjoy its eat-as-much-as-you-like offering, unlimited salad bar, and make-your-own dessert.

But not as many customers are visiting the restaurant nowadays, and it is shutting down a significant portion of its UK outlets after being rescued from insolvency for the second time this calendar year.

I remember going Pizza Hut when I was a child,” notes a young adult. “It was like a family thing, you'd go on a Sunday – make a day of it.” But now, aged 24, she says “it's not a thing anymore.”

In the view of a diner in her twenties, some of the very things Pizza Hut has been famous for since it launched in the UK in the seventies are now outdated.

“The way they do their all-you-can-eat and their salad station, it feels like they are lowering standards and have lower standards... They're giving away so much food and you're like ‘How can they?’”

Because grocery costs have increased significantly, Pizza Hut's unlimited dining format has become quite costly to operate. As have its restaurants, which are being cut from over 130 to 64.

The company, in common with competitors, has also faced its costs rise. In April this year, employee wages jumped due to increases in the legal wage floor and an increase in employer taxes.

Chris, 36, and Joanne, 29 mention they used to go at Pizza Hut for a date “from time to time”, but now they choose another pizza brand and think Pizza Hut is “very overpriced”.

Based on your choices, Pizza Hut and Domino's prices are similar, explains a food expert.

Although Pizza Hut provides off-premise options through delivery platforms, it is falling behind to larger chains which specialize to off-premise dining.

“Another pizza company has managed to dominate the off-premise pizza industry thanks to strong promotions and ongoing discounts that make customers feel like they're saving money, when in reality the base costs are quite high,” explains the expert.

However for the couple it is acceptable to get their evening together delivered to their door.

“We absolutely dine at home now instead of we eat out,” comments one of the diners, reflecting recent statistics that show a decrease in people visiting quick-service eateries.

During the summer months, quick-service eateries saw a 6% drop in diners compared to the previous year.

Moreover, another rival to ordered-in pies: the cook-at-home oven pizza.

An industry leader, global lead for leisure at an advisory group, explains that not only have supermarkets been offering premium ready-to-bake pizzas for a long time – some are even promoting countertop ovens.

“Evolving preferences are also having an impact in the popularity of casual eateries,” says the expert.

The rising popularity of protein-rich eating plans has increased sales at chicken shops, while hitting sales of dough-based meals, he notes.

As people go out to eat less frequently, they may prefer a more upscale outing, and Pizza Hut's classic look with vinyl benches and traditional décor can feel more dated than premium.

The “explosion of premium pizza outlets” over the last several years, for example popular brands, has “dramatically shifted the general opinion of what quality pizza is,” notes the culinary analyst.

“A thin, flavorful, gentle crust with a few choice toppings, not the massively greasy, heavy and overloaded pizzas of the past. This, in my view, is what's led to Pizza Hut's struggles,” she says.

“Who would choose to spend £17.99 on a modest, low-quality, underwhelming pizza from a franchise when you can get a gorgeous, skillfully prepared traditional pie for less than ten pounds at one of the many authentic Italian pizzerias around the country?

“It's a no-brainer.”

An independent operator, who operates Smokey Deez based in a regional area comments: “People haven’t fallen out of love with pizza – they just want improved value.”

The owner says his flexible operation can offer high-quality pie at affordable costs, and that Pizza Hut had difficulty because it failed to adapt with new customer habits.

According to a small pizza brand in Bristol, owner Jack Lander says the industry is expanding but Pizza Hut has failed to offer anything new.

“Currently available are individual slices, London pizza, new haven, fermented dough, Neapolitan, rectangular – it's a delightful challenge for a pizza enthusiast to try.”

The owner says Pizza Hut “needs to reinvent itself” as the youth don't have any emotional connection or allegiance to the chain.

Over time, Pizza Hut's customer base has been fragmented and allocated to its more modern, agile alternatives. To sustain its expensive staffing and restaurants, it would have to raise prices – which commentators say is difficult at a time when family finances are tightening.

A senior executive of Pizza Hut's overseas branches said the buyout aimed “to ensure our dining experience and retain staff where possible”.

The executive stated its key goal was to continue operating at the remaining 64 restaurants and delivery sites and to support colleagues through the change.

But with so much money going into running its restaurants, it probably cannot to allocate significant resources in its off-premise division because the market is “complex and working with existing external services comes at a price”, commentators say.

Still, experts suggest, lowering overhead by leaving crowded locations could be a smart move to adapt.