The Fall of the Soviet Union, as Seen From a Moscow Pizza Hut (2024)

Pizza Hut’s adventure in the Soviet Union was unlike any restaurant opening before or since. It involved a fleet of submarines, a very special pizza topped with tuna and salmon, and a casual dining spot on a mission to change the world.

This episode was written by Kelly Jones and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.

This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Olivia Briley.

It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

JoinSlate Plusto get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.

Sources for This Episode

Articles

“Few Roads Lead to Moscow,” Journal of Commerce, Sept. 10, 1990.

“Perestroika Pizza Plans Afoot,” Middlesex Chronicle, Feb. 8, 1990.

“Pizza Hut Opens First Two Restaurants in Moscow; Joint Venture Is Part of PepsiCo’s $3 Billion Trade Pact With Soviet Union,” PR Newswire, Sept. 11, 1990.

“Pizza Hut Optimistic About Market,” Associated Press, Nov. 9, 1977.

“Pizza Hut Signs Joint Venture Agreement to Open Two Restaurants,” PR Newswire, Feb. 22, 1989.

Pizza Hut to Close Moscow Outlets Amid Hard Times,” Associated Press, Oct. 26, 1998.

“Pizzaman Unsung Hero of Soviet Coup Resistance,” United Press International, Sept. 16, 1991.

“Red Roof Takes Shape Over Red Square: The First Soviet Pizza Huts,” PR Newswire Europe, Jan. 30, 1990.

“Rita Renth Gets Moscow Job,” the Herald (Mascoutah, Ill.), June 25, 1990.

TASS Critical of Pizza Hut,” Reuters, Sept. 26, 1990.

Wedge of Americana,” Washington Post, Sept. 11, 1990.

Bearth, Dan. “Let Yourself Go to Pizza Hut, Soviet Officials Urged,” Wichita Eagle, Feb. 21, 1978.

Bearth, Dan. “Mission: Sell Pizza to Russians; Results: ‘Super,’ ” Wichita Eagle, March 2, 1978.

Bradley, Barbara. “Golden Arches Amid the Onion Domes,” Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 1, 1986.

Castrodale, Jelisa. “KFC and Pizza Hut Are Officially Pulling Out of Russia,” Food and Wine, July 6, 2022.

Chakravarty, Subrata N. “Victualler to the Resistance,” Forbes, Dec. 9, 1991.

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Collins, Michael. “Soviets Close Pizza Hut,” United Press International, Sept. 22, 1990.

Collins, Michael. “Soviets Close Down Second Pizza Hut,” United Press International, Sept. 26, 1990.

Dobbs, Michael. “Despairing Soviet Shoppers Scoff at Promise of Free-Market Paradise,” Washington Post, Sept. 27, 1990.

Dobbs, Michael. “Moscow Plays Ketch-Up,” Washington Post, Feb. 1, 1990.

Elliott, Stuart. “Pizza Hut Managers Drill Soviets in Art of Service,” USA Today, Oct. 2, 1990.

Fitzgerald, Colin. “Fast-food Idea an Odd Mystery to Muscovites,” Advertising Age, Nov. 17, 1986.

Friedman, Brian. “Pizza Hut Gets a Taste of Soviet Bureaucracy, With Pepperoni,” Associated Press, Sept. 27, 1990.

Gurney, Pam. “Rita Renth: Making pizza Russian style,” the Herald (Mascoutah, Ill.), Oct. 15, 1990.

Hays, Jean. “Pizzastroika: Moscow is Getting Two Huts to Go, With Cheese,” Wichita Eagle, July 23, 1990.

Helmer, John. “Soviet Disintegration a Threat to PepsiCo’s Contract,” Australian Financial Review, May 19, 1992.

Holsendolph, Ernest. “Russians to Get Pepsi-Cola Plant,” New York Times, Nov. 17, 1972.

Lewis, Flora. “Soviets Buy American,” New York Times, May 10, 1989.

Musgrave, Paul. “Mikhail Gorbachev’s Pizza Hut Thanksgiving Miracle,” Foreign Policy, Nov. 28, 2019.

Musgrave, Paul. “The Doomed Voyage of Pepsi’s Soviet Navy,” Foreign Policy, Nov. 27, 2021.

Myerson, Allen R. “A Bigger Slice of Soviet Pie,” New York Times, March 17, 1991.

Myerson, Allen R. “Making a Difference/The Soviet Coup; 300 Pizzas, Cases of Pepsi and One Cold Coup to Go,” New York Times, Aug. 25, 1991.

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Parks, Michael. “Bloc-Buster Deal,” Los Angeles Times, July 21, 1992.

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The Fall of the Soviet Union, as Seen From a Moscow Pizza Hut (2024)

FAQs

The Fall of the Soviet Union, as Seen From a Moscow Pizza Hut? ›

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to the country's dissolution in 1991.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Mikhail_Gorbachev
, the last leader of the Soviet Union
leader of the Soviet Union
However, the first and only Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, was elected by the democratically elected Congress of People's Deputies. In connection with the dissolution of the Soviet Union national elections for the office of President never took place.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_heads_of_state_of_th...
, was featured in a 1998 television advertisem*nt for Pizza Hut
. It was filmed in November 1997 on Red Square and in a Pizza Hut restaurant elsewhere in Moscow. It was aired internationally in January 1998, but not in Russia.

What happened to Pizza Hut in Russia? ›

Yum Brands, now the parent company of Pizza Hut, made a second attempt to grow the brand in Russia, but those locations ceased operations after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Did Gorbachev bring Pizza Hut to the USSR? ›

Moscow's Pizza Hut was made possible by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of perestroika (economic reform) and glasnost (openness). These policies paved the way for private enterprise in the Soviet Union -- and for Western companies to open up shop.

How much did Gorbachev get paid at Pizza Hut? ›

In the beginning, Gorbachev declined to take part out of fear for his reputation as a former leader in a post-Soviet world, as per reports. However, he eventually agreed because he needed a new office space for his organisation. He was apparently paid $1 million by Pizza Hut.

What caused the fall of the Soviet Union? ›

Gorbachev's decision to allow elections with a multi-party system and create a presidency for the Soviet Union began a slow process of democratization that eventually destabilized Communist control and contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

What was the Pizza Hut scandal? ›

Pizza Hut is facing consumer boycotts after the chain reportedly provided free meals to soldiers on Israeli military bases.

Why did KFC pull out of Russia? ›

Yum! Brands is one of many companies to exit Russia over Moscow's actions in Ukraine, but its departure differed from that of rival McDonald's (MCD. N) , opens new tab in that some KFC franchisees were permitted to remain open and the menu was barely changed.

What happened to Soviet Union after Gorbachev? ›

On 25 December, Gorbachev resigned and turned over his presidential powers—including control of the nuclear launch codes—to Yeltsin, who was now the first president of the Russian Federation. That evening, the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin for the last time and replaced with the Russian tricolor flag.

Did the Soviets know about Operation Unthinkable? ›

The study became the first Cold War-era contingency plan for war against the USSR. Both plans were very secret and were not made public until 1998 although a British spy for the Soviets, Guy Burgess, had revealed some details to the Soviets at the time.

What did Gorbachev permit in the Soviet Union? ›

The most significant of Gorbachev's reforms in the foreign economic sector allowed foreigners to invest in the Soviet Union in the form of joint ventures with Soviet ministries, state enterprises, and cooperatives.

Who owns Pizza Hut in USA? ›

Yum Brands Inc., is a restaurant company that owns quick-service chains Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC, as well as fast-casual brand The Habit Burger Grill. It is headquartered in Louisville, Ky. Yum Brands was initially part of PepsiCo, which entered the restaurant business in 1977 with the acquisition of Pizza Hut.

What does Gorbachev say about Ukraine? ›

"I'm always with the free will of the people and most in Crimea wanted to be reunited with Russia,” Gorbachev said at the time, referring to the outcome of a referendum which Kyiv and the West called illegal. Some Ukrainians also blame him for the initial Soviet cover-up of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

Who owns the most Pizza Hut franchise? ›

Flynn Group - Largest Franchisee Operator in the US.

Who replaced Stalin? ›

After Stalin died in March 1953, he was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and Georgy Malenkov as Premier of the Soviet Union.

What does the Russian word Soviet mean? ›

Soviet is from the Russian sovet, "governing council," and its Greek source, symboulion, "council of advisors." After the Russian Revolution, the term soviet was used for local governments elected by workers, as well as the higher councils that those local soviets elected in turn.

How did Chernobyl lead to the fall of USSR? ›

at Chernobyl. In addition to the systematic technological failures, its impact was powerful, as it revealed a number of long-term failures of the USSR, leading to the destruction of trust: central planning; ideology; and communication between the people and the government.

Is Pizza Hut still doing business in Russia? ›

Brands Is Suspending Operations of KFC Company-Owned Restaurants in Russia; Finalizing Agreement to Suspend All Pizza Hut Restaurant Operations in Russia. Yum!

How many pizza huts are there in Russia? ›

It said it was suspending 70 KFC company-owned restaurants in Russia and finalising an agreement to suspend all 50 Pizza Hut outlets in partnership with its master franchisee. Yum! has 1,000 KFC restaurants in Russia, most of which are run by franchisees.

Did Domino's leave Russia? ›

Domino's Pizza is the latest western brand to leave Russia since it launched its war on Ukraine.

What restaurant pulled out of Russia? ›

McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Starbucks and Heineken are the latest companies to announce they are halting business in Russia after mounting pressure to act.

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