I used to love dining at Pizza Hut—those iconic red roofs, the booths, the buffet, the warm scent of fresh pan pizza. But when COVID hit, everything changed. Practically overnight, the familiar sit-down experience vanished as locations shifted to pickup and delivery only. Suddenly, the cozy dine-in Pizza Hut I once knew became a relic of the past.
What’s even more surprising is that so many of the Pizza Huts I grew up with had already closed—some well before COVID, and many more afterward. Their quirky, instantly recognizable design, once a proud symbol of the brand, now presents a real dilemma for landlords. Do you tear down that uniquely shaped building? Or try to rent it out as-is, hoping a new business can make sense of that unmistakable Hut silhouette?
That’s where Slice of Life (trailer) comes in—a feature-length documentary that takes a surprising and heartfelt look at the American Dream, as seen through the transformation of these former Pizza Huts. From bars and candy shops to churches and cannabis dispensaries, these old buildings are finding new purpose in the most unexpected ways.
One woman, who now leads an LGBTQ+ church inside a former Pizza Hut, says it best:
“It’s the stained-glass windows that draw people and touch people, and I think really take it out of the realm of a Pizza Hut. It’s the power of transformation. When things continue to transform, beauty can come from it, and good things can come out of it.”
Who would’ve thought a building once filled with the scent of pizza could become a sanctuary for hope and change? The documentary reminds us: even the most unlikely places can be reborn.
The documentary was created by Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker, an Australian-born filmmaking duo now based in Brooklyn. With nearly 20 years of collaboration, they operate as a tightly knit two-person crew—Matthew directs and handles cinematography, while Rose produces and records sound. Their work celebrates the spirit of independent documentary filmmaking, with a deep passion for telling intimate, character-driven stories.
You can stream, rent, or purchase the film directly through the official Slice of Life website. Whether you’re curious to watch it once or add it to your collection, the site offers flexible viewing options to suit your preference.