End of a slice of history: Pizza-BOX shuts final store after 23 years

Another familiar name has disappeared from Hong Kong’s takeaway landscape, as local pizza chain Pizza-BOX has shut its final branch after more than two decades in operation.

The closure was first reported by a customer on social media, who said the chain’s website had gone offline, its phone line was unanswered, and its last remaining outlet in Kwun Tong was closed.

The brand traces its roots to the 1980s, when it launched in Hong Kong as Domino’s Pizza. After its franchise agreement ended, it rebranded as Pizza-BOX in 2003. At its peak, the chain operated 14 outlets across the city.

According to reports, residents near the Kwun Tong shop confirmed that the branch closed last Thursday, with one saying a shutdown notice had been posted.

Yip, owner of a nearby electrical appliance store, said the outlet’s business had been “mediocre” and that employees had complained about three months of unpaid wages.

Signs of trouble had emerged last year, when two major branches closed in quick succession.

The Fo Tan outlet, which had served customers for 25 years, shut down last November amid reports that at least six employees were owed more than HK$10,000 in unpaid wages.

Despite last-minute promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free offers, the chain was unable to sustain operations.

Nostalgia from longtime customers

The news has triggered a wave of nostalgia among longtime customers, many of whom lamented the loss of an affordable local favorite.

“I always ordered pizza from Pizza-BOX. It’s hard to believe it’s gone. Their French garlic bread with ham and cheese was also good!” one customer wrote.

Others described Pizza-BOX as offering good value, saying its pizzas were larger and more flavorful than those of competitors at similar price points.

Many attributed the closure to intense competition in Hong Kong’s crowded food and beverage market.

“Pizza Hut’s aggressive promotions pulled away too many customers. It was hard for Pizza-BOX to survive under that kind of pressure,” one commenter said.