$5 Pizza all you can eat

[PaulF]

I've been seeing a commercial on the sports channels that advertises a chain for all you can eat pizza and macaroni and cheese and other assorted kid foods.

Sounds so icky, I actually want to try it.

But I can't remember the name of the chain.

It's Cici's or ChiChis or something like that ... but I can never remember or have a pencil handy to write it down.

Anyone seen the ad or been to the restaurant and also know the name?

UPDATE: Duh ... I did a web search (should have done one first) and found that it's CiCi's Pizza Buffet. Google rules!

So, the question now is: Has anyone been to CiCi's?

SECOND UPDATE: Their locator doesn't seem to work. But it doesn't look like there are any in Californai anyway.

Oh well ...

[FlowerMoundGirl]

Well here in Texas where they are from, they are a lot better than people here are describing. They are busy enough that the pizza has no time to get cold, and I see them pull them off the buffet and replace with a fresh one all the time to keep them fresh. Back when we used to pig out (before I had weight lost surgery) we enjoyed it several times. Would I rather have dominos delivery, probably. Would I rather eat at a cute little pizza bistro that seves wine and has tons of italian specialties, sure. But if you're looking for something cheap that the kids will go gaga for, our Cici's fit the bill.

[mojoeater]

Once a month the boss buys lunch for everyone and we have a meeting. Every few months that lunch is pizza. CiCi's is the absolute worst of the chain pizzas. We've had Domino's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, etc. Pizza Hut and Domino's were bad. But CiCi's was so bad I went out and got a sandwich instead of eating the free food.

[warrior rabbit]

They are expanding into Southern California and will open at least 10 restaurants this year. The have three signed leases for San Diego. (I got a press release.)

It's $6 in California, I guess -- still very reasonable for all you can eat. I intend to go at least once to try it. (I'm in San Diego.) I mean, it's not gourmet nor do they advertise it as such. But it is certainly a value-priced meal! You can't even get a movie ticket for $6. Well, unless you get tickets through your employer in that plan thingy.

Anyhow, I've been seeing the ads on cable for a couple years, so I've been waiting patiently. I'll try most anything once.

[podunkboy]

I won't pretend to say it's GREAT pizza, but at least at our locations here in Wichita it's passably edible. One good thing is you can walk up to the buffet, order a pizza that's not on the line, and they'll bake it fresh for you, as many pieces as you want. Eat a salad while you wait, or have a few of the hot and rather addictive cinnamon rolls.
If you are over the age of 8, DO NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to eat the macaroni and cheese pizza.
And if you get pizza "to go", it's comparable to Dominos, but several dollars cheaper. But like any "all you can eat" restaurant that's reasonably priced, you shouldn't set your expectations very high.

[coasterphil]

I get to eat at Cici's near me for 2.99 and it really isn't any different than Papa John's or Dominos, so I give them a thumbs up. Plus the salad bar is the only time I actually get something green in my diet. I don't eat many salads back in the dorm room.

[podunkboy]

Sorry, have to rescind my previous half-hearted recommendation. The Wichita stores have replaced a full salad bar with two pre-prepared, pre-dressed salads, and last week when I took the kids there for lunch the pizza was sparsely topped, mostly cold and the person in charge of cleaning the tables off was no where to be found, meaning a precarious pile of plates teetered on the edge of our table. And the price has gone up to $5.49 for the buffet + $1.69 for a pop = way too much for the quality of food provided.

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

I ate at the Cici's in Gainesville, Florida, constantly during law school. It was cheap ($3.99 back then) and while it wasn't good pizza by any means, it was edible. I actually liked some of the specialty pizzas like barbecue, taco, and spinach alfredo.

Hungry Howie's had a similar cheap all-you-can-eat pizza buffet where the pizza was a little fresher, and they actually had a salad bar too (I forget if Cici's does or not). But Gainesville also had Tony and Pat's (a local place), which may have been $5.99, but the pizza was AWESOME, and instead of limp noodles in bland Ragu-esque marinara sauce, they would have a giant vat of fresh, delicious baked ziti, and the best garlic knot rolls you've ever had.

[welrdelr]

There are no CiCi's in California ... What a waste of advertising dollars....

[ciaogal]

Peter Piper Pizza here in AZ offers a $4.49 lunch buffet....w/ Pizza and salad.
It is actually very good!
http://www.peterpiperpizza.com/index.asp

[ricepad]

Oddly enough, I heard a radio ad for Cici's this morning on a station based in Sacramento. The commercial didn't give any locations, but urged listeners to check their website, IIRC.

[RaleighRocker]

The one I went to was teeming with kids--I guess it is good for little kids. .No grosser than most any chain pizza buffet I have experience. By nature, pizza and buffet just doesn't match. If you have the dough, no pun intended, it would probably be better to give your kids "good" pizza.

[brekkie_fan]

glad i wasn't the only one curious . . . now i know to avoid it if it ever ends up in CA.

[carinole]

I live right by Florida State Univeristy and there is a CiCi's pizza and a Stevi B's(same concept) right by campus that are always packed. The pizza at both places are like a buffett of generic store brand frozen pizzas. While both claim to be fresh, that don't taste like it.

[mattrapp]

This should let you know just how bad CiCi's is. I live in a college town where up to this point, anything that resembles pizza is consumed en mass. A Cici's opened up here last year and went out of business. They even attempted lowering the price to $2.99 and still no takers.

[caseykay68]

I had been a few times to one in Columbus OH (I live in L.A. now) and actually found it quite acceptable. The one we went to, the pizza's were fresh and they will actually make you any kind of pizza you want fresh. Certainly its not gourmet, but we found it a good deal with good food.

[chigirl71]

I've unfortunately had this pizza and it is beyond horrible. Forget $5 all you can eat, they shouldn't be allowed to give this stuff away for free. . .disgusting!

[jes]

My friends and I consider it "campy" food. It's bad but in kinda an endearing sort of way.

[digkv]

Haha, I've never heard of food being called camp before but that is so awesome. Would you say it's more of a "Showgirls" or a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" type meal?

[nc213]

I went once in college, probably about ten years ago. Then it was only $2.99. When we first arrived we said, "we're going to come here all of the time--all this food for $2.99." We left feeling ill and never, never returned. We found it far, far below our usual standards of Boston Market, Fazoli's, and Sonic. I can't imagine it's improved, though I suppose anything's possible.

[bethd127]

stay away. it is sooooo bad. cardboard pizza. better off buying frozen.

[PaulF]

It sounds like the height of horrible ... which is why I have to see for myself.

Chow-masochism

[Covert Ops]

I've never been, but DH has, and said you basically get what you pay for.

Deliciousness it's not. Is it cheap and filling? Sure. But so are a lot of other places.

[ajr524]

Use to go to one in South Florida. It is pretty awful (actually awful). The pizza sits out in a buffet style and is always cold. Very small slices with no real sauce and the dough is never any good. The toppings are used sparingly and never of any quality. The only reason I ate was because was in high school and it was CHEAP, quick and nearby.

[viperlush]

Funny that you ask about CiCi's. I've seen their commericial 2x already today and was just about to ask if anyone knows anything about it. I haven't eaten at or seen one, but I guess they are out there.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CiCi's Pizza

Type Private
Founded Plano, Texas (1985)
Headquarters Coppell, TX
Key people Joe Croce (founder and CEO)
Industry Food Retail
Products Pizza
Website www.CiCisPizza.com
CiCi's Pizza is a buffet restaurant chain based in Coppell, Texas, specializing in American-style pizza. They also serve desserts, pasta, salad, and soda. CiCi's Pizza has just opened their 600th location in 27 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Pizza at CiCi's is served in an all-you-can-eat setting. They serve fresh American style pizzas under heat lamps right in front of the oven. Several popular pizza types offered are pepperoni, sausage, specialty pizzas like spinach alfredo, barbeque, taco, macaroni & cheese and buffalo chicken. They also have garlic cheese bread, and baked desserts, including chocolate brownies, cinnamon rolls and a cinnamon apple pizza. They have a salad bar as well as pasta with two types of sauce.

CiCi's is the eighth largest pizza chain in the U.S.

[PaulF]

600 locations but none in L.A. ... maybe I should be thankful, because for some reason I'm skeptical of where it fits on the deliciousness scale.

OTOH -- I've got a 10 year old who loves pizza, pasta and macaroni and cheese (actually, he's a really good eater, sort of a chowhound in training who also digs kid's food) so I could see myself trying it if they ever ended up in Cali.