Pizza Hut happy to be back to near full hours

    Like most businesses here and across the country, Pizza Hut in Imperial has felt the effects of worker shortages.
    However, Pizza Hut assistant manager Amanda Keneipp said their current staff of 11 employees is just two people shy of getting back to full, regular hours of operation at the local restaurant.
    Keneipp said they have just hired two new employees. They need to add two more which would allow them to be at full hours, which is 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
    Now they are open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but two more people would allow them to extend those hours on Sunday.
    Sunday hours now are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., she said.
    Pizza Hut is the Imperial Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Month for November.
    Keneipp has stepped away from the manager’s role, which she held the past seven years, and is now the assistant manager. Bob Harris was hired in September as restaurant general manager.
    Harris and his family moved here from Chadron. His wife Katie Harney also works at the Imperial Pizza Hut, and the couple has two school-age sons.
    Harris has been with Pizza Hut about a year, starting in Chadron as a delivery driver, then was moved up to shift leader. Imperial is his first manager’s position.
    Prior to working for Pizza Hut, Harris spent 20 years working for a number of manufacturing companies.
    Keneipp said she is thankful for the community support during their changes in management the past year and during their cutback in hours since COVID. She is hoping they’ll be back to full hours soon.
    “We really appreciate all who supported us. They really are loyal customers,” she said.
    Imperial Pizza Hut opened in 1986, so has operated more than 36 years at the corner of 4th and Broadway Sts.
    The local restaurant is one of 67 Pizza Huts owned by Dave Staab of Grand Island. He has Pizza Huts in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota, Keneipp noted.
    The local Pizza Hut sells pizza, pasta, wings and a full range of side dishes.
Fundraisers ahead
    Pizza Hut customers should watch for special fundraisers later this year and during 2023.
    A fundraiser for the food pantry in Imperial will start the day after Thanksgiving  and continue until Dec. 31.
    For every non-perishable food item brought in to Pizza Hut (up to five per visit), $1 for each item will be deducted from the customer’s order total, Keneipp said.
    Starting in January 2023, a non-profit organization in the community will be chosen each month. A percentage of all sales on a specified Friday during that month will be donated to the organization, she said.