It was recently announced that a once-popular pizza chain is celebrating 40 years in business, and suddenly, I’m back in my childhood, piling my plate with pizza slices like it’s an Olympic sport. It was one of my favorite spots!

Nowadays, you can’t get your fix without crossing state lines.

ANGHI
ANGHI
loading...

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa - we used to have plenty of locations. Now? Poof. Vanished from the Midwest faster than a fresh pan of mac and cheese pizza.

I still remember the Rochester location like it was yesterday. It was over by Goodwill South and it quickly became a local favorite after opening in 2009. Little did we know, it would be the last location standing in Minnesota. Sadly, by the end of 2016, it was gone, according to the Post Bulletin.

Related: Minnesota Restaurant Known For Pizza, Wings, and Whiskey Closes Permanently 

I'm talking about Cici's Pizza. Do you remember the fabulous all-you-can-eat pizza buffet? For those of us who grew up piling our plates high at Cici’s, it’s a bittersweet realization.

Back in 2009, Cici’s was on top of the world with over 500 locations, earning the title of the fastest-growing pizza chain in the U.S., according to Wikepedia. But fast forward to 2021, and things took a turn - Cici’s filed for bankruptcy, and nearly half of its locations closed their doors.

Google Maps
Google Maps
loading...

Cici's still has a ton of locations in its home state of Texas. That's where you'll find the majority of their still 272 open locations. The closest one to us, however, is in Naperville, Illinois.

KROC-AM logo
Get our free mobile app

Listen to Curt St. John and Samm Adams in the Morning
weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5

16 Minnesota Pizza Joints Reviewed by Barstool Sports

Founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, isn't just known for his blog, he also has a popular video series called One Bite where he reviews different pizza joints. These are the 16 that he's reviewed in Minnesota in order from lowest to highest rating.

Gallery Credit: Carly Ross

More From KROC-AM