Route 66 - Orting, WA

The wife and I decided we had a hankering for Pizza for dinner. We had just left Costco and were thinking about the Rock on Puyallup’s South Hill. Then the wife said how about Route 66, on the way home, in Orting.

As we drove up we noticed that they were starting to replace some of the siding on the exterior. We walked in and there was only one customer who left shortly after we arrived. The waitress asked us to take a table and brought us menus. The first thing I noticed is that they have narrowed their menu down quite a bit, no more burgers. They are now strictly a Pizza Joint. Salads, bread sticks, garlic fries, hot wings, pizzas, calzones, ice cream and beer and wine.

There is a patio for outside dining on a warm summer night. We ordered cheese bread and a medium size pizza, a half Route 66 combo and half meat lovers, a diet coke and strawberry lemonade. When the waitress brought our drinks, my coke was in a bottle. I asked her if the business had changed owners and she said no, but they are going to do some remolding. They are going to replace their soda machine, thus the coke in a bottle, even though the menu said bottomless refills. They are also going to put in a new floor and I am not sure what else. She said the owner decided to slim down the menu. She did not think it was a very good decision.

Our cheese bread arrived first, nice thick crust, cheese, butter baked to a light golden brown, very tasty. A few minutes later our pizza arrived. The cheese bread was better. The pizza crust was too crisp for my taste. I was not impressed with the meat lover’s side or the Route 66 combo side.

We were the only customers the whole time we were there. I am not sure how you can make a living bringing in only $28.00 in an hour, with at least 4 employees working.

We always try to support the local businesses when we can. But for a small business to survive now a days they need to reinvent themselves and have something unique to offer. There are two other choices in Orting for Pizza, Pizza Hut and Papa Murphy’s and I hate to say both have better Pizza. I need to have a reason to go to your business. I am not sure how Route 66 can afford to lose any more customers and by eliminating items from their menu I am sure they lost more customers. Not everyone likes Pizza.

Overall I would give them a rating of 5. Cleanliness is a 7. Service an 8. Food was a 4.

We also made our first purchase of Spirit’s at Costco. It was a little bit of sticker shock with the taxes. But again, as much as I would like to support the local Orting Liquor Store, they need to give me a reason to shop at their store.  It does not make any sense to say I am going to run to Safeway and pick up some groceries and then run by the Orting Liquor Store for some booze when I can get it all at Safeway. The Orting Liquor Store has to reinvent their store or they will be part of History, like the Orting Food Center. I also can’t understand how Copes Pharmacy survives either. Most of their customers must be passing away and they offer nothing new to attract new customers.

Next I want to check out the new Taco Truck next to the Jack Pot gas station.