Hideaway Pizza

Hideaway Pizza is an American restaurant brand that began in 1957 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, near the campus of Oklahoma State University. Its original restaurant remains associated with the corner of 3rd Street and Knoblock Avenue, giving the chain a strong connection to the Stillwater community and to the university-centered local market in which it originated. The brand developed as a casual pizza restaurant offering made-to-order pizzas alongside salads, pastas, and sandwiches. For much of its early history, Hideaway Pizza was especially visible through its delivery operation. During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the restaurant used a fleet of brightly painted Volkswagen Beetles to deliver pizzas around Stillwater. The cars became a recognizable part of the brand's identity and helped distinguish Hideaway from other local restaurants. When Volkswagen reintroduced the Beetle in the late 1990s, Hideaway received the first newly released Beetle sold in Oklahoma, reinforcing the connection between the restaurant and its delivery-car heritage. Hideaway began expanding beyond Stillwater in 1993. Its later footprint developed primarily across Oklahoma, with additional restaurants in Arkansas and the Dallas area. As reported in August 2024, the chain had nine locations in the Oklahoma City area, six in the Tulsa area, one in Bartlesville, one in Enid, four in Arkansas, and two in the Dallas area, in addition to its original Stillwater presence. These locations make Hideaway a regional rather than nationally distributed restaurant chain. The brand's identity is also expressed through its restaurant design. Hideaway locations are known for large kites suspended from ceilings, tie-dye-inspired interiors, and extensive collage artwork. The large-scale collage work associated with Oklahoma City artist Jessica Petrus gives the restaurants a visual identity that extends beyond food service. Together with the colorful delivery Beetles and unusual décor, these features position Hideaway Pizza as an informal, experience-oriented pizza restaurant rather than a standardized national quick-service chain. The chain's menu centers on pizza, including its signature Hideaway Special, while also covering salads, pasta dishes, and sandwiches. Publicly available reference material does not establish a single national corporate parent, founder, ownership structure, current executive roster, revenue figure, or stock listing. Hideaway Pizza is therefore best characterized as an active Oklahoma-rooted regional restaurant brand whose recognition comes from its long operating history, distinctive local culture, and expansion across nearby markets.

Hideaway Pizza opened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1957. The original restaurant was established at the corner of 3rd Street and Knoblock Avenue, close to Oklahoma State University's campus. This location placed the business within a university and community environment that became central to its early identity. In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Hideaway became known in Stillwater for delivering pizzas with brightly colored Volkswagen Beetles. The vehicles served a practical delivery function while also creating a memorable visual symbol for the restaurant. The Beetle fleet helped make Hideaway recognizable beyond its dining room and became part of the brand's historical identity. In the late 1990s, after Volkswagen brought back the Beetle, Hideaway received the first reintroduced Beetle sold in Oklahoma, linking a later automotive release to the restaurant's earlier delivery tradition. The company began opening restaurants outside Stillwater in 1993. Expansion subsequently concentrated on Oklahoma's principal metropolitan areas and selected neighboring markets. By August 2024, the reported network included nine restaurants in the Oklahoma City area, six in the Tulsa area, one in Bartlesville, one in Enid, four in Arkansas, and two in the Dallas area, alongside the Stillwater operation. The available reference material does not specify the exact number of Stillwater restaurants beyond identifying the original location. Hideaway's restaurant environments became another important part of its development. Its locations are associated with large kites displayed across ceilings, tie-dye-themed décor, and extensive collage installations. The large-scale collage artwork is attributed to Oklahoma City artist Jessica Petrus. These elements give the chain a colorful, informal, and locally distinctive atmosphere, differentiating it from more uniform national pizza brands. The menu has remained centered on pizza but also includes salads, pastas, and sandwiches. The Hideaway Special is identified as a signature offering. The available sources do not provide a complete menu chronology, detailed recipe history, financial information, ownership records, or a list of corporate executives. On the evidence available, Hideaway Pizza's history is principally the story of a Stillwater restaurant that developed a recognizable delivery tradition, expanded regionally from 1993 onward, and maintained a strong visual and community-oriented identity.

• 2024

  Regional network reaches Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Dallas markets

  [1]Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  As of August 2024, reported locations included restaurants in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, Bartlesville, Enid, Arkansas, Dallas, and the original Stillwater market.

• 1998

  Reintroduced Volkswagen Beetle arrives at Hideaway

  [1]Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  After Volkswagen re-released the Beetle in the late 1990s, Hideaway received the first newly released Beetle sold in Oklahoma.

• 1993

  Expansion beyond Stillwater begins

  [1]Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Hideaway Pizza starts opening restaurants outside its founding city.

• 1960

  Volkswagen Beetle delivery tradition develops

  [1]Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1960s and subsequent decades, Hideaway becomes associated with brightly colored Volkswagen Beetles used for pizza delivery in Stillwater.

• 1957

  Original Stillwater restaurant opens

  [1]Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Hideaway Pizza begins operations in Stillwater, Oklahoma, at the corner of 3rd Street and Knoblock Avenue near Oklahoma State University's campus.

Regional casual-dining pizza chain with a handcrafted menu and highly distinctive, playful restaurant environments.

• Pizza · 1957

  Pizza

  Pizza is Hideaway Pizza's core offering and the basis of the brand's identity. The chain is described as serving handcrafted pizzas with a range of topping combinations. Its pizza menu is supported by the restaurant's dine-in and historical delivery heritage, including the colorful Volkswagen Beetles that once served Stillwater customers.

• Signature pizza

  Hideaway Special

  The Hideaway Special is identified as one of the chain's flagship pizza offerings. It represents the brand's emphasis on distinctive, fully assembled pizza combinations rather than a narrow single-style product. The available reference material does not specify its complete ingredient list or recipe history.

• Side and meal

  Salads

  Salads form part of Hideaway Pizza's broader menu alongside pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. They provide a non-pizza option within the chain's casual restaurant format. Specific varieties and ingredients are not established by the supplied reference material.

• Entrée

  Pastas

  Pasta dishes extend Hideaway's menu beyond pizza and support its positioning as a casual restaurant rather than a single-product takeaway concept. The supplied sources confirm the category but do not provide a complete list of dishes or their launch dates.

• Entrée

  Sandwiches

  Sandwiches are another established category on the Hideaway Pizza menu. They broaden the restaurant's appeal for customers seeking alternatives to pizza. Detailed product specifications are not available in the supplied reference material.

1. 1Hideaway Pizzaen.wikipedia.org