by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 27/97) - Pizza is a big seller in Yellowknife and it's getting a wider girth.

Pizza Hut is coming to town this fall.

In the meantime, Yellowknifers can dine accordingly, with the current nine pizza companies listed in the phone book's Yellow pages.

The jumble of pizza sizes, toppings and customer fancies vary as much as the variety of neckties on Father's Day.

Lee Chan, one of the owners -- and operator -- of Boston Pizza says pizza and pastas are the biggest-selling items since the restaurant opened April 9 last year.

Fanny Yu of Bruno's Pizza says lots of people don't want seafood or anchovies on their pizzas and Friday nights are the busiest time.

George Varelas of Canadian Pizza has been in Yellowknife for 10 years at his Woolgar Avenue location. He agrees: Friday is the busiest day because "nobody bothers to cook."

His No. 1 seller is a pepperoni pizza, followed by a ham and pineapple ensemble.

Varelas cautions people "to watch for what's called large and what's called mediums, since sizes vary."

Arshad Ali Chaudry, who operates La Casa Pizza, says his most popular item is a spinach pizza with feta cheese and fresh garlic. Coming second in demand are the special and deluxe.

Hugh Graham, manager of Domino's Pizza says Yellowknifers should prepare themselves for a new product coming out Sept. 14 called "The Dominator".

"It's a two-foot pizza and comes in a big rectangular box with 30 slices," says Graham.

"The average time to a house from the time an order is placed is 18 minutes. We have the quickest place," claims Graham. "Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is the busiest."

In the summer, Domino's has eight drivers and in winter, from 15 to 20 part-time drivers. "People tend to stay home and order pizza more in winter," he adds.

Domino's most popular pizzas are the Extravaganza, with nine toppings, followed by the Hawaiian. Dominos charges differently than other places for the pizza, with no extra charge for toppings, he explains.

At McDonald's, the burger is still king.

"The cheeseburger is the biggest seller in "happy meals," and relative to hamburgers, pizza's not even on the chart," says Al Kaylo, owner of McDonald's in Yellowknife. "People look at pizza here as an alternative meal."