Maybe "upscale" isn't indeed the right word for the US experience, but perhaps a "superior" and "more fun" pizza experience? Like, going out to enjoy a pizza with your family, rather than answering the door on jammies to eat pizza delivery. It was well above McDonalds, Subway, Chipotle and other fast food places.
It competed in that way more with Applebees and TGIFridays; A "Casual Dining" or "Family Style" place that happened to serve Pizza as it's main dish, before the trend of "fast casual".
