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Pizza Hut is undergoing significant changes as part of a comprehensive “strategic review” that could potentially lead to a sale of the chain, according to its parent company.
PLANO, Texas — Contrary to Pizza Hut’s well-known slogan, it seems other pizza chains are surpassing “the Hut” in popularity.
Yum! Brands, the parent company, announced in a recent earnings call that approximately 250 Pizza Hut outlets are expected to close by mid-2026. This reduction represents about 3% of their locations across the United States, driven by a downturn in sales. While specific locations haven’t been disclosed, these outlets were identified as “underperforming.”
This wave of closures is linked to the “Hut Forward” initiative, which CFO Ron Roy noted would lead to a decrease in global Pizza Hut locations and a 15% drop in profits as discussed during the earnings call.
The move is also part of a broader “strategic review” initiated by Yum! Brands in November, which might result in the chain being sold to another entity. Although the closure announcement was made, officials emphasized that further details regarding the review will remain under wraps until its conclusion at the end of 2026.
“Pizza Hut’s performance indicates the need to take additional action to help the brand realize its full value, which may be better executed outside of Yum! Brands,” CEO Chris Turner said in a previous statement. “To truly take advantage of the brand we’ve built and the opportunities ahead, we’ve made the decision to initiate a thorough review of strategic options.”
The parent company owns roughly 20,000 Pizza Hut restaurants worldwide. Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, by two brothers who borrowed $600 from their mother to open the store.