Pizza Hut Closing HUNDREDS of Locations Nationwide

Up to 500 dine-in Pizza Huts could be closed as the company says they want to focus on delivery/carryout.

Does that mean Rochester's Pizza Huts could close? They could, they're older. But a lot depends on how well their biz is doing. We'll just have to wait and see on that.

However, even if they do close, Pizza Hut says they're not looking to take Huts out of those cities where they close. They want to make 'em delivery/carry-out locations (like we have in the Soldier's Field Plaza).

According to Food Business News,

“We are leaning in to accelerate the transition of our Pizza Hut U.S. asset base to truly modern delivery/carryout assets,” said David W. Gibbs, president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Yum! Brands, in an Aug. 1 earnings call to discuss second-quarter results. “This will ultimately strengthen the Pizza Hut business in the U.S. and set it up for a faster long-term growth.

((shakes head gets corp-talk turned into real words)) What he's saying is they wanna turn 'em into non-sit down places and it'll be good for the company. You can put up little places faster than big places. There are about 6,000 sit-down Pizza Huts in the US and just about 1,300 express stores, and that'll dip for a bit, but overall, good for the company. Or something.

There's no date given for the shutdowns except over the next 24 months.

An interesting side-note. KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut are all owned by Yum! Brands and they're focusing on delivery, too. Does that mean older Taco Bells and KFCs will be replaced with take-out/delivery only? No word on that.

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