The Pizza Hut closures are part of a larger “strategic review” of the chain, which may include a possible sale, the restaurant’s parent company said.
PLANO, Texas — It turns out numerous pizza chains are out-pizza-ing “the Hut,” despite what Pizza Hut’s iconic tagline states.
An estimated 250 Pizza Hut locations are expected to close during the first half of 2026, around 3% of the chain’s locations nationwide, due to declining sales, officials with the restaurant’s parent company, Yum! Brands, announced during an earnings call on Wednesday. Officials did not share specific details on which stores would close, but described those locations as “underperforming.”
The closures are tied to the company’s “Hut Forward” program, which officials said would result in a global decline of Pizza Hut locations and a 15% profit decrease, CFO Ron Roy said during the earnings call.
The closures are also part of a larger “strategic review” that Yum! Brands announced in November, which could include a possible sale of the chain to another company. Apart from the closure announcement, officials were clear that they would not be sharing further details about the review until it is completed by 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.