For consumers of a certain age, the very words “Pizza Hut” evoke images of dining out with family and friends. In unveiling its latest prototype, Pizza Hut is acknowledging those visions belong to a bygone era.
The latest restaurant design, which was first unveiled in the U.S. in Plano, Texas, this week, features a slew of new technology. There are self-service kiosks, contactless pick-up stations and a customer-facing pizza making station to “showcase the quality and care that goes into every Pizza Hut pizza.”
The new restaurant design also includes a drive-thru window for guests who order through the brand’s “Hut ‘N Go” channel, which offers a select list of ready-to-go items that can be quickly ordered and picked up. The brand said the new design replaces its predecessor, which first came to market around 25 years ago.
“From its physical layout to its modern design and digital-forward capabilities, this new restaurant showcases Pizza Hut’s legacy of innovation and unique ability to meet changing guest needs in ways that are distinctive to our brand,” said Aaron Powell, Pizza Hut’s CEO. “Beyond just serving delicious pizza, which we do very well, it’s equally as critical that our guests enjoy a seamless experience with us that feels personalized to their tastes and needs. This restaurant format harnesses the power of these priorities and, as a result, creates magic that only Pizza Hut can offer.”
According to a press release from Pizza Hut, while the prototype is new to the U.S. market, it has been tested in “more than 80” international markets. The brand said over 2,000 Pizza Huts overseas now feature the new buildout.
While the new style of restaurant may integrate more technology and modes of off-premises dining, Pizza Hut maintains it’s actually just a modern solution to get the brand back to its roots. Many of the channels are designed to get foot traffic into the store, whether via self-service kiosks or contactless pick-up. The customer-facing pizza-making station, in particular, signals a return to the thrill of visiting a Pizza Hut restaurant.
“At Pizza Hut we are laser focused on amplifying the experience for everyone who engages with our brand, and we understand that guest experience—particularly one that combines delight with digital convenience—can be a key differentiator,” said Shannon Garcia, president of global franchise markets and global operations at Pizza Hut. “For example, the digital and tech-driven features of this restaurant design in particular—from order kiosks to self-access pick-up cabinets to the digital drive-thru menu—help guests easily guide their own journey with Pizza Hut and allow our restaurant team members to better serve them.”
A key aspect of the store design, Pizza Hut said, is a renewed focus on energy efficiency. The location in Plano has energy-efficient lighting, auto lift fryers and energy efficient ovens with in-vent hoods. The brand said, via press release, that those features are “part of Pizza Hut’s commitments to doing good for the planet and the communities it serves.”
“This location goes beyond a restaurant redesign; it embodies Pizza Hut’s creativity and vision for the brand’s future,” said Kalen Thornton, global chief brand officer of Pizza Hut. “This opening showcases our ability to innovate and evolve, which has served our 65-year leadership in pizza culture.”
The second-largest pizza brand in the world, Pizza Hut operates about 20,000 locations worldwide. About 6,600 of those locations are based in the U.S. That means about 10% of Pizza Hut’s restaurants worldwide have undergone the brand’s refresh.
“We’ve seen how this restaurant design brings the brand to life with a distinctive, modern exterior, an effortless blend of physical and digital touchpoints and increased human interaction around the joy of pizza,” added Joseph Call, chief global development officer at Pizza Hut said. “In addition, the open kitchen approach lets our guests see the magic of our team members in motion as they craft each pizza.”
