Pizza Hut is making headlines after confirming plans to close hundreds of locations across the U.S. The announcement has sparked questions among customers about the future of the iconic pizza chain and what the changes mean.
Below, we break down the latest details and what to know moving forward.
Is Pizza Hut Closing?
No. Pizza Hut isn’t shutting down entirely, but the iconic pizza brand is making significant changes.
How Many Pizza Hut Stores Are Closing?
Pizza Hut plans to close about 250 restaurants across the United States in the first half of 2026. These closures represent around 3% of the chain’s U.S. footprint and mark one of the most extensive downsizing efforts in recent years.
“The 250 stores that we mentioned is a very small portion of the 20,000-unit estate that Pizza Hut has globally,” CFO Ranjith Roy said during the company’s earnings call in February 2026. “And it is the right answer for the brand as we move through the strategic review.”
Why Is Pizza Hut Shutting Down Stores?
The closures are largely tied to declining sales, rising operating costs, and increased competition in the fast-casual pizza market, where Domino’s has continued to outpace rivals. Parent company Yum! Brands has placed Pizza Hut under a strategic business review, with the targeted shutdowns aimed at improving efficiency and stabilizing performance.
As part of that review, announced in November 2025, Yum said it was evaluating multiple options for the pizza chain — including restructuring the business or potentially selling Pizza Hut — amid ongoing market challenges and slower sales compared with competitors.
“The Pizza Hut team has been working hard to address business and category challenges; however, 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,” Yum CEO Chris Turner said in a 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.”
