---
title: "Pizza Hut Closing Hundreds of Underperforming Stores in Favor of Modern Express Model"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7141fc09-e76e-4ccb-98bd-597507de719f
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/pizza-hut-closing-hundreds-of-underperforming-stores-in-favor-of-modern-express-model-2710638
category: "Pizza"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Pizza"
published: 2019-08-02T19:14:53.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:29:49.471Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1667da7a12e4b34a326a1088c78a49af7887.jpg
---

# Pizza Hut Closing Hundreds of Underperforming Stores in Favor of Modern Express Model

**TL;DR:** Pizza Hut plans to close hundreds of underperforming stores in favor of modern express stores devoted to delivery and carryout. The brand aims to restructure its dine-in restaurants and strengthen its US business for faster long-term growth.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-08-02. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/pizza-hut-closing-hundreds-of-underperforming-stores-in-favor-of-modern-express-model-2710638).*

## Story

Domestic Pizza Hut stores are about to go under a major overhaul in the next two years, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. In 2018, Pizza Hut ended the fiscal year with 7,482 stores. The count could go as low as 7,000 as the brand restructures their dine-in restaurants in favor of express stores devoted to delivery and carryout.

David W. Gibbs, president and chief operating and financial officer of Pizza Hut said in a statement, “We are leaning in to accelerate the transition of our Pizza Hut U.S. asset base to truly modern delivery carryout assets. This will ultimately strengthen the Pizza Hut business in the U.S. and set it up for faster long-term growth.”

The brand intends to continue with franchisees who are “capable, well-capitalized, committed to the brand, and have a growth mind-set,” according to Yum CEO Greg Creed.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- Pizza Hut (company)
- delivery and carryout (topic)
- express model (topic)
- store restructuring (topic)
- dine-in restaurants (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/pizza-hut-closing-hundreds-of-underperforming-stores-in-favor-of-modern-express-model-2710638). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7141fc09-e76e-4ccb-98bd-597507de719f).