Reuters: Yum Brands Same-Store Sales Miss as Fewer Dine at Pizza Hut

Yum Brands Inc, owner of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, did not see the sales increase it was expecting from 2016. According to the company, this is because less diners ate at Pizza Hut chain. Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix has expected a 2.1 percent rise in sales, whereas restaurant which were open for at least one year only rose one percent in Q4. While same-store sales at KFC and Taco Bell rose three percent, Pizza Hut saw a two percent decline.

"KFC and Taco Bell had relatively strong performance in December, despite difficult U.S. industry conditions," said Yum Brands Chief Financial Officer David Gibbs.

A variety of factors have made it harder for restaurants to succeed in the past year, like minimum wage increases resulting in increased menu prices and the popularity of meal kit delivery services like Blue Apron and Chefd.