Pizza Hut to shut 250 US outlets as owner reviews future of brand

Pizza Hut plans to close 250 restaurants in the United States in the first half of this year as its parent company, Yum Brands, considers selling the chain.

Yum Brands said on Wednesday the closures will target underperforming Pizza Hut outlets. The company currently operates more than 6,000 Pizza Hut locations across the US.

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Yum Brands announced in November that it had begun a formal review of strategic options for Pizza Hut. The brand has struggled in recent years due to outdated stores and rising competition in the US market. According to Yum, Pizza Hut’s US same-store sales fell by 5% last year.

In contrast, rival Domino’s reported stronger performance. While the company has yet to release full-year earnings, its US same-store sales rose 2.7% during the first nine months of last year.

Pizza Hut’s international business performed better. Same-store sales outside the US increased by 1% last year, driven by growth in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. China is Pizza Hut’s second-largest market after the US, accounting for 19% of total sales.

Yum Brands Chief Executive Officer Chris Turner said the company expects to complete its review of Pizza Hut’s future within this year but declined to provide further details.

At the end of 2025, Pizza Hut had 19,974 outlets worldwide, 251 fewer than the previous year. Although the chain opened nearly 1,200 new stores in 65 countries last year, closures exceeded new openings. Yum Brands said Pizza Hut plans additional global expansions in 2026 but did not share specifics.

Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. It was acquired by PepsiCo in 1977 and later became part of Yum Brands in 1997. Yum Brands also owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger & Grill.