Here’s What the Pizza Hut of the Future Looks Like
Pizza Hut is reinventing the traditional pizza restaurant with a new design concept aimed at keeping up with evolving customer expectations and intensifying competition. The chain, which has struggled with sluggish sales in recent years, unveiled its latest redesign at a location in Plano, Texas, showcasing several modern updates that could become standard at its restaurants across the U.S.
At the heart of the revamped dining experience is a pizza-making station positioned at the center of the restaurant. This transparent setup allows customers to watch their pizzas being prepared, offering a unique, engaging dining experience. The redesign also features touchscreen kiosks for ordering, reducing wait times and enhancing efficiency. Heated cabinets for quick pick-up and a new “Hut ‘N Go” menu, available through a drive-thru lane, are also part of the changes. The new menu features popular items aimed at speeding up service, catering to customers on the go.
The new format follows similar moves by other restaurant chains, as businesses grapple with inflation and a shift in consumer habits. Pizza Hut, in particular, is facing heightened competition from third-party delivery services, which have diversified pizza delivery with offerings from fast-food chains like McDonald’s. According to Jonathan Maze, editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business Magazine, Pizza Hut’s historic full-service model, which once set it apart, no longer aligns with how many customers now view pizza – as a take-out or delivery option rather than a sit-down meal.
Despite these challenges, Pizza Hut is pushing forward with this redesign. The remodeled Texas location is the first of its kind in the U.S., although there are already around 2,000 of these updated restaurants internationally. The Texas location also features additional elements such as digital menu boards and a more customer-friendly layout that prioritizes convenience and speed.
Shannon Garcia, Pizza Hut’s president of global franchise markets and operations, noted that consumers today expect more than just fast service – they want an experience. “The time is right,” Garcia explained, “when we think about a post-pandemic world that has become much more digital.” She emphasized the importance of placing employees at the center of the action with the pizza-making station, which has seen significant success in international markets, driving both customer satisfaction and increased sales.
While this shift to a more interactive, digital dining experience comes amid a tough competitive environment, Pizza Hut remains hopeful that its new design will resonate with U.S. customers. The chain hopes to roll out the concept more broadly if the Plano test proves successful, further integrating the customer-driven experience that has been central to the brand’s revitalization efforts.
After experiencing a 1% decline in same-store sales in its most recent quarter, the changes signal Pizza Hut’s commitment to adapting to the rapidly changing dining landscape, where speed, convenience, and a personalized experience are becoming the new norm.
