LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pizza Hut delivered some bad news on Wednesday, as the parent company of the fast-food restaurant chain announced that 250 “underperforming” locations will be closing during the first half of 2026.
Yum! Brands, Inc., Chief Financial Officer Ranjith Roy said during a Feb. 4 earnings call that the move was part of “Hut Forward,” USA Today reported. That is a strategy which includes “vibrant marketing, modernization of technology, and franchise agreements.”
The closures amount to approximately 3% of Pizza Hut’s restaurants in the United States, CNN reported.
[ Bahama Breeze closing its remaining locations ]
“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! Brands 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.”
The company did not provide a list of closures.
“While we don’t share specific details of franchise agreements, we are pleased to be working in partnership with our franchisees on increased efforts to deliver near-term sales while advancing long-term strategy,” Yum! Brands said in an emailed statement to Restaurant Business Online.
Yum! Brands also owns Taco Bell and KFC.
Pizza Hut’s store sales in the U.S. declined by 3% during the fourth quarter of 2025, Yum! Brands announced on Wednesday. That marked the ninth straight decline and 10th straight quarter of flat or negative results, Restaurant Business Online reported.
Taco Bell, meanwhile, had a 7% incease in same-store sales during the same period, while KFC’s numbers rose by 3%.
Yum! Brands said in its news release that it had not set a deadline or “definitive timetable” to complete its option reviews. It added that it did not plan to comment or make further announcements “unless it determines that further disclosure is appropriate or necessary.”
There are more than 30 Pizza Hut locations scattered across Massachusetts, according to the chain's website.