5 Things Pizza Hut Needs To Get Right After Their Sale

Last week, we reported on the fact that Pizza Hut has just been sold – and with that, the end of an era has come. Yum! Brands, which had owned Pizza Hut since 1997, decided that it was no longer a good fit for its portfolio (and given that it’s been trailing behind its other restaurants for a while now in terms of sales and appeal, it made sense) – and the chain was acquired for $2.7 billion by LongRange Capital and Yum China. 

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Now, Pizza Hut isn’t going anywhere: The sale ensures its continuation. But, it also likely ensures that things are gonna change. Its new owners will have plenty of ideas about how it should operate from here on in, and we wanted to jump in and gently put our case forward for what we think it should be focusing on more than anything. 

Quality

It’s no great secret that people feel Pizza Hut’s quality has deteriorated in recent years. There’s a similar sentiment amongst many other fast food chains, but it feels particularly acute in this one’s case – and you only have to look at Reddit, and the dozens upon dozens of threads discussing its poorer, lackluster pizzas, to see that. 

If Pizza Hut is going to succeed after this new sale, it has to get to grips with its core product – and, if we’re being totally honest, consider reversing some of the changes it’s made that caused customers to fall out of love with it. Ditch the low-quality frozen dough and underwhelming cheese, and focus on the good stuff. 

Price

Better quality, though, shouldn’t come at a premium. By and large, people are happy to shell out a little more when a pizza’s good – but Pizza Hut’s already pretty expensive anyway. Yes, its deals can help, but its base pizzas can be pricey, and when it’s competing with the likes of Domino’s, Papa John’s, and Little Caesars, it can’t afford to jack them up any more. Even moderate price increases without any real justification will be received poorly.

Vibes

Pizza Hut hasn’t had its old-school feel for a while, and that’s largely been to its detriment: Now, the chain feels anonymous, clinical, corporate. But its new owners have an opportunity here. Kentucky-based franchisee Daland Corporation has shown that nostalgia works at Pizza Hut, and if they want to capture customers and turn the brand around, they should focus on reminding people why they fell in love with the chain in the first place. Get the vibe right (and put those red checkered tablecloths out). 

Innovation

Pizza Hut shouldn’t remain a static brand, though. Yes, nostalgia can be a good thing – but in small doses. The chain needs to ensure that it doesn’t backslide into a static menu and keep competitive. That doesn’t mean that it needs to launch a Dubai Chocolate Pizza (we’re looking at you, Domino’s), but it does need to keep things sprightly on its menu. And the more that it can do that with an eye on price, the better. 

…But Not Too Much Innovation

On the note of Dubai Chocolate Pizza…! Don’t go wild, Pizza Hut. Too much innovation causes a drift from your core mission and product, and it can be overwhelming and alienating. Taco Bell, for instance, has come under some criticism from customers recently for its endless parade of new menu items, with people now questioning how the restaurant is positioning itself, and who to.  

So: Innovation in moderation. Hot dog stuffed-crust pizzas can be fun, but by and large, people want the classics.