Pizza Hut is not playing around and they want everyone to know it. Beginning on November 19, they are going to drastically change every single thing that everyone knows about them. Those changes to Pizza Hut’s menu include 11 new specialty pizzas, 10 new crusts, six new sauces, and five new toppings.
As Fortune reported, that’s not even mentioning the fact that they will completely redesign their website , logo, employee attire, pizza boxes, and the look inside their restaurants.
David Gibbs, CEO of Pizza Hut, says that these changes are the “most significant we’ve made in our history.” This is not entirely surprising as Pizza Hut, owned by Yum Brands along with Taco Bell and KFC, has had eight straight quarters of same-store sales declines.
It appears as if a shake-up was really called for when sales in the United States fell two percent last quarter and the company said that initial estimates of operating profit would not be met. Add to that the fact that Dominos saw a U.S. sales increase of eight percent last quarter, and change is needed.
According to Fool.com , things are going to be drastically different . This is not going to be your grandmother’s Pizza Hut anymore.
“Pizza Hut will roll out a new logo, new packaging, new uniforms, a refreshed website, and, most importantly, an overhauled menu including 11 new specialty pizzas, 10 different crust flavors, six new sauces, and a handful of new ingredients. Among the new crusts will be salted pretzel, honey sriracha, toasted cheddar, and even curry and ginger varieties. Sauces will include options such as premium crushed tomato, buffalo, and a balsamic drizzle, while the new specialty pizzas sport punny names including Old-Fashioned Meatbrawl and Cock-A-Doodle Bacon.”
Pizza Hut isn’t just looking at the gluttonous side of the general public either as they are looking to appeal to the health savvy too.
Test markets have already had success with the “Skinny Slice” option of Pizza Hut pizza, and it appears to be rather popular. The Skinny Slice will allow customers to enjoy their pizza at just 250 calories or less per slice.
It was in April of this year that Pizza Hut unveiled three new menu items and tweaked a couple of others. Obviously, a couple of changes didn’t work as sales have continued to plummet and finally, they just decided to go drastic.
Pizza Hut’s overhaul is either going to completely rejuvenate them and stop their profit decline, or it will be their ultimate demise. They could end up alienating their faithful fanbase, but then again, it doesn’t seem as if that group of people is large enough to keep them in business anyway.
[Image via Pizza Hut]