Pizza Hut unveils its ‘biggest toppings overhaul in more than a DECADE’ – days after suddenly closing 15 restaurants amid backlash over lackluster menus
Pizza Hut has introduced a major menu overhaul just days after the chain abruptly closed 15 restaurants.
On Friday, more than a dozen locations in Indiana suddenly closed — and EYM Group, which operates 144 Pizza Huts in five states, said a failure to modernize menus was partly to blame.
Now Pizza Hut has announced it is doing just that. The chain revealed this morning that it is unveiling an all-new pizza style and eight new toppings, describing the change as “the biggest topping transformation in more than a decade.”
The brand will now offer Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza, making it the “first global pizza chain to offer this style of pizza.”
‘Pizza Hut’s take on the tavern-style pizza offers a trendsetting, modern experience that delivers a deliciously crunchy bite with its thin crust and innovative, contemporary flavors, available in four recipes: Pesto Margherita, The Ultimate, Spicy Chicken Sausage and Double Pepperoni ‘, says a press release.
Pizza Hut has introduced a major menu overhaul – just days after the chain abruptly closed 15 restaurants (stock image)
The company revealed this morning that it is unveiling an all-new pizza style and eight new toppings, describing the change as “the biggest transformation of toppings in more than a decade.”
The pizza has a “crispy thin crust” and is cut into squares, making it “shareable” and “snackable,” he adds.
“Plus, the paper-thin crust is covered from edge to edge with delicious toppings, so you can enjoy an abundance of flavor with every bite of the pizza,” the company said.
The new style starts at $12 for a large pie and will be available nationwide starting today.
In addition, Pizza Hut has added eight new “bold and fresh” toppings to its menu, including spicy marinara sauce, pesto sauce swirl, chicken sausage, fresh garlic cubes, grape tomatoes, caramelized onions, fire-roasted peppers and crispy pepperoni.
Rachel Antalek, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut said of the change: “These menu additions represent a bold step forward as part of our culinary mission to bring our guests modern innovation that encompasses what our customers love and crave. Pizza.
‘Tavern is not just a pizza; it’s a culinary trend that reflects the excitement of today’s pizza scene.
The brand will now offer Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza in four flavors: Pesto Margherita, The Ultimate, Spicy Chicken Sausage and Double Pepperoni
The pizza has a “crispy thin crust” and is cut into squares, making it “shareable” and “snackable,” according to a press release
“We’ve perfected these recipes to truly pay tribute to Chicago and its century-old style in a modern way, while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a pizza with fresh new toppings and flavors.”
The news comes after 15 Pizza Huts in Indiana closed on Friday, leaving staff and customers stunned.
Employees posted on social media afterwards that they had not received any warning prior to the closure.
A Pizza Hut spokesperson said at the time: “The company is working to transition these locations and expects many of these locations to reopen soon.”
DailyMail.com also revealed that another 129 restaurants in Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina and Wisconsin are set to close due to an ongoing financial dispute between the chain and EYM Group.
EYM Group is being sued by the chain in connection with millions of dollars in unpaid bills.
More than a dozen Pizza Hut locations in Indiana closed Friday — and the EYM Group, which operates them, said it was the company’s fault for not modernizing its menus (stock image)
Pizza Hut has set EYM staggered payment terms in each state, and the chain will close its restaurants in each state if debts are not paid.
But EYM blamed Pizza Hut for its financial troubles, claiming in its own lawsuit that sales were hit hard because the pizza chain had not updated its menus or app to keep up with rivals like Domino’s and Little Caesar’s.
In the lawsuit, EYM outlined a series of problems at Pizza Hut, including a cut in its research and development budget, which left it “failing to innovate.”
It also pointed to outdated technology that caused online ordering to crash during the Super Bowl and said the effort to update the menu “failed.”
Overall, Pizza Hut’s U.S. restaurants have seen sales decline by six percent this year compared to last year.