Dive Brief:
- Pizza Hut is testing one of its global store designs in the U.S. for the first time to see whether the model will drive more in-restaurant traffic.
- The pizza chain is piloting the model in Plano, Texas, the brand said Tuesday. The new design features self-service kiosks, contactless pickup cabinets and a guest facing pizza station where consumers can watch the preparation of their food.
- The restaurant also has a ‘Hut ‘n Go’ drive-thru. Guests can order "ready-now" items for quick pickup through the drive-thru window.
Dive Insight:
While the model is new to the U.S., the tenets of the design are in use in more than 2,000 units across 80 international markets, and Pizza Hut says it drives more transactions and more in-store ordering than other formats.
According to the press release, the Plano unit has a particular focus on digital channels.
“The digital and tech-driven features of this restaurant design in particular — from order kiosks to self-access pick-up cabinets to the digital drive-thru menu — help guests easily guide their own journey with Pizza Hut,” said Shannon Garcia, Pizza Hut’s president of global franchise markets and global operations.
Aaron Powell, the brand’s CEO, said the design is intended to offer a personalized experience without sacrificing convenience. The guest facing pizza station, for example, lets consumers watch their pies being prepped and cooked.
The chain's new Hut ‘n Go drive thru offering also balances speed and efficiency. The Hut ‘n Go restricts order options, mitigating the operational pressures drive-thru ordering places on restaurant kitchens.
The prototype replaced a 25-year-old location and has modernized branding and design elements.
A face lift that drives sales growth could be of major importance to Pizza Hut. The Yum Brands chain has seen four consecutive quarters of same-store sales declines in the U.S. While its year-over-year sales slides have been smaller in recent quarters, the chain is still seeing traffic and sales suffer compared to competitor Domino’s. Its recent menu plays and value deals haven’t been enough to get it back on track.
Pizza Hut’s focus on in-store experience aligns with moves undertaken by other major QSRs. Subway, like Pizza Hut, is looking to improve its in-store experience with its latest generation of stores. And Starbucks, after a profound sales crisis, is looking to reclaim its cafe identity.
Remodel programs have been a key tool for recovering from recent traffic-challenges. Burger King’s remodeled units, for example, have seen double-digit sales growth.
