Pizza Hut Pilots New Design

Pizza Hut announced today it has debuted a new restaurant design in the U.S.

Highlights of the design include a drive-thru, supported by a menu of ready-now items that customers can quickly order and pick up at the window; self-service kiosks for faster order placement; cabinets for easy, contactless pickup; and a guest-facing, pizza-making station.

Cabinets support contactless pickup.

To support sustainability, the design includes energy-efficient lighting, auto-lift fryers and energy-efficient ovens with in-vent hoods and an energy management system.

“At Pizza Hut we are laser focused on amplifying the experience for everyone who engages with our brand, and we understand that guest experience—particularly one that combines delight with digital convenience—can be a key differentiator,” says Shannon Garcia, president, global franchise markets and global operations, Pizza Hut, in the release. “For example, the digital and tech-driven features of this restaurant design in particular—from order kiosks to self-access pickup cabinets to the digital drive-thru menu—help guests easily guide their own journey with Pizza Hut and allow our restaurant team members to better serve them.”

Kiosks speed up order placement.

Located in Plano, Texas, the design marks the first of its kind in the U.S. but Pizza Hut has operated it in more than 80 markets around the globe. The company says research shows it offers an enhanced guest experience while also driving more transactions and in-restaurant traffic compared with previous formats.

Pizza Hut, part of Yum Brands, has more than 19,500 restaurants in 110 markets and territories. In May, the brand appointed Carl Loredo as president of Pizza Hut U.S.