National pizza chain closing multiple Ohio stores; hundreds nationwide
When four locations quietly and abruptly closed here in Central Ohio in the last two years, people suspected that a longstanding pizza chain might be facing some trouble.
Then, Pizza Hut announced they’d be closing 250 more locations in the first couple of months this year.
But in a February earnings call, Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, assured that 250+ is relatively small compared to the 20,000 remaining locations globally.
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The 68-year-old pizza chain announced the first 49 “underperforming locations” they’re closing, with most of them being in California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
Along with the first four closures that have already occured in Central Ohio (1076 Parsons Ave., 5837 Sawmill Rd., 3643 S. High St., and 4514 Kenny Rd.), Pizza Hut will be shuttering the following locations:
- 4118 OH-43, Kent
- 1715 OH-59, Kent
- 1208 Tiffin Ave., Findlay
- 5840 Darrow Rd., Hudson
These closures are part of the brand’s “Hut Forward” turnaround plan, which also includes marketing support and technological upgrades to some existing stores, according to Fast Company.
It’s worth noting that consumer reports show Americans are eating out less frequently at most restaurants, and not just Pizza Hut. But that being said, while Pizza Hut’s U.S. sales are down, their main competitor, Dominos, reported a 0.9% growth here in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2026.
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