Pizza Hut on Track to Close 250 U.S. Locations, Including One in Oregon, as Part of Turnaround Plan
Pizza Hut is barreling ahead with plans to close hundreds of restaurants across the United States as part of a broader effort to revive the struggling franchise. The closures, first announced by parent company Yum Brands in February, target roughly 250 locations — about 4% of Pizza Hut’s U.S. footprint — by the end of the first half of 2026.
According to an analysis by Fast Company, which examined local media reports, review platforms and the chain’s own store locator, at least 50 Pizza Hut locations have already shut down. One of those was in Dallas, Oregon, at 244 S. Main St., a small town about 70 miles southwest of Portland.
The closures are part of what the company calls its “Hut Forward” turnaround plan, which focuses on improving U.S. operations through marketing pushes and in-store technology upgrades. In November, Yum Brands also confirmed it was exploring a potential sale of the chain, though no deal has been announced.
Founded in 1958, Pizza Hut still operates roughly 6,000 restaurants nationwide, with just under two dozen in the Portland-Vancouver metro area. But the brand has struggled in recent years against nimbler competitors like Domino’s and a wave of independent pizzerias that have capitalized on changing consumer tastes.
“It’s sad to see another piece of Americana shrink,” said Mark Delgado, a 42-year-old restaurant consultant in Portland. “But honestly, Pizza Hut hasn’t kept up. Their stores feel dated, and delivery is a mess compared to what smaller places offer.”
Others are less forgiving. “This is what happens when you rest on your laurels for 30 years,” said Jenna Kowalski, a 29-year-old food blogger in Seattle. “Pizza Hut had every chance to innovate, and instead they just kept cranking out the same greasy cardboard. Good riddance.”
The company has not disclosed which specific locations are still on the chopping block ahead of the July 1 deadline. For now, customers in affected markets are left guessing whether their local Pizza Hut will survive the cuts — or become the next casualty of a brand trying to find its footing again.