Pizza Hut Changing it's Name to The Hut

[Zoneboy]

The iconic restaurant chain is set to slice the word 'pizza' from its boxes and some stores in a bid to spice up its image.

Link (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/pizza-hut-changes-its-name.aspx?GT1=33009)

Pizza Hut is slicing the "pizza" from its boxes and some store signs. The fast food chain will now brand some stores as simply "The Hut."

However, contrary to earlier reports, the iconic chain won't be changing its name, a Pizza Hut spokesman said Friday. The boxes and some store signs will say "The Hut." Others will retain the Pizza Hut name.

Pizza Hut has recently expanded its menu beyond pizza to include pasta, giving it some reason to alter its branding. Media and advertising trade publication MediaWeek characterized the name change as an attempt to transform its stores into hip hangouts. There are more than 10,000 Pizza Huts worldwide.

The new "Hut" stores will be more than simply places to place a delivery order, according to MediaWeek. They will include televisions that broadcast programs such as "Wheel of Fortune" and "Entertainment Tonight."

The company has tried to become more hip and youth-friendly in recent months. In April, it introduced the Pizza Hut "Twintern," an employee who uses the online service Twitter to update customers about store events and pop culture news.

This isn't the first time for Pizza Hut parent Yum Brands to change the branding of one of its iconic restaurant chains, which include Taco Bell. In 1991, the company rebranded Kentucky Fried Chicken as KFC. Recently, to highlight the company's healthier grilled chicken offerings, the company has referred to the KFC brand as KGC.

In other news related to YUM, two California residents are reportedly suing the KFC chain for failing to give them a free grilled chicken sandwich. The customers are claiming that a sandwich giveaway promoted by Oprah Winfrey was a "bait and switch" scheme aimed at getting folks in the door to buy other menu items, according to The Associated Press. KFCs were overwhelmed by demand for the sandwiches.

[Marvo301]

Seems like that may cause confusion with the famous Star Wars character Jabba the Hut! And in what world is Wheel of Fortune young and hip?

[catlover79]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[dawsongirl]

Whatever...they could call it House of Lettuce and people will still know what they have.

[catlover79]

Whatever...they could call it House of Lettuce and people will still know what they have.
Yeah, people will still call it Pizza Hut anyway. :lol:

[Brian Damage]

As Adam Sandler once said, "Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?"

[Shine]

Seems like that may cause confusion with the famous Star Wars character Jabba the Hut! And in what world is Wheel of Fortune young and hip?

Wheel of Fortune was young and hip when I was 10 years old. :lol:

[HuntingtonM15]

Maybe they should also change the pizza to actually taste good.

[Shine]

Maybe they should also change the pizza to actually taste good.

I love Pizza Hut. :) Also, Martina loves Pizza Hut! :lol: ;)

[Big C]

As long as they don't get rid of their Stuffed Crust Pizza, I'm OK if they change the name.

[Zoneboy]

If Yum Brands is changing the name because they've expanded beyond pizza then why haven't they done so before now? They've been serving other items for years so a name change isn't going to make much if any difference to the customers. Also, They haven't said anything about renaming Taco Bell to just The Bell and they've evolved into more than just tacos.

[HuntingtonM15]

I love Pizza Hut. :) Also, Martina loves Pizza Hut! :lol: ;)

Yeah, a lot of people actually seem to like it so I'm thinking maybe it's just my local ones that suck.

[Shine]

Yeah, a lot of people actually seem to like it so I'm thinking maybe it's just my local ones that suck.

Actually, I have no idea if Martina likes Pizza Hut or not. :lol: Though odds are she probably can't stomach Dairy Queen anymore. :lol: ;)

[Schmoopie]

This seems to be a trend; restaurants changing names. Dairy Queen is known as DQ, but then again I called it that way back in the 80's when my grandmother would take me there all the time. Hey, it was a small town. That was a big deal, to go to DQ!!!

[ekkostar]

I reminds me of when Yum changed Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC. I'm sure that Lucasfilm will somehow find a way to tie in "The Hut" with Jabba.

[catlover79]

Seems like that may cause confusion with the famous Star Wars character Jabba the Hut! And in what world is Wheel of Fortune young and hip?
I remember watching Wheel of Fortune with my grandma. That and Jeopardy, every night. I never thought it was hip, even as a kid. :rofl:

[Chocoholic]

Does Pizza Hut still do that Book It program, or whatever it was called? The grade school I went to participated in that program. If you read so many books a month, then you earned a coupon for a free personal pan pizza.

Of course, the Food Police probably had that program eliminated :(

[MickeyMac]

Just as long as they keep making good pizza's then I'm ok with the name change, but I agree people will still call it pizza hut.

[catlover79]

Does Pizza Hut still do that Book It program, or whatever it was called? The grade school I went to participated in that program. If you read so many books a month, then you earned a coupon for a free personal pan pizza.

Of course, the Food Police probably had that program eliminated :(
I think so. I LOVED BOOK-IT!!! I was in elementary school when the program first began, in like 1986 or 1987. I love to read and I love pizza, so no one had to twist my arm to read the books to get the pizza. The pizza was just a bonus. :D

[robyrob]

we just ordered Pizza Hut the other day and when i threw out the box this morning i just noticed that the logo was changed to "The Hut" - i wouldn't have noticed it at all were it not for this thread.

[HuntingtonM15]

Actually, I have no idea if Martina likes Pizza Hut or not. :lol: Though odds are she probably can't stomach Dairy Queen anymore. :lol: ;)

:lol: Oh, I know. It just seems that a lot of people really like it.

[Shine]

I think so. I LOVED BOOK-IT!!! I was in elementary school when the program first began, in like 1986 or 1987. I love to read and I love pizza, so no one had to twist my arm to read the books to get the pizza. The pizza was just a bonus. :D


Book-It was cool. :)

[ZeldaGilroy]

Does Pizza Hut still do that Book It program, or whatever it was called? The grade school I went to participated in that program. If you read so many books a month, then you earned a coupon for a free personal pan pizza.

Of course, the Food Police probably had that program eliminated :(

They do still have the Book-It! program. However, when I was a kid it was a BIG deal for the whole class to earn their coupons every month because then Pizza Hut would provide a whole class pizza party. They have eliminated that incentive and you are not allowed to have a class reward party in coordination with Book-It! As I teacher I get complaints from parents every year about this...it's not my fault Pizza Hut changed their rules, but I guess some people think the teachers changed the rules. :lol:

[MrCleveland]

Seems like that may cause confusion with the famous Star Wars character Jabba the Hut! And in what world is Wheel of Fortune young and hip?

Jabba the Hut...suing Pizza Hut?:lol:

That reminds me of when the World Wildlife Fund told WWE to "Get the 'F' out" since they were the first to use WWF...not WWE.

[dawsongirl]

Does Pizza Hut still do that Book It program, or whatever it was called? The grade school I went to participated in that program. If you read so many books a month, then you earned a coupon for a free personal pan pizza.

Of course, the Food Police probably had that program eliminated :(
I think so...not sure though, because the district I work for doesn't do it. :( That was a huge part of my childhood!

[ThomasE]

They've already changed it here in NYC. I threw out my official "The Hut" Pizza box this morning because I already finsihed off the contents of it. Yum!

[steevo]

Seems like that may cause confusion with the famous Star Wars character Jabba the Hut! And in what world is Wheel of Fortune young and hip?

Or maybe Pizza The Hut from "Spaceballs":lol:

I never really cared for Pizza Hut, Dominoes, or any of the big chains. Their pizza seems too "assembly line" like for me. I would rather go to an actual home town pizza shop.

[browneyes106]

I think the name change is kind of dumb.

[Crimson and Clover]

either way i dont really care

[comedyfreak]

Seems like a dumb idea on their part. Oh well I never eat there anyway, LOL.

[catlover79]

Seems like a dumb idea on their part. Oh well I never eat there anyway, LOL.
:rofl:

[littlebelle]

Why???

[catlover79]

I'm surprised Sol hasn't chimed in here yet. :lol:

[Dr. Thong]

I think so. I LOVED BOOK-IT!!! I was in elementary school when the program first began, in like 1986 or 1987. I love to read and I love pizza, so no one had to twist my arm to read the books to get the pizza. The pizza was just a bonus. :D

Reading and pizza are two great things. But I don't advise mixing the two. Nothing worse than grease stains and tomato sauce on your favorite book.

[Superstar]

Honestly I kind of like that name :lol:

[catlover79]

Reading and pizza are two great things. But I don't advise mixing the two. Nothing worse than grease stains and tomato sauce on your favorite book.
Good point. :D

[Dragonflies]

LOL I'll still call it Pizza Hut. Just like "Odd Lots" they changed their name to "Big Lots" it'll always be Odd Lots to me :lol:

[catlover79]

LOL I'll still call it Pizza Hut. Just like "Odd Lots" they changed their name to "Big Lots" it'll always be Odd Lots to me :lol:
Big Lots changed their name?? I must have missed that milestone. :lol:

[ZeldaGilroy]

Big Lots changed their name?? I must have missed that milestone. :lol:

I must have missed it too. They've always been Big Lots to me! :)

Maybe years from now people will think we're crazy when we refer to Pizza Hut? Pizza Hut...what the heck is that? Oh...you mean The Hut! :lol: I find that hard to believe.

[Dr. Thong]

Kind of like how Boston Market will always be Boston Chicken to me.

[catlover79]

Kind of like how Boston Market will always be Boston Chicken to me.
I still call it that myself.

[Marvo301]

I wonder how long it will take before someone shows up at "The Hut" looking for Gilligan and The Skipper?

[80sTrivia]

Another pointless simplification! :lol:

[Big C]

Another pointless simplification! :lol:

Look on the bright side- at least they're not changing the food.

[cleverfun3000]

http://i41.tinypic.com/jsmyyg.jpg

Yeah, Very Appetizing...UUURRRRPPP!

[Dr. Thong]

I still call it that myself.

They have Boston Markets out there in Ohio, Cat?

[catlover79]

They have Boston Markets out there in Ohio, Cat?
Yeah, we have some in the Cleveland area.

[catlover79]

It's so funny. We had a pizza party at work today - pizza from guess who. The boxes still said "Pizza Hut"!! :D

[Dr. Thong]

They should change the name to Pizza The Hutt and be done with it!

[Marvo301]

They should change the name to Pizza The Hutt and be done with it!
Pizza the Hutt was a character in the movie "Spaceballs" which was a parody of Star Wars

[catlover79]

I'm STILL surprised Sol hasn't chipped in his 2 cents (or 2 bucks, knowing him). :lol:

[Dr. Thong]

Pizza the Hutt was a character in the movie "Spaceballs" which was a parody of Star Wars

Really? Gosh!

"You're delicious!"

[James]

Big deal!

The last time I ate there was 1999. I just don't feel right eating at a chain from that big conglomerate known as YUM! (previously known as Tricon Global, by the way), which is also responsible for Taco Bell, KFC, Long John Silver's, and A&W. I like the mom and pop pizza places far better since they concentrate on pizza a lot better.