Pizza Hut is temporarily dropping the word “Pizza” from its name and going by “Hut” for the next 25 weeks as the 2026 NFL season begins — a makeover the Plano-headquartered chain is showcasing on restaurant signs, including in North Texas.
In a post on its official X account this week, the company wrote, “You can just call us HUT for the next 25 weeks.” The brand said “hut” has been called before football snaps for generations and now “it’s calling your next order.” Photos shared by the company and reported by WFAA and Fox Business show a large red football banner covering the word “Pizza” on a sign at a Plano location. Pizza Hut also updated its social-media logos to drop the word “Pizza.”
The chain’s global headquarters is at 7100 Corporate Drive in Plano. The Dallas Morning News reported in June that Yum! Brands agreed to sell Plano-based Pizza Hut in a $2.7 billion split deal. Connecticut private-equity firm LongRange Capital is buying operations outside mainland China for about $1.5 billion, with a possible $75 million earn-out by 2030. Yum China is buying the mainland China business for about $1.2 billion. Both transactions were expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval.
You can just call us HUT for the next 25 weeks 🏈 pic.twitter.com/yC6VrTGINh
— Pizza Hut (@pizzahut) August 19, 2026
Yum! Brands, based in Louisville, said the sale followed a strategic review after years of weaker U.S. sales. The company plans to focus on KFC and Taco Bell. Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958 and later moved its headquarters to North Texas.
The football-themed name change is temporary. After 25 weeks, the company is expected to return to the Pizza Hut name customers have known for decades.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
