Pizza Hut Starts £60 Million Refurbishment and Restructuring Programme
Pizza Hut Restaurants has started a £60 million investment programme, the largest the brand has ever undertaken in the UK. As part of that programme, over 80 Huts will be transformed with a new look and feel by the end of 2014.
The first restaurant to be overhauled as a result of the investment is at Crawley Leisure Park, setting the benchmark in restaurant design and hospitality standards for the casual dining industry. All of the brand’s famous icons including the Ice Cream Factory, Salad Station and Buffet have been put centre stage with the new, interactive design, showcasing the fresh food and vibrant atmosphere.
Focusing on giving its guests an amazing experience, skilled chefs have been brought out of the kitchen with a theatrical front of house dough-stretching and topping station. There has also be an evolution of the Ice Cream Factory – a central preparation station showcasing a range of desserts including warm cookie dough, a waffle machine, speciality drinks, and a self-service soft drinks hub allowing guests to refill drinks at their leisure. A brand new menu includes the introduction of ribs, wings and fries, appealing to a wide range of customer tastes.
The new restaurant design pays homage to the long history of Pizza Hut in theUS, with a more open and inviting dining space. The refurbished restaurants will also benefit from the removal of interior ceilings (where possible), enhanced lighting schemes and bolder external facades, signalling the new dining experience.
Pizza Hut Restaurants managing director, Jens Hofma explains: “The re-opening of our Crawley restaurant marks the start of the largest investment programme we have ever undertaken in the UK, and is reflective of our ambition to strengthen our leading position in the casual dining marketplace.”
He adds: “We are not just in the business of selling pizzas, but rather putting the guest experience at the heart of everything we do, which is why we are reengineering the business with a renewed focus, improving staff training and overhauling the look and feel of our estate with these new concepts.”
The investment is part of the broad £60 million refurbishment and restructuring programme of the business, secured through private equity investment from Rutland Partners in late 2012. The new restaurant designs have been developed byHarrison, international specialists in the design and on-site development of hospitality retailing concepts.
