Pizza Hut Restaurants has unveiled the next phase of its multi-million pound investment programme into its UK estate.
In excess of £1.1 million has been invested across three of its key sites, at Bluewater Shopping Centre, Stevenage and Plymouth, creating 45 jobs. The restaurants, opening this week, set the benchmark in restaurant design and hospitality standards for the casual dining industry.
New, interactive design
All of Pizza Hut Restaurants’ famous icons – including the Ice Cream Factory, Salad Station and Buffet – are being put centre stage as part of a new, interactive design, showcasing the fresh food and vibrant atmosphere.
And, in a first for the brand, all-new bar areas serving draught Budweiser beer will be rolled out in Bluewater and Plymouth, allowing customers to relax and unwind with family and friends.
In addition to the Ice Cream Factory, a central preparation station will offer 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. And a brand new menu includes the introduction of ribs, wings and fries, to appeal to a wide range of customer tastes.
The redesigned restaurants offer guests a more open and inviting dining space, and also benefit from enhanced lighting schemes and bolder external facades, signalling the new dining experience.
Exciting next phase
Pizza Hut Restaurants MD, Jens Hofma says: “This week marks the exciting next phase of the multi million pound investment into our UK estate. These are some of our most popular restaurants, so we can’t wait for our customers to see the new look. The investment reflects Pizza Hut Restaurants’ dedication to putting the guest experience at the heart of our business, and is key to our future success in the UK.”
The latest stage of investment is part of the broader £60 million refurbishment and restructuring programme of the business, secured through private equity investment from Rutland Partners in late 2012. More than 60 Huts are being transformed with a new look and feel by the end of 2014.
About Pizza Hut (UK) Ltd:
- Pizza Hut UK Ltd currently comprises over 300 dine in restaurants across England, Wales and Scotland per month and employs more than 8,000 people.
- In November 2013 Pizza Hut Restaurants won the hotly contested Pizza Restaurant Chain of the Year award at the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food (PAPA) Industry Awards.
- Pizza Hut opened its first restaurant in the UK in 1973. Since then Pizza Hut has launched the Deep Pan, Stuffed Crust, Cheesy Bites and 500 Calorie pizzas, as well as the Cookie Dough dessert to the UK market.
- Pizza Hut also gives away 9,600 tonnes of free Salad each year through its salad bar and is a proud supporter of the World Food Programme Charity.
- Pizza Hut Restaurants is the leading casual dining restaurant in the UK by footfall.
- In 2013 Pizza Hut Restaurants reached a milestone one million ‘likes’ on its Pizza Hut UK Facebook page, making it the most engaged UK pizza brand on Facebook.