Pizza Hut's Name Just Got a Lot Shorter, in Honor of Football

Pizza Hut is slimming down its name just in time for football season. The chain says it will simply be "Hut" for 25 weeks, starting with the kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, a nod to the
"hut" command shouted at the line of scrimmage, per the New York Post. A football-themed banner covering the word "pizza" at a Plano, Texas, location, near the company's headquarters, debuted the tweak, and the brand has scrubbed "pizza" from its social media logos as well.

Parade notes that, in addition to the name alteration, the chain will be bringing back some decor from days of yore at select locations, including "Tiffany-style lamps, checkered tablecloths, red plastic cups, and vinyl booths." The branding stunt lands as Pizza Hut's owner, Yum! Brands, moves to sell the chain in a pair of deals worth about $2.7 billion. Private equity firm LongRange Capital is set to buy operations outside mainland China, while Yum China Holdings will acquire the China business. Executives say the new owners should position the brand for expansion.