Pizza Hut is latest chain restaurant to close in Hempfield

Another chain restaurant has shuttered in Hempfield.

Pizza Hut, located along Route 30 near Westmoreland Mall, officially closed Monday, according to a sign posted on the door.

“We want to thank all of our loyal customers,” the sign reads, in part. It also encourages people to visit other area Pizza Hut locations in Latrobe and Greensburg.

Owners of the restaurant were not available for comment.

While a reason for the closure was not listed, over 500 dine-in Pizza Huts across the country are shuttering as the company moves toward a delivery and carryout model, Yum! Brand officials announced in August. Yum! Brand is the Louisville, Ky.-based parent company of Pizza Hut. It also owns Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

According to Food Business News, during an Aug. 1 earnings call, Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs said the move toward a new model would “ultimately strengthen the Pizza Hut business in the U.S. and set it up for a faster long-term growth.”

Gibbs acknowledged the number of Pizza Hut locations across the country could drop to around 7,000 as the plan is implemented over the next 18 months. The entire process was expected to take 24 months from the time of the announcement.

As of February, the company reported 7,447 Pizza Huts in the U.S.

The Hempfield location is not the only business to close in the township. Over the past few months, several restaurants have shuttered, including Steak ‘n Shake, which officials say is temporarily closed, and Rita’s Italian Ice, which will not reopen at Eastgate Shopping Center after a leasing issue.