Pizza Hut's Name Was Created Simply Out Of Convenience
For some business owners — especially those in their early 20s stepping into the realm of family entrepreneurship for the first time — choosing a brand name and style can be intimidating. What message will you convey through the colors you've selected? What about the mascot you've created or the slogan you've rewritten more times than you can remember? It can be a nerve-wracking experience for any new business owner. But for Frank and Dan Carney, who only had a borrowed $600 to their names (thanks to their mom), Pizza Hut was simply created from the cards that were dealt to them.
Yep, there's no fancy story or intricate background tied to the famous chain's name. In 1958, the Carney brothers had to devise a name for their pizza shop that fit the eight-letter limitation on the store's original sign. Thus, Pizza Hut was born. An easy, uncomplicated name that communicated exactly what the restaurant was to customers. And while the Hut was actually more of a tiny brick house, the title ultimately fit their sizing constraints, and the restaurant's simple essence stuck. Within the first six months, the brothers opened a second store in Topeka before launching a third. The first store was relocated to Wichita State University in 1986, and again to the other side of campus in 2017. It now operates as a museum to celebrate the chain that was the first to jumpstart such an impressive grab-and-go pizza trend.
The time(s) when Pizza Hut tried to change its name
We all remember the day when IHOP briefly changed its name to IHOb, but who remembers when Pizza Hut tried to officially become 'The Hut'? In 2009, Pizza Hut attempted to innocuously alter its name to blend in "nicely with today's texting generation," claimed David Novak, CEO of Pizza Hut's parent company. While Novak maintained that Pizza Hut wasn't actually changing its name, he emphasized that 'The Hut' would be used as an identifier in future marketing campaigns. So, while not technically renaming it, the company wanted it to go by a nickname of sorts. It's safe to say that this stunt lasted only a short time, primarily to avoid customer confusion. Still, this isn't the first time that Pizza Hut has attempted a total rebrand.
It all started in 2008 when a Pizza Hut commercial showed their beloved retro stores crumbling to the ground before fading to black. A flat-topped modern restaurant suddenly reappears with the words "Pasta Hut" on the store's front sign. But why the sudden shift, and why did this debut at the beginning of one particular month? You may have already guessed it — the whole thing was an April Fool's joke to promote a newly released pasta dish. Pizza Hut — we mean, Pasta Hut – wanted to draw attention to its novel Tuscani pasta that would, per the featured commercial, "change everything." Although the stunt wasn't as major as Taco Bell buying the Liberty Bell, it still paid off.
The legacy of Pizza Hut Park
From pasta to parks, Pizza Hut has always made big strides in the food industry. In the early 2000s, stadium sponsorships were a major trend for large food and beverage corporations. They brought in tons of publicity, fans, and brand ambassadors, and Pizza Hut wanted a slice of the money pie. The chain hopped on the bandwagon in 2005 to make a family name out of the FC Dallas soccer club's home stadium, effectively calling it Pizza Hut Park. The open-aired arena became known as The Hut, PHP, and The Oven to reflect the hot Texan summers. It was also the epicenter for Edgefest, a festival that celebrated alternative-rock music. This went on until 2011, with Jimmy Buffet rightfully closing out The Hut's last show. Pizza Hut's contract ended shortly after.
Even still, Pizza Hut's dabble with sports didn't stop there. It became the official sponsor for the Super Bowl and NFL in 2019 and renamed itself (for the third time) to Pizza Hut Hut. In hindsight of the rivalrous match — set in what the chain called Hutlanta, Georgia, that year — Pizza Hut officially re-designed its home website and a location near the stadium to Pizza Hut Hut. However, three years later, Pizza Hut stepped down from its pepperoni pedestal and was replaced by Little Caesars. While the Atlanta store and official website have returned to their normal status, we'll always keep Pizza Hut Hut — and The Hut and Pasta Hut — in our hearts.