25 Pizza Hut Facts

Do you know which famous US President appeared in one of their commercials or which well-known movie they sponsored?

Pizza Hut has even been to outer space and the top of one of the world’s highest mountains!

If you’re hungry for more Pizza Hut facts, you’ve come to the right place!

1. Pizza Hut was established by two American brothers, Frank and Dan Carney. They opened their first restaurant 66 years ago on May 31, 1958, in Wichita, Kansas, USA.

The Carney brothers borrowed $600 from their mother to establish the Pizza Hut franchise. It’s now one of the most recognized pizza businesses in the world!

2. As of 2025, there are over 19,000 Pizza Hut restaurants operating across more than 100 countries.

3. The Carney brothers landed on the name Pizza Hut because their sign could only fit eight letters.

4. In the 1960s, Pizza Hut introduced a mascot known as Pizza Pete. He wore a red and white shirt, a yellow scarf, a black hat, and a blue apron, and was featured on marketing materials and restaurant items.

5. Architect Richard D. Burke designed Pizza Hut’s iconic red roof in the 1960s, creating a feature that set the company apart. While not all Pizza Hut restaurants have a red roof today, you can still spot it in their famous logo.

6. In the 1970s, Pizza Hut’s Deep Dish Spaghetti was one of the cheapest items on the menu. It was made using meat, tomato sauce, and cheese, costing just $1.99 in the evening or $1.49 at lunchtime!

7. In November 1977, global conglomerate PepsiCo acquired Pizza Hut by exchanging shares in the companies.

8. Donald Trump appeared in a Pizza Hut commercial in 1995 with his now ex-wife, Ivana. The advert introduced the company’s first-ever stuffed-crust pizzas.

9. Pizza Hut started tossing pizzas by hand in 1988. Until then, pizzas were molded into the correct shape in a pan or flat surface. The famous pan pizza, however, is still shaped inside the pan.

10. Pizza Hut launched a “Kids Night” in the 1990s. Children could get free pan pizza when dining with an adult, and staff handed out free Nickelodeon magazines.

11. In 2001, Pizza Hut made history by delivering the first pizza to the International Space Station. The famous pizza had a crispy crust, pizza sauce, cheese, and salami.

12. In 2003, Pizza Hut created WingStreet in response to its customers’ love of chicken wings. WingStreet is usually found inside Pizza Hut restaurants, and the menu is dedicated to chicken wings.

13. To mark its launch in Tanzania, the 100th country with Pizza Hut restaurants, Pizza Hut delivered a pepperoni pizza to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in May 2016. It broke the world record for the highest-altitude pizza delivery on land.

14. Pizza Hut adopted the slogan “No One OutPizzas the Hut” in 2016, following previous slogans such as “Makin’ it great!” and “Now You’re Eating!”

15. Pizza Hut sponsored the 1989 movie Back to the Future Part II. Every pizza sold came with a free pair of futuristic sunglasses and a space-age version of the Pizza Hut logo featured in the film.

16. Pizza Hut was the first company to establish a national program for donating surplus food. Created in 1992, its Harvest Program donates 5 million pounds (2.2 million kg) of food annually.

17. The National Football League (NFL) welcomed Pizza Hut as its sponsor in 2018, taking over from rival pizza company Papa John’s.

18. In collaboration with YouTube star Airrack, Pizza Hut made a 14,000-square-foot pie (1,300 square meters) on January 21, 2023. It took 48 hours to complete and broke the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest pizza.

19. The original Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas, is now a museum open to the general public. It opened in April 2018 and includes memorabilia from the first restaurant, including the original Pizza Hut Pete.

20. Pizza Hut launched a Marmite-stuffed crust pizza in 2014, following a Facebook contest looking for the “best iconic Kiwi combination” for a pizza. For better or worse, Pizza Hut in New Zealand sold them for a limited time only.

21. A limited Pizza Hut Perfume was introduced in Canada in 2012. Only 110 bottles of the dough-scented perfume were given out to die-hard pizza aficionados.

22. At the 2016 Super Bowl, Pizza Hut gave away fifty pizzas topped with edible 24-karat gold in special golden boxes to fifty people who ordered Stuffed Garlic Knots Pizza.

23. A 2024 survey of 3,000 American men ranked Pizza Hut as the third most popular option for a first date, tied with Sonic Drive-In. Chick-fil-A placed first, with Dairy Queen taking second.

24. Pizza Hut launched an engagement package for couples ahead of Valentine’s Day in 2012. It cost $10,010 and included a limo service, fireworks display, ruby ring, professional photographers, and a (rather measly, if you ask us) $10 Dinner Box.

25. Starting with just a few hundred dollars in 1958, the two Carney brothers built one of the most successful food businesses ever.

From quirky recipes to iconic logos and slogans that have become part of our daily lives, Pizza Hut has had a huge impact on the world of pizza restaurants.

It has embedded itself into sporting events, famous movies, and more than 100 countries worldwide. Are you ready to reel off these facts when you next visit Pizza Hut?