RestaurantNews.com » Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, KFC Menus Will Likely Become Pricier This Year

RestaurantNews — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:56 +0000

Yum Brands Inc., which thrives on budget diners at its Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell chains, will increase menu prices this year in various parts of the world in response to rapidly rising food costs.

The pricing plan, which will be implemented in varying stages, follows on the company’s strong fourth-quarter results posted Monday and positive 2012 outlook, instilling confidence among investors who may have been concerned about Yum’s momentum given its high exposure to volatile emerging markets. The stock rose 2.75%, to $64.93 in Tuesday trading–marking a 10% rise so far this year.

Yum’s restaurants in China–namely Pizza Hut Casual Dining and KFC–have the biggest impact on its overall business, helping increase its profits 30% in the fourth quarter. However, food and labor inflation are nibbling away at its China restaurant margins, which fell to 15.8% in the quarter from 18.2% the year before, despite menu price increases.

Continue reading . . .

Pizza Hut Expects to Surpass 2 Million Pizzas Sold on Football’s Biggest Day

RestaurantNews — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:09:31 +0000

America to Consume More Than 16 Million Slices of Pizza Hut Pizza on Sunday

$10 Any Deal Preps for MVP Performance on Company’s Busiest Day of the Year

Pizza Hut Expects to Surpass 2 Million Pizzas Sold on Football's Biggest Day

Dallas, TX (RestaurantNews.com) When teams from New York and New England meet on the gridiron in Indianapolis this Sunday, professional football’s ultimate crown will be on the line. When it comes to choosing a meal for the Big Game, fans across the nation will look to Pizza Hut to deliver a championship spread just in time for kickoff. This year for the Big Game, Pizza Hut is expecting to surpass 2 million pizzas sold – more than 16 million slices – making it the chain’s busiest day of the year.

“There’s no question that football’s biggest day of the year will be the busiest day of the year at Pizza Hut,” said Kurt Kane, Pizza Hut CMO. “Drivers, cashiers and cooks at more than 6,000 Pizza Hut restaurants are prepping for the madness of game day. With our famous $10 Any deal in place, we’re prepared to sell more pizzas on Feb. 5 than any day in Pizza Hut history.”

While Pizza Hut offers other fan favorites like pasta, wings and breadsticks, the No. 1 Big Game order will be pizza, to the tune of more than 2 million pies! To better demonstrate the sheer amount of Pizza Hut pizzas expected to exchange hands Sunday, the Pizza Hut research team released some mind-bending statistics.

442: Miles of Pizza Hut pizza to be sold on the big day, enough pizza to lap the historic speedway in Indianapolis 176 times
1,200: Tons of dough that will be used to make Pizza Hut pizza for Big Game orders– more than 5-times the weight of the Statue of Liberty
90,000: Gallons of marinara sauce that will be spread across Pizza Hut pizzas on game day – enough to fill 5.7 million Boston Cream Donuts
80: Percentage of Big Game orders that will include America’s favorite topping, pepperoni; more than 14 billion pepperonis were consumed last year at Pizza Hut – enough to circle Earth 13.5 times

MVP: Most Valuable Pizza

With the epic return of the $10 Any Pizza deal – any pizza, any crust, any size for just $10 – fans can order crowd-pleasing favorites for one low price. For an additional charge, customers can enjoy Pizza Hut’s signature crust, Stuffed Crust Pizza. The Pizza Hut $10 offer is available for a limited time, and no coupon is required.

Online Ordering – Why Wait?

Pizza lovers are encouraged to place early orders online at PizzaHut.com starting today. In addition to online ordering, fans can place orders for their favorite pizza, pasta and wings from their mobile devices via apps on the Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and Android smart phones, as well as text message and mobile web.

About Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, America’s Favorite Pizza, delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant. The only pizza company to be named a top ten franchise in 2012 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began 50 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and today operates nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM). To check out what’s new at Pizza Hut visit PizzaHut.com, or keep up with the brand via its social media channels at social.PizzaHut.com.

NPC International, Inc. Announces Agreement to Acquire 36 Units from Pizza Hut, Inc.

RestaurantNews — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:30:35 +0000

NPC International, Inc. Announces Agreement to Acquire 36 Units from Pizza Hut, Inc.

Overland Park, KS (RestaurantNews.com) Consistent with NPC International, Inc.’s objective to continue its growth within the Pizza Hut system, NPC announced today that it had entered into an Asset Sale Agreement (ASA) with Pizza Hut, Inc. and affiliates (PHI) pursuant to which NPC has agreed to purchase from PHI 36 Pizza Hut units for $18.8 million in cash, plus an additional amount for inventory, prepaids, and store cash.

The units being acquired include five fee-owned locations. This acquisition will be funded with available cash on hand and borrowings from the Company’s $100.0 million revolving credit facility.

The units to be acquired pursuant to the ASA are located in and around Jacksonville, Florida and are comprised of 27 delivery/carry-out units and 9 dine-in restaurants. According to information provided to NPC, 30 of the units to be acquired generated $27.8 million in net product sales during the 53 weeks ended December 2011; the remaining 6 units to be acquired are not included in these results because none of these units was open and/or under PHI management for a full year.

NPC expects the closing to occur in February 2012 and it is subject to obtaining customary approvals.

Jim Schwartz, Chairman and CEO of NPC International, Inc. said, “We are very excited to add this market to our portfolio and look forward to joining forces with the operations team in Jacksonville. These units are a perfect fit within our current geographical footprint which will allow us to leverage our existing operational infrastructure and expand our presence in the Florida market.

This transaction clearly demonstrates our continued strong belief in the Pizza Hut system and our continuing partnership with our best-in-class franchisor.

We expect the transaction to improve our overall credit statistics.”

NPC International, Inc. is the largest Pizza Hut franchisee and the largest franchisee of any restaurant concept in the United States (U.S.) according to the 2010 “Top 200 Restaurant Franchisees” by Franchise Times. The Company is also the eighth largest restaurant unit operator in the U.S. according to the 2011 “Chain Restaurant Industry Review” by GE Capital, Franchise Finance. The Company was founded in 1962 and operates 1,151 Pizza Hut units in 28 states with significant presence in the Midwest, South and Southeast. As of the third quarter of 2011, the Company’s operations represented approximately 19% of the domestic Pizza Hut restaurant system and approximately 21% of the domestic Pizza Hut franchised restaurant system as measured by number of units, excluding licensed units which operate with a limited menu and no delivery in certain of the Company’s markets.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this news release that do not relate to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements. These may include statements regarding NPC’s or management’s intentions, expectations or predictions of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. NPC’s actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including lower than anticipated consumer discretionary spending; deterioration in general economic conditions; competition in the quick service restaurant market; adverse changes in food, labor and other costs; price inflation or deflation; the ability of NPC and other parties to acquisition transactions to satisfy the conditions to the closing of such transactions; the ability of NPC to obtain sale-leaseback financing on acceptable terms and other factors. All forward-looking statements made in this news release are made as of the date hereof. NPC does not intend to update these forward-looking statements and undertakes no duty to any person to provide any such update under any circumstances. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.

Contact

NPC International, Inc.
Troy D. Cook
913-327-3109
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Pizza Hut Releases “$10 Any Song” to Celebrate Famous Pizza Deal

RestaurantNews — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:35:58 +0000

Pizza Hut Top This! Contest Urges Consumers to “Show Us Your $10 Any Song” on Facebook for a Chance to Appear in a Commercial

Pizza Hut Releases "$10 Any Song" to Celebrate Famous Pizza Deal

Dallas, TX (RestaurantNews.com) Pizza Hut is ringing in the New Year by bringing back the most famous deal in pizza history: the $10 Any pizza deal. To celebrate in style, Pizza Hut has launched a new TV ad that sings the praises of the legendary deal, reminding consumers that they can get any size, any crust and any toppings for just $10.

“The $10 Any deal is such an unbelievable value on the best tasting pizzas around, that it has our customers singing,” said Kurt Kane, Pizza Hut CMO. “So, we’re taking it a step further and asking our fans to ‘top this’ by sending us their own renditions of the song for the chance to be in our next ad.”

Pizza Hut Top This! Contest

As $10 Any Song-mania sweeps the nation, Pizza Hut is urging consumers to upload their own rendition of the song to the Pizza Hut Facebook page (facebook.com/pizzahut) by Jan. 15, 2012 to be entered into the Pizza Hut Top This! Contest. After “liking” the Pizza Hut Facebook page, users can view the contest Official Rules for how to record and submit their videos.

Pizza Hut will select six Top This! grand prize winners whose $10 Any Song videos may be featured in a national TV spot. The six grand prize winners will also receive free Pizza Hut pizza for a year (gift cards valued at $599). The first 1,000 entrants who are determined to have eligible $10 Any Song videos will receive one free Pizza Hut pizza (gift card valued at $10).

In the new spot developed by The Martin Agency, a rocker dons red pants and performs the song with his electric guitar and the following lyrics:

Here’s a deal, an amazing pizza steal
Get any Pizza Hut pizza for ten dollars it’s for real
So go ahead and ask yourself, what have I got to lose?
For just ten dollars, now you get to choose
Any pizza, any toppings, any crust
There’s no stopping, any size, you decide
For ten dollars you can buy
Any pizza, any toppings, any crust
There’s no stopping, any size, you decide
For ten dollars you can buy

The Historic $10 Any Pizza Deal

For ten bucks, pizza fans can pick any size pizza they want, select from more than a dozen topping options, and choose from the Pizza Hut signature crusts – including Pan Pizza, Hand-Tossed Style Pizza, and Thin ‘N Crispy^® Pizza. For an additional charge, customers can enjoy Pizza Hut’s signature crust, Stuffed Crust Pizza. The Pizza Hut $10 offer is available for a limited time, and no coupon is required.

About Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, America’s Favorite Pizza, delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant. The only pizza company to be named a top ten franchise in 2009 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began more than 50 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and today operates nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM). To check out what’s new at Pizza Hut visit PizzaHut.com, or keep up with the brand via its social media channels at social.PizzaHut.com.

Yum! Brands Chairman and CEO David Novak Shares Break-Through Leadership Strategies in New Book, TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU

RestaurantNews — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:44:42 +0000

Book Based on Novak’s Unique Leadership Training Program to Get People Aligned, Enthusiastic and Relentlessly Focused on Achieving Big Goals

“David Novak is the best at leadership, whether teaching it in this book or practicing it.” - Warren Buffett

“An important book about motivation from a proven motivator.” - Jack Welch, founder, Jack Welch Management Institute

“David Novak is a hard-driving CEO with a great heart and soul – and that gives him unique insight into both your own personal development and how to bring out the best in others.” - Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase

“This is the best, most practical hands-on book on leadership I’ve ever read. If you apply these principles, your career and the people you work with will flourish.” - Dr. Bob Rotella, sports psychologist

Yum! Brands Chairman and CEO David Novak Shares Break-Through Leadership Strategies in New Book, TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU

Louisville, KY (RestaurantNews.com) How do you lead an organization of any size – from a tiny startup to a global giant – to make big things happen? Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM), the world’s largest restaurant company, announced today the publication of TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU: The Only Way to Make BIG Things Happen (Portfolio Penguin, January 2012) by David Novak, Yum! chairman and chief executive officer. Novak shares the secrets of the unique “Taking People With You” leadership program he has developed and taught during his fifteen years at Yum! to thousands of managers and franchisees around the world.

Whether starting a business, developing or launching a new product, moving a company in a new direction or raising money for a good cause, TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU has the answers to empower people at all levels personally and professionally. The book offers a step-by-step guide to setting big goals, getting others on board, achieving break-through results and celebrating after people “shock the skeptics.” Specific tools are included at the end of each chapter that challenge readers to reflect on how they are doing on key aspects of leadership.

Novak teaches leaders will never make big things happen until they learn how to get people aligned, enthusiastic and focused relentlessly on the mission. Yum!’s track record of success, with at least 13 percent earnings-per-share growth for each of the last nine years, proves his point. Under his leadership, Yum! has established itself as a global powerhouse going from approximately 20 percent profits coming from outside the U.S. in 1997 to more than 65 percent in 2010, while driving one of the highest returns on invested capital in the restaurant industry. Today, Yum! is the leading retail developer in China as well as the largest and fastest growing restaurant company in emerging markets with a two-to-one advantage over its nearest competitor. Additionally, Novak has built Yum!’s entire global people-first culture around reward and recognition to drive results.

TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU is filled with street-smart wisdom from David Novak as well as leadership advice from other renowned business icons and management experts such as Warren Buffett, Jack Welch, John O’Keeffe (creator and author of Business Beyond the Box), Larry Senn (chairman and founder of Senn Delaney) and many others. It teaches people to change the way they think about leadership and practice it such as:

Get inside the heads of your people. You can’t convince them of anything until you see the world from their perspective.
Think big. If your sales growth last year was 3.5 percent, don’t aim for 4 percent this year, aim for 15 percent. Even if you fail, you’ll probably do better than you would have with a smaller goal.
Practice “extraordinary authenticity.” Show occasional vulnerability and admit when you don’t have the answers.
Look for good ideas in unexpected places. Earlier in Novak’s career when he was head of the Frito-Lay account at an advertising agency, he and his team came up with the idea for Cool Ranch Doritos during a field trip to a grocery store’s salad dressing aisle.
Choose a can-do mind-set. There’s a huge difference between a boss who says “We can try this” and one who says “We can do this!”
Cheer for first downs, not just touchdowns. Publicly recognizing and rewarding small wins keeps everyone motivated for the long haul.
Get rid of cynics. In many teams one person will reject your values and spread negative energy. Moving that person out will show everyone else you’re serious.

Whether you are a CEO, an entrepreneur, or new to the business world, TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU will help you get into the right leadership mind-set, develop a strategy and build alignment, and follow-through on the execution of the plan.

All of Novak’s proceeds from TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU will be donated to the United Nations World Food Programme in conjunction with Yum! Brands global hunger relief efforts. Visit www.takingpeoplewithyou.com.

About the Author

Recognized as one of the world’s “30 Best CEOs” by Barron’s, one of the “Top People in Business” by FORTUNE and one of the “100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review, Yum! chairman and chief executive officer David Novak is known for motivating people, cultivating leaders and building winning teams. He is also the recipient of the national 2008 Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship. Prior to leading Yum!, he was president of both KFC and Pizza Hut and held senior management positions at PepsiCo. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife. He is also the author of THE EDUCATION OF AN ACCIDENTAL CEO: Lessons Learned from the Trailer Park to the Corner Office (Crown Business, October 2007) that chronicles his personal journey to chairman and chief executive officer and the lessons that proved valuable along the way.

About Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants with more than 36,000 restaurants in more than 117 countries and 1.4 million company and franchise associates. Yum! is ranked #214 on the Fortune 500 List, with revenues of more than $11 billion in 2010. The Company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories. Outside the United States, the Yum! Brands system opened approximately four new restaurants each day of the year, making it a leader in international retail development. The Company has consistently been recognized for its reward and recognition culture, diversity leadership, community giving, and consistent shareholder returns.

Contact

Yum! Brands, Inc.
Virginia Ferguson, 502-874-8200
or
Weber Shandwick
Michael Schiferl, 312-988-2017

Olympus Puts Dough in Pizza Hut

RestaurantNews — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:02:32 +0000

Stamford, CT (RestaurantNews.com) Stamford, Conn.-based Olympus Partners has acquired NPC International, Inc. (“NPC”), the largest Pizza Hut franchisee and the largest franchisee of any restaurant concept in the United States. The company operates 1,153 Pizza Hut units (approximately 19 percent of the domestic system) in 28 states with significant presence in the Midwest, South and Southeast.

Olympus has a long history of investing in successful restaurant franchisees, including previous investments in the Taco Bell, KFC, Wendy’s, Chili’s and Golden Corral systems.

Paul Rubin of Olympus Partners commented, “We are excited to be partnering with Jim Schwartz, Troy Cook and the rest of the highly experienced management team at NPC who have a long track record of delivering growth and superior operating results. We are also enthusiastic about investing again with YUM! Brands, this time in supporting Pizza Hut, the leading pizza brand in the U.S.”

Founded in 1988, Olympus Partners is a Stamford, Conn.-based private equity firm focused on providing equity capital for middle market management buyouts and for companies needing capital for expansion. Olympus is an active, long-term investor across a broad range of industries, including restaurants, consumer products, healthcare services, financial services and business services.

Olympus manages in excess of $3 billion on behalf of corporate pension funds, endowment funds and state-sponsored retirement programs. The investment in NPC is Olympus’ eighth investment out of its $1.5 billion fifth fund.

The Olympus team included Paul Rubin, Evan Eason, Chase Ormond and Jason Allevato.

Top 20 Restaurant News Stories 2011

RestaurantNews — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:08:02 +0000

Top 20 Restaurant News Stories 2011

Stick a fork in it. 2011 is done. And almost every media outlet in the world has put together some type of Top Stories list. RestaurantNews.com has been serving up online restaurant news for over 12 years, but this is the first time we’ve stepped up to the Year in Review buffet.

Following is a list of the Top 20 stories read on RestaurantNews.com over the past year.

Update: Top 100 stories of 2011.

20) Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant Owners Receive 2011 Faces of Diversity Award
In April, the National Restaurant Association honored Ethiopian sisters Berekti and Akberet Mengistu, owner-operators of Mesob restaurant in Montclair, N.J., with its 2011 Faces of Diversity American Dream Award. The Mengistu sisters have operated Mesob for over seven years with Berekti handling the business operations and Akberet serving as chef.

19) Seafood Specialties, Culinary Confections Ring In The New Year At The Grand Central Oyster Bar
Grand Central Oyster Bar made a surprising, last minute jump into our Top 20 with the annoucement of executive chef Sandy Ingber special New Year’s Eve menu of seafood delicacies available for lunch and dinner at the historic restaurant “below sea level” in Grand Central Terminal.

18) Outback Steakhouse Free Steak Dinner Deal a Restaurant Marketing Win
Outback Steakhouse made a move that dominated restaurant marketing news in August by giving away one million free steak dinners in its Great Aussie Steak Out promotion. The promotion was designed to introduce Outback’s new wood-fire grill steak preparation and new menu options. RestaurantNews.com served up a tasty review of the campaign.

17) National Restaurant Association Responds to the State of the Union Address
The National Restaurant Association responded to President Obama’s job creation speech in January, and called attention to its “America Works Here” campaign which was formed to help educate opinion leaders, policymakers, and their staff members about the breadth, depth, scope and influence of the restaurant industry on the American economy.

16) Restaurants Tossing a Summer of Salads
It was the Summer of Salads as restaurants across America offered up a super summer salad fiesta. If you’re a salad lover, then you were in for a summer of tasty green treats. RestaurantNews.com took a look at the salad offerings of several national restaurant chains.

15) KFC Launches New 10-Piece Buckets, Helps Cash-Strapped Choirs
To launch its new 10-piece 10 Buck Sunday Bucket deal in March, Kentucky Fried Chicken offered 11 struggling choirs across the country $1,000 grants to help keep their harmonies alive. Members of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs kicked off the program at a KFC restaurant in St. Louis.

14) IHOP Offers New Chicken and Waffles For Limited Time
In March, IHOP rolled out its Chicken and Waffles, becoming the first restaurant chain to offer the combination nationwide. The Chicken and Waffles, a limited time promotion, included four golden all white meat chicken tenders with four light and crisp Belgian waffle quarters.

13) McDonald’s Introduces New McCafe Shakes
In February, McDonald’s announced plans to “shake things up” with the introduction of the McCafe Shake in its restaurants. The McCafe Shakes feature the three classic milkshake flavors (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) in a clear McCafe cup, topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

12) McDonald’s Reintroduces the Asian Salad
McDonald’s brought back its popular Asian Salad in May for a limited time. The Asian Salad consists of greens, edamame, snow peas, red bell peppers, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds and an orange-glazed grilled or crispy white meat chicken breast filet.

11) Restaurants Serving Up Social Media Connections
Many restaurants today are still left sitting at the cutting board trying to figure out a successful recipe for social marketing, while the early adopters are reaping the rewards of a lucrative, successful social media push. People are hungry for much more than food. They want to feel connected, and social media allows them to feel as if they are a part of the whole restaurant family.

10) Cracker Barrel and The Grascals Celebrate #1 Debut on Billboard Bluegrass Chart
In January, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and The Grascals announced the #1 debut of The Grascals & Friends – Country Classics with a Bluegrass Spin on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums chart. The CD is part of Cracker Barrel’s exclusive music program.

9) Five Emerging Trends in the Foodservice Industry
In today’s competitive foodservice industry, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to engage guests and employees in a more meaningful and personal manner. Steve Prodger, Vice President of Food Services with Empathica, reviewed how restaurants could gain a better understanding of the ways customers want to be engaged and how that information can be used to earn lifelong, loyal clientele.

8) IHOP’s All You Can Eat Pancakes Promotion is Back
IHOP brought back its limited time All You Can Eat Pancakes promotion at the beginning of the year. IHOP guests could order unlimited pancakes, served three at a time, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

7) McDonald’s Offers New Fruit & Maple Oatmeal
McDonald’s kicked off the year with the introduction of its Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, made with whole grains, light cream, brown sugar, red and green apples, cranberries, and two varieties of raisins. The breakfast item is available throughout the day at any McDonald’s location, comes with or without brown sugar, and is also available in a less sweetened version.

6) SONIC Adds Four New Premium Beef Hot Dogs to Menu
Hot dogs have been an American favorite for generations. At the beginning of the year, Every Day with Rachael Ray declared 2011 as the Year of the Hot Dog. SONIC agreed, rolling out a new line of Premium Beef Hot Dogs with a variety of toppings. The drive-in restaurant chain offered up a Chicago Dog, a New York Dog, an All-American Dog and the Chili Cheese Coney for $1.99 each.

5) After 119 Years, the Ice Cream Sundae Still a Restaurant Favorite
In April, the ice cream sundae celebrated its 119th birthday. Over the years, they became a mainstay in the restaurant industry, evolving and giving birth to a new generation of restaurant sundaes including the McFlurry and the Blizzard. RestaurantNews.com took a look at ice cream sundaes offered up by some of your favorite restaurants.

4) Burger King Offers Original Chicken Sandwich Deal for Fourth of July Weekend
Burger King’s flame-broiled Whopper may be the burger chain’s most famous menu item, but with a price point of $1.04, the Original Chicken Sandwich ruled the roost during a Fourth of July weekend promotion. The crispy, premium white meat chicken patty topped with shredded lettuce and mayo on a bakery-style, sesame seed bun has been a menu favorite since 1979.

3) Pizza Hut Launches Ultimate Cheese Lover’s with $10.99 Any Lover’s Deal and Facebook Sweepstakes
Pizza Hut launched its Ultimate Cheese Lover’s pizza in May. The company offered up the Ultimate Cheese Lover’s, the Pepperoni Lover’s, the Meat Lover’s, and the Veggie Lover’s for $10.99. The pizza chain also began running its Ultimate Lover’s Lover Facebook sweepstakes, awarding a $50 Pizza Hut gift cards daily and free pizza for a year for weekly winners.

2) Golden Corral Restaurants Launch Endless Baby Back Ribs Promo
Golden Corral rolled out an abundance of new ribs products in April, including Baby Back Ribs. This array of freshly-prepared BBQ ribs products was in addition to the buffet chain’s 150-item, every day dinner buffet, which includes slow-cooked Pot Roast, made-from-scratch Meatloaf, and grilled-to-order USDA dinner buffet Sirloin Steaks.

1) Phillips Seafood Opens Two New Airport Restaurants
In July, Phillips Seafood announced the opening of two new airport restaurant locations: Newark Liberty International as well as Harrisburg International Airport bringing the total to nine successful airport restaurant operations. Both full service locations feature a traditional Phillips menu offering signature crab dishes, genuine Maryland style favorites and specialty drinks. The restaurants are franchises with two leading concessionaires.

NPC International, Inc. Announces Closing of Sale of Parent Company

RestaurantNews — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:39:05 +0000

NPC International, Inc. Announces Closing of Sale of Parent Company

Overland Park, KS (RestaurantNews.com) NPC International, Inc. (the “Company”), announced today the closing of the previously disclosed proposed acquisition by NPC International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, of all the outstanding membership interests of NPC Acquisition Holdings, LLC, which owns all of the outstanding capital stock of the Company.

About NPC International, Inc.

NPC International, Inc. is the largest Pizza Hut franchisee and the largest franchisee of any restaurant concept in the United States (U.S.) according to the 2010 “Top 200 Restaurant Franchisees” by Franchise Times. The Company is also the eighth largest restaurant unit operator in the U.S. according to the 2011 “Chain Restaurant Industry Review” by GE Capital, Franchise Finance. The Company was founded in 1962 and, as of September 27, 2011 the Company operated 1,153 Pizza Hut units in 28 states with significant presence in the Midwest, South and Southeast. As of the third quarter of 2011, the Company’s operations represented approximately 19% of the domestic Pizza Hut restaurant system and 21% of the domestic Pizza Hut franchised restaurant system as measured by number of units, excluding licensed units which operate with a limited menu and no delivery in certain of the Company’s markets.

Contact

NPC International
Troy D. Cook, 913-327-3109
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Tim Tebow to Quarterback 2012 America’s Biggest Storytime for the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Reading Program

RestaurantNews — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:16:39 +0000

Pizza Hut Teams Up with the Tim Tebow Foundation to Encourage Kids to Read

Tim Tebow to Quarterback 2012 America's Biggest Storytime for the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Reading Program

Dallas, TX (RestaurantNews.com) Tim Tebow will channel his passion for winning on the football field to help Pizza Hut and the BOOK IT! Reading Program motivate children to read more and develop a lifelong love of reading. On Feb. 15, 2012, Tim will host the fifth America’s Biggest Storytime event, where he will read his favorite childhood book – Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss – to youngsters across the globe via the web.

As a “thank you” for Tim’s participation, BOOK IT! will make a donation to the Tim Tebow Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.

Pizza Hut and BOOK IT! established the America’s Biggest Storytime event in 2007 to feed the need for reading traditions in today’s households. The 2011 event drew more than 500,000 viewers.

The link to view Tim’s America’s Biggest Storytime reading on February 15 will be released in January. More information about the BOOK IT! Program can be found at bookitprogram.com. Fans can learn more about the Tim Tebow Foundation at timtebowfoundation.org.

About BOOK IT!

In 1985, Pizza Hut established the BOOK IT! National Reading Incentive Program to motivate children to read more and help them develop a lifelong love of reading. BOOK IT! is a six-month program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. For more information, visit www.bookitprogram.com or keep up with BOOK IT! via its social media outlets @BOOKITprogram or Facebook.com/BOOKIT1985.

About Pizza Hut

Media Contact

Luke DeRouen
214.727.3708
luke.derouen@zenogroup.com

RestaurantNews.com » Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, KFC Menus Will Likely Become Pricier This Year

Pizza Hut Expects to Surpass 2 Million Pizzas Sold on Football’s Biggest Day

NPC International, Inc. Announces Agreement to Acquire 36 Units from Pizza Hut, Inc.

Top 100 Restaurant Stories of 2011

Pizza Hut Releases “$10 Any Song” to Celebrate Famous Pizza Deal

Yum! Brands Chairman and CEO David Novak Shares Break-Through Leadership Strategies in New Book, TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU

Olympus Puts Dough in Pizza Hut

Top 20 Restaurant News Stories 2011

NPC International, Inc. Announces Closing of Sale of Parent Company

Tim Tebow to Quarterback 2012 America’s Biggest Storytime for the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Reading Program