Technology
Pizza Hut launches drive-thru at 1,500 US stores
March 30, 2021
Pizza Hut is launching "The Hut Lane," a dedicated digital order pick-up window available at over 1,500 locations across the country with more to come, according to a news release.
The brand said that as customer preferences shifted during the early months of the pandemic, it worked to offer a way for customers to place digital orders without ever having to leave their cars and The Hut Lane is the culmination of that since it allows customers to pickup without parking.
"We are giving our customers a variety of options to optimize their pizza-eating experience as we build on our business momentum," Nicolas Burquier, Pizza Hut chief customer and operations officer said in the release. "Not only do we offer industry-leading, innovative menu items that are only available at Pizza Hut, we also offer several digital-first pick-up options for our customers, and The Hut Lane is a great example of that."
The Hut Lane service can be accessed through the Pizza Hut app and pizzahut.com, as well as phone orders. Upon arrival, customers can simply pull up to the dedicated window, grab their order and go. If The Hut Lane is not available at a store, the app will automatically offer Pizza Hut's Contactless Curbside Pickup.
The Hut Lane is part of the brand's long-term strategy to modernize through digital ordering and improved customer experiences, and many franchise owners seeking an edge on speed and convenience in their local markets will look to use the drive-thru feature. In fact, with Flynn Restaurant Group's recent acquisition of more than 900 Pizza Hut restaurants, Pizza Hut said the franchisee plans to prioritize The Hut Lane in many of its stores going forward.
"As we transition into the Pizza Hut system, we are excited about The Hut Lane and the seamless customer experience it offers," Ron Bellamy, Flynn Restaurant Group chief improvement officer, said in the release. "We know from our QSR experience how much value a pick-up window can unlock for the business, and we plan to prioritize The Hut Lane in future builds and relocations of existing stores."
Pizza Hut is continuing to develop plans for additional Hut Lane in-store branding elements and will look to roll them out in the near future, the release said. Currently, Pizza Hut has nearly 18,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. It is based in Plano, Texas.
