If you’re a Pizza Hut fan, you know the chain’s popularity is easy to explain—it’s a tasty, fast, affordable option for frugal diners who want to avoid wasting money at expensive restaurants.
But Pizza Hut has been going through some issues with one of its franchisees—EYM Group—leading to the company’s decision to abruptly close 15 locations.
Learn more about which Pizza Hut locations are closing, which locations could close down the road, and whether you can expect shuttered locations to reopen in the future.
15 Pizza Hut locations close in Indiana
To date, Indiana has been the hardest hit in terms of Pizza Hut closures. The company abruptly shut down these 15 locations on June 14:
- 754 Indian Boundary Road No. 1, Chesterton
- 13300 Lincoln Plaza Way, Cedar Lake
- 10889 Randolph St., Crown Point
- 715 N. Main St., Crown Point
- 250 W. Ridge Road, Griffith
- 7331 Indianapolis Blvd., Hammond
- 7878 E. Ridge Road, Hobart
- 75 Pine Lake Ave., La Porte
- 1916 E. Commercial Ave., Lowell
- 1501 W. 81st Ave., Merrillville
- 5350 Franklin St., Michigan City
- 815 Ridge Road, Munster
- 6159 U.S. Highway 6, Portage
- 975 W. Lincoln Highway, Schererville
- 2510 Laporte Ave., Valparaiso
4 Pizza Hut locations close in Ohio
Pizza Hut also shut down four locations in Ohio on the same day the Indiana locations shuttered last month. These closures are unrelated to the situation with EYM Group. The Ohio restaurants that shut their doors are:
- 1076 Parsons Ave, Columbus (near Merion Village)
- 5837 Sawmill Road, Dublin
- 3643 S. High St., Obetz
- 4514 Kenny Road, Upper Arlington
129 more Pizza Hut closures are possible in 4 states
Unexpected Shutdown: Another Grocery Chain Closes Its Locations
So far, Indiana and Ohio are the only two states to experience abrupt location shutdowns. However, EYM Group operates 129 additional Pizza Hut locations in five states. They are:
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- Wisconsin
That could mean more closures are on the way.
Why is Pizza Hut closing locations?
Many of Pizza Hut’s sudden shutdowns stem from trouble between the chain and the Texas-based franchisee EYM Group. According to court filings, EYM Group owes Pizza Hut millions of dollars in franchise fees.
In August 2023, Pizza Hut offered EYM Group forbearance so it could begin paying back some of its debts. But this March, the franchisee sued, blaming Pizza Hut for many of the problems that led to EYM Group’s debt. EYM Group cited outdated Pizza Hut technology and menu changes that “flopped” for contributing to EYM’s woes.
Pizza Hut had established several dates for EYM Group to pay back its debts in each state. When Indiana’s deadline of June 12 passed without EYM Group paying off its debts, Pizza Hut responded by closing all 15 of the EYM-operated locations in the state.
Since EYM Group didn’t run any of the locations closed in Ohio, it’s unclear why Pizza Hut chose to shut down those branches.
How will the closures impact customers?
Since Pizza Hut suddenly shut down the 15 Indiana locations, many individuals found themselves without a nearby Pizza Hut practically overnight.
However, there are dozens of other Pizza Hut locations throughout Indiana that are operated by other franchisees. Hopefully, if you are a Pizza Hut fan whose nearest location shuttered, you can visit another Pizza Hut without too much trouble.
Will some of the closed locations reopen?
Pizza Hut plans to reopen at least some of the closed locations as soon as possible.
According to a spokesperson, the chain will transition operations to another franchisee, and many of the closed locations should reopen “soon.”
In the meantime, perhaps you can use the current closures as an opportunity to save some cash and stretch your restaurant budget further.
Bottom line
If you’re mourning the loss of your nearest Pizza Hut, keep your fingers crossed that the chain will reopen your preferred location soon.
In the meantime, you can look for another Pizza Hut to visit. Or, perhaps this is a good time to explore other budget-friendly restaurant options near you. Even without your local Pizza Hut, you can still save money while eating out.
