A wave of bankruptcies has shaken the British Pizza Hut network – 68 restaurants are closing, growth is stable in Hungary

DC London Pie Ltd is being liquidated by FTI Consulting, while Yum! Brands, the global owner of Pizza Hut, has reached an agreement to save 64 restaurants. The rescue will see 1,277 workers remain on the job, with takeovers under UK employment law (TUPE). However, the fate of 75 locations remains uncertain, including several in major cities.

The fallout from the bankruptcy is already being felt locally, with several restaurants closing abruptly and employees furloughed without notice. For example, eight of the Leeds units ceased operations in a single day.

The liquidation procedure is the second crisis in the life of the British Pizza Hut chain within a year: in early 2024, an American private equity fund, Directional Capital, saved the majority of the British units after the bankruptcy of the previous owner, Heart with Smart Limited.

While the future is uncertain in the United Kingdom, Pizza Hut is on a stable growth path in Hungary. The network is operated in Hungary by AmRest Kft. in a franchise system, which achieved sales of 75.7 billion forints in 2024 – an increase of 13 percent. AmRest also operates the Starbucks coffee chain and is continuously expanding its Hungarian portfolio: in 2023, it opened its first domestic franchise Pizza Hut restaurant in Szeged, and the brand is currently present with dozens of units across the country.

The company aims to further strengthen its domestic franchise network in the coming years, despite the restructuring taking place in the international market.