Pizza Hut borrows ideas from upstarts nibbling at its market share

Chicago

AMERICANS are buying more pizza than ever, but Pizza Hut - which has been feeding that appetite for more than a half-century - is getting a shrinking slice of the pie.

The industry leader, owned by Yum! Brands Inc, has a plan to reverse that decline, one that borrows from the upstarts nibbling at its market share. Texas is the testing ground for the 58-year-old chain's innovations, including hotter ovens that can deliver lunchtime pies faster, and sleeker interiors with bar seating for customers to enjoy a beer.