Pizza Hut will hire 14,000 drivers to help catch up in delivery

[CHICAGO] Pizza Hut will hire 14,000 drivers this year as the restaurant chain plays catch-up with rivals in delivery, an area that's fueled much of the industry's growth in recent years.

The company will add about 3,000 drivers a month through the end of this year, Pizza Hut said in a statement Tuesday. The pizza chain also is using a new algorithm to better predict delivery times, as well as relying on Google Maps to improve its accuracy.

Pizza Hut, a Yum! Brands Inc-owned chain that built its reputation on sit-down pizza service, is adapting to an industry where delivery rules. Domino's Pizza Inc and Papa John's International Inc have spent years making it easier to order - via mobile apps and loyalty programmes - and have the food dispatched quickly to customers' front doors.

The push to add drivers is part of a broader campaign to remind customers that they can get a Pizza Hut pie delivered.

"This focus and commitment to the best delivery experience will hopefully help some customers reassess the brand if they haven't tried us in a while or haven't had us deliver a pizza before," said chief operating officer Nicolas Burquier.

"This is about accuracy and consistency."

Pizza Hut struggled to compete with other major US, chains, including Domino's, whose technology and mobile app have helped lock in customers. In the most recently reported quarter, Pizza Hut posted a 3 per cent same-store sales decline. Domino's, meanwhile, reported a 10 per cent domestic gain.

The new hiring push includes both full and part-time positions, Pizza Hut said. The company described the move as one of its largest efforts ever to attract delivery employees.

BLOOMBERG