Pizza Hut Permanently Closes Several Iowa Restaurants
Pizza Hut restaurants have been a part of the landscape in many Iowa communities for several years, but now some of those buildings are permanently closed.
On Tuesday, the company shuttered dine-in restaurants in 15 cities across the state. According to Pizza Hut's website, six of the franchises were located a short driving distance away from Waterloo-Cedar Falls.
Area Pizza Hut restaurants that closed Tuesday were: Grundy Center, Independence, Iowa Falls, Manchester, Oelwein and Vinton. The other Iowa locations that permanently shut their doors were in Boone, Dubuque (1 of 2), Dyersville, Eldridge, Le Claire, Maquoketa, Newton, Tipton and Urbandale.
In July, Pizza Hut executives announced plans to close 300 locations across the country after a company that owns 20 percent of the franchises in the United States filed for bankruptcy. The brand-owner then reached an agreement to restructure the business model.
In recent years, the chain has focused more on carry-out and delivery orders while moving away from its reputation as a dine-in restaurant. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated that shift.