Yum China Holdings has announced the opening of its 3,000th Pizza Hut store in China, marking the restaurant brand’s 33-year journey in the country.
Located in Qinhuangdao, a coastal city in Hebei province, the new restaurant offers a wide range of menu items, including pizzas, steaks, pasta, rice dishes, entrees, appetisers, beverages and desserts.
Yum China CEO Joey Wat said: “The opening of Pizza Hut's 3,000th store is more than a landmark moment for store expansion.
“It demonstrates Pizza Hut's strength as a "pizza expert" and reaffirms our commitment to growing the brand in China. This milestone also underscores our focus on continuous innovation, from menu innovation and digitalisation to a range of new store formats.
“We believe the brand holds tremendous growth potential in China and we are committed to actively pursuing expansion opportunities to further grow the brand.”
The new restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience with sweeping sea views. It is equipped with advanced sustainability solutions such as IoT-based intelligent energy management systems and outdoor solar lamps.
Built with renewable and recycled materials, the 3,000th location aims to inspire consumers to embrace low-carbon and sustainable living.
On the front, the restaurant makes use of digital capabilities to drive sales.
Pizza Hut has also deployed i-Kitchen, the Back of House operation management system that uses artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and machine learning algorithms, at all its restaurants in the country.
This system helps restaurant managers effectively manage inventory levels and automate the order sequence and production process.
It also helps to undertake food safety and quality assurance checks.
The first Pizza Hut store opened in China in 1990. Since then, the brand has grown into the largest casual dining restaurant brand in the country.
Pizza Hut China general manager Jeff Kuai said: “Pizza Hut is extremely proud of its heritage as the first restaurant chain to introduce pizza and Western-style casual dining to China.
“From our first store in Beijing to now 3,000 stores nationwide, we have always grown together with our customers. We'll continue to expand our store portfolio while staying true to our commitment to innovating great food and experiences for our customers.”
