The Pizza Hut chain was founded as a pizzeria in 1958 by Dan and Frank Carney. Borrowing $600 from their mother, they purchased some second-hand equipment.
Then the Wichita State University students took a family pizza recipe, rented a small building, and opened the first restaurant at a busy intersection in Wichita, Kansas. Additional restaurants were opened, with the first franchise unit opening in 1959 in Topeka, Kansas. At the same time Pizza Hut was growing in and around Kansas, Shakey's Pizza was developing a stronghold along the West Coast. The competition provided Pizza Hut the impetus to evaluate its mission and direction.
The franchise network continued to grow through friends and business associates, and by 1964 a unique standardized building appearance and layout was established for franchised and company-owned stores, creating a universal look that customers easily recognized. By 1970, with 310 stores nationwide, Pizza Hut went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock ticker symbol PIZ. In 1977, Pizza Hut was acquired by Pepsico, along with KFC and Taco Bell. In 1997, the three restaurant chains were spun off into Tricon, and in 2002 joined with Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants to become YUM! Brands.
The most commonly sold food at Pizza Hut restaurants is pizza, which usually comes in four different sizes including Personal Pan, Small, Medium and Large, although most stores have done away with the small size. They come in a variety of toppings, including "specialty" styles, which consists of Meat Lovers, Pepperoni Lovers, Cheese Lovers, Veggie Lovers, Double Cheeseburger, Supreme, and Super Supreme, which is Pizza Hut's most expensive pizza. Pan Pizza has a thicker crust than most other commercially available pizzas.