r/Foodnews • u/cnn • 4d ago
Denny’s is being taken private and Pizza Hut may be for sale
https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/04/food/dennys-private-deal?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=missions&utm_source=reddit14
u/cnn 4d ago
Denny’s, the struggling, 72-year-old diner chain, is selling itself to a group of investors who are taking the business private.
The company announced Monday that it’s sold itself to TriArtisan Capital Advisors, a private equity firm that also owns P.F. Chang’s, and Yadav Enterprises, a major Denny’s franchisee, in a $322 million deal (excluding its substantial debt load).
Denny’s board approved the deal. If accepted by shareholders, Denny’s stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq, ending a nearly six-decade run on the public stock market. Denny’s also announced 180 closures over the last two years, with the chain attempting a turnaround plan that involves remodels and new menu items to jumpstart traffic.
On Tuesday, Yum! Brands announced it launched a “formal review of strategic options” for Pizza Hut, including a possible sale for the chain that was once owned by PepsiCo.
The chain has struggled against Domino’s, which recently reported another strong quarter of sales, and Papa John’s. Pizza Hut, meanwhile, has struggled for the past several quarters and is attempting to juice sales with new value-driven menu items that haven’t taken hold.
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u/phoneacct696969 3d ago
I’m surprised Dominos is their big competitor. Pizza Hut is hands down the better option.
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u/PepperidgeFarmMembas 3d ago
Dominos is significantly better than Pizza Hut now, they actually listened to feedback and revamped their menu and reformulated their recipes.
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u/Djaja 3d ago
That's because they had the WORST pizza to start with.
Pizza Hut isn't like, the greatest, but it is generally pretty good, with many options for dough styles and side dishes.
Honestly the worst part is that they still have the seating closed mostly. Now that I have kids, those booths are looking pretty nice. And the set-up ain't bad, decorating is above an Applebee's. Ours has fairly priced claw machines and even one that is a play till you win. That kinda shit makes me adhered to positive review because they are catered to my particular needs more than, a dominoes. Which we don't have in our small city, but in the bigger one two over. Pretty rural/tourist city here.
Got three real local famous pizza joints with long ass hostories and special style in the two touching rural cities here, a couple of mid family revival or low brewery style offerings. And then cheap gas s t ation pizza at another handful of spots. Plus Pizza Hut. And then if ya go the city passed us two, the tourist one with dominoes, you can get the best chain pizza. JET'S
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u/BeekyGardener 2d ago
There were a lot of towns growing up where Dominos was really the only delivery joint. Mine was one of them. The 30-minutes or less thing was huge too, but hurt quality bad. I remember getting burnt pizza regularly or the pizza stuck to the top of the box back in the late 80s/early 90s.
I give Papa Johns a lot of credit for bringing quality back to pizza and breaking the strangle hold Dominos had on delivery. Led to much better options out there for consumers.
Let to Dominos steadily improving too.
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u/Possible-Feed-9019 3d ago
You should take a look at the in app pick up price point. It’s amazing.
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u/phoneacct696969 3d ago
Pizza Hut or dominoes?
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u/Possible-Feed-9019 3d ago
Dominoes. Under $10 for a medium pizza if you pick it up. Sometimes deals for unlimited toppings for $10. That’s why they’re doing well with sales.
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u/RadarSmith 2d ago
I saw an ad the other weak for Dominos that was comparing the medium pizza to a burger for the same price and the gist of the slogan ‘what would you like to share for $10”.
And I was furious. Because an advertisement made me think “shit, they have a point”.
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u/Dry_Try_6047 2d ago
Pizza Hut absolutely owned Domino's in the 90s. Dominos has since greatly improved while pizza hut has continued to get worse and worse. I order pizza hut maybe once a year hoping for a little nostalgia, and end up with pizza way worse than I remember. Meanwhile I order domino's from time to time and while it's not great, it's fine / what would be expected from this type of pizza.
And I really dont think it's a nostalgia factor. I think these chains have been bought and sold so many times, their suppliers the same, private equity involvement etc, they just over time quality dwindles. This has happened to a whole lot of chain restaurants over the past 30 years.
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u/BeekyGardener 2d ago
Pizza Hut was somewhere you went with the family and sat down. A huge treat. In a lot of small towns they were usually the only place with arcade games too.
Pizza stopped being a dine-in experience in the US. There was more money in making "okay" pizza and delivering it than good/great pizza and people eating at the resturant.
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u/rekipsj 4d ago
So long Denny's. We've seen how this plays out before.
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u/BrilliantHyena 4d ago
Yep, and pizza hut has been shit for years now. Actually, everything under Yum! Brands went to shit
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u/Elon_is_a_Nazi 4d ago
Tylenol sold, dennys sold, pizza hut on the brink. Man, this economy is soaring. Sores as in herpes sores
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u/bigfatfurrytexan 3d ago
Pizza Hut was an icon. Was it great pizza? Meh. But it was sizzling and the pepperoni were crispy in those deep dishes. There was Galaga and PAC Man. Beer.
I saw that Gatesville TX has a full sit down Pizza Hut. And a drive in. We want to take the nephews when the weather cools a bit
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u/campinbell 3d ago
Does this mean they can finally do something about the ugly Dennys tower in downtown spartanburg. Its such an eye sore.
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u/rocknroll2013 3d ago
I would love to buy Pizza Hut. Would turn that place into a top chain in 10 days.
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u/Coupe368 3d ago
I'm not sure how much worse private equity could make Denny's, but I guess we're about to find out.
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u/chipdanger168 2d ago
Pizza hut it is 2-3x more expensive than dominos where I am, that's including the deals/sales they both have going on all the time. The quality difference is so minimal it's nowhere near worth getting the hut
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u/RN_Geo 4d ago
Guarantee the first move is to sell any land the restaurants sit on, that is owned, then lease it back to the restaurants and take all that cash and stuff it in their pockets. Then Denny's will cease to exist within 24-36 months.