In 1968, the Carney brothers, Frank and Dan, borrowed $600 from their mother. They planned to open a small pizza shop in their college town of Wichita, Kansas.
The brothers rented a small building and bought second-hand kitchen equipment. They named their joint Pizza Hut because the old sign of the building only had enough room for eight letters.
Staffed by family and friends, Pizza Hut made guests feel like family. Within six months, a second location was added, and within a year, there were six in the Wichita region. In 1966, the business had officially franchised, and the number of locations grew to 145.
In the beginning, the Carney brothers created a Pizza Hut mascot: Pizza Pete. The cartoon chef wore a checkered apron, slick mustache, and hat. Eventually, the restaurant chain said goodbye to Pizza Pete. The simple red roof became their identifying feature.
Another distinguishing feature of Pizza Hut was the interior decor. There were red chandeliers, red-checkered tablecloths, red see-through plastic cups, arcade games, and jukeboxes. The pan pizza arrived at the table in hot skillets.
Many children participated in their “Book-It” program. Students collected points for each book they read, and those points could be added up to a reward: a free personal pan pizza.
However, the chain began to devote more time and attention to its delivery services as time progressed. Newer Pizza Huts don’t have the iconic red roofs but utilize a more modern design. You can visit the original Pizza Hut, which is now housed on the Wichita State University campus. It functions as a museum of Pizza Hut’s history.
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