Pizza Hut Express Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Pizza Hut Express franchise requires a total initial investment of $51K – $304K, including a $5K franchise fee and an ongoing 10.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $51K – $304K
- 3rd pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 48th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- 85th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 1,332
- 90th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- Total investment $51K – $304K including a $5K franchise fee, 10.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 64/100 (higher is better).
- Established system with 1,332 units across 67 years of franchising. Strong brand recognition and operational playbook.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Pizza Hut, LLC
- Auditor
- KPMG LLP
- Audited financials
Overview
About
- CEO
- Aaron Powell
- Headquarters
- Texas
- Founded
- 1958
- FDD year
- 2025
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 72% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $5K | $5K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $46K | $299K |
| Total initial investment | $51K | $304K |
Source: Pizza Hut Express 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $51K – $304K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- N/A
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Franchise fee
- $5K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- -n/d
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 10.0% of gross sales |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants averages
How Pizza Hut Express Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1,332
- Opened
- 51
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 36
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
Last reporting year only, multi-year history not disclosed in this brand's FDD.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · KPMG LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Litigation count | 1 |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Pizza Hut Express franchise?
The total investment to open a Pizza Hut Express franchise ranges from $51K – $304K, with an initial franchise fee of $5K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Pizza Hut Express franchise owners earn?
Pizza Hut Express does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Pizza Hut Express's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Pizza Hut Express (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Pizza Hut Express franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Pizza Hut Express has 1,332 total units in the United States, including 1,332 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 51 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Pizza Hut Express a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Pizza Hut Express as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 64 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Pizza Hut Express, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
Other Quick-Service Restaurants franchises
Compare similar franchise opportunities in the Quick-Service Restaurants category
Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.