Last week, MSN Top Stocks reported that Pizza Hut was changing its name. The story, which was repeated across the country (including here in Knoxville) on television and in newspaper reports, said:
“Blame recession cuts. Pizza Hut is slicing the ‘pizza’ from its store name on its boxes and some store signs. The fast food chain will now brand some stores as ‘The Hut.’ Media and advertising trade publication MediaWeek characterized the name change as an attempt to transform its stores into hip hangouts.”
The story also quoted a Pizza Hut official saying that one reason for the change was to be more user-friendly to today’s “texting and mobile generation.” The news was quickly picked up by the texting and mobile generation on Twitter — where a stream of not-so-favorable posts popped up about the name change.
Later the same day, Pizza Hut released the following statement on PR Newswire:
“Pizza Hut is not changing its name. We are proud of our name and heritage and will continue to be Pizza Hut.”
