Pizza Hut Delivery is to create 3,000 jobs in 200 new stores across the UK and Ireland over the next four years.
The firm did not give a breakdown of how many jobs would be based in Ireland and where it plans to open the new stores.
The chain is set to invest £40m (€50.6m) into new outlets and new staff with a quarter of all openings assuming the Pizza Hut “Express” format.
The express format is a quick serve unit that offers smaller servings of pizza that can be eaten in or taken away.
Pizza Hut chief executive for the UK and Ireland Raphael Miolane said the company has built a firm foundation since opening its first delivery store 15 years ago.
“Our Pizza Hut Express portfolio will play an important role in this strategy, with at least 50 taking this format,
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without our franchisees and we are looking forward to growing our existing relationships, whilst also developing new partnerships to achieve our ambitions,” Mr Miolane said.
The expansion follows a similar scheme announced in 2012. The company invested £20m in its UK stores creating an extra 100 new outlets by 2014.
The food chain has more than 700 restaurants and takeaway units in the UK and Ireland and employs 8,000 people. Pizza Hut has been innovating on its product delivery outside of its brick and mortar restaurants.
The food chain, which is owned by Yum Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company, is testing delivery tracking products that will give customers up to the minute updates on their food as well as being able to track their delivery driver to their door.
Pizza Hut’s parent company Yum Brands also owns KFC and Taco Bell. The company is now looking to Australia as its hotbed of innovation.
That market is seen as an ideal test location for fast food firms due to its large population, mature fast food market, educated consumers as well as its isolation.
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