Pizza Hut has been serving up delicious pizza for decades, but there’s a lot more to this iconic brand than just pepperoni and cheese.
From space deliveries to DJ pizza boxes, here are 15 strange and fascinating facts about Pizza Hut that you probably didn’t know.
1. It Started With $600
Back in 1958, two brothers, Dan and Frank Carney, kicked off Pizza Hut with just $600 borrowed from their mom. That’s about the price of an iPhone these days, but instead of tech, they invested in the cheesy goodness that would conquer the world.
Oh, and they named it Pizza Hut because the sign could only fit eight letters. Guess “Super Mega Delicious Pizza Palace” was off the table.
2. Pizza Hut Perfume Celebration
In 2012, Pizza Hut Canada celebrated 100,000 Facebook fans by releasing a limited-edition perfume that smelled like fresh dough. It’s the scent you never knew you needed—until you realized smelling like a bakery is actually kind of awesome.
3. Kids Reading For Free Pizza
Launched in 1984, Pizza Hut’s Book It! program has been rewarding kids with free pizza for reading. Over 14 million students and 37,000 schools participate annually, proving that the best way to a child’s heart (and brain) is through their stomach.
4. Pizza Box Projector
Imagine turning your pizza box into a projector for a movie night. Pizza Hut made this dream a reality with a limited-edition box that did just that. Pair it with your favorite slice and you’ve got the ultimate Netflix and chill setup.
5. Weird Wedding Package
In 2012, Pizza Hut offered a wedding package that included a ruby engagement ring, fireworks, and a catered dinner with—you guessed it—a Pizza Hut Dinner Box. For $10,000, you could say “I dough” with a side of cheesy breadsticks.
6. The Original Hut Went to College
Most old buildings get torn down, but not Pizza Hut’s original location. This 500-square-foot shack was carefully moved to Wichita State University, where it’s now a museum. You can literally get schooled on pizza history—talk about higher education!
7. Pizza Hut Japan’s Cilantro Overload
Pizza Hut Japan’s released a viral cilantro pizza and then doubled down the following year with 200% more cilantro! Dubbed “Pakuchi Sugite Kusa Koete Mori,” this pizza is so loaded with the herb, it’s more forest than topping. You even get a side of cilantro to customize your experience.
8. Pizza Hut Taiwan’s Turtle Pizza: Tribute or Roadkill?
Pizza Hut Taiwan dropped a turtle-shaped pizza inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While it was meant to be a fun homage, the quirky shape sparked debate—was it a cool tribute or did it look more like roadkill?
Topped with red bean, mochi, and cilantro, this pizza wasn’t just unique in shape but also in flavor, leaving fans split between love and confusion.
9. Mikhail Gorbachev’s Unexpected Cameo
In 1997, the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev surprised everyone by starring in a Pizza Hut commercial. The ad featured Russians toasting him for making Pizza Hut possible, blending politics with pepperoni.
Turns out, the Cold War might’ve been thawed with a slice.
10. Pizza Delivery—To Space
Yep, Pizza Hut delivered the first pizza to space in 2001. Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachov received a vacuum-sealed pie aboard the International Space Station.
It cost about $1 million, but hey, how else are you going to make an astronaut’s day?
11. Moon Pizza Logo? Almost!
In 1999, Pizza Hut considered a marketing stunt to laser their logo onto the moon. Yes, the actual moon. The plan was scrapped when they realized the logo would need to be the size of Texas to be visible from Earth. Still, points for thinking big—really, really big.
12. Pizza Hut’s DJ Pizza Box
In 2016, Pizza Hut UK dropped the DJ pizza box, which came equipped with touch-sensitive decks. So while you’re spinning tracks, you can also spin your slice. This limited-edition box was a hit with pizza-loving DJs, though probably not the cleanest way to mix music.
13. Pizza Hut’s Double Sensation Pizza
Singapore’s Double Sensation Pizza had not one but two crusts: an inner cheese-stuffed crust and an outer ring packed with chicken sausage and even more cheese. It’s basically two pizzas in one, and frankly, we’re here for this delicious overkill.
14. The Largest Pizza Hut is in Saudi Arabia
The largest Pizza Hut on Earth is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This giant restaurant is a cool oasis where pizza lovers can escape the desert heat. With enough space to host a pizza party for hundreds, it’s a must-see for any die-hard fan.
15. Barbara Bush Ordered the First Pizza Hut Delivery to the White House
In 1989, First Lady Barbara Bush made history by ordering the first Pizza Hut delivery to the White House. She fed 200 kids at a charity event, proving that even in politics, pizza is the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Pizza Hut has always pushed the boundaries of what a pizza chain can be, from bizarre menu items to epic marketing stunts. These quirky facts prove that Pizza Hut isn’t just about pizza—it’s a slice of global culture.
If you found these facts as mind-blowing as we did, share them with your friends and enjoy a laugh over a slice!