Over a dozen Pizza Hut locales in Indiana have abruptly closed, with more potential shutdowns possible in other states.

Pizza Hut is one of my favorite places to grab a slice. In high school, my buddies and I would often visit our local Pizza Hut, loading up on deep-dish pepperoni pizza and breadsticks dunked in marinara sauce or nacho cheese. Luckily, with as many places as I've lived, I've never lived in an area that didn't have a Pizza Hut within a 20-minute drive. However, the same may not be true for folks in northern Indiana as a legal battle between the company and some franchisees ensues.

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According to Fox Business, Pizza Hut has filed a lawsuit that alleges the EYM Group had breached its franchise agreement and a subsequent forbearance agreement that they reached in 2023. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that EYM had a history of being late on payments. However, EYM has also taken action against the pizza chain, claiming the company failed to implement modern business practices, such as keeping up with new technology, which negatively impacted EYM's financial status. EYM noted that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue.

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Due to the ongoing legal battle, 15 restaurants located across northwestern Indiana and owned by EYM Group have halted operations. The EYM website notes the multi-brand franchisee company has been around since 2008. Currently, EYM owns an assortment of Denny’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Panera Bread restaurants across 7 states: Texas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Pizza Hut locations other states are still open for the time being.

While several Indiana Pizza Hut locales remain closed for now, that could change in the near future. A Pizza Hut spokesperson told Fox Business that the company is working to "transition" the locations and expects many of them will reopen soon. However, which ones will open doors, and when, is still unclear.

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