Pizza Hut Switzerland runs out of dough

No more pizza to go Keystone

Pizza Hut Switzerland is closing its six remaining restaurants, with the loss of around 100 jobs.

The company, a franchise of the world’s biggest pizza chain and present in the country for 16 years, was declared bankrupt after it failed to attract new investors.

Branches in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and Basel will cease trading later this week.

The chain’s Swiss operations were placed in receivership following the intervention of the Geneva authorities.

At its high point, Pizza Hut Switzerland operated ten restaurants across the country, which included one in the capital, Bern. This was closed earlier this year.

The company had a turnover of SFr10 million ($8.6 million) last year, but there is no information available as to the extent of its debts.

Massoud Mehri, head of Pizza Hut Switzerland, told the “24 Heures” newspaper that the company’s demise was down to a number of reasons, including poorly located restaurants and shaky internal financial structures.

He said anti-American sentiment in the wake of President Bush’s “war on terror” had also hurt sales.

The world’s premier pizza chain has about 12,000 outlets in 85 countries and has been in business since 1958.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

The American company, Pizza Hut, has 12,000 outlets in 85 countries.
The chain was started by two brothers and their mother in 1958.
The first restaurant outside the United States opened in Canada in 1968.

In brief

The Swiss operations of the world’s largest pizza chain, Pizza Hut, have gone bust.

Six restaurants will close this week, leading to the loss of around 100 jobs.

The chain was present in Switzerland for 16 years.