Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in Wichita, Kansas.
The Carney brothers borrowed money from their mother to open a pizza restaurant near Wichita State University. The first location had a small building and a sign with limited space, which helped inspire the name Pizza Hut. The business grew from that local restaurant into an international franchise system.
Pizza Hut’s expansion relied heavily on franchised restaurants, allowing local operators to use the brand, menu, training, and business procedures. Its familiar red-roof restaurant design later became a major part of its visual identity.
The founders are sometimes confused with those of Domino’s, Papa John’s, or Little Caesars. Those companies have separate origins. Pizza Hut’s founding story is specifically tied to Dan and Frank Carney and Wichita in 1958.