Pizza giant launches aggressive hiring spree

Pizza Hut is making big moves to improve the accuracy and reliability of its delivery experience.



The subsidiary of Yum! Brands plans to hire nearly 3,000 new drivers a month through the end of the year. The hiring effort, which will include full and part-time positions, will add approximately 14,000 new drivers across its delivery fleet, according to the company.



To make its drivers more efficient, Pizza Hut developed a "delivery network algorithm.” Designed to improve the accuracy and reliability of Pizza Hut deliveries, the system — which the company dubbed “DNA,” for short — predicts how long a delivery will take by accounting for variable factors such as weather, construction, traffic and other irregularities in the delivery pattern. The new technology will be available in all 6,300 U.S. Pizza Hut restaurant locations.



Further streamlining its delivery services, the pizza giant also re-hauled its online mapping and location services. This effort will improve the chain’s ability to accurately locate customers and identify the most convenient restaurant locations for both faster delivery and carry-out options.



"Our drivers are vitally important to our business," said Artie Starrs, president, Pizza Hut, U.S. "Our plan is to keep drivers busy, efficient, and on the road in an effort to best serve our customers. We are only scratching the surface in the territory of services and flexibility that we can offer to those looking to drive."



The delivery-based initiatives come only months after Yum! announced that is plans to invest $130 million in the struggling pizza chain. These investments will focus on upgrading equipment, improving restaurant technology and boosting advertising spending through 2018, according to CNBC.