Pizza Chains Close Hundreds of Stores, Lay Off Workers

0:00It's March 27. I'm Cory with the Story. This is Durham News today, driven by AI. The fast food pizza industry is facing a rough patch with major chains announcing hundreds of store closures amid an economic slowdown. Papa John's plans to shut down 300 underperforming locations, including 200 by the end of 2026, while also cutting, 7% of its workforce. Meanwhile, Domino's largest franchisee will close 205 low-performing spots in 2025. Pyology, Pizzeria, is pulling out of Hawaii entirely with its franchisee Coddy Foods set to close all five locations there by May 22nd. 2026 This comes after the chain's parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last December to reorganize amid financial woes. These moves are hitting workers hard, with 56 employees at the Hawaii Pyology spots, facing layoffs starting late March and wrapping up by May.

1:00The franchisee is offering most of them similar jobs at other locations until those close to, though no formal bumping rights apply. Other franchise challenges include a Domino's operator in California, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection back in March 2025. To restructure Coddy Foods itself runs over 200 fast-food outlets nationwide, but hasn't sought bankruptcy. As pizza-demand cools, more operators are reevaluating their footprints, signaling broader pressures that could reshape quick service dining in the buzz, coming years.