Pizza Hut Debuts First-Ever BOOK IT!® App

Core Points - Pizza Hut launches the BOOK IT! app as part of its revitalized summer reading program "BOOK IT! Summer of Stories," aimed at encouraging children's reading during summer months [1][2][4] - The program offers free Personal Pan Pizzas® to children who meet their reading goals, with the initiative running from June to August [3][4] - The BOOK IT! program has a long history, inspiring over 70 million children and distributing over 1.5 billion free pizzas since its inception in 1984 [9] Company Overview - Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, operates nearly 20,000 restaurants globally and is recognized for its innovative pizza offerings [5] - The company has a strong digital presence, with over half of its transactions coming from digital orders, and it continues to lead in technology within the food service industry [5] - Pizza Hut's commitment to community and environmental impact is reflected in its initiatives focused on equity, carbon reduction, and better packaging [5] Industry Context - The "Summer Slide" phenomenon refers to the decline in reading skills that children often experience during school breaks, with research indicating that students can lose the equivalent of two years of learning by middle school [2] - The BOOK IT! app aims to combat this issue by allowing parents to set personalized reading goals for their children, thereby enhancing literacy skills during the summer [2][4]