Case Study: Pizza Hut achieves reliable staff communication during Hurricane Irma with Branch

How a Tampa Pizza Hut Stayed in Contact During Hurricane Irma

Pizza Hut’s Tampa crew faced sudden disruption when Hurricane Irma threatened Florida, cutting employees off from work and complicating hourly scheduling and safety communication. The store’s shift manager relied on Branch’s scheduling and messaging platform to let nearly 30 employees view schedules, swap shifts, request time off, and stay connected outside social networks.

Branch’s messaging and scheduling features were used to post hurricane checklists, announce likely closures, share real-time safety updates (who had power, who was safe), and even coordinate fuel locations for delivery drivers, enabling the team to stay informed and mobilize quickly. The store, closed for two days, reopened the following Monday after using Branch to assemble a reopening crew and support the community with free pizzas for first responders — demonstrating clear operational continuity and faster recovery thanks to Branch.

Pizza Hut

Allison Harden

Shift Manager