Many of Pizza Hut's more than 16,000 locations across over 100 countries are instantly recognizable because of their unique hat-shaped roof design, which invokes the idea of a hut. Whether or not Pizza Hut actually looks like a hut is debatable, but there's no question that the roof has been a powerful tool for brand recognition (even though the chain has moved away from this building style in recent years). However, the chain didn't implement the red roof until 1969, 11 years after its founding.

As they expanded into the international market, the Carney brothers wanted to ensure that Pizza Hut stood out from the competition, so they hired Wichita-based architect Richard D. Burke to create a unique design for their buildings. Thus, the most recognizable roof of 20th-century architecture (besides maybe the Sydney Opera House) was born. Its classic silhouette became part of the Pizza Hut logo in 1971, and the design is now patented. The Pizza Hut roof has even been featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.