The Louisville-based company says it will erect "No Smoking" signs starting next week at the 1,200 KFC and 1,675 Pizza Hut locations across the country that are company-owned.
Franchise operators in both chains will also be encouraged to follow suit. Yum's franchise network in the US includes 4,200 KFC and 4,600 Pizza Hut restaurants.
Top executives say the new policy comes from concerns about increased health risks from secondhand smoke for both customers and employees.
Dr. Carolyn D. Runowicz, president-elect of the American Cancer Society, applauds Yum's decision, citing it "will most certainly save lives."
Previously, smoking policies varied by restaurant, with some providing smoking sections and others allowing customers to puff up freely.
Yum's three other fast-food brands- Taco Bell, Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Foods Restaurants, have already established smoke-free policies in US stores.
At Taco Bell stores, both franchised and company-owned, smoking is prohibited, as well as in all company-owned Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants.
