With seemingly infinite dining options these days, pizza remains one of the most popular options among U.S. diners. According to Statista, the national pizza market accounted for more than $45 billion in sales in 2021 — a very slight decrease from pre-pandemic levels. Despite lockdowns and restaurant closures, Americans turned to the comforting staple in droves, spending nearly $20 billion on pizza delivery in 2021, a $5 billion increase from the prior year. And research firm Technavio’s latest report forecasts the pizza market to grow by a 5.45% compound annual growth rate through 2025. That’s good news for pizza purveyors.
Large, international chains and ubiquitous fast-casual operations continue to lead the way in sales, but independently owned pizzerias and smaller local and regional chains are proving popular among diners, pushing the boundaries of ingredients, customer experience and service.
These are seven emerging pizza chains to watch. Each has multiple stores and ambitious growth plans, plus menus and extras, whether craft beer or robust vegan options, that you won’t find at the multi-billion-dollar behemoths.
