Sponsored By

7 emerging pizza chains looking to shake up the market7 emerging pizza chains looking to shake up the market

These pizzerias stand out from the crowd with a focus on food, culture and customer experience

Kevin Gray

July 6, 2022

7 Slides
Sauce Pizzeria food

Already have an account?

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. 

About the Author

Kevin Gray

Kevin Gray is a regional correspondent for Restaurant Hospitality, covering new concepts and restaurant operators in Texas and the south. Based in Dallas, he also writes about food, drinks and restaurants for the Dallas Morning News, InsideHook, Liquor.com, Thrillist and other publications. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.