Ranking 23 Best Pizza Chains in the US
Pizza is one of those time-honored foods that will never go out of style. Luckily, many pizza chains in the US serve some incredibly delicious pizzas.
American pizza gets a bad rap sometimes for being inauthentic, but we argue that pizza chains in the US have unique treasures.
Whether you prefer thin crust or deep dish, pepperoni, veggies, or pineapple, these pizza places on our list will satisfy your craving.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best pizza chains in America, serving delicious pizzas from classics to more unique options.
23. Cici’s Pizza
Cici’s Pizza is an all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, and salad buffet restaurant chain with nearly 300 locations in 24 states.
The first Cici’s Pizza opened in 1985 in Plano, Texas. For four decades, Cici’s has dedicated itself to serving all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, salad, and desserts.
If you’re prioritizing quantity and variety, Cici’s is the pizza chain for you.
Their menu is extensive, serving classic pizzas like cheese, veggie, and pepperoni, but also more creative varieties like mac & cheese, BBQ pork, and zesty ham & cheddar.
Cici’s also offers several kinds of deep dish, flatbread, and stuffed crust pizza, as well as mini pizza poppers.
In addition to pizza, Cici’s offers a variety of sides, including a salad bar, pasta, soup, wings, and their signature garlic-flavored cheesy bread.
22. Little Caesars
Little Caesars is one of the largest pizza chains, famous for its “Hot-N-Ready” pizzas.
There are over 4,000 Little Caesars locations in the US.
The first Little Caesars was opened by newlywed couple Mike and Marian Ilitch in Garden City, Michigan, in 1959.
Between 2008 and 2015, Little Caesars was the fastest-growing pizza chain in the US.
Little Caesars’ pizza menu is split between large round pizzas and rectangular Detroit-style deep dish pizzas.
Over a dozen large round pizzas are offered at Little Caesars, including classic cheese, classic pepperoni, thin-crust cheese, stuffed crust pepperoni, and Old World Fanceroni Pepperoni, which is topped with over 100 crispy old-world pepperonis.
Little Caesars also offers five different kinds of Detroit-style deep dish pizza: veggie, 3 meat treat, pepperoni, sausage, and cheese.
In addition, you can opt to make your own large round or Detroit-style deep dish pizza, customizing your toppings to your taste.
Lastly, Little Caesars offers a variety of sides to go along with your pizza, including salads, Caesar wings, and their signature Crazy Bread, which are breadsticks flavored with butter, garlic, and Parmesan.
21. Peter Piper Pizza
Peter Piper Pizza is a restaurant chain specializing in made-from-scratch pizzas, salads, appetizers, and desserts.
There are almost 100 Peter Piper Pizza locations in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
The first Peter Piper Pizza was opened in 1973 by Tony Calvolo, a WWII veteran and Brooklyn native, in Glendale, Arizona.
Peter Piper Pizza’s menu offers six delicious pizza varieties: cheese, NY 3-cheese, Chicago classic, California veggie, “The Werx,” and 5-meat supreme.
You can also build your own pizza or order a personal pizza that’s the perfect size for one diner.
Peter Piper Pizza serves wings, salads, breadsticks, garlic cheese bread, and fried zucchini as sides.
In addition to serving delicious pizzas and sides, most Peter Piper Pizza locations offer a variety of arcades and video games, making them a great place for family outings, birthday parties, or just fun nights out!
Peter Piper Pizza runs an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet every weekday from 11 am to 2 pm, so if you love pizza, you can enjoy it as much as your heart desires.
20. Jet’s Pizza
Jet’s Pizza is a Michigan-based restaurant chain specializing in pizza, wings, and salads.
There are hundreds of Jet’s Pizza locations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The first Jet’s Pizza was opened by Eugene Jetts in Sterling Heights, Michigan, in 1978.
Jet’s Pizza specializes in hand-kneaded, rectangular, Detroit-style pizza but also serves hand-tossed, thin-crust, New York style, gluten-free, and even cauliflower-crust offerings.
Jet’s Pizza’s menu is extensive, offering different crusts, toppings, and flavors.
Some favorite pizza options at Jet’s Pizza include veggie, chicken bacon ranch, buffalo chicken ranch, Hawaiian, BBQ chicken, and all meaty.
For sides, Jet’s Pizza offers wings, boneless wings, salads, and three kinds of seasoned cheesy breadsticks.
19. Papa Murphy’s
Papa Murphy’s is a restaurant chain specializing in take-and-bake pizzas made with fresh ingredients from scratch, which you can bake at home.
There are nearly 1,000 Papa Murphy’s locations in 37 states.
Papa Murphy’s is the largest take-and-bake pizza franchise, committed to providing the service, quality, and customization that makes for a great at-home meal experience.
The Papa Murphy’s menu offers a wide variety of take-and-bake pizzas, including classic flavors like cheese and pepperoni, more elaborate Gourmet Delite varieties, keto-friendly crustless options, dairy-free pizzas, thin crust pizzas, stuffed crust pizzas, and create your own pizza options.
One of Papa Murphy’s signature pizzas is the Murphy’s Combo, an original crust pizza topped with red sauce, whole-milk mozzarella, salami, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, black olives, and cheddar cheese.
Papa Murphy’s also offers a variety of sides, including salads, cheesy bread, and mini take-and-bake pizzas.
18. Marco’s Pizza
Marco’s Pizza is an Ohio-based pizza chain specializing in Italian American food.
There are over 1,000 Marco’s Pizza locations in 33 states.
The first Marco’s Pizza was opened in 1978 in Oregon, Ohio, by Pasquale “Pat” Giammarco, an Italian immigrant who came to the US when he was nine.
Nowadays, Marco’s Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza chains in the US.
The Marco’s Pizza menu offers six signature pizzas: all meat, deluxe, garden, Hawaiian chicken, pepperoni magnifico, and white cheezy.
In addition, you can opt to build your own pizza, choosing your own toppings and crust style.
Marco’s Pizza also offers pizza bowls, which are crustless pizzas composed of sauce, cheese, and toppings baked in a bowl.
Lastly, Marco’s Pizza offers a variety of sub sandwiches, salads, wings, and their signature cheezybread, which is served with a side of pizza sauce and a side of ranch for dipping.
17. Godfather’s Pizza
Godfather’s Pizza is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in pizza and other Italian American food.
There are over 400 Godfather’s Pizza locations in the US.
The first Godfather’s Pizza opened in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1973.
Godfather’s quickly became famous for its TV commercials, which were parodies of the character Don Vito Corleone from Francis Ford Coppola’s infamous Godfather films.
The Godfather’s menu offers a variety of specialty pizza flavors like the all-meat combo, bacon cheeseburger, veggie pie, Hawaiian, and chicken bacon ranch.
You can also create your own pizza, choosing your toppings to make a pizza that perfectly suits your taste.
If you’re not super hungry, Godfather’s also has four kinds of mini one-topping pizzas: mini cheese, mini pepperoni, mini beef, and mini sausage.
Lastly, Godfather’s offers a variety of sides, including pepperoni and ham rolls, which are like mini strombolis, and cheese sticks that look like mini cheese pizzas with no sauce.
16. Round Table Pizza
Round Table Pizza is a West Coast-based, medieval-themed restaurant chain dedicated to serving delicious pizza.
There are over 400 Round Table Pizza locations in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.
The first Round Table Pizza was opened by Bill Larson in Menlo Park, California, in 1959.
With Round Table Pizza, Larson hoped to create an environment where guests could “share a little pizza with someone [they] love.”
Round Table Pizza’s menu offers thirteen pizza flavors, like Guinevere’s Garden Delight, Montague’s All Meat Marvel, and King Arthur’s Supreme.
Each of these pizzas is available in five different sizes: personal, small, medium, large, and extra-large. In addition to pizza, Round Table Pizza offers a variety of appetizers and sides, including garlic Parmesan twists, classic and boneless wings, and three different kinds of salad.
15. Sbarro
Sbarro is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in serving extra-large New York-style pizza by the slice.
There are over 600 Sbarro locations in 42 US states and 28 countries.
The first Sbarro was an Italian salumeria, or deli, opened by Carmela and Gennaro Sbarro in Brooklyn, New York, in 1956.
Although Sbarro originally sold many kinds of Italian food, its pizza soon became so popular that the second Sbarro location focused exclusively on making pizza.
Sbarro’s signature pizza is their XL New York-style pizza, characterized by a thin crust and a giant slice size.
Sbarro sells five varieties of XL NY pizza: NY pepperoni, supremo, 4 cheese white, sausage, and NY cheese.
Sbarro also sells rectangular Roman pizza, which has a thick, Sicilian-style crust, and stromboli, which looks like a rolled-up pizza.
In addition, Sbarro sells different kinds of pasta, salads, and breadsticks.
14. Hungry Howie’s Pizza
Hungry Howie’s Pizza is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in pizza, calzone-style subs, wings, and salad.
There are over 500 Hungry Howie’s Pizza locations in 22 states.
The first Hungry Howie’s Pizza was opened by Jim Hearn in 1973 in Taylor, Michigan.
Ten years later, Hungry Howie’s became the first pizza restaurant to start serving flavored crust pizzas, beginning a trend that would soon be adopted by pizza chains nationwide.
In addition to its build-your-own pizza option, Hungry Howie’s serves ten different pizzas, including meat eaters, BBQ chicken, veggie, chicken bacon ranch, bacon cheddar cheeseburger, and buffalo chicken.
Hungry Howie’s offers nine kinds of flavored crust, including the original, garlic herb, sesame, Cajun, onion, ranch, Asiago cheese, butter cheese, and butter.
Lastly, Hungry Howie’s also serves a variety of calzone-style oven-baked subs, different flavors of Howie bread (cheesy, garlic-y breadsticks), salads, and boneless and traditional wings.
13. Uno Pizzeria & Grill
Uno Pizzeria & Grill is a restaurant chain specializing in Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
There are almost 75 Uno Pizzeria & Grill locations in 17 states.
The first Uno Pizzeria & Grill was opened by Ike Sewell in Chicago, Illinois, in 1943.
Sewell claims to have invented the deep dish pizza, characterized by its buttery crust, tall edges, and generous tomato sauce and cheese.
Uno Pizzeria serves nine kinds of deep dish pizza, including cheese & tomato, meatball & ricotta, four cheese & pesto, farmer’s market, and prima pepperoni.
They also have a build-your-own deep-dish pizza option available.
For those who are not a fan of deep dish pizza, Uno Pizzeria serves different kinds of thin crust pizza, including super roni, cheese, please!, BBQ chicken, Margherita, and spicy Hawaiian.
In addition to pizza, Uno Pizzeria & Grill’s menu features a ton of other entrees, including burgers, sandwiches, pasta, steak, and seafood.
12. Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom
Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom is a restaurant chain specializing in pizza and beer.
There are 80 Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom locations in 24 states.
Although it has “Chicago” in its name, the first Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom was not opened in Chicago but rather in Boulder, Colorado.
The restaurant was founded in 1976 and is based on the ideals and aesthetics of 1920s Chicago.
Old Chicago’s menu features a variety of pizzas in creative flavors like the Tuscan chicken with spinach, Thai, Italian grinder, and double deckeroni.
Old Chicago also has five kinds of Detroit-style deep dish pizza, famous for its rectangular shape and crispy, cheesy edges.
To complement its delicious pizza, Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom serves over 100 beers from all over the world.
11. Giordano’s Restaurant and Pizzeria
Giordano’s Restaurant and Pizzeria is a chain that serves Chicago-style stuffed deep-dish pizza.
There are almost 70 Giordano’s Restaurant and Pizzeria locations in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
The first Giordano’s Restaurant and Pizzeria was opened by brothers Efren and Joseph Boglio in Chicago, Illinois, in 1974.
Giordano’s signature stuffed deep dish pizza recipe originally belonged to the Boglio brothers’ mother, who lived in Torino, Italy, and called the pizza her “Italian Easter pie.”
The signature pizza on Giordano’s menu is their famous stuffed deep dish pizza, which comes in flavors like cheese, meat, and more meat, fresh spinach, super veggie, and bacon BBQ chicken.
However, for those who don’t like deep dish pizza, Giordano’s also serves Parmesan-crusted pan pizza, thin-crust pizza, and extra-thin crust pizza.
If you love Giordano’s stuffed deep dish pizza but don’t live near a Giordano’s location, you can get a pack of frozen deep dish pizzas shipped to you!
10. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is another Chicago mainstay specializing in Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
There are over 90 Lou Malnati’s locations, 76 of which are in the Chicagoland area. The rest are in Arizona, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
The first Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria was opened by Lou Malnati in Lincolnwood, Illinois, in 1971.
Lou Malnati’s commits itself to high-quality deep dish pizzas made from California vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, an exclusive sausage blend, and a secret buttery crust recipe passed down for generations.
The deep dish pizza is the signature item on Lou Malnati’s menu.
Lou Malnati’s serves various deep dish pizzas, including cheese, pepperoni, sausage, spinach, and veggie.
Lou Malnati’s also offers thin crust pizzas for those who aren’t huge fans of deep dish, which are available in the same flavors as the deep dish pizzas.
In addition to pizza, Lou Malnati’s offers different kinds of salad, pasta, and even sandwiches.
9. Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is an East Coast restaurant chain specializing in authentic coal-fired pizza and wings.
There are over 60 Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza locations in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
The first Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza was opened by Anthony Bruno, a Long Island native, in Florida in 2002.
Bruno was an authentic pizza enthusiast but couldn’t find the delicious flavor and quality he craved in Florida, so he decided to open his own pizzeria.
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza coal ovens get up to 900°F, which is integral to creating the distinctive flavor and texture of its pizza.
In addition to the create-your-own pizza option, Anthony’s offers nine flavors of coal-fired pizza, including broccoli rabe and sausage, margherita, caprese, eggplant marino, and roasted cauliflower.
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza also serves sandwiches, pasta, and coal-fired appetizers.
8. California Pizza Kitchen
California Pizza Kitchen is a casual dining restaurant chain specializing in California-style pizza.
There are almost 150 California Pizza Kitchen locations in 26 states.
The first California Pizza Kitchen was opened by former federal prosecutors Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax in Beverly Hills, California, in 1985.
California Pizza Kitchen prides itself on being the first restaurant to serve BBQ chicken pizza.
They were also one of the first restaurants to serve gluten-free and cauliflower crust pizza!
California Pizza Kitchen’s menu is full of creative pizza flavors, including BBQ chicken, Thai chicken, shrimp scampi, carne asada, Jamaican jerk, and tostada.
If you’re a huge fan of California Pizza Kitchen’s signature pizzas, you can even order a take-and-bake version to enjoy at home! In addition to pizza, California Pizza Kitchen serves various salads, pasta, sandwiches, and appetizers.
7. Your Pie
Your Pie is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in build-your-own pizzas, paninis, and salads with 70 locations in 19 states.
The first Your Pie was opened by Drew French in Athens, Georgia, in 2008.
Your Pie’s menu features customizable pizzas, offering a wide variety of doughs, sauces, cheeses, meats, and veggies.
Plus, you can drizzle your choice of dressing over the baked pizza!
Your Pie also offers six pre-made pizza flavors: Ischia, Nat, Lineage, Southern Heat, Great White, and BBQ Chicken.
In addition to pizza, Your Pie serves customizable and pre-made pasta, paninis, and salads.
6. Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom is a Georgia-based restaurant chain specializing in fresh, stone-baked pizzas, salads, and wings.
There are over 200 Mellow Mushroom locations in the US.
The first Mellow Mushroom opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1974.
Mellow Mushroom prides itself on its signature Mellow dough, which is made with unbleached wheat flour, Appalachian spring water, and no refined white sugar.
The Mellow Mushroom menu offers eleven signature stone-baked pizzas, many of which are vegetarian and/or gluten-free.
One of the most popular stone-baked pizzas at Mellow Mushroom is the House Special.
It’s made with Mellow red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, applewood smoked bacon, mushrooms, black olives, Roma tomatoes, green peppers, and onions.
If you’d prefer, you can also build your own pie, choosing the size, sauces, cheeses, and toppings to suit your exact preferences.
In addition to delicious stone-baked pizzas, Mellow Mushroom serves a wide variety of entrees, salads, calzones, sandwiches, and burgers.
5. Blaze Pizza
Blaze Pizza is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in customizable, made-to-order pizza.
There are over 300 Blaze Pizza locations in 40 states.
Blaze Pizza prides itself on serving pizza made from fresh, never-frozen dough with no artificial colors or preservatives.
Blaze’s packaging is also eco-friendly, made from recyclable, compostable, and post-consumer reclaimed materials.
Blaze Pizza specializes in building your own pizza, allowing you to choose from five different doughs, five different sauces, eight different kinds of cheese, and a ton of meats and veggies.
If you’d prefer, you can also order a pre-made pizza in flavors like “meat eater,” BBQ chicken, and artichoke lover.
In addition to pizza, Blaze offers side salads and cheesy bread on the menu.
4. Mod Pizza
Mod Pizza is a Seattle-based fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in make-your-own pizzas.
There are over 500 Mod Pizza locations in the US and Canada.
The first Mod Pizza was opened by Scott and Ally Svenson in their hometown of Seattle, Washington, in 2008.
Mod Pizza prides itself on serving delicious, fast, and customizable pizzas but also serving communities by donating meals to food banks and hiring people who would often otherwise face barriers to employment.
Mod’s signature is its create-your-own pizza, which allows you to choose from over 30 different toppings.
Mod also offers a variety of pre-made pizzas, including the “Lucy Sunshine,” which comes with red sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, and artichokes, and the “Calexico,” which is made with mozzarella, gorgonzola, chicken, jalapenos, hot buffalo sauce, and red sauce.
In addition to pizza, Mod offers customizable and pre-made salads and cheesy garlic bread.
3. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is the largest and most popular pizza chain worldwide, specializing in pizza, breadsticks, and pasta.
There are almost 18,000 Pizza Hut locations globally, over 6,000 of which are in the US.
The first Pizza Hut was opened in 1958 by the Carney brothers in Wichita, Kansas.
By 1971, Pizza Hut had become the number one pizza chain in the US.
In 1994, Pizza Hut became the first pizza chain to offer online delivery, and in 2001, Pizza Hut became the first restaurant to deliver pizza to the International Space Station.
Pizza Hut’s pizza menu features nine classic kinds of pizza: cheese, pepperoni, meat lover’s, veggie lover’s, and Hawaiian chicken.
They also have a create-your-own-pizza option available on the menu.
In addition to pizza, Pizza Hut sells a wide variety of wings, breadsticks, and pasta.
2. Papa John’s
Papa John’s is one of the largest and most popular pizza chains in the US.
There are over 3,000 Papa John’s locations in all 50 states, plus Washington DC.
The first Papa John’s was opened in Jeffersonville, Indiana, in 1984.
Papa John’s serves pizza that is free of MSG, BHA, BHT, cellulose, and partially hydrogenated oils.
Papa John’s pizza menu has three basic flavors: cheese, pepperoni, and sausage.
In addition, Papa John’s serves many deluxe pizza flavors, including BBQ chicken bacon, fiery buffalo chicken, super Hawaiian, pepperoni meatball, zesty Italian trio, and Tuscan six cheese.
On top of their pizza, Papa John’s menu includes wings, breadsticks, and Papadias, which are their take on quesadillas.
1. Domino’s
Domino’s is another of the most popular pizza chains in the US, specializing in pizza, pasta, and wings.
There are over 6,000 Domino’s locations in all 50 states.
The first Domino’s opened in 1960 and was called DomiNick’s.
Five years later, the restaurant was bought out by two brothers, Tom and James, and its name was changed to “Domino’s.”
The Domino’s menu allows you to build your own pizza or choose from one of their twelve specialty pizza flavors, including “MeatZZa,” Philly cheese steak, Pacific veggie, Honolulu Hawaiian, ultimate pepperoni, and Memphis BBQ chicken.
In addition to its delicious pizza, Domino’s sells different kinds of pasta, wings, sandwiches, salads, and bread.
Conclusion
There’s no shortage of great pizza places in the US. Each of these pizza chains on our list offers different varieties of pizza that will suit your taste.
Whether you like Chicago-style deep dish or New York-style thin crust, cheese, meat, or veggies, use our list to find the best pizza place near you to satisfy your craving.
