America's Number-One Pizza Chain In Terms Of Sales May Not Be The One You'd Guess

Pizza may be an Italian invention, but in the United States, quick-service, delivery pizza is an affordable and oh-so cheesy way to feed a hungry crowd. These days, fast food pizza chains dot practically every corner of the American landscape, but when it comes to which restaurant leads in revenue, many might be surprised. According to a recent report by QSR Magazine, Domino's dominated the fast food pizza market, generating an estimated $9.5 billion in nationwide sales in 2024.

Domino's opened its first location in 1960 in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and since then, the company has transformed the pizza game. In fact, one of its founders, Tom Monaghan, is credited with inventing the pizza box as we know it today. Domino's also invented and patented insulated delivery bags, ensuring a hot and steamy pie would arrive at your doorstep every time. As the years went on, the company modernized, pioneering online ordering and delivery tracking systems, keeping customers informed about their pizza's whereabouts. Even in 2025, the company is continuing to evolve, with its first brand refresh in 13 years, though the jury's still out on how the public receives this change in visual identity. That being said, Domino's is far and away the most successful pizza company in the United States, with QSR reporting that the chain boasts an average unit volume of roughly $1.35 million, which is an estimate of the amount of sales each location earns in one year. It's an astonishing statistic, considering Domino's boasts more than 7,000 locations.

Though Domino's leads the pack by a staggering margin, the QSR report underscores that its closest rivals are still generating billions in revenue. Pizza Hut, which sits at second place, earned around $5.5 billion in sales in 2024, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at. The company owns an impressive 6,500 franchise locations across the country, with Texas having the most Pizza Hut locations of any state at 946. Though Pizza Hut did not invent stuffed crust pizza, it greatly boosted its popularity, becoming an iconic staple of American foodie culture in the 1990s and beyond.

In third place is Papa John's. The company's lightning-fast deliveries and commitment to fresh, never-frozen dough has clearly resonated with American consumers, earning it about $3.8 billion in 2024 sales. Papa John's bronze status in U.S. sales is even more impressive considering it only features around 1,100 franchise locations, roughly six times less than Domino's. Just behind Papa John's is Little Caesars, with an estimated $3.5 billion in sales last year, and in fifth place is Toledo, Ohio-based Marco's Pizza, which earned a little over $1 billion. To put it in perspective, Domino's, with its 2024 sales of $9.5 billion, is more than double Pizza Hut's in the same timeframe, and almost 10 times more than Marco's Pizza. While it might be a runaway race at the moment, the pizza industry is still incredibly competitive, with the rat race fiercely raging on.