America's appetite for pizza may be cooling as other eateries expand

Pizzerias have fallen from the second-most common U.S. restaurant type and now trail coffee shops and Mexican-inspired eateries, and pizza-chain sales growth has lagged the broader fast-food market.

Pizza restaurants in the U.S. have lost ground as other dining categories grow. Once the second-most common restaurant type, pizzerias are now outnumbered by coffee shops and Mexican-inspired eateries, the article says. Sales growth at pizza restaurants has trailed the broader fast-food market for years. Industry leaders and investors are reassessing business models amid changing consumer choices. Key points: - Pizzerias are no longer the second-most common U.S. restaurant type and are now outnumbered by coffee shops and Mexican-inspired eateries, according to industry data. - Pizza chains generated about $31 billion in sales from restaurants in 2024, and the Agriculture Department estimates roughly one in 10 Americans eats a slice on a given day. - Pizza ranked sixth in U.S. sales among restaurant-chain cuisines in 2024, down from second place in the 1990s, and the number of pizza restaurants peaked in 2019 and has fallen since, industry data show. - Several pizza operators have faced financial strain: the parent of Pieology filed for Chapter 11 in December, other chains have previously filed, and midsize brands have closed locations while working on turnarounds. - Major chains are adjusting strategies: Domino’s has grown sales with aggressive deals, Pizza Hut has reported eight straight quarters of lower U.S. sales at restaurants open at least a year, and Papa John’s is pursuing a turnaround that includes store closures and operational fixes like oven recalibration. - California Pizza Kitchen was sold in December for under $300 million, and its new owners plan to emphasize a broader sit-down menu and grocery products. Summary: Pizza remains widely consumed but its relative share of the restaurant market is shrinking even as total sales stay sizable. Industry responses described in the article include potential sales, restructurings, menu changes and store closures. Undetermined at this time.