Slicing Up The Pizza Industry: Pizza Statistics and Trends

It wasn’t until after WWII that pizza caught on in the United States Since then, it has become part of the American dietary fabric. Today, pizza is undoubtedly one of the most popular food choices in America and is proving adaptable to changing times and growing trends. We’ll look at some pizza statistics that reveal interesting pizza industry trends, pizza consumption data and demonstrate how pizza has conquered the world.

Combining All The Right Ingredients

Statistics show that the pizza industry is vibrant and stable. The overall performance and growth of the pizza industry continues to have a noticeable impact on the U.S. economy demonstrating how popular pizza is in America. All indications are that the industry is not slowing down.

• Pizza restaurants generated an average of over $45 billion in sales over a recent 5-year span.
• Chain and franchise pizza restaurants account for over 60% of sales.
• Between 2012-2020, the number of pizza restaurants grew by over 750 units per year.
• The market size of the pizza restaurant industry grew to $65.2 billion in 2022.
• The pizza industry market is expected to grow by an additional $42.2 million by 2025.
• The pizza industry market grew by 6% in 2022.
• The market growth of the pizza industry has outpaced the overall U.S. economy.
• The global pizza market is expected to reach over $233 billion in 2023.
• There are over 71,000 pizza restaurants in America.

Americans Are Spending Big Bucks on QSR Pizza

According to pizza statistics, the American appetite for pizza is reflected in how much is spent in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) segment of the pizza industry. This is contributing to strong growth in the QSR pizza industry.

• U.S. consumers spent over $40 billion on pizza within the QSR industry in 2022.
• QSR pizza sales increased by over 10% between 2018-2020.
• QSR pizza sales are second only to burgers.
• Consumer spending on carry-out pizza orders grew by around 8% between 2021-2022.

I’d Like to Order a Super-Mega-Large Pizza, Please!

Pizza statistics on the amount of pizza Americans consume are staggering. Americans simply eat a LOT of pizza each year. Americans consume about 1/3 of all the pizza eaten globally. Here are some more pizza statistics to digest:

• The average American will eat over 6,000 slices of pizza over their lifetime.
• Americans eat 23-lbs, or 46 slices, of pizza each year.
• Americans consume 3 billion pizzas every year.
• About 100 acres of pizza are consumed in the U.S. every day.

No matter how you slice it… that’s a whole bunch of pizza being eaten.

Forget About Taco Tuesday… Every Day is Pizza Day

Not only do Americans eat an enormous amount of pizza each year, we also eat it frequently, according to pizza statistics. While dinner remains the most popular time to eat pizza, and Saturday night is the most popular night, pizza consumption statistics show that Americans will eat pizza any day and for any meal.

• 13% of Americans eat pizza every day.
• 94% of Americans eat pizza on a regular basis.
• 83% of Americans eat pizza at least once per month.
• 40% of Americans eat pizza at least once per week.
• Around 1/3 of all consumers consider pizza to be a perfect choice for breakfast.

All of this goes to prove that Americans love their pizza!

Put Everything On It, But Hold The Anchovies

One of the greatest attributes of pizza is the variety of ways it can be customized by combining different toppings, sauces and crusts. The pizza statistics on how Americans enjoy their pizza shows regional differences, some heavy favorites, and not-so-favorites. For example, Americans prefer meat toppings over veggies at a 2-to-1 ratio.

The favorite toppings of American consumers are as follows:

• Pepperoni is the overwhelming favorite topping, preferred by 64% of consumers.
• Pepperoni accounts for 1/3 of all pizza orders.
• 251.7 million pounds of pepperoni are eaten on pizzas in the U.S. every year.
• Sausage is the second favorite, preferred by 56% of pizza lovers.
• Mushrooms (54%), extra cheese (52%), and onions (45%) round out the top five ingredients most ordered on pizzas.

The most disliked toppings of American consumers are as follows:

• Anchovies top the list, with 61% of Americans thumbing their nose at the salty fish.
• In second place as the least favorite ingredient is Eggplant, with 52% of consumers saying no to the purple garden fruit.
• Artichokes (44%), broccoli (39%), and pineapple (35%) finish off the top five most rejected pizza toppings.
• Pineapple continues to be a source of passionate disagreement as to whether or not it even belongs on a pizza!

Regarding crusts, Americans prefer the three top crust styles, and there are some regional divides.

• 31% of Americans prefer thin-crust pizza.
• 29% of Americans prefer regular-crust pizza.
• 18% of Americans prefer deep-dish pizza.
• Consumers in the West and Midwest prefer thin-crust.
• Consumers in the Northwest prefer regular crust.
• Consumers in the South like thin-crust and regular-crust equally.

Pizza Lovers Are Asking for Expanded Options and Experiences

Pizza industry trends indicate consumers increasingly ask for alternative toppings, specialty crusts, and healthier ingredients. Cultural and dietary changes are expanding the ingredients and menu options many pizza restaurants offer. Plant-based meat-substitute ingredient demand rose over 50% in Q2 of 2021 alone.

Other top pizza industry trends include:

• Alternative crusts like cauliflower, flourless and gluten-free.
• Alternative sauce options such as alfredo, barbeque, and pesto.
• Non-traditional toppings including pickles, pumpkin, buffalo chicken, and mac & cheese.
• Vegan and other healthier options.

Box It Up and Take It Home

Pizza statistics tell the story of how much Americans love their pizza. With the addition of growing technology such as online ordering, robotic delivery, and digital rewards programs, it’s safe to say that the pizza industry can expect continued growth, variety, and stability for many years to come. Gambino’s Pizza plans to be right in the middle of it all. If you’re interested in starting a Gambino’s pizza franchise, fill out our inquiry form, or call us at 316-945-2277.