The pizza restaurant industry is one of the most competitive dining sectors in the U.S., with two pizza giants ranking among the Top 8 of all fast-food chains based on locations in 2025.
Domino’s had the sixth-most number of locations with 7,014, behind Subway (19,502), Starbucks (16,935), McDonald’s (13,559), Dunkin’ (9,768), and Taco Bell (7,604). Pizza Hut had the eighth most locations with 6,557, behind No. 7 Burger King (6,701), according to QSR Magazine’s 2025 QSR 50 released in August.
Subway, 19,502
Starbucks, 16,935
McDonald’s, 13,559
Dunkin’, 9,768
Taco Bell, 7,604
Domino’s, 7,014
Burger King, 6,701
Pizza Hut, 6,557
Domino’s expects to continue its dominance and add a total of 175 new franchise units, according to its third quarter of 2025 earnings call.
“I think the appetite from franchisees continues to be very strong, which is why the pipeline visibility this year, frankly, is a little bit better than last year at the same time, and we’re very confident of the 175 stores we’re talking about for this year,” Domino’s Chief Financial Officer Sandeep Reddy said in the earnings call.
Pizza restaurants have faced severe economic headwinds this year, as several chains have dealt with fierce competition, as well as rising labor and food costs and high lease rates requiring several companies to launch out-of-court restructurings, close locations, and in some cases file for bankruptcy.
Seattle-based chain Mod Pizza had about 500 locations in 2024 and closed 27 stores before the company was sold to Chatsworth, Calif.-based Elite Restaurant Group. The company has continued closing locations in 2025 and currently lists 450 stores on its website.
Franchisees of the top pizza chains have faced financial distress and filed for bankruptcy, including Domino’s operator People First Pizza Inc., which filed Chapter 11 on March 26, 2025, and Little Caesars franchisee Red Door Pizza LLC, which filed its petition on July 15, 2025.
Smaller pizza restaurant chains often file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection when they are facing economic hardship.
Among the small pizza chains to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025 were Zeppe’s Tavern, with 13 locations, on March 31, 2025; and Bertucci’s Restaurants with 15 locations on April 24, 2025.
A Phoenix-based pizza chain, Fired Pie, launched in 2013 and grew to 20 locations by 2019 before the Covid pandemic impacted the restaurant industry in 2020 and the company began closing stores.
