"Ahh, the humble pizza. So simple and yet so delicious, it's no wonder how it has managed to conquer the globe. Adored by finicky foodies and students alike, it's is the great equalizer of sustenance. There's no shortage of this doughy treat in the US — The pizza restaurant industry landscape is one of the most popular in the United States, with more than $62 billion in annual pizzeria and Italian restaurant retail sales. As of March 2014 there were more than 98,000 restaurants in the USA that fall into the pizza, pasta & Italian simplified menu type. More than 70,000 of those restaurant operators are sub-classified in the pizzeria menu type. California and New York lead in the number of pizza restaurant establishments. Half of the pizzerias and 84 percent of Italian restaurants in the United States are independently operated."