Editor’s note: To learn more about why the reign of the big chains might be over, click here to download PMQ’s full Pizza Power Report for free.
By Rick Hynum
Is the U.S. hitting “peak pizza”? That’s the question posed by a recent Wall Street Journal article that focuses on issues plaguing several of the country’s top chains. Then, again, the major chains are just one segment of the pizza industry. If you ask experts in the indie pizzeria community, they’ll tell you a different story.
The WSJ notes that there are now more coffee shops and Mexican restaurants than pizzerias, asserting that “sales growth at pizza restaurants has lagged behind the broader fast-food market for years, and the outlook ahead isn’t much brighter.”
“Pizza is disrupted right now,” Ravi Thanawala, Papa Johns’ CFO, told the WSJ. “That’s what the consumer tells us.”
And it’s true that some major chains, including Papa Johns itself, are in trouble. Last November Papa Johns CEO Todd Penegor told investors that ownership is “open-minded” to finding a buyer and “would fully consider it.”
As PMQ has reported (see link below), Pizza Hut, the country’s No. 2 chain, could also be sold off, and take-and-bake giant Papa Murphy’s parent company is exploring the possibility, too. Pieology, a fast-casual brand, filed for bankruptcy protection in December, and California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) was purchased last month by an investor group for a reported figure of under $300 million, compared to the $470 million it sold for in 2011 when the brand went private.
Related: Troubled Pizza Chains Look to Uncertain Future in Coming Year
But does that mean Americans are “falling out of love with pizza,” as the WSJ article’s headline boldly states? In fact, that story pays little heed to independent pizzerias. Loren Padelford is chief revenue officer at Slice, a popular technology platform for indie operators, and he has a different take—less doom-and-gloom, more opportunity-is-knocking.
As Padelford explained in PMQ’s recent Pizza Power Report for 2026, yes, many large chains are hurting, but that just means independents are now better positioned to step into the gap.
“The era of the chains is over, and the era of indie pizza is in full swing,” Padelford said in December. “More shops are opening than ever before, and more are staying open. This is the greatest time in the last 100 years to open an independent pizzeria.”
Related: Pizzeria Failure Rate Is Not What You Think, New Study Shows
Slice partners with a network of more than 15,000 independent pizza shops nationwide. Padelford said Slice has seen about a 20% year-over-year increase in orders from indie pizzerias, “which indicates strong growth in the sector.”
So how can independent operators prove the Wall Street Journal wrong about so-called “peak pizza” in 2026? As a follow-up to our Pizza Power Report coverage, we’ve asked Padelford to lay it out for us.
PMQ: How are the smartest independent operators adapting to shifts in consumer behavior, especially as it pertains to value, convenience and loyalty?
Loren Padelford: The smartest indie operators are taking back control of their customers and their customer data from the third parties who have monopolized it over the last number of years. Smart operators want to own their customer data so they can deliver targeted and specific discounts and loyalty rewards to their best customers.
Additionally, smart indie operators look at the big pizza moments throughout the year (Super Bowl, National Pizza Month, Day before Thanksgiving) as opportunities to further engage with their best customers, create unique offerings and experiment with promotions and marketing engagements to drive ordering. Finally, the best indie owners are focused on making ordering from them super easy, ensuring their websites have great pictures and ordering built in and that their Google profiles are always up to date.
PMQ: What do you think will separate independents who thrive in 2026 from those who struggle?
Padelford: With tariffs and rising overall costs, those shops that can find ways to reduce their supply-chain costs on core items, lower their vendor counts, and eliminate labor and third parties will make more profit and have more flexibility. Additionally, those who push their customers to order via their website and not by phone will see larger average orders and more profit than those who rely on walk-ins and phone.
PMQ: We know a presence on Facebook and other social media platforms, no matter how strong, is not enough for pizzerias. They absolutely must have a website, right?
Padelford: Having your own website with integrated ordering, keeping your Google Business Profile and Order with Google updated, and having your website available on as many channels as possible—Apple Maps, Bing, OneBite, TripAdvisor, etc.—help ensure that when consumers are looking for pizza, they will find you and not a third party aggregator. This will drive your orders and your profit
PMQ: And how does technology fit into the picture?
Padelford: In 2026, the best shops are doubling down on the best technology to help them run their shops more efficiently and helping them make more money. [Working with] five tablets, multiple POS systems and five websites costs the shops profit, time and customer loyalty. Those shops that integrate their technology into a single, unified platform that allows real-time insights into the best performing order channels, profitability and best-sellers gives operators a massive leg up on those still relying on paper and pen.
Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.
