• Domino’s broke its long-running streak of same-store sales growth in the third quarter of 2021, posting a decrease of 1.9%.
• Domino’s sales remained on the plus side but still decelerated to 2%, while Papa John’s kept rolling with a 6.9% increase in the third quarter.

Related: Domino’s helps local restaurants struggling with delivery woes

Same-store sales have slowed for the top players in the pizza industry, according to a new report from research firm Technomic.

Pizza sales surged as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the U.S. in 2021 and more consumers wanted to eat their pizza at home. In 2021, however, as pandemic-related restrictions began to ease and consumers had more dining choices, some of the top players “have experienced a notable deceleration in sales momentum,” the Technomic report says.

Domino’s broke its long-running streak of same-store sales growth in the third quarter of 2021, posting a decrease of 1. 9%. For Pizza Hut, same-store sales remained on the plus side in the third quarter but decelerated to 2% after expanding by 4% and 16% over the previous two quarters.

Papa Johns, meanwhile, keeps rolling, although its growth has slowed somewhat. The chain was the only brand to log higher same-store sales in the third quarter compared to the previous one, jumping to 6.9% after a 5.2% increase in the second quarter of 2021. “However,” Technomic notes, “the last two quarters have fallen notably short of the double-digit sales increases achieved throughout 2020.”

Papa Johns is celebrating its continued growth with a rebrand, including a refreshed logo (with no apostrophe in Johns) and color scheme, a new store design and easier customer access to omnichannel ordering and pickup options.