Pizza used to be cheap, filling and everywhere — now Americans are walking away from it

Pizza might be losing its spot at the head of Americans' dinner tables.

While the cheesy dish remains one of America's most popular foods, it is no longer the go-to choice it once was. That's because higher prices, delivery apps, health trends and new competition are reshaping how and what people order for dinner.

Several pizza chains, including Pieology Pizzeria, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings and Bertucci's Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta, have filed for bankruptcy or closed locations — while many others are transforming their offerings. 

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Once the second-largest restaurant category in the 1990s, pizza ranked sixth in 2024, The Wall Street Journal recently reported.

Industry executives say the shift reflects changing consumer habits, not disappearing demand.

"Pizza is disrupted right now," Ravi Thanawala, chief financial officer and North America president at Papa Johns, told the outlet. "That's what the consumer tells us."

Rising prices and inflation have also changed how people think about pizza. A $20 pie can feel expensive compared to $5 fast-food deals, frozen pizzas or eating at home.

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Pizza chains still generated around $31 billion in sales in 2024, and roughly one in 10 Americans — mostly young consumers — reportedly eat pizza daily. 

Yet the number of pizza restaurants has declined since 2019 and is now outnumbered by coffee shops and Mexican-inspired eateries, according to the Journal.

"Other cuisines have something that pizza can't offer," said Bill Mitchell, the Kentucky-based CEO of restaurant management platform HungerRush and a former executive at Papa Johns, Dunkin' and Cicis Pizza. 

"Mexican and coffee concepts can provide breakfast options and a wider variety of experiences," he told Fox News Digital. "Pizza doesn't naturally operate as a breakfast or daily-habit food."

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As competition heats up, some chains are stressing value offers. 

Sales at Domino's have grown as the pizza chain has rolled out deals, such as a $9.99 offering for a large pie with toppings.

Others are expanding beyond traditional offerings. California Pizza Kitchen is promoting a new "Smart Swaps" menu that goes beyond pizza, featuring dishes like salmon and vegetarian lettuce wraps. 

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"Ongoing health and wellness mindsets, as well as more recent trends around diet, weight loss and nutrition are driving how people eat, and we're proud to meet these needs in creative and delicious ways," Paul Pszybylski, vice president of culinary innovation at California Pizza Kitchen, said in a statement.

"Pizza doesn't have to be synonymous with an unhealthy meal," Mitchell noted, adding that modernization will help bring customers back.

"The strongest pizza businesses right now are customer-focused and tech-enabled," Mitchell said. "They understand how to use customer data to optimize deals, loyalty programs and offerings for each customer rather than rely on mass strategy."

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He and other industry insiders say pizza is just normalizing after its long-held dominance, with delivery apps helping to level the playing field.

Pizza now competes directly with every restaurant on delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, a shift that has reshaped the industry, especially following a pandemic-era boom for the Italian favorite, Fox News Digital previously reported.

"Pizza is not falling out of favor, but rather normalizing after an incredible run," said Gregg Majewski, the Chicago-based founder and CEO of Craveworthy Brands, whose portfolio includes Fresh Brothers, a Midwest-style pizza chain in California. 

"When a category dominates for decades, even a slowdown is to be expected," Majewski told Fox News Digital. 

"It is the theory of evolution. What we are witnessing is a streamlined reset. Pizza remains one of the most emotional and accessible foods in America."

Personalized pizza can fit into healthy lifestyles, he said, through customization. 

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"When pizza delivers on freshness, portion, experience and consistency, guests are still willing to pay," Majewski said. "When it does not, they can trade that for what does."