The First Pizza Chain In America Wasn't Pizza Hut Or Domino's

It's no secret: Americans love dining at chains. And whenever hunger strikes, few food categories can compete with the dependable comfort of pizza. Whether it's slices at the nostalgic buffet Cici's or a box delivered home, this food fits a range of casual contexts. For many, the style of dining is such a go-to, it's hard to imagine a time before chain pizzerias.

Well it wasn't famed Pizza Hut or Domino's that first pioneered the pizza chain, but rather Shakey's that first franchised. The restaurant started in Sacramento, California in 1954, operating as an energetic hub for drinking, live jazz, and pies. Only two years later, another outlet opened in Portland, Oregon, then across the country in Albany, New York. Into the next decade, the chain grew to some 300 locations. Expansion even went to neighboring Canada, and later into Asia.

Unfortunately, not all the outlets of the once-buzzing eatery endured into the 21st century. Several Shakey's still operate in California, and many continue to work in the Philippines, but most turned into a nearly vanished old-school pizza chain nationwide. Nevertheless, the chain remains a foundational part of pizza chain history. 

Although Shakey's was the first to spread into several locations, many other chains emerged in the same period. Pizza Hut kicked off just four years later in 1958, opening their doors in Wichita, Kansas. As with Shakey's, expansion didn't take long — franchising occurred only a year later. Although Shakey's initially outnumbered Pizza Hut's in the 1960s, the two both experienced quick growth this era.

Right alongside came Little Caesars in 1959, announcing their arrival with the now dropped "Pizza! Pizza!" catchphrase. Their franchising occurred a few years later in 1962, but continued with steady growth for decades. And another popular pizza chain giant — Dominos — also got their start amidst this period, in 1960. For them, their timelines came a little later, with the first franchised store in 1967, but they experienced steady growth through the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st, spreading into an expansive global scale.

And some pizza chains stretch back with deeper roots; like Boston-operated Uno pizza. This Chicago-style pizzeria opened in the Windy City all the way back in 1943, but only franchised in 1978, after a management takeover. Original locations have been intentionally kept the same — but outlets also operate in over a dozen states, and two countries abroad. So next time you place a pie order, keep the history of chains in mind.