Pizza Hut beats Domino’s as America’s favorite pizza chain, poll finds

Pizza Hut remains America’s favorite pizza chain, surpassing Domino’s in a closely watched ranking of national pizza brands, according to YouGov’s new survey of more than 44,000 customers nationwide.

The survey, conducted between March 2025 and February 2026 as part of the organization’s annual restaurant rankings report, found Pizza Hut received 19.1% of votes for best-tasting fast food pizza, compared to 17.1% for Domino’s.

Papa Johns (11.4%), Little Caesars (5.3%) and Marco’s Pizza (4.7%) rounded out the top five.

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“Pizza Hut’s lead over Domino’s in our best-tasting pizza rankings shows that the brand continues to benefit from strong long-term affinity among consumers, particularly older Americans, who have a very positive impression of the chain,” Kenton Barello, YouGov’s Chicago-based senior vice president, told Fox News Digital.

“There’s likely a nostalgia factor at play as well, as Pizza Hut has been a familiar part of the American food scene for decades.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Pizza Hut and the American Pizza Community for comment.

The results reveal how legacy pizza chains continue to resonate with consumers even as restaurant habits change and diners seek value, convenience and familiarity amid rising food costs and economic uncertainty.

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Pizza chains also face increasing competition from frozen pizza brands and independent pizzerias, making brand loyalty increasingly important.

Frozen pizza sales will reach nearly $7 billion in 2024 as consumers cut back on takeout spending. Recently reported Food and Wine.

“Pizza Hut has been a familiar part of the American dining landscape for decades,” an executive from YouGov told Fox News Digital. (Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The results also show that while national chains continue to dominate brand recognition, many Americans still believe the best pizza may come closer to home.

More than a fifth of those surveyed said local or regional pizza brands beat national chains outright.

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“One of the most interesting findings is that the largest share of Americans choose ‘another local or regional brand’ among the national chains we tested, highlighting the staying power of independent pizzerias,” Barello said.

“The broader takeaway for the pizza industry is that while marketing visibility is important, familiarity, emotional connection and consistency continue to play a key role in shaping consumer preference in a highly competitive category.”

YouGov’s findings analyzed responses from more than 44,000 U.S. consumers about restaurant quality, value and food preferences. The more comprehensive report examined consumers’ attitudes towards fast food, casual dining and specialty restaurant brands.

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For the pizza category specifically, respondents were asked which chains they thought offered the best pizza among major national brands.

Although Pizza Hut received 19.1% of the vote, more Americans said they preferred regional or local pizzerias. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

“The broader takeaway for the pizza industry is that while marketing visibility is important, familiarity, emotional connection and consistency continue to play an important role in shaping consumer preference in a highly competitive category,” Barello said.

Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958 and began franchising a year later. Currently headquartered in Plano, Texas, Pizza Hut has nearly 20,000 locations in more than 100 countries, according to its website.

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Domino’s opened its first restaurant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, two years after Pizza Hut.

Originally called DomiNick’s Pizza, the restaurant was renamed Domino’s in 1965 and opened its first franchise location in 1967.

Domino’s currently has more than 22,300 stores worldwide, according to its website.