what was first fast food pizza chain to open
The first fast-food pizza chain is generally considered Shakey’s , which began in 1954 in Sacramento, California and is often described as the first pizza chain to franchise.
Quick Scoop
A lot of people guess Pizza Hut, but Pizza Hut opened later, in 1958.
Why Shakey’s comes first
- It started earlier than Pizza Hut.
- It expanded as a chain, which is why it’s usually credited as the first fast-food pizza chain.
Common confusion
- Pizza Hut is one of the earliest and most famous pizza chains, but it was not first.
- Some sources loosely say Pizza Hut was “first” in fast-food pizza because it popularized the format at scale, but the earlier chain was Shakey’s.
| Chain | Opened | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shakey’s | 1954 | Commonly credited as the first pizza chain to franchise. | [3]
| Pizza Hut | 1958 | Opened later, but became the best-known early pizza chain. | [1][3]