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.
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Chain Opened Note
Shakey’s 1954 Commonly credited as the first pizza chain to franchise.
Pizza Hut 1958 Opened later, but became the best-known early pizza chain.
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