Pizza Capital of the United States?

[heedus]

There is a story about Little Caesars in Crain's this morning [[http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/304269954) that lists the estimated market share of the larger pizza chains in the United States. Pizza Hut appears to dominate the market with 18.2 percent, but Dominos and Little Caesars have substantial shares of the market [[10.4 and 3.6 percent, respectively), especially given the pizza market fragmentation. The only other pizza chain listed was Papa John's with 7 percent of the market.

That got me thinking, what were the other players in the pizza market -- i.e., who made up the remaining 60 percent? If two of the largest pizza chains in the United States are headquartered in Metro Detroit, does that make Detroit the take-out/delivery pizza capital of the world, especially considering that Dominos practically invented delivery and Little Caesars made pizza a fast food of sorts?

I looked at the other major players in this area [[Hungry Howie's, Jet's, Benito's Pizza, Cottage Inn, Papa Romano's, etc.) and all of them were headquarted in SE Michigan, except for one, Marco's, which is actually headquartered in Toledo and has 140 locations in 17 states. While Benito', Cottage Inn, and Papa Romano's don't extend much, if at all, beyond Michigan, Hungry Howie's [[572 locations in 22 states) and Jet's [[locations in 10 states) appear to be fairly large, national players.

Although Detroit is not known for a style of pizza quite to the same extent as New York or Chicago, there is such a thing as Detroit-style pizza. With all of our pizza making exploits, is this something that Detroit could leverage for its benefit? Branding our city as such could be fun. In addition, if marketed/branded correctly, it could also draw in some tourism/economic development [[national pizza tasting contests?). Cleveland named itself the rock capital of the world, why can't we do the same for Detroit and pizza? Pizza sure ain't rock and roll, but it is America's favorite food.

While typing this, I also realized that how ironic it would be to name Detroit the pizza capital of the world given that it's very difficult to get late night delivery in dowtown. Also, when considering this idea, clear your mind of any disdain for Mike Ilitch and Tom Monaghan. I'm sure the owners of Hungry Howies and Jets are good guys...

[Johnlodge]

There is a story about Little Caesars in Crain's this morning [[http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/304269954) that lists the estimated market share of the larger pizza chains in the United States. Pizza Hut appears to dominate the market with 18.2 percent, but Dominos and Little Caesars have substantial shares of the market [[10.4 and 3.6 percent, respectively), especially given the pizza market fragmentation. The only other pizza chain listed was Papa John's with 7 percent of the market.

That got me thinking, what were the other players in the pizza market -- i.e., who made up the remaining 60 percent? If two of the largest pizza chains in the United States are headquartered in Metro Detroit, does that make Detroit the take-out/delivery pizza capital of the world, especially considering that Dominos practically invented delivery and Little Caesars made pizza a fast food of sorts?

I looked at the other major players in this area [[Hungry Howie's, Jet's, Benito's Pizza, Cottage Inn, Papa Romano's, etc.) and all of them were headquarted in SE Michigan, except for one, Marco's, which is actually headquartered in Toledo and has 140 locations in 17 states. While Benito', Cottage Inn, and Papa Romano's don't extend much, if at all, beyond Michigan, Hungry Howie's [[572 locations in 22 states) and Jet's [[locations in 10 states) appear to be fairly large, national players.

Although Detroit is not known for a style of pizza quite to the same extent as New York or Chicago, there is such a thing as Detroit-style pizza. With all of our pizza making exploits, is this something that Detroit could leverage for its benefit? Branding our city as such could be fun. In addition, if marketed/branded correctly, it could also draw in some tourism/economic development [[national pizza tasting contests?). Cleveland named itself the rock capital of the world, why can't we do the same for Detroit and pizza? Pizza sure ain't rock and roll, but it is America's favorite food.

While typing this, I also realized that how ironic it would be to name Detroit the pizza capital of the world given that it's very difficult to get late night delivery in dowtown. Also, when considering this idea, clear your mind of any disdain for Mike Ilitch and Tom Monaghan. I'm sure the owners of Hungry Howies and Jets are good guys...

You know Tom Monaghan has had nothing to do with Dominos for the past decade.

[iheartthed]

I would think that naming any place in the U.S. as the pizza capital of the world might come off as a little... self-consumed?

[heedus]

You know Tom Monaghan has had nothing to do with Dominos for the past decade.

I know, but he was the founder of the company and ran it for a number of years. Some of the posters may not care for him much and may not know that David Brandon [[the guy in the bailout commercials) is now running the show. Ilitch and Monaghan are just synonymous with Little Caesars and Dominos.

[Johnlodge]

I worked at Dominos when I was in college, and some people there had worked there when Ernie Harwell was let go. Apparently people were calling up the store [[and other Dominos) for days just to scream at them about Ernie, as though people working in a Dominos franchise had any control over who announces for the Tigers.

[Big Dog]

Jet's opened one in Columbus OH and are opening another about 15 miles outside Columbus. Really catching there, in spite of the economy.

[Downriviera]

Heres what you do for a free pizza. Go to the used clothing store and pick up an old Dominos delivery shirt. Put it on and order a pizza. When the delivery guy comes to the door, take the pizza from him and say,"Thanks, I'll take it from here" then slam the door.

[FlyingJ]

There was an interesting part in "Fast Food Nation" about a guy outta the Red Wings farm system who'd retired to buy a Colorado Springs Little Caesar's franchise & how the Illitches had a formal program to reward those players[[I imagine it must hold true for the Tigers prospects as well)

[Johnlodge]

A friend of mine and I once snuck into the Warped Tour using our Domino's uniforms. We had no tickets, and there were more people looking for tickets than people looking to sell them. We saw a Dominos booth inside the gates, and Dominos people coming and going at will bringing in pies from the local store, so we got our uniforms out of the car and walked right in. I felt so James Bond-ish.

[crawford]

These chains are all horrible. How is it something to be proud of, at least from a culinary standpoint?

Usually places with good pizza are not dominated by chains. There are few chains in Italy. Even in NYC, I would say 95% of the pizzerias are independents.

[Johnlodge]

BTW the original poster missed the 3rd largest Pizza Delivery company in the US - Papa John's. They are out of Louisville, KY.

[oneway]

No, he had it.

The only other pizza chain listed was Papa John's with 7 percent of the market.

I've wondered about this myself, heedus. Don't forget Buddy's, either. We have some great independents, not to mention some party stores.

[Johnlodge]

Oops, I must have been sped redding.

[Retroit]

"who made up the remaining 60 percent?"

Did they include all the "independents" in the count? They should have just counted the chains.

"With all of our pizza making exploits, is this something that Detroit could leverage for its benefit? Branding our city as such could be fun."

But you've forgotten that once pizza becomes associated with Detroit, they will discover that pizza is the cause of all our problems. We will be criticized for not eating like the Japanese and Chinese. There will be class action lawsuits claiming that pizza has caused all sorts of maladies. Pizza eating will be banned from public. The federal government will step in and there will be Congressional Hearings. Obama will threaten to appoint a Pizza Czar. The Pizza CEOs will be derided for flying around in corporate jets. Detroit will be on every Forbes list for "worst Pizza cities". You know the rest.

[heedus]

BTW the original poster missed the 3rd largest Pizza Delivery company in the US - Papa John's. They are out of Louisville, KY.

I mentioned Papa John's in the last sentence of my first paragraph. They have a 7 percent share of the U.S. market.

I realize that Dominos and Little Caesars isn't the best pizza in the world. In fact, Dominos is probably my least favorite pizza, and I only like Little Caesars b/c its cheap and fast. I also understand that many of you are against restaurant chains. No one wants to see TGI Fridays and Applebees on every corner in downtown Detroit.

My post was intended to just get an idea out there. This state, and Detroit in particular, needs to start leveraging its assets better. I believe that a concentration of pizza chains like we have in Detroit is an asset, at the very least, a distinguishing characteristic. How can we best utilize that asset/distinguishing characteristic?

We've let so many local businesses/brands go the way of the dodo bird: Hudsons, Jacobsons, Crowleys, Kerns, K-Mart, Frank's Nursery, Arbor Drugs, Strohs, Michigan National Bank, Manufacturer's Bank, Murray's Discount Auto, Farmer Jack, Vlasic, etc., etc. I know that many of these brands/businesses were acquired or merged with other businesses and still live on, but their presence in Michigan/Metro Detroit is seriously diminished or completely gone.

I'd love to see Jets, Hungry Howies, Cottage Inn, Papa Romanos, and Benitos expand and do well nationally, especially if they keep their corporate offices here in Metro Detroit. Could making Detroit the Pizza Capital of the United States help? Maybe. I just would hate to see all of these businesses/brands move out of Michigan. Don't forget, Detroit used to be the Potato Chip Capital of the United States.

[gencinjay]

I've wondered about this myself, heedus. Don't forget Buddy's, either.

That's right. They were named in the top 5 pizza joints nationally by Food Network.

[Jimaz]

You could dress up the big Uniroyal tire to look like a pizza.

[TKshreve]

You could dress up the big Uniroyal tire to look like a pizza.

And then build a gateway to the city made of Pizza Slice shapes.



SE Michigan does house the largest consolidated number of pizza chains in the World. Unfortunately, most of "our" concepts are years and years removed from unique selling points that give them an original distinctive product.

While these may differ on delivery expertise, flavored crust, convenient/cheap, better ingredients/better pizza, etc: in the end, most of them are spitting out the same product when compared to NY style and Chicago style. It's just what regions have come to prefer.

[Onthe405]

We've let so many local businesses/brands go the way of the dodo bird: Hudsons, Jacobsons, Crowleys, Kerns, K-Mart, Frank's Nursery, Arbor Drugs, Strohs, Michigan National Bank, Manufacturer's Bank, Murray's Discount Auto, Farmer Jack, Vlasic, etc., etc. I know that many of these brands/businesses were acquired or merged with other businesses and still live on, but their presence in Michigan/Metro Detroit is seriously diminished or completely gone.

This homogenization of products & services is not a malady unique to metro Detroit. Sadly, countless corporate mergers & acquisitions have all but eliminated the regional character that once defined major cities across the USA.

Even worse, the surviving brand name is usually a mediocre byproduct that has little or nothing to do with the quality or uniqueness of the original product from which it derives its name. Typical are Squirt & Vernors, which were originally made in Detroit from cane sugar and quality ingredients, now mass produced by the mega-soft drink distributors using corn sweetners and artificial flavors.

Or the once prestigious stores synonymous with their respective cities: Marshall Field in Chicago, Bullock’s in Los Angeles, Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia, Woodward & Lothrop in DC, Burdine’s in Miami, JL Hudson in Detroit, The Bon Marche in Seattle, Meier & Frank in Portland, Rich’s in Atlanta, and the list goes on. All of these gems merged into the dressed up Wal-Mart blandness of the current incarnation known as “Macy’s� a once-venerable NYC-SF fashion landmark now operating out of Cincinnati!

[Detroitej72]

Quote: "We've let so many local businesses/brands go the way of the dodo bird: Hudsons, Jacobsons, Crowleys, Kerns, K-Mart, Frank's Nursery, Arbor Drugs, Strohs, Michigan National Bank, Manufacturer's Bank, Murray's Discount Auto, Farmer Jack, Vlasic, etc., etc. I know that many of these brands/businesses were acquired or merged with other businesses and still live on, but their presence in Michigan/Metro Detroit is seriously diminished or completely gone."

That got me thinking of all the companies that were from Detroit that have been sold and moved out of town in the last several years. Companies such as Vlasic, Hygrades, Thorn Apple Valley and the like were founded and used to be headquartered here, and are now, sadly long gone.

Thats why its refreashing to see products like Better Made, Fago, and Uncle Ray's still locally produced.

[reddog289]

Where is Happys Pizza in the mix? They have been popping up everywhere in the last year. When my Mom was dating my StepDad, Dominos was my dinner for many nights, But now days I'd rather eat Hot & Ready then Dominos. Seems lately that Papa Romanos is trying to make a comeback.There are alot of Pizza chains here now I think of it.

[gumby]

These chains are all horrible. How is it something to be proud of, at least from a culinary standpoint?

Blah blah blah, I have more discriminating taste buds than anyone else in the world, blah blah blah. So you don't like their pizza. Nobody gives a fuck, a lot of people do which is why they are one of the largest chains in the US. That is something to be proud of. Get over yourself.

[Mackinaw]

There are a lot of unique things about Detroit. I don't believe its pizza market is one of them, even if there seems to be a lot of chains borne out of this area. In terms of the pizza quality itself, there are some great ones here, but, again, nothing to cause us to be a "pizza capital."
Pizza Papalis is the truth, though.

[ejames01]

Calm down fella. Dominos and Little Caesars do make crappy Pizza. If sales were what makes a food product good then the Big Mac should be considered the best hamburger in the world.

Blah blah blah, I have more discriminating taste buds than anyone else in the world, blah blah blah. So you don't like their pizza. Nobody gives a fuck, a lot of people do which is why they are one of the largest chains in the US. That is something to be proud of. Get over yourself.

[Retroit]

I think the Michigan Central Station would make an excellent Pizza Hall of Fame.