The 2 Famous Pizza Chains That Got Their Start In Michigan

From its ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman origins to the frozen varieties you can bake at home, pizza has undeniably evolved over the centuries. This evolution has included the emergence of various pizza styles, like Neapolitan and Chicago deep dish, throughout different regions of the United States. One thing has remained the same: Few people can resist these sauce-and-topping-covered pies.

Since pizza is a go-to meal option for many Americans, it makes sense that there were more than 80,000 pizza restaurants operating across the country as of 2022 (per Statista). These are operated by dozens of chains, but the top three ranked by sales and number of locations are Domino's Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Little Caesars. Surprisingly, two of these chains are Michigan-born: Domino's and Little Caesars. Even more interesting is the fact that these brands' first locations opened just one year (and about 20 miles) apart.

Ypsilanti, Michigan, located on the outskirts of Ann Arbor and Detroit, is where the storied history of Domino's began. Brothers James and Tom Monaghan, both of whom were raised in the St. Joseph Home for Children and later served in the military, opened the first store way back in 1960. Because Jim once worked in a pizzeria, the pair purchased an established location called DomiNick's (one of three family-run pizza restaurants) from Dominick DeVarti for just $500, and they initially kept the name. Within the first five years, however, Tom became the sole owner and changed the name to Domino's.

The pizzeria only grew from there: It had 200 U.S. locations by 1978, went international to Canada and Australia in 1983, and now has over 14,400 locations in more than 85 countries. Delivering over 1.5 million pizzas a day according to the company's website, Domino's is responsible for a few notable industry innovations: insulated delivery bags, corrugated pizza boxes, and 3D car-top signs. The chain has also revolutionized the online ordering experience with its Pizza Builder and Domino's Tracker, both of which launched in 2008.

Despite its success — and its spot as the leading pizza chain in the country — Domino's could be in trouble considering its closure of over 200 stores in the first half of 2025. Still, it's unlikely that this fan-favorite pizza chain will be shuttering anytime soon.

Little Caesars started in Garden City, Michigan, a western suburb of Detroit, in 1959. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952, Michael Ilitch met Marian Bayoff in 1954 on a blind date, and the couple — both children of Macedonian immigrants — married later that year. While he was working as a door-to-door salesman, the pair decided to put the entirety of their $10,000 life savings into opening a family pizza restaurant. (One of the things you might not know about Little Caesars is that its title was Marian's nickname for Mike.)

After seeing initial success, the single shop expanded to 50 U.S. locations and one Canadian store by 1969, and as of 2023, it has grown to more than 4,200 locations across the U.S., with more stores across 25 other countries and territories. The iconic "Pizza!Pizza!" phrase launched in 1979 to represent a two-for-one deal, and while Little Caesars still uses the phrase, it's no longer tied to a specific promotion.

Even more iconic is the chain's innovative HOT-N-READY model, which launched in 1997. For this concept, employees prepare large classic pizzas ahead of time and hold them at a food-safe temperature for walk-in customers, who can grab them and go in 30 seconds or less. Little Caesars combined this model with its revolutionary RESERVE-N-READY service in 2017, giving customers a way to order online and pick up their pizzas at a designated Pizza Portal without waiting in line. Fortunately, it's still possible to get freshly made pizza from Little Caesars by customizing your pie.