Who’s winning the pizza wars in the pandemic? In Florida, it’s not who you’d think

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ordering pizza became America’s national pastime.

And this was good news for Little Caesar’s.

The Detroit-based chain is the preferred source of pizza for hungry customers in 24 states, according to Top Data’s Pizza Report. And that includes Florida.

Sorry, Papa John’s. You only lead the way in nine states. Too bad, Domino’s. You’ve got the top pies in only seven.

Could be worse, though. You could be Pizza Hut, which is the top pizza seller only in Louisiana and South Dakota.

So why is Little Caesar’s so popular? Top Data speculates that the price is right — $5 pizzas have a certain rugged appeal — and that the chain’s “Hot & Ready” model, which eliminates human interaction when you pick up your pizza, is appealing to many customers.

Still, Top Data reports, like all restaurants, pizza chains have suffered setbacks during the pandemic. Overall visits are down 20 percent, and even Little Caesar’s has seen a six percent decline in visits.

Here are the top pizza performers in Florida:

1. Little Caesar’s

2. Marco’s

3. Papa John’s

4. Domino’s

5. Pizza Hut

This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 2:18 PM.