Pulse Reviews and Analysis
Best pizza franchises to buy in 2027
Curated by Kory White · Fractional CRO, CRO Syndicate
Direct Answer
The best pizza franchises to buy in 2027 fall into three models, and the right pick depends on your capital and how hands-on you want to be. Delivery and carryout brands like Domino's, Papa Johns, and Marco's Pizza run on volume and tight kitchens with little or no seating.
Sit-down and hybrid concepts like Jet's Pizza and Mountain Mike's add dining rooms and higher tickets. Low-investment niche concepts like Hunt Brothers Pizza (placed inside convenience stores) require the least capital. Most pizza franchises carry an Item 7 total initial investment between roughly $150,000 and $900,000, with delivery models often lower because they skip a dining room, franchise fees commonly $15,000 to $30,000, and royalties around 5% to 6% of gross sales plus a marketing fund.
Below are real Franchise Disclosure Document ranges and a process to verify them before you sign.
How pizza franchise economics actually work
Pizza is a high-throughput, ingredient-light business. A handful of core ingredients (dough, sauce, cheese, toppings) produce a wide menu, which keeps food cost controllable. The model lives and dies on order volume and delivery efficiency.
Delivery-and-carryout units need less square footage and no expensive dining-room build-out, so their Item 7 tends to run lower than sit-down restaurants.
The pressure points are labor (drivers and kitchen staff), delivery logistics (your own drivers versus third-party apps that take a cut), and build-out. A carryout-only endcap is far cheaper to open than a full-service pizzeria with a bar.
Delivery and carryout leaders
- Domino's Pizza — the category's efficiency benchmark. Item 7 commonly runs $140,000 to $560,000 (FDD, 2024). Domino's typically requires franchisees to have managed a store before owning one, so it is rarely a first business. Royalty around 5.5% plus advertising.
- Papa Johns — Item 7 commonly $130,000 to $850,000 (FDD, 2024) depending on format, royalty around 5%. Established delivery infrastructure and national marketing.
- Marco's Pizza — fast-growing carryout-and-delivery concept. Item 7 frequently $230,000 to $700,000 (FDD, 2024), royalty around 5.5%. Often positioned as a fresher-ingredient alternative with strong franchisee support.
Sit-down and hybrid concepts
- Jet's Pizza — Detroit-style pizza with carryout, delivery, and some dine-in. Item 7 commonly $420,000 to $760,000 (FDD, 2024), royalty around 5%. A loyal regional following expanding nationally.
- Mountain Mike's Pizza — West Coast sit-down concept with sports-bar appeal. Item 7 frequently $550,000 to $1,000,000+ (FDD, 2024) due to the dining room. Higher tickets but a larger build.
Low-investment niche concepts
- Hunt Brothers Pizza — placed inside convenience stores and travel centers, so there is no standalone restaurant to build. Total investment is dramatically lower than a freestanding pizzeria, often well under $100,000 in equipment and setup (confirm current FDD). The trade-off is that you operate inside a host location rather than owning the four walls.
Costs beyond Item 7 you must plan for
The Item 7 table estimates total initial investment, but plan for these pressure points:
- Delivery costs — your own driver fleet (insurance, vehicles, wages) or third-party app commissions that compress margins.
- Working capital — Item 7 includes an additional-funds line for the first three to six months; pizza units ramp on local awareness.
- Marketing fund — most charge a national or local advertising contribution (often 2% to 5% of sales) on top of royalty.
- Equipment and oven refresh — ovens and refrigeration are expensive to replace.
Who each model fits
- First-time owner with limited capital: a niche in-store concept or a single carryout-focused unit.
- Hands-on operator who likes throughput: a delivery-and-carryout brand such as Marco's or Papa Johns.
- Operator wanting a community anchor and higher tickets: a sit-down concept like Jet's or Mountain Mike's, accepting the larger build.
How to verify the numbers before you sign
Request the current FDD and read Item 7 (investment), Item 6 (recurring fees), Item 19 (any earnings claims), and Item 20 (unit counts and the franchisee list). Call current franchisees and ask about delivery costs, food cost as a percentage of sales, and how third-party apps affect their margins.
The ranges above are directional. The franchisee call is where you learn the truth.
FAQ
How much money do I need to open a pizza franchise in 2027? Most pizza franchises require roughly $150,000 to $900,000 in total initial investment, with delivery-and-carryout formats lower and full sit-down pizzerias higher; niche in-store concepts can be well under $100,000 (FDD figures, 2024). Confirm each brand's current Item 7.
Which pizza franchise is cheapest to open? In-store concepts placed inside convenience stores, such as Hunt Brothers Pizza, carry the lowest entry cost because there is no standalone restaurant to build. Confirm the current FDD.
What royalty do pizza franchises charge? Most charge roughly 5% to 6% of gross sales plus a separate advertising or marketing fund, commonly 2% to 5%.
Do I need restaurant experience to buy a Domino's? Often yes. Domino's typically requires prior store-management experience before granting a franchise, so it is rarely a first business.
Can I finance a pizza franchise with an SBA loan? Yes. Established pizza brands are common SBA borrowers, though lenders weigh your liquidity, credit, and build-out cost. Confirm the brand appears on the SBA franchise eligibility records.
Sources
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Franchise Rule and FDD requirements (Items 6, 7, 19, 20)
- Domino's Pizza Franchise Disclosure Document, 2024
- Papa Johns Franchise Disclosure Document, 2024
- Marco's Pizza Franchise Disclosure Document, 2024
- Jet's Pizza Franchise Disclosure Document, 2024
- U.S. Small Business Administration, franchise loan eligibility guidance
- International Franchise Association, franchising industry overview