Vote now! Readers' Choice Awards Best National Pizza Chain of 2026

Pizza is one of those foods everyone has an opinion about, and our panel of experts has narrowed the field to the national and fast-growing chains worth talking about, from build-your-own fast-casual spots to Chicago-style deep-dish institutions and Southern gourmet favorites.

Now it's your turn. These are the picks our reviewers put forward, but only you can tell us which ones truly earn a place at the top of our Readers' Choice Awards. Browse the nominees below, then cast your vote and help decide the best national pizza chains.

Voting period ends on August 12, 2026. We'll announce the winners on August 20.

Vote for the best national pizza chain!

Nominee 1: Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

With roughly 50 locations across Florida and the Northeast, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings opened its first restaurant in 2002. Pizza fans can expect the deep char and smoky character of pies cooked in a coal-fired oven that reaches 900 degrees Fahrenheit, producing a crispy crust. The chain promises hand-picked Italian tomatoes, house-made dough, and freshly grated Pecorino Romano, before completing the menu with coal-roasted wings, Italian starters, meatballs, and garlic knots.

Nominee 2: Arni's Restaurant

Arni's Restaurant is an Indiana favorite best known for its thin-crust pizza, made with house-prepped dough and a proprietary cheese blend. If pizza isn't your thing (although how could it not be?!), Arni's also offers a full menu of sandwiches, subs, salads, and pastas. Its namesake, Arnold "Arni" Cohen, founded the place in 1965 in Lafayette, Indiana, and his sons still run the family-centric chain.

The signature square-cut, thin-crust sausage pizza is a star, though regulars are just as loyal to the Arni's Salad, topped with mozzarella, diced ham, and turkey.

Nominee 3: Azzip Pizza

Sparked by a university business-plan competition, Azzip Pizza opened its first location in Evansville, Indiana, in 2014. The fast-casual, build-your-own concept has diners mix and match sauces, proteins, and vegetables on personal pizzas that bake in about 2.5 minutes. Azzip's rotating Pizza of the Month program features an ever-changing limited creation with a cult following, while its best-known permanent pie is The Westsider: barbecue sauce, mozzarella, pork, onion, and Grippo's chips, finished with a reduction made from regional Ski citrus soda. For dessert, the chocolate-chunk cookies have a following of their own.

Nominee 4: Blaze Pizza

Blaze Pizza serves up made-to-order pizzas fired at temperatures near 900 degrees Fahrenheit, hence the name. The kitchen team makes its dough from scratch and puts it through an extended fermentation for a thin, crisp crust

The topping options and easy customization stood out to our reviewers, though the appeal isn't only in the build-your-own route; some fans skip the extras and order the Simple Pie, the classic red-sauce-and-mozzarella build, every time. There are also plenty of gluten-free and plant-based options for those on specialized diets.

Launched in Pasadena, California, in 2011 by the co-founders of Wetzel's Pretzels, the chain now operates close to 300 locations.

Nominee 5: California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen helped bring gourmet, globally inspired toppings into the mainstream when it opened in Beverly Hills in 1985. Its Original BBQ Chicken Pizza from that era is widely credited with popularizing the style. Since then, CPK has become a shopping mall staple, operating more than 100 locations, and although it changed hands in December 2025, the full-service chain remains known for hearth-baked pizzas, at least for now. If its pie reputation isn't enough, our experts also made a particular case for its Butter Cake, a signature dessert with a devoted following.

Nominee 6: Donatos Pizza

Donatos is known for its trademarked Edge-to-Edge pizzas, thin-crust pies loaded with toppings all the way to the rim. The Columbus, Ohio, brand launched in 1963, when Jim Grote bought the original shop as a college student. It has since grown to more than 460 locations across roughly 29 states, including spots served inside select Red Robin restaurants.

Our reviewers made this one personal, calling out family favorites like the loaded Founder's Favorite and the Mariachi, explaining that these are the pies that keep them coming back.

Nominee 7: Giordano's Pizza

Giordano's is a Chicago institution synonymous with cheese-filled, deep-dish stuffed pizza—yep, it is as amazing as it sounds. Your order should be The Special—sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions sealed inside that double-crust pie.

Founded in Chicago in 1974 by brothers Efren and Joseph Boglio, the chain has expanded to around 50 locations across Illinois, Florida, Colorado, and Indiana.

While deep-dish generally inspires strong opinions, and our experts acknowledge as much, they also positioned Giordano's as the standard-bearer for getting authentic Chicago-style stuffed pizza well outside the city limits.

Nominee 8: Jet's Pizza

Jet's Pizza is known for its Detroit-style deep-dish—a square, thick-crust pie with crispy edges. But for pizza lovers looking for options, the menu also offers hand-tossed round, thin-crust, and New York–style crust varieties.

Our reviewers say the Detroit-style pie is the star, especially with its dough prepared fresh daily. The signature is the 8 Corner Pizza—eight square Detroit-style slices engineered to maximize the crunchy, caramelized-cheese corners that fans prize.

The chain started in Sterling Heights, Michigan, in 1978 and has expanded to more than 400 locations across roughly 22 states. As our panel noted, most locations focus on delivery and pickup, though some offer dine-in.

Nominee 9: Mellow Mushroom

Southern favorite Mellow Mushroom is known for hand-crafted, stone-baked pizzas and a distinctive, psychedelic art-filled atmosphere that gives each location its own personality. It's the hippie little sister of all the places on our list.

Founded in Atlanta in 1974, the chain now runs more than 160 restaurants across the Southeast and beyond, with a menu that extends beyond pizza to include calzones, hoagies, salads, and pretzel bites.

Our panel described it as a beloved icon with a laid-back vibe and solid gourmet pies, singling out its spring-water crust. The best-known named pie is the Kosmic Karma—red sauce, mozzarella, spinach, roasted and fresh tomatoes, feta, and a pesto swirl.

Nominee 10: MOD Pizza

MOD Pizza built its name by promising made-on-demand, individual artisan-style pizzas assembled from more than 30 toppings, all for one flat price no matter how you load them up. The build-your-own approach is the signature here, but for anyone who wants a ready-made option, the Tristan—mozzarella, asiago, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and a garlic pesto finish—is one of MOD's best-known named pies.

Reviewers pointed to the fresh ingredients and the freedom to design a completely customized pie without watching the tab climb, which resonates with hungry, picky families.

Founded in Seattle in 2008, the fast-casual chain has grown to more than 400 locations.

Nominee 11: Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom pairs scratch-made pizza with a serious craft-beer program, and we say cheers to that. Crust styles come in OC Thick, Tavern Thin, Ale Crust, and Cauliflower. Our reviewers pointed to the from-scratch deep dish as the reason to seek it out, while its long-running World Beer Tour rewards program gives regulars a reason to keep exploring the taps. Its signature pie is the Chicago 7, piled with pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onions, black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, and mozzarella. Want an appetizer? The trademarked Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls keep regulars coming back.

Despite the name, the first location opened in Boulder, Colorado, rather than the Windy City, in 1976, and the chain now runs more than 50 restaurants across roughly 21 states, including South Carolina and Tennessee.

Nominee 12: Round Table Pizza

Love a good theme? Round Table Pizza does too, and it certainly delivers. You can pick up specialty pizzas from parlors inspired by the Knights of the Round Table. Our reviewers rave about the fresh toppings and tasty marinara sauce. Fittingly, its signature pie, the King Arthur's Supreme, is loaded with pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, linguica, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives.

The chain dates to 1959, when founder Bill Larson opened the first location in Menlo Park, California, and it has since grown to more than 400 restaurants, concentrated up and down the West Coast. A newer Clubhouse format adds arcade games, big-screen sports, and craft beer to the mix.

Nominee 13: Snappy Tomato Pizza

Snappy Tomato Pizza emphasizes freshness across its menu, with dough made each morning, cheese that’s never seen the inside of a freezer, and vine-ripened tomatoes. Plus, it offers signature pies (like The Beast and the Snapperoni) and a gluten-free cauliflower crust option.

The chain operates more than 40 locations across five states and is closely associated with the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area, where it continues to add restaurants.

Nominee 14: Your Pie Pizza

Your Pie Pizza lets diners create personal-sized pies from hand-tossed dough, a family marinara recipe, and house-made dressings. Although it’s a fast-casual restaurant, its brick-oven-baking leans upscale.

Our experts highlighted the customizable experience and elevated feel. Among the house recipes, the best seller is Nat's Chicken Pesto—basil pesto, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, spinach, and grilled chicken. Beyond pizza, the menu features paninis, oven-fired wings, baked pasta, salads, and gelato.

Founded in Athens, Georgia, in 2008 after its founder drew inspiration from a trip to Italy, the franchise has grown to more than 60 locally owned locations and has a strong presence across the South.

Vote for the best national pizza chain!

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Our Experts

Susan Lanier-Graham

Lanier-Graham is an award-winning food, wine, and travel writer with more than three decades of experience exploring destinations around the world. She has visited luxury resorts, boutique properties, and hidden gems across six continents, bringing a discerning eye to every stay. As publisher of Wander With Wonder, she leads an award-winning digital publication that inspires readers to discover exceptional travel experiences. Her work blends firsthand insight with a passion for storytelling, offering trusted recommendations on where to stay, dine, and explore. Susan’s expertise helps travelers confidently choose destinations that transform trips into unforgettable, experience-rich journeys.

Reviewed Editors & Experts

Reviewed editors and experts have hard-earned insight from a broad range of backgrounds, and our nomination panel includes independent researchers, subject matter experts, and editorial team members. We provide unbiased, experiential editorial coverage on products, brands, and companies across the U.S.