The History of Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Other Top Pizza Chains

Pizza is one of the most beloved foods across the world. Maybe it has something to do with the food's versatility. Top pizza chains vary from take and bake to buffet to delivery to sit-down. Whatever form you like your pizza to come by, you probably don't know much about the history of Pizza Hut, Papa Murphy's, and other pizza chains. Here is a brief summary on how each of them got started and grew into the franchises we know today.

Year Founded: 1958

Location: Wichita, Kansas

Creators: Dan and Frank Carney

The history of Pizza Hut begins with Dan and Frank Carney. After borrowing $600 from their mother, the young brothers opened their first Pizza Hut in downtown Wichita. The business proved to be successful, and the first franchise restaurant was opened in Topeka one year later. However, it was not until 1964 that the company developed the standard building design and layout for their restaurants that is universally recognizable today. There are now nearly 11,000 Pizza Hut locations around the world.

Year Founded: 1960

Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan

Creator: Tom Monaghan

Brothers Tom and James Monaghan purchased a pizza business by the name of DomiNick's in 1960. Less than a year later, James traded away his half of the business to Tom for his Volkswagen Beetle. In 1965, Tom renamed the business Domino's Pizza, Inc. The pizza-delivering business began franchising in 1967 and rapidly expanded thereafter. A little over one decade later, Domino's had opened its 200th restaurant. By 1989, the business had reached 5,000 stores worldwide.

Year Founded: 1984

Location: Jeffersonville, Indiana

Creator: John Schnatter

Fresh out of college, John Schnatter sold his 1971 Camaro to buy equipment and began serving pizza out of what had been a broom closet in the back of his father's tavern, Mick's Lounge. His pizza was so popular that he opened his first Papa John's restaurant in 1984. The chain focused on simpler menus and higher quality pizza. There are currently over 3,000 Papa John's restaurants.

Year Founded: 1959

Location: Garden City, Michigan

Creators: Michael and Marian Ilitch

Michael and Marian Ilitch invested $10,000 of their life savings to open the first Little Caesars in a strip mall outside of Detroit. It was so aptly named because Marian considered Michael her "little Caesar". After franchising their business, it would go on to become the fourth largest pizza chain in the U.S. The restaurant is known for their trademark "Pizza! Pizza!". The catchphrase originally referred to their two-for-one pizza deals.

Year Founded: 1995

Creator: Terry Collins

Before it became one of the top pizza chains, Papa Murphy's started out as two separate take and bake businesses. Papa Aldo's Pizza began in Hillsboro, OR back in 1981. In 1984, Murphy's Pizza opened in Petaluma, CA. In the early 90's, businessman Terry Collins took a majority ownership in both companies. In 1995, he merged 86 Papa Aldo's with 54 Murphy's Pizza to form Papa Murphy's. Utilizing Murphy's superior quality of pizza and Aldo's business strategy, the brand has flourished throughout the West coast and Midwest ever since.

Year Founded: 1985

Location: Plano, Texas

Creators: Joe Croce and Mike Cole

Cici's Pizza is know for its wide-ranging and cheap buffets. It has undergone aggressive expansion over the past decade. The business went from 380 locations in 2001 to over 600 in 2011, making it one of the top pizza chains today. The franchise has plans to open over 500 more in the next decade.

Year Founded: 1973

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Creator: William Theisen

Godfather's Pizza was opened next door to a beer parlor owned by William Theisen in Omaha. Already by 1974, Theisen had franchised the restaurant. It soon came under the ownership of Diversified Foods, Inc. where it experienced rapid growth. The company was sold to Pillsbury in the mid 1980's. The now famous Herman Cain was named the President and CEO by Pillsbury in 1986. He would remain the head of Godfather's until 2002.

I hope you were able to learn a bit more about the history of Pizza Hut, Domino's, and other top pizza chains. Please leave any questions or comments you might have on this article.