Business
New Study Reveals Shift in "Pizza Wars": Mid-Sized Chains Closing the Gap on Industry Giants
Ottawa, Ontario, Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intouch Insight , a leader in customer expe...
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[{"type":"text","content":"New Study Reveals Shift in \"Pizza Wars\": Mid-Sized Chains Closing the Gap on Industry Giants\nOttawa, Ontario, Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intouch Insight, a leader in customer experience measurement, today released its 2026 Annual Pizza Delivery and Carryout Study, shedding light on the competitive landscape of the pizza industry. The study confirms that food quality stands as the most significant driver of overall satisfaction, a trend that is leveling the playing field for mid-sized chains competing against industry giants. The comprehensive study, conducted in partnership with PMQ Pizza, utilized mystery shoppers to place and evaluate 600 orders across 10 top national and regional chains, including Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Little Caesars, Marco’s Pizza, and Jet’s Pizza. The data shows that mid-sized chains have narrowed the gap, achieving a 9.9 percentage point gain for the overall satisfaction with the level of service for delivery orders compared to the previous year. This performance improvement comes as consumers place a premium on execution; the study found that poor food temperature had a larger negative impact on satisfaction scores than any other metric, including speed or friendliness. Key Findings from the 2026 Pizza Study: In-Store Service Standards Slip: The study revealed a significant year-over-year decline in staff attentiveness. Large chains were hit hardest, seeing a 15.1 percentage point drop in this metric compared to the previous year.The Hidden Risks of Third-Party Delivery: While all orders in this study were placed directly with the pizza chains, 25% of the 300 delivery orders were fulfilled by a third-party delivery company. The results highlighted quality control challenges associated with outsourcing. In 64% of these orders, third-party delivery drivers failed to use an insulated pizza delivery bag; and for the mid-sized chains, whose delivery times are on average 5 minutes and 31 seconds longer than the large chains, the ultimate impact was a drop in food temperature score from 100% when an insulated bag was used, to 74%, reinforcing how a simple operational detail can make all the difference. Automation on the Rise: As brands look to combat labor shortages, the use of automated phone ordering systems is accelerating. The study found that fully automated ca...