Costco has as many locations as some major pizza chains
When assessing the popularity of a pizza chain, various factors such as size and revenue come into play. A commonly used metric is the number of locations. Although Costco typically doesn't feature in these rankings because it serves pizza from a food court rather than a traditional restaurant kitchen, it would rank highly if it were included. According to ScrapeHero, the leading pizza chains in the U.S. are Hunt Brother's Pizza (9,703 locations), Domino's (6,929), and Pizza Hut (6,739), followed by Little Caesars, Papa John's, Marcos Pizza, and Papa Murphy's, each with over 1,000 locations. Costco would follow closely behind, claiming the title of the 8th largest pizza chain with 611 warehouses in the U.S. as of August 2024 (according to Costco).
However, if we evaluate a pizza chain's prominence based on its geographical reach—specifically, the number of states it operates in—the rankings would change. Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, and Papa John's are available in all 50 states, while the other top 10 chains have not surpassed 40 states, as reported by ScrapeHero. In contrast, Costco has at least one location in 47 states (with the exception of Wyoming, West Virginia, and Rhode Island), according to the company's website. One could also consider the square footage of each location. This could position Costco as the largest pizza establishment overall, given that its average warehouse spans 146,000 square feet. However, it's worth noting that only a tiny fraction of that space is allocated to pizza preparation, making this comparison more amusing than accurate.
Costco's food court pizza is a big (and great) deal
While many other menu items have come and gone — or increased in price — pizza continues to be one of the most cherished offerings at the Costco food court. Even when compared to the inflation-resistant hot dog, the pizza is impressively affordable. For just $1.99 plus tax, you can enjoy a large slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza. If you're feeding a family or hoping for leftovers, an 18-inch pie, which is slightly larger than the extra-large pizzas from Domino's or Pizza Hut, costs only $9.95 plus tax. It's likely you'll struggle to find a pizza of similar size and price at any other major chain, even with coupons. However, the low price of Costco's pizza doesn't mean it compromises on quality. In fact, the cheese pizza is generously topped, featuring an impressive 1½ pounds of provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan.
That said, there are a few drawbacks to ordering pizza from the bulk retailer's food court. If you're looking for a variety of toppings, you'll be disappointed, as cheese and pepperoni are the only available options (R.I.P. to the discontinued combo pizza). Additionally, while you can call ahead to place a to-go order, Costco does not offer pizza delivery — and likely never will. Lastly, the only way to dine at Costco's food court is to be a paying member (or know someone who is willing to take you). But hey, this technically makes Costco the largest exclusive pizza chain in the country.
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