You might have already seen the Slice of the Union — our annual consumer-focused look at the year in pizza. We want to share some additional data-driven insights that may help you run your business.
Our data scientists evaluated order behavior from nearly ten million customers ordering from our 19,000 partners to identify trends and consumer shifts.
LET'S GET INTO IT
📈
LET'S GET INTO IT 📈
CUSTOMER ORDERING TRENDS
Post-COVID, we’re continuing to see shifts in the ways customers order.
Delivery is still slightly preferred, but pickup orders picked up in 2022.
44%
Orders were
for pickup
56%
Orders were for delivery
13%
Increase in pickup since ’21
Spending — especially when ordering online — is on the rise.
$20.42
Average
counter order
$40.80
Average
online order
2x
larger
When ordering online
We expect this trend to become even more pronounced — digital orders have been double the size of phone and counter orders for several years.
Customers love their local pizzerias more than ever.
Given in tips in 2022
Independent pizzerias are more loved than corporate pizzerias.
3.28
Average customer ranking for corporate shops
4.77
Average customer ranking for indie shops
FOOD TRENDS
Pizza is a timeless dish, but customer preferences are always changing.
Top Items at High-Performing Shops
1. Cheese Pizza
2. Soda
3. French Fries
4. Mozz Sticks
5. Garlic Knots
6. Caesar Salad
7. Buffalo Wings
8. Chicken Wings
Pizza Index:
It’s no surprise that the cheese pizza is king — in fact, we believe it to be an indicator of the overall economy.
$17.81
National average price of large cheese pizza
6.4% Increase
Compared to 2021
Alabama | $14.80 | +12.1%
Alaska | $21.74 | +11.38%
Arizona | $19.28 | +5.8%
Arkansas | $16.46 | +2.9%
California | $21.19 | +5.1%
Colorado | $21.23 | +4.9%
Connecticut | $18.15 | +9.4%
Delaware | $15.70 | +9.6%
Florida | $18.21 | +7.2%
Georgia | $17.61 | +4.4%
Hawaii | $19.50 | -1.82%
Idaho | $18.76 | +22.8%
Illinois | $22.52 | +6.4%
Indiana | $18.66 | +5.4%
Iowa | $18.71 | +2.3%
Kansas | $14.96 | +9.8%
Kentucky | $17.15 | +9.8%
Ohio | $15.89 | +8.4%
Oklahoma | $12.70 | +10.8%
Oregon | $26.94 | +7.8%
Pennsylvania | $16.34 | +8.2%
Rhode Island | $16.52 | +9.0%
South Carolina | $17.33 | +5.4%
South Dakota | $16.94 | +5.0%
Tennessee | $16.93 | +4.3%
Texas | $16.06 | +6.3%
Utah | $17.17 | +6.7%
Vermont | $19.30 | +8.21%
Virginia | $17.45 | +6.7%
Washington | $23.34 | +7.5%
West Virginia | $17.40 | +10.2%
Wisconsin | $18.84 | +6.8%
Wyoming | $20.54 | +4.96%
Louisiana | $16.40 | -2.0%
Maine | $16.53 | +2.6%
Maryland | $15.97 | +5.0%
Massachusetts | $16.49 | +7.7%
Michigan | $16.01 | +5.0%
Minnesota | $13.88 | -6.1%
Mississippi | $15.50 | +11.6%
Missouri | $16.72 | +4.7%
Montana | $16.66 | -1.5%
Nebraska | $18.91 | +11.4%
Nevada | $19.34 | +7.6%
New Hampshire | $15.74 | +9.1%
New Jersey | $16.86 | +7.9%
New Mexico | $18.60 | +8.7%
New York | $19.73 | +6.4%
North Carolina | $17.35 | +6.5%
North Dakota | $15.35 | -3.86%
While the national average is trending upward, prices vary dramatically by region. In some states, the average cost has actually decreased since 2021.
-
Alabama | $14.80 | +12.1%
Alaska | $21.74 | +11.38%
Arizona | $19.28 | +5.8%
Arkansas | $16.46 | +2.9%
California | $21.19 | +5.1
Colorado | $21.23 | +4.9%
Connecticut | $18.15 | +9.4%
Delaware | $15.70 | +9.6%
Florida | $18.21 | +7.2%
Georgia | $17.61 | +4.4%
Hawaii | $19.50 | -1.82%
Idaho | $18.76 | +22.8%
Illinois | $22.52 | +6.4%
Indiana | $18.66 | +5.4%
Iowa | $18.71 | +2.3%
Kansas | $14.96 | +9.8%
Kentucky | $17.15 | +9.8%
Louisiana | $16.40 | -2.0%
Maine | $16.53 | +2.6%
Maryland | $15.97 | +5.0%
Massachusetts | $16.49 | +7.7%
Michigan | $16.01 | +5.0%
Minnesota | $13.88 | -6.1%
Mississippi | $15.50 | +11.6%
Missouri | $16.72 | +4.7%
Montana | $16.66 | -1.5%
Nebraska | $18.91 | +11.4%
Nevada | $19.34 | +7.6%
New Hampshire | $15.74 | +9.1%
New Jersey | $16.86 | +7.9%
New Mexico | $18.60 | +8.7%
New York | $19.73 | +6.4%
North Carolina | $17.35 | +6.5%
North Dakota | $15.35 | -3.86%
Ohio | $15.89 | +8.4%
Oklahoma | $12.70 | +10.8%
Oregon | $26.94 | +7.8%
Pennsylvania | $16.34 | +8.2%
Rhode Island | $16.52 | +9.0%
South Carolina | $17.33 | +5.4%
South Dakota | $16.94 | +5.0%
Tennessee | $16.93 | +4.3%
Texas | $16.06 | +6.3%
Utah | $17.17 | +6.7%
Vermont | $19.30 | +8.21%
Virginia | $17.45 | +6.7%
Washington | $23.34 | +7.5%
West Virginia | $17.40 | +10.2%
Wisconsin | $18.84 | +6.8%
Wyoming | $20.54 | +4.96%
Top Items at High-Performing Shops
Ranch Dressing
9.7% ↑↑↑
It’s not just for salads — customers are increasingly ordering ranch dressing as a pizza dip and sauce.
Mushrooms
8.9% ↑↑↑
No longer just for “fancy pizzas,” mushrooms have become a mainstream hit.
BUSINESS
TRENDS
Slice is the nation’s largest network of independent pizzerias — here’s how our community and partners grew, worked, and saved over 2022.
19,000
Slice pizzeria partners
5.6%↑↑↑
More partners
in 2022
High-performing shops were open
10.5
Hours a day
313
Days each year
$9.99
Average amount immediately saved on the average Slice order compared to third-party delivery apps (and their crazy, percentage-based fees!)
$3.24
This is the average delivery fee, but bear in mind: Lower fees entice customers to order.
$4,970.98
Average per-shop revenue from optional digital advertising via Advanced Marketing Services
$10,000
Average amount saved per shop by purchasing boxes and other supplies from The Goods
RECOMMENDATIONS
We’re big believers in the power of digital tools and real-time data to positively impact small businesses — it’s no surprise that these are at the core of our recommendations for you in 2023.
Encourage Direct
Digital Orders
Third-party ordering apps can be good for driving new customers, but those customers come at a premium — sometimes 30% of the ticket size — and are also encouraged to order from every other nearby restaurant.
By having digital orders go directly to you through something like our Online Ordering, you’ll make more per order and can automatically retarget customers to get reorders. Those third-party orders? Keep taking them, then encourage those customers to order directly from you.
Incentivize Loyalty
Loyalty programs work particularly well for pizzerias given that pizza tends to be more ritualistic than other cuisines.
Shops participating in our Rewards program see 46% more orders per customer. That adds up over time.
Smarter Marketing
According to Pizza Today, 82% of pizzerias invest in marketing each year — spending hard-earned dollars on tactics that may or may not work.
Choose marketing that lets you actually measure the amount of business it drives. Digital tactics, like our Digital Ad Campaigns, can directly measure total orders driven, and the ads themselves are optimized daily for peak performance. This dynamic approach leads to a more efficient and effective use of your marketing investment.