5 Major Pizza Brands That Got Their Start In Michigan

Pizza might be an Italian invention, but it has become an iconic American food as well. Regional pizza styles abound, with New York's thin-crust variation, Chicago's deep-dish pies, New Haven "apizza," and the olive oil-heavy New England Greek style among the most famous. On top of these regional pies, chains are taking over the American pizza scene, each with its own flair.

The regions known for their pie styles could each lay claim to being the center of the American pizza universe, but Michigan has originated several big brands over the last century. It was the birthplace of Domino's, the self-proclaimed largest pizza company in the world, along with several other recognizable names, including Little Caesars, Hungry Howie's, Jet's Pizza, and Motor City Pizza Co.

The state's pizza history traces back to one person, Gus Guerra, who in 1946 started making pizzas in his bar based on his wife's Sicilian recipes. The distinctive cast iron pans Guerra used gave the pizza its signature texture, with crispy edges and caramelized cheese around the sides. Guerra's pizza became known as Detroit-style, and his restaurant is still serving up slices. But Michigan's pizza story didn't end there.

In 1959, husband and wife Mike and Marian Ilitch started a pizzeria in Garden City, Michigan, a Detroit suburb. Under the name Little Caesars, the storefront advertised carry-out chicken, shrimp, fish, and spaghetti in addition to pizza. The restaurant's claim to fame: 15-minute service. (This eventually evolved into the brand's "Hot-N-Ready" slogan.)

Little Caesars has risen, fallen, and risen again. Today, the pizza chain has approximately 4,200 locations in the U.S., and its Detroit opened in a new building in 2016. Michigan is also home to over 300 Little Caesars locations, though both California and Texas have more (over 500 each).

These days, Little Caesars sells a Detroit-style pizza, though most of its pies aren't in the hometown style. What do hungry Americans love most about Little Caesars? It usually does have pizza hot and ready, as its slogan promises. "When you need something quick and cheap after a day of work nothing hits quite like a hot n' ready pizza and some crazy bread," wrote one customer on Reddit. How does the chain pull it off? The pizzas are premade, then held hot until they're sold. Little Caesars even uses an A.I. forecasting system to predict how many pizzas it will likely need.

What was the first Domino's like? Well, just one year after the original Little Caesars opened, brothers Tom and James Monaghan bought a pizzeria 20 miles west in Ypsilanti, Michigan called DomiNick's pizza. They paid $900. The name changed to Domino's in 1965, and by the end of that decade, it was a franchised operation. After expanding in the U.S., the 1980s brought Domino's to Canada and Australia, soon reaching 5,000 locations worldwide. Founder Tom Monaghan originally planned to add a dot to the domino logo for each new location but scrapped the plan as the chain rapidly expanded.

Today, while there are over 20,500 Domino's locations across 90 countries, the headquarters remain close to home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The U.S. is home to over 7,200 Domino's stores, and with almost 800 stores, Texas has the most in the country.

Domino's menu doesn't have a Detroit-style pizza, but it will sometimes offer one as a limited-time offer in certain areas (though, sadly for fans of the regional pie, not in the U.S.). This has perplexed some pizza enthusiasts, with one asking on Reddit, "Dominos was founded in Michigan and is headquartered in Michigan. Why don't they offer a Detroit style option?" One commenter theorized that it's about production. "Honestly, probably the cost of having another pan size/shape," they wrote. "Same reason the pan pizzas are only one size in most places."

In 1973, a Detroit suburb served as the launchpad for yet another pizza chain: Hungry Howie's, started by Jim Hearn in a former hamburger restaurant called Tic Toc. A decade later, the business became a franchise and expanded regionally. That was thanks in large part to the work of co-founder Steve Jackson, who credits his pizza savvy to his years working on the frontline. "For a number of years, I was in, running locations, answering the phone, making pizzas," Jackson told Mashed in an exclusive interview.

Today, Hungry Howie's is based in Madison Heights, Michigan and has over 500 locations. The headquarters also serves as the testing ground for new products, Jackson told Mashed, and the focus group is none other than the restaurant's own employees. "We'd serve lunch for the day and we'd get feedback from people within the building," he said.

Hungry Howie's big innovation in the pizza world is its signature flavored crusts made from seasoned dough. Customers can get their pizzas on a base flavored with butter, ranch, asiago cheese, garlic, and a handful of other options. True to its roots, Hungry Howie's introduced a Detroit-style pizza in September 2025. That pie can also have a flavored crust for a little extra personality.

It might not be a household name in all parts of the country, but the story of Jet's Pizza is interesting nonetheless. In 1978, Eugene Jetts was on his way to buy a new house when a vacant storefront caught his eye. Instead of purchasing a home, he leased the business space and opened a pizzeria. Today, the chain has expanded to nearly 450 locations in 25 states.

The original Jet's Pizza was located in Sterling Heights, Michigan, just north of Detroit (and just a few miles from where Hungry Howie's is headquartered today). But unlike other pizza chains with roots in the Detroit area, Jet's Pizza actually specializes in Detroit-style pie, calling its base "The crust that put us on the map." Still, the chain has other pizza options, too, like thin crust, New York-style, and even gluten-free and cauliflower crust pies.

Social media likes Jet's Pizza, too. A thread on Reddit had Denver residents singing the chain's praises. "Jets is this Detroiter's go-to takeout pizza," wrote one. "Honestly have a hard time thinking of a better one," expressed another. "The Detroit style is verrrry good and is always consistent!" Yet another Reddit user put it more concisely: "It's good."

Little Caesars, Domino's, Hungry Howie's, and Jet's are all restaurant chains with decades of history. But another iconic Michigan pizza brand is relatively new — and it's not even a restaurant. Stop by your local supermarket, and you might find frozen pizzas from The Authentic Motor City Pizza Co., a brand that food service distributor Champion Foods introduced in 2018. These pies are a bake-at-home alternative for folks without a Detroit-style pizza shop nearby.

Here's the good news: If you can't stop thinking about that rectangular, crispy-yet-fluffy crust with perfectly browned cheese around the edges, these Motor City pies are readily available in hundreds of stores across the U.S., including Target, Walmart, and various regional retailers. The pizzas come topped with classics like pepperoni, barbecue chicken, and a three-meat combo.

The essential question, though, is if these frozen pizzas actually replicate the experience of getting a fresh Detroit-style pie. We certainly think so — our taste test of nine frozen pizzas sold at Costco named Motor City as the clear favorite, and Costco shoppers have been singing the brand's praises for years. "After you eat it, you can't believe it was a frozen pizza," wrote one fan on Reddit. "I do not think another frozen pizza can beat this one."