Pizza sales continue to rise in the USA. After all, people of all ages continue to enjoy fast-food burgers like McDonald’s. If you manage a pizza business or are starting one, it’s important to know your customers and when they buy your products. This allows you to decide what marketing to do, how many people to have on hand, and how much inventory you will need. The U.S. pizza restaurant industry is worth over $50 billion as of 2024. If you want to make the most out of this billion-dollar industry, you are at the right place.
In this blog, I will walk you through the main customer segments, key sales days, and what drives consumer behavior in the pizza market. You will also learn how timing and availability can affect your revenue.
Let’s start with knowing the target market for the pizza business.
What Is the Target Market for the Pizza Business?
The pizza business sells to a wide range of consumers, but this group can be broken down by age, how much money they earn, their lifestyle, and where they live. A large part of the market consists of families with children. We already know how many parents like pizza since it’s so quick and affordable. It’s an activity that most kids enjoy.
Young adults and students in college are equally important. Eating pizza somehow becomes more enjoyable late at night or during their studies. Quite a few of them look for brands that never close. Office staff and professionals also enjoy pizza during their lunch or work breaks when they can’t cook their own meal.
What Are the Top 5 Pizza Sale Days?
Not all days are equal when it comes to pizza sales. Certain days see a spike in orders due to holidays or events. Based on industry data from Pizza Today and PMQ Pizza Magazine, the top 5 pizza sale days in the United States are:
Super Bowl Sunday: This is the biggest pizza sales day of the year. Millions of people order pizza during game day parties.
Halloween: Parents often order pizza before or after trick-or-treating. It is easy and mess-free.
Thanksgiving Eve: Also known as “Blackout Wednesday,” many people do not cook and instead go out or order in.
New Year’s Eve: Families and groups order pizza to celebrate the end of the year.
New Year’s Day: People prefer a quick and satisfying meal after staying up late.
The Most Popular Night of the Week to Order Pizza
Every Friday, more people order pizza than on other days. After the work week, most people feel tired. They seek a way to relax and enjoy their food without stress. According to some surveys, about 43% of weekly pizza orders happen on Fridays.
Following that is the session on Saturday. It is popular with families who make it for a movie or TV night supper. We see only slight changes in the seasonal pattern from month to month. Making your weekly deals happen on these evenings is a wise choice. A good way to bring back loyal buyers is to have special deals and rewards ready for them.
Why Pizza Places That Are Open 24 Hours Do Better in Certain Areas
Being open all overnight draws many customers to restaurants in cities and near colleges. They want to find someplace open for food when they are working or studying at night. Most restaurants are not giving meals right now. For your pizza shop, this is a very competitive advantage.
Many delivery orders placed late at night add more items to their tabs. You’ll often find that customers like to order drinks, desserts or sides along with their main meal. Slice reports, through a survey, that late-night pizza orders tend to be more expensive.
If you can, you could bring in more sales by keeping your business open or offering delivery after 2 or 3 AM. Make it easy for people to notice that you’re open with online ads or apps. Remember to store packaging that keeps your pizzas at the proper temperature. Using custom pizza boxes wholesale helps you keep your food fresh during delivery.
Key Pizza Sales Insights Backed by Reports
To make smarter decisions, it helps to know what recent data shows about customer habits and preferences. Here are a few key insights:
According to Statista, over 80% of U.S. consumers prefer pizza at least once a month.
Yelp data shows a 12% rise in searches for "pizza delivery near me" on weekend nights.
A report by Deloitte found that customers are more likely to reorder from a pizza brand that offers rewards or personalization.
Pizza restaurants with mobile apps saw a 25% increase in return customers due to faster ordering and saved preferences.
Tips to Match Your Pizza Business with Customer Habits
You can align your pizza business better with customer habits by following a few practical steps. Here are some simple suggestions:
Run special deals on Fridays and major holidays.
Offer combo meals for families or large groups.
Stay open later if your area has a strong night-time demand.
Focus on online marketing to reach local customers.
Keep your delivery fast and reliable.
Use sturdy boxes that hold heat and avoid sogginess
Conclusion
Making good pizza is just one aspect of running a good pizza business. It means learning what your customers like and when they make their purchases. Families, students and professionals make up your main target markets. When there are national events or it’s a weekend, trains get busier. Some areas see pizza shops that stay open all night make more money. With the help of the most recent reports and what your customers are doing, you are better able to plan and help your business do well.
If you want your pizza to stay fresh during delivery and leave a good impression, consider using high-quality custom pizza boxes wholesale. These small steps lead to better service and higher customer satisfaction.