Incredibly, around 93 percent of Americans report eating pizza at least once every month. Franchises are consistently outperforming independent operators, and pizza chains account for over 61 percent of the total pizza restaurant market. This makes jumping into the pizza franchise business a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs. Five of the best pizza franchise opportunities for 2017 are with Marco’s Pizza, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Papa Murphey’s, Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Donatos Pizzeria.

Franchises are consistently outperforming independent operators, and pizza chains account for over 61% of the total pizza restaurant market.

Marco’s Pizza

Marco’s Pizza franchises offer authentic Italian artisan pizza, subs, salads and cheesy-bread. The company is dedicated to high-quality food, making fresh dough daily and using real, fresh ingredients. The company was founded in 1978, but Marco’s has recently expanded to over 831 locations spread over 36 states and three countries. Marco’s Pizza is one of the top 25 pizza franchises in the United States, and you don’t need restaurant experience to become a franchise owner. Marco’s Pizza provides all the education, training and online content you need to become a successful partner. This amazing franchise was featured on CBS’s reality TV show Undercover Boss. An initial investment into the Marco’s Pizza franchise will run around $225,000 to $670,000.

Papa Murphy’s

In 1995, Terry Collins merged two very popular pie joints, Papa Aldo’s and Murphy’s Pizza, to create one extremely popular brand: Papa Murphy’s. This unique pizza shop makes pizzas that customers take home to cook themselves, cheesy bread, cookie dough and salads. Papa Murphy’s dedication to high-quality products makes it a top choice for customers. Technomic ranked this chain as the number one consumer’s choice for 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016. After 35 years of franchising, they are now the fifth-largest pizza chain. Papa Murphy’s has simplified their processes involving opening stores which means less financial burden on partners. An initial investment of $275,000 to $500,000 is required.

Russo’s New York Pizzeria

This world-famous pizza chain recently made headlines when they hired Italian native Vincenzo Lavecchia, a two-time world champion pizza maker, as their corporate chef. This rapidly growing brand has captured the hearts of millions with their authentic, fresh New York style pizzas. Currently, there are 48 Russo’s Restaurants around the globe. In addition to pizza, restaurants offer calzones, sandwiches, desserts, soups and salads. Entrepreneurs can own a franchise location at a lower cost than most pizza chains. Entrepreneur Magazine recently ranked Russo’s as number 25 in their 2017 Top Food Franchises countdown, and Nation’s Restaurant News named them in their Top 20 Emerging Brands list of 2016. An individual unit requires a total investment amount of $395,000-$950,000.

Donato’s Pizzeria

This pizza chain offers thin crust, party cut pizza with only the best ingredients. They do not use any artificial flavors or colors in their pizzas, subs or salads. FranchiseRankings.com listed Donato’s Pizzeria as the top performing pizza franchise of October 2017. Amazingly, from 2012 to 2016, the company experienced a store sales growth 80 percent higher than the industry’s average. The company motto “same pizza, anytime, anywhere” reinforces their dedication to consistently delivering their top-quality pizza through their franchise partners. Donatos Pizzeria has been in the franchise business for over 50 years. Currently, they have over 150 operating restaurants. The estimated initial investment for an individual unit is around $350,000-$700,000.

These different pizza franchise opportunities provide a chance for entrepreneurs to get into the enormous $44 billion U.S. pizza market. Statistics show that consumer demand for pizza is up 26 percent this year. Five of the best pizza franchise opportunities for 2017 can be found with Marco’s Pizza, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Papa Murphey’s, Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Donatos Pizzeria. Are you ready to get your slice of the pie?