Another One Bites the Crust Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shakey's Pizza

The chain is called Shakey's Pizza, named after co-founder Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson. Johnson earned the nickname "Shakey" because of a tremor he developed from nerve damage caused by malaria contracted while serving in World War II. He embraced the nickname, and it became the name of the brand.

Shakey's opened its first location in Sacramento, California, in 1954. It wasn't your average pizza parlor at the time, instead doubling as a cool hangout, featuring live Dixieland jazz music and pitchers of beer alongside the pies. The atmosphere was all about food and fun.

Though it's shrunk from its peak U.S. presence, Shakey's is still operating today. Its largest footprint is now in the Philippines, where the chain enjoys popularity, while a handful of U.S. locations still endure.

Answer: Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney, who borrowed $600 from their mother to open their first store on May 31, 1958. Within a year, they began franchising, which fuelled rapid growth across the US. The chain was all about sit-down family pizza nights, and yes, future NFL coach Bill Parcells worked briefly at a Pizza Hut location in his youth.

The chain's distinctive red-roof architecture made its restaurants instantly recognizable across America. These "red-roof huts" were such a part of the landscape that even former Pizza Hut buildings, repurposed as everything from insurance offices to Chinese buffets, are still immediately identifiable. (As someone whose primary care physician resides in a former Pizza Hut, trust me on this.)

Today, Pizza Hut is a global giant. Now owned by Yum! Brands, it operates thousands of locations in more than 100 countries. While the dine-in "hut" model has declined quite a bit in the U.S. in favor of delivery and carryout locations, the chain remains one of the world's largest pizza companies, still battling Domino's for the top spot in global sales.

Answer: Round Table Pizza

The answer you seek is Round Table Pizza, founded by William R. Larson. Before opening the restaurant, Larson and his father built the furniture themselves out of redwood, including a large round table that inspired both the name and the medieval-themed branding. Knights, shields, and Arthurian imagery became part of the restaurant's motif, definitely setting it apart from the growing number of pizza parlors springing up in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Round Table quickly became a West Coast favorite, especially in California. The restaurants emphasized quality toppings, a somewhat more "gourmet" reputation than some competitors, and a family-friendly atmosphere.

Answer: Little Caesars

Little Caesars was opened in Garden City, Michigan (a Detroit suburb), in 1959 by Mike and Marian Ilitch. From humble beginnings, the chain grew steadily, built on the Ilitches' focus on affordability and family appeal. By 1979, Little Caesars unveiled to the world its iconic "Pizza! Pizza!" slogan, advertising a two-for-one pizza deal that became an instant hit with its toga-clad Roman mascot.

Unlike some rivals that focused on delivery or dine-in atmospheres, Little Caesars leaned heavily into value and speed. Its "Hot-N-Ready" pizzas, introduced in the 1990s, kept it competitive by offering grab-and-go meals without the wait.

Answer: Domino's

Domino's began when Tom and Jim Monaghan purchased a struggling pizza shop called DomiNick's in Ypsilanti, Michigan. A year later, Jim traded away his share of the business for a used Volkswagen Beetle, leaving Tom in full control and leaving Jim wondering what might have been. By 1965, Tom had renamed the chain Domino's, and within a few years, it began its rapid climb to world domination.

Domino's was a pioneer of the delivery-first model, promising fast service with its legendary "30 minutes or less" guarantee (later dropped for safety reasons). The company also introduced the iconic Domino's logo with three dots, originally representing the three stores they operated at the time. Tom planned to add a dot for every new store, but rapid expansion made that idea a bit impractical.

Today, Domino's is the world's largest pizza company by revenue, outpacing Pizza Hut. With more than 20,000 stores in over 90 countries (that would make for a lot of dots!), it is well known for its delivery technology and app that allows you to get some just-okay pizza any time you want it! (Okay, okay. In fairness, I am a sucker for the Philly Cheesesteak Pizza they offer.)

Answer: Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese is what we're looking for. It was originally launched as Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre in San Jose, California. Nolan Bushnell, fresh off launching Atari, wanted to push arcade games into a family-friendly space that could combine pizza, entertainment, and his new electronic quarter-grabbers. His vision was simple: lure kids (and parents) with pizza, keep them around with arcade cabinets, and send them home a little happier and little poorer.

Chuck E. Cheese quickly became known for its animatronic stage shows featuring the mascot rat himself, Charles Entertainment Cheese. The chain grew rapidly, merged with competitor ShowBiz Pizza Place in the 1980s, and has gone through multiple rebrands, bankruptcies, and revamps. Despite the... um, turbulence, it remains an American original. Birthday party paradise for kids, and big headache for parents.

Answer: Marco's Pizza

Marco's Pizza was founded in Toledo, Ohio by Italian immigrant Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco. Growing up in Sulmona, Italy, Giammarco immigrated to the United States as a child and brought with him an Italian flavor fetish. In 1978, he opened the first Marco's with a simple formula: dough made daily, a proprietary sauce recipe, and never-frozen cheese.

Over the decades, Marco's grew steadily, finding a niche as a "quality-first" alternative to larger chains. By 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marco's hit 1,000 locations, marking it as the fastest-growing pizza chain in America. Marco's continues to expand aggressively, with over 1,200 stores and ambitious plans to rival Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Papa John's.

Answer: Papa John's

Papa John's was founded by John Schnatter in 1984 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. After selling his prized 1971 Camaro Z28 to buy pizza equipment, Schnatter set up shop in a broom closet at the back of his father's tavern, Mick's Lounge. His pizzas became so popular that he soon moved into a proper storefront next door. By 1993, Papa John's went public, and by the early 2000s, it had grown into one of the largest pizza delivery chains in the world.

Papa John's is known for its "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza." slogan, its trademark garlic butter dipping sauce, and later controversies surrounding Schnatter himself. In any event, the company remains a major global player, with more than 5,000 stores worldwide.

Answer: Hunt Brothers Pizza

Hunt Brothers Pizza was formally established in 1991, but its story begins back in 1962 when four brothers (Don, Charlie, Jim, and Lonnie Hunt) started delivering pre-made pizzas and ingredients under the name Pepe's Pizza. Over the years, they tweaked their approach and saw a market for take-and-bake and ready-to-serve pizzas sold in convenience stores, gas stations, and other quick-stop locations.

Today, Hunt Brothers Pizza operates in over 8,000 convenience stores across the United States, making it the largest convenience store pizza brand in the country. Their pizzas are known for a simple, straightforward menu (one size, all toppings included at one price) and a reputation for not being terrible for something you grab at the gas station.

Answer: Papa Murphy's

Papa Murphy's was officially founded in 1995 after the merger of Papa Aldo's Pizza (founded in 1981 in Hillsboro, Oregon) and Murphy's Pizza (founded in 1984 in Petaluma, California). The resulting company with the mashed-up brand name popularized the take-and-bake model. Customers order their pizzas fresh in-store, take them home unbaked, and then cook them in their own ovens.

Papa Murphy's grew rapidly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, becoming the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States by number of stores. Its focus on freshness and customization won it a loyal following, including my wife. If you don't need it fast and simply must have chain store pizza, this one is a pretty decent choice.