U.S.-based pizza chain Little Caesars is entering the Indian market. This month, it plans to open its first outlet in the Delhi NCR region, kicking off an aggressive expansion strategy. The brand aims to open dozens of stores nationwide in the coming years, targeting 100 locations by the end of the decade.
Carlos Vidal, Vice President of International Development at Little Caesars, said the company is keen to tap into India’s strong economic momentum. “India is on a growth trajectory… We don’t want to miss this wave,” he told Reuters. The IMF projects India’s economy to grow at 6.5% in FY26, making it the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
Founded in 1959, Little Caesars is the world’s third-largest pizza chain and currently operates in over 29 countries. Its India strategy includes tailoring the menu to local preferences, including vegetarian pizzas and flavored crusts—an innovation driven by consumer habits in India, where plain crusts are often left uneaten.
The Indian pizza segment is already fiercely competitive, dominated by international giants like Domino’s and Pizza Hut, along with emerging local chains such as La Pino’z. While Papa John’s had exited the Indian market in 2017 due to operational hurdles, it now plans a return in 2025, underscoring renewed interest in the growing QSR segment.
India is part of Little Caesars’ broader global expansion roadmap, which also includes new stores in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, the UAE, and Brazil over the next few years.