Gas station chain Casey's climbs to top five pizza sellers as social media fuels growth

Casey's, a convenience store and gas station chain with nearly 3,000 locations, now ranks as the fifth-largest pizza chain in the U.S. by prepared food sales. Its stock has surged more than 50% over the past year, reaching a market cap of $28 billion. The company has seen a significant rise in Gen Z engagement on platforms like TikTok, driven by its scratch-made dough and on-site pizza ovens.

Casey's operates across 19 states, with roughly half its locations in towns of 5,000 or fewer residents. The chain traces to 1968, when Donald Lamberti converted a service station in Boone, Iowa, and expanded town by town. Pizza joined the menu in 1984, followed by the breakfast pizza about two decades later.

The company's social media presence has driven a 600-basis-point rise in Gen Z engagement over three years. Its Sauced Wings, launched as a pilot in January 2025, now reach nearly 900 stores with a two-year rollout planned. Meanwhile, the broader quick-service pizza category declined in 2025, contrasting with Casey's continued growth.