Rolling dough

Friday, March 28, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Some statistics and survey information involving the pizza industry:

* INDUSTRY SALES: In 1996, sales were up about 5 percent over the previous year with franchises doing better than chain operations. Chains increased their collective units (among the top 100) by about 12 percent compared with a 5 percent growth rate for top 100 franchises.

* AVERAGE SALES FIGURES: For independent units, the average was $946,673 in 1996, higher than the $843,396 per unit for chains and the $538,954 per individual franchise unit.

* FUTURE GROWTH: The pizza industry is continuing to grow at a sustainable rate and analysts predict sales to increase 5 to 6 percent through 1997.

* AVERAGE DINNER CHECK: At chains and franchises, the average meal costs $10. At an independent, the check is about $12.65 per meal.

* DELIVERY: Chains and franchises offer delivery in about 20 percent of their units while independents offer it in 67.5 percent.

* COMPUTERS: A survey indicated 78 percent of independent pizzeria owners use personal computers and that 14.6 percent plan to acquire computers over the next 12 months. About 40 percent use the Internet or some form of online service and more than 25.3 percent use computers for accounting, 12.6 percent for payroll and 44 percent for point of sale.

* TOPPINGS: A survey of attendees at last year's Pizza Expo listed their favorite pizza toppings (multiple responses given): pepperoni 76 percent, sausage 48 percent, mushroom 42 percent, extra cheese 13 percent, Canadian bacon 11 percent, ham 8 percent, ground beef 8 percent, pineapple 7 percent, chicken 5 percent.