Should I have multiple redirects or multiple sites?

[Brad]

When it comes to SEO, and getting to the first page of search results, should I buy a bunch of different domain names(e.g. dallas pizza, fort worth pizza, arlington pizza, etc.) and redirect them to the same site, or develop several standalone sites? What works better for optimization? And what are some of the most powerful ways to see results in seo? I understand that it takes time to achieve internet dominance, but I would like to know what some of the best ways that the pros get results. Thank you!