When pizza lovers crave pizza, the first pizza restaurants that come to mind are Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Papa John’s for good reasons. These are franchised pizza chains, of course, but most of their pizza creations can rival artisan pizzas offered by traditional pizzeria chicago il. The flavor, taste and texture of their pizzas are, of course, their main draw.
There’s also the fact that these three chains have numerous locations across the United States so it’s easy to find, say, a Domino’s in your city. These pizza chains also offer convenient delivery services that bring the pizza to your doorstep, literally, and with the coronavirus pandemic, delivery can be a lifesaver for families.
But which one is the better pizza chain? Let’s take a look and compare.
Domino’s
Until the early 1990s, Domino’s menu was comparatively simpler, a necessary move considering that the chain focused on efficient delivery. Such focus has remained even when Domino’s has expanded its menu offerings, and its efficient delivery system is among the reasons for its status as a major pizza player.
The Domino’s menu isn’t the same in the entire United States although there are staples across the country. The regional variations, nonetheless, make it a pizza adventure when you’re traversing the East Coast to the West Coast.
Of course, pizzas are the main focus of Domino’s! The chain offers several types of pizzas categorized as traditional, specialty and customized that, in turn, are available in a wide range of crust styles, fillings and toppings. The artisan-style pizzas are among the best pizzas in the fast-food industry, nearly like the artisan pizzas in traditional pizzerias.
The menu also include pastas, oven-baked sandwiches and bread bowls, as well as chicken and bread sides. Domino’s has a few drinks and desserts, too, but the carbs-rich food items are the stars.
But we have to point out, too, that Domino’s has room for improvement for its hand-tossed, garlic-seasoned pizza crust! When we bite into it, the crust leaves a trail of crumbs that shouldn’t be there. Perhaps, Domino’s can make some changes to it.
Papa John’s
There’s something about the butter garlic sauce that makes it nearly addictive, even when its texture is inconsistent. Sometimes, we get the creamy version; sometimes, we get the oily version but both just have a certain oomph to them that makes us want for more. Plus, it’s like a guessing game!
Like its competitors, Papa John’s has several pizza variations on its menu. The Original Crust Cheese Pizza is probably the oldest pizza on its menu and Papa John’s has introduced a few changes to its original recipe. This has a striking appearance that will make your mouth drool, thanks to the generous amount of cheese and toppings.
The classic crust has a doughy sturdiness that makes it able to carry the weight, so to speak, of the sauce, cheese and toppings. While a little leakage from the sides is normal, the toppings stay within the crust.
And then the overall flavor complements the crust! The sauce has a bright tone that lends itself well to the creaminess of the melted cheese and the heft of the meat, vegetables and other toppings.
If you’re looking for a great pizza experience, we suggest “The Works”! It lives up to its name with the whole nine yards – spicy sausage, salty pepperoni, black olives, onions, mushrooms, and crispy green peppers, among others. Its dough can become slightly limp because of all that weight but it’s still fantastic pizza with umami flavor rare in chain pizzas.
Pizza Hut
The Pizza Hut chain has given the world a few innovations and the stuffed crust pizza is among them – and it’s undoubtedly the best innovation ever in the history of pizza! Why settle for just the plan crust when it can be stuffed with more cheese and get more flavor with every bite? Pizza Hut wins in this regard.
Pizza Hut also has an advocacy and it’s something that parents like. Known as the Book It program, children were given free pizzas in exchange for reading books.
The pizzas at Pizza Hut are obviously the main draw. While its pizzas aren’t what can be considered as artisan and gourmet pizzas, these are still delicious enough for the chain to be a favorite. The reasonable prices are also a draw so families and students are the usual crowd in its restaurants.
And Pizza Hut continues to make innovations on its pizzas! The latest is the revamping of its Original Pan Pizza, which was introduced more than 40 years ago. The changes seem to include a crispier crust, a new sauce and a new cheese blend and these seem to be working.
Between these three pizza chains, we have to say that Papa John’s take the cake for the best pizzas while Domino’s for the best delivery service and Pizza Hut for bringing back childhood memories of pizzas. Each one has a place in our collective memory and a take on our wallets.