Yahoo Foodies React: What’s the Best Pizza?
Yahoo Food’s recent report on how the national pizza chains stack up proves how passionate people are about their pies: more than 3,000 Yahoo Food readers chimed in on their favorite slice, a record number for recent comments.
The responses revealed a few common themes:
The quality of each chain constantly changes, depending on ownership and staff.
All branches of the same chain are not equal. Pizzas from a franchise in Springfield, Mass., for example, can be far superior to those served at a Springfield, Ill., shop, or in the same city for that matter.
Pizza bought at the counter is always better than one that’s delivered. It’s not fair to compare the two.
Here’s how Anthony Sulla-Heffinger, the report’s author, rated them:
1. Dominos
2. Sbarro
4. Pizza Hut
5. Papa John’s
Yahoo Food reader Surfer Coyote ranked them the same, although his favorite is not what it used to be. “Pizza Hut used to have the #1 or #2 spot, but they have really nosedived the last couple years.”
Matthew was one reader who wished we ranked either in-store or delivery pizzas, not both. “Not the same, apples and oranges. The test should have been the same all around … it would be a more accurate …”
619SDBOLTS says hot and fresh is the only way to go. “Delivery has too many factors that can contribute to satisfaction and taste: distance, time of day, just to name a few. How ‘bout just eating all of them out of the oven and rate them.”
Jet’s, a smaller chain, wasn’t included in the rankings but one reader thought it was worth mentioning. Photo: Jet’s
A few readers gave shout-outs to smaller chains. MoonPie writes that his favorite is Jet’s, which started in Michigan in 1978 and now has 300 shops in 18 states. It’s “better than average.” As for the others: “Pizza Hut is horrible, cardboard crust with no taste. Little Caesars … cheap, fast and easy. The pie is not bad. Sbarro … by far the most greasy mess of a pizza I ever had. Papa John’s meat lovers … great but costly,” he says.
Looks like a lot of everything on this Pizza King pie. Photo: Pizza King
Far Right Liberal loves this regional parlor: “The best pizza on the planet comes from a small chain in East Central Indiana called Pizza King.” Anyone else a fan of Jet’s, Pizza King or other smaller chains? Let us know.
Dave also says the quality of the Pizza Hut in his area has declined. “I’d prefer to pay a few dollars more for something with real ingredients rather than a bunch of soy and corn made to look like a pizza and taste like cardboard.”
Other readers, however, still swear by Pizza Hut. “If you want the best tasting without being burnt then by far Pizza Hut is the place to go,” K. writes.
Edynol agrees: “The Pizza Hut near me, everything is awesome … but (Little Ceasars) has freakin’ awesome garlic bread sticks which don ’t even need dipping sauce.”
There’s no arguing with Suzan: “I love Papa John’s the best. Papa’s is always HOT. There is plenty of cheese, toppings and sauce. It takes longer to deliver because my place does it right.”
If you haven’t done so, take a look at the comments below the story and feel free to give an opinion. Don’t be afraid. It seems that each reader has one when it comes to the their favorite (or not so favorite) pizza chain.
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What’s the best pizza parlor ever? Let us know.
