On and off for the past few years, I have worked as a delivery driver for a few different pizza establishments. Along with making some pretty good money in tips, I learned a thing or two about the three largest pizza entities: Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's. I've learned about their ingredients, methods used in preparation, and which franchise specializes in what. In no particular order, I'll assess these three franchises and give you the inside scoop about what you really should be ordering from these popular pizza places.
Domino's
If we're being super, brutally honest, if you are ordering and eating anything other than Domino's Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake or Cinna Stix, you might as well just eat the box your food came in because I promise that it has more flavor than their pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and wings combined. It's probably better for you too. Is it just me, or does that meticulously modeled advertisement pizza even look kinda gross?
Domino's is like the youngest child that hasn't quite figured out what makes it special and just copies everything it's wiser, more successful siblings do. For example, their attempt to emulate Papa John's garlic sauce tastes more like dish water with a haphazard dash of salt in it. They even took Pizza Hut's sloppy pasta seconds after Pizza Hut released their Tuscani Pastas in 2008.
Domino's habitual unoriginality became so pervasive, that in 2012 Pizza Hut's CMO Kurt Kane released this statement: "We are used to our competition following our lead, but consumers have proven time and time again that they will not settle for second best." BURN. At least Kane was pretty generous by calling Domino's "second best"; for me, they are dead last for every single product they offer excluding their dessert menu.
From an inside perspective, I've heard and experienced absolutely nothing but terrible things about Domino's. Their dough might be fresh, but their vegetables actually aren't. Out of the three largest pizza franchises in the United States, Domino's is the only one that doesn't use fresh vegetables. Their pizza is a hard pass for me. As far as their other products, it's really just overkill. I'm not really sure what they're gaining from selling pasta besides angry customers, and don't even get me started on their sandwiches. Yuck. If you're going to order anything from Domino's, stick to their dessert menu. Even Domino's can't mess that up.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is, supposedly, the number one pizza chain in the United States, but to me it's a close second. Eating Pizza Hut's pizza after subjecting yourself to Domino's is a relief to say the absolute least. Even this consumer-taken photo of their Smokehouse BBQ pizza undeniably looks way better than the posed and modeled Domino's pizza above.
Personally, Pizza Hut's pizza has always been my favorite, but I was quite turned off from it when I discovered that their dough isn't fresh at all. I'll spare you the unsavory details of how their dough is really prepared. Although Pizza Hut doesn't use fresh dough, they do prepare and use fresh vegetables. Plus, with more crust, sauce, and topping options, they easily have the most customizable pizzas out of the three pizza giants.
Ironically, the pizza really isn't the best part of Pizza Hut. It's their sides, especially their wings and breadsticks (read: especially not their pasta). Their wings have ten different flavors, including Buffalo, Garlic Parmesan, and even Hawaiian Teriyaki. These wings flew straight from Heaven, trust me. When it comes to ordering wings, Pizza Hut is where it's at. As far as their other notable sides, don't even get me started on their breadsticks and "flavor sticks", they are too tantalizing to even write about right now.
Papa John's
Although Papa John's is the third biggest pizza franchise, it's number one in my book. Papa John's is the only franchise reviewed that really seemed to get pizza right, and that's what these places are supposedly all about, right?
Papa John's isn't kidding when they say they have fresh ingredients. They have the best of both worlds with fresh dough AND fresh vegetables. Their dough is very clearly hand-tossed in their stores and prepared per order instead of in bulk the night before. Sure, there's some preparation beforehand, but most of the work with the dough happens when it's actually time to make a customer's order. Along with their dough, Papa John's also uses freshly cut and prepared vegetables.
Although Papa John's has quite a few other side products to offer, their pizza is really their crowning achievement. It's hands down the freshest, and therefore the best. Papa John's has mastered the art of quick, but fresh, pizza. Plus, every pizza comes with delicious garlic sauce and a cute, savory peppercini. You can also get a bunch of different delicious side sauces, such as ranch, blue cheese, cheese, and many others. Some notable side products from Papa John's are their Garlic Knots and Double Chocolate Chip Brownie.
General Pizza Advice
1. Always order online. You get way better discounts and deals online, plus it's just easier and faster than calling in your order. Search around online for the best deals and discounts that suit your needs. If you call in your order, the store will only tell you about a select few deals and I promise there are deals way better online. Like way, way better.
2. If you do call in your order, be patient. If the pizza employee on the other side of the phone asks you to repeat something once or twice, it's probably because the phone they're using is straight out of the 1980s or the computer they're using to take the order is acting up/being slow. It could also be because you were mumbling or talking too fast. It's not because they weren't paying attention or don't care about your order and it certainly doesn't give you the right to get an attitude with them. I'm sure you would rather them ask you to repeat something than to have them not ask and have the order be wrong. Oh, and if you're calling in for a delivery, please know your address. Its kind of impossible for us to deliver a pizza to you if we don't know your address. No, the name of the hotel you're staying at is not a sufficient address.
3. Always tip your delivery drivers. I really can't stress this one enough. I cannot tell you how soul crushing it is to walk away empty handed on a delivery. Even if you only have one or two dollars, just please tip your driver. A "good tip" is considered anywhere between three and five dollars. Although delivery drivers are also paid an hourly wage and compensated for their gas, most of their money comes from the tips they receive on deliveries. Even if your pizza arrives late, please don't take it out on your delivery driver by not giving them a tip; there's probably a 5% chance that it was actually their fault that your pizza was late. Also, drivers remember who does and who doesn't tip and they make sure their whole store knows too.
4. If you're expecting a delivery, make sure you can hear your door. It's super awkward to knock on your door and just stand there with no response. Its even more awkward to knock again and still get no response. Drivers are timed and compared to other drivers as soon as they take deliveries out on the road, so every second is crucial. Your driver might also have another delivery to take after yours, so please be respectful of your delivery driver's time.
5. Treat pizza employees with the respect and dignity that you would any other working human being. Just because someone works for a pizza establishment, or any other fast food restaurant for that matter, it does not mean that they are below you. It does not mean that they are stupid or lazy. In fact, the people that I have met working for "big pizza" are some of the hardest working individuals that I have met thus far and their days are impacted by the way customers treat them, so please just be kind.
