I see a lot of mentions here on the boards about how people can’t stand the pizzas from places like Dominoes or Pizza Hutt, describing them as “tasteless” or “bland” or just “crap”.
Now, the thing is, it’s trendy on the SDMB to hate (or pretend to hate) the things that normal people like, but I heard the “Chain Pizzas Are Terrible!” thing so often and from so many people I’m wondering if there’s actually any truth to it?
I don’t believe so. Now, there are plenty of pizzas available that are far, far better than any of these, but you have to ask yourself: are they available at 2:00am, do they deliver and if they do, at this point, how bad can it be (and for God’s sake…what are your expectations?)?
There’s a reason White Castle exists…
Well, Domino’s has gross revenues of more than $1.4 billion in 2009. Pizza Hut is privately owned, but judging from their various brand names, seems to be pretty popular.
Yeah, what FGIE said. Dominios IS shit, but it’s cheap. Same with Little Ceasers (little sleazers, we called it. Pizza Pizza!)
I actually used to really like Papa Johns. Pizza Hut is far too greasy, but it is here in Australia, too.
Godfathers was good.
It’s been a very long time, though, so things may have changed.
Domino’s recently redid their recipe. They even aired commercials showing focus groups calling their old pizza crap and the Domino’s chefs vowing to do better. I have to say, it is a much better pizza. The old recipe was crap.
Delivering thread from IMHO to Cafe Society, with an order of Twisty Bread and a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew.
What-no tip?
I’m a pizza snob, and I’m actually pretty partial to Papa John’s. But Dominoes and the Hut really are that bad. Problem is, a lot of the country lacks genuine pizzerias, so they assume that this is what pizza is supposed to be like.
And don’t get me started on Chicago.
Nothing beats a true handmade pie with fresh ingredients and a perfect crust.
I’m quite fond of the local Hell Pizza chain.
(But then, they’re the only chain I’ve ever found that do gluten-free pizzas…)
Sorry, but it took you 34 minutes 
Up here in Canada, Pizza Pizza (not to be confused with Little Caesar’s and their slogan “Pizza, Pizza”) is pretty good, at least in my area. I also like the chains that are typically found in mall food courts, like Mrs. Vanelli’s and Sbarro.
Our Pizza Hut isn’t horrible, but way too greasy for my tastes (unless I get the Hand Tossed crust). It’s also rather expensive.
Domino’s, Little Caesar’s, etc., aren’t numerous around here, and I haven’t had them a lot. But the few times I’ve had them, they’ve been decent enough.
'Course, I’m in Canada though, so I can’t speak to the American pizza experience.
We share your Pizza Hut grease. Its a very oily pie.
I think it comes down to what you’re used to. I’m lucky enough to live in an area with some really great pizza options, and compared to what I’m used to, yes, the big national chain pizzas really are that bad. Sometimes they’re cheaper (not necessarily by much) and sometimes the chains are open later, but that’s really all they have going for them. I wouldn’t call all of the chains crap, but none of them are great.
If you have nothing else to compare them to, however…
The 2 chains that are bad are Chuck E. Cheese and Ci-Ci’s. Everything else is good even when it’s bad. I’d eat a bad pizza over a good steak any day of the week.
Actually, it’s not. Yum!, the holding company which owns Pizza Hut (as well as Taco Bell, KFC, Long John Silver, and A&W) is publically traded.
If i’m sitting in front of a football game or something with some friends, and someone orders Pizza Hut or Papa John’s or some other chain pizza, i’ll happily eat it. It’s junk food, but in the right situation i have no problem with it.
But it really just doesn’t compare to really good pizza. I’m particularly partial to New York pizza, and Lombardi’s on Spring Street in Manhattan is one of my favorites. I’ve only ever been to one place in Brooklyn, but it was also pretty awesome, and i know people who swear that New York’s best pizza is to be found in Brooklyn.
Anyway, the quality of the crust, of the tomato sauce, and of the mozzarella just puts these places head and shoulders above any chain takeaway joint, IMO.
I would, however, choose chain pizza over that disgusting, greasy puddle of cheese that passes for pizza in Chicago.
I should add, for the benefit of the OP, who is an Australian, like me:
Chain pizza over here is really pretty much the same as the chain pizza we get in Australia. If you walk into an Aussie Pizza Hut or similar, you can get a pretty good idea of what Americans are talking about, because in my experience there’s very little difference.
I’ve had good pizza in Australia, but it was usually more modern, “gourmet” style pizza; generally one of those “wood fired” places that uses a lot of exotic ingredients. That stuff is nice, but it’s not the same as the stuff you get in New York. While you can get exotic ingredients in some NY places, the emphasis at the good, old-school places is on doing the traditional, basic stuff right. The crusts are thin and crisp and fantastic.
As you mentioned, I think some of it bias on the part of posters who have an aversion to chains of any sort. Some of the chains can be pretty bad, though. I haven’t tried the new Domino’s, but I agree with many of the people here that its old pizza was crap - the type of thing we ordered in college because it was dirt cheap and it delivered at 2 a.m.
I’ve always liked Papa John’s and Pizza Hut, though. Speaking of Pizza Hut, I can remember back when I was a kid (1980s) that was what passed for fine dining in my Midwestern hometown. It was one of the few non-diner sit down places that you could take the family to on a Saturday night. And their stores where I lived were actually quite nice - tablecloths, candles, a big roaring fireplace in the middle.
I always laugh at these questions… the big chains are only successful if they sell their product. They only sell their product if people buy it. Only so much can be credited to advertising and marketing. If the product isn’t percieved as a reasonable value for the price it doesn’t sell and the brand fails. Therefore McDonalds is “good” because most people think the product being sold is worth the price asked. Is it the best possible.?.. no, but for the price it is the most successful. You could make something much cheaper and lower quality that wouldn’t sell as well… so it would soon fail, or you could make something much more expensive and better quality that also wouldn’t sell so it also would fail.
Bottom line… in a business sense if you are a big successful chain you must be doing something right. There are always critics though who are willing to say you are doing it totally wrong, but until they provide a more successful product I tend to doubt them.
So, in summary… McDonalds and chain pizza joints are “good” in the sense that they offer a reasonable product for the price offered. Can you find better? Probably, but it won’t be as easy to find, and you are taking a chance because without further info you also have a reasonable chance that it will be worse (I’ve had some really bad pizza from Mom and Pop places)
The thing is a lot of those chain places, are a midwestern style of pizza, and they’re big because they are palatable to a wider variety of tastes. They’re the ex-girlfriends of pizza, they’re not the best of the best, but they’re always there when you call and sometimes good enough is better than nothing.
I’m in Canada as well, and I think Pizza Hut (at least around here) is okay. I haven’t had Domino’s since their revamp, but (while I would rank it lower than Pizza Hut) I don’t think it deserved all the scorn it got.
People on the internet just like to exaggerate about food they don’t like. It’s one of my many pet peeves.
Chain pizza is what it is. Kids love it, and as a result, parents tolerate it. It’s better than what most people can make at home which explains the billions spent on it every year. If I had my choice, I’d order from a local place. But, they don’t deliver, cost twice as much, and all my kids really want is cheese pizza for some god forsaken reason.
The chains fit the bill nicely.