# The big 3 USA pizza companies, which do you prefer
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 15, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962 "2018-07-15T20:13:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/1 "2018-07-15T20:13:18Z")
Yes, I know your local pizza place is great. This poll isn’t for you, however. Pick one of the three big USA pizza chains as your favorite of the three. We’re talking pizza, not politics.
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### Author:  [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/2 "2018-07-15T20:14:54Z")
Are the big 3 Dominos, Pizza Hut, and Papa Johns?
I never eat Pizza Hut, but Dominos is far better than Papa Johns.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/3 "2018-07-15T20:25:11Z")
I didn’t know those were the big three. I never had Papa John’s until the 2000’s. Has it been nationwide a long time?
I am quite clueless, though. I thought the “big three” would be:
Domino’s
Little Caesar’s
Pizza Hut
By sales, I think what I listed is right. I asked my wife who grew up in California and she never had Papa John’s until the 2000’s. I’m grew up in Michigan and felt the same.
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### Author:  [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/4 "2018-07-15T20:39:49Z")
I’ve never had Papa John’s (nor even heard of it until the last decade)…and would consider the third biggie to be Little Caesar’s, like…well, everyone else.
Of those three…Domino’s, by a mile. Pizza Hut is too greasy, Little Caesar’s is inoffensive, but nothing special.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/5 "2018-07-15T20:52:50Z")
I’d vote on Little Caesars, but mainly on price. 5 bucks for a large pepperoni that you can just walk in and take away with you is a pretty good deal.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/6 "2018-07-15T20:55:23Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> I didn’t know those were the big three. I never had Papa John’s until the 2000’s. Has it been nationwide a long time?
>
> I am quite clueless, though. I thought the “big three” would be:
>
> Domino’s
> Little Caesar’s
> Pizza Hut
>
> By sales, I think what I listed is right. I asked my wife who grew up in California and she never had Papa John’s until the 2000’s. I’m grew up in Michigan and felt the same.
According to [this article](http://mentalfloss.com/article/65518/top-10-us-pizza-chains), based on 2016 gross sales, the ranking is:
#1 Pizza Hut
#2 Domino’s
#3 Little Caesars
#4 Papa John’s
Anyway, of the three that the OP listed, I’d go with Domino’s.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/7 "2018-07-15T20:56:26Z")
Pizza Hut by far, based solely on the product. Their thin crust pizza is the chain pizza I grew up with. The other two are ketchup on cardboard with a stick of string cheese taped to it.
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/8 "2018-07-15T20:59:36Z")
Papa John’s is terrible. Pizza Hut average. Domino’s decent. Never had Little Caeser’s.
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### Author:  [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/9 "2018-07-15T21:06:03Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> According to [this article](http://mentalfloss.com/article/65518/top-10-us-pizza-chains), based on 2016 gross sales, the ranking is:
> #1 Pizza Hut
> #2 Domino’s
> #3 Little Caesars
> #4 Papa John’s
>
> Anyway, of the three that the OP listed, I’d go with Domino’s.
According to this: [https://www.pizzatoday.com/pizzeria-rankings/2017-top-100-pizza-companies/](https://www.pizzatoday.com/pizzeria-rankings/2017-top-100-pizza-companies/)
Papa John’s overtook Little Caesars. I wonder how long that’ll last as the founder’s racism has become more well known.
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### Author:  [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/10 "2018-07-15T21:20:06Z")
Of the three, I’d easily go for Pizza Hut simply because it’s the most convenient for me. It’s a +30 minute drive for the other two. Assuming equal convenience, I’d probably go Domino’s.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/11 "2018-07-15T21:45:08Z")
I’d pick Domino’s for the pizza and Little Caesars for the price. I wouldn’t pick the other two specifically but they’re still OK.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/12 "2018-07-15T21:46:09Z")
Little Ceasar’s may or may not be #3 in sales but they don’t deliver so they’re out of the running in my book.
Out of the options, I guess Dominos though I haven’t had a Pizza Hut pizza in years.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/13 "2018-07-15T22:04:53Z")
I can’t be helpful. I’ve never had pizza from Papa John’s, and haven’t had Domino’s, Little Caesar’s, or Pizza Hut in decades. We have great local pizza. I wouldn’t hazard a guess about national chains.
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### Author:  [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/14 "2018-07-15T22:49:01Z")
I voted Pizza Hut. I used to manage a store, but I have no affection for them (my employment ended badly.) If the crust is fresh enough, a thin supreme is my favorite.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/15 "2018-07-15T23:23:04Z")
I voted for Pizza Hut. But it was mostly be default. I’ve never had pizza from Papa John’s (or Little Caesar). And I’ve only had pizza from Domino’s once and I didn’t like it very much. So while Pizza Hut pizza isn’t great, it wins by being good enough.
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### Author:  [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/16 "2018-07-15T23:32:11Z")
I said Domino’s, I’ve never had Poppa Johns or Little Caesar’s. It’s also been ages since I’ve had Pizza Hut. I remember they used to have a good cheese bread. We just had Domino’s the other night, my daughter had a craving for it. They’ve definitely upped their game and we enjoyed it, but it’s a rare occasion because we have a lot of good pizza places nearby. My husband has said Poppa Johns is lousy.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/17 "2018-07-15T23:39:22Z")
Domino’s garlic white sauce is great.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/18 "2018-07-15T23:40:34Z")
We have Papa John’s in Hawaii, and I never heard of them until I moved back here. I don’t think they’re bad. I find it a tie between Pizza Hut and Domino’s, with Pizza Hut having a slight edge if forced to choose.
I have to say Domino’s is a lot better than I remembered them. They have improved over the years.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/19 "2018-07-15T23:53:11Z")
> [@Patx2](#):
>
> My husband has said Poppa Johns is lousy.
I wouldn’t say “lousy”, but “lousy for the price” I would certainly agree. To me it’s more expensive yet not better.
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### Author:  [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-3-usa-pizza-companies-which-do-you-prefer/817962/20 "2018-07-16T00:10:31Z")
Little Caesars is not great pizza, just cheap.
Originally what ever you bought, you got one free, hence the slogan pizza pizza
Dominoes i just do not like
Pizza Hut, i like their sauce, not fond of their dough
Papa Johns i guess i like the best all around, It’s been around since some time in the 80’s
That is if i have to choose from the list you gave.
None of them do i consider “GOOD” pizza, there is no chain with good pizza, to me anyways
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