When I got wind of Pizza Hut's new Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza, I knew I had to try it. Problem is that in NYC, we only have Pizza Hut Express locations and the weird combination Pizza Hut–Taco Bells—all with limited menus and staff members who get flustered at any order beyond Personal Pan Pizzas. The Hut does what it does best in the suburbs, and I wanted to give this new pizza a fighting chance at impressing us all. So I turned to Slice correspondent Philip Given (of The Susquehanna Photographic), asking him for his take on the cheesetastic creation. This is his story. —The Mgmt.
"Oh! One thing ... do you think you could do a Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza review?" Of COURSE, Adam. As Slice/Serious Eats' resident small town correspondent, I suppose it's my duty to report on the newest disc of cheesy goodness from "America's Favorite Pizza" place—Pizza Hut.
According to Pizza Hut's chief marketing officer, Brian Niccol, "The arrival of Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza is the biggest news to hit our Pan Pizza in nearly three decades... I didn't think it was possible to make our Pan Pizza any better, but with the addition of a ring of melted cheese stuffed deep into the crust, we've created a pizza that hits the jackpot."
Jackpot, eh? Pizza Hut is introducing this pizza at $10.99, including one topping, which ends up being $3 to 4 cheaper than a regular single-topping Pan Pizza.[Loads and loads of gooey, cheesy photos and opinion, after the jump.]
Say what you will about Pizza Hut—they're an evil chain, the pizza is too greasy, blah blah blah—but there is one thing that is pretty much universally accepted to be great: the breadsticks. Just like in the days of our youth, we decided to start the meal off with a basket of the famous sticks. They were everything we remembered them to be: long, golden, crisp, and lightly dusted with Parmesan and oregano. They came out hot with a crunchy outside and soft, fluffy inside. They were complemented perfectly by the bright-red marinara sauce that they came with. Sound like an adult novel yet?
It was just a short wait while we watched the employees set up the buffet until our pizza arrived. As soon as it got to our table, the aroma of the crisp, grease-cupping pepperoni combined with the milky-white cheese and robust sauce was instantly recognizable. Flashing through my head were images of the Book-It Club, Saturday mornings, and four-inch-diameter Personal Pan Pizzas. This was a time in my life before Di Fara, before Motorino, before Neapolitan-this and artisanal-that. A simpler time.
And then I saw it.
It was the signature characteristic of the Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza (SCPP): the cheese ring. An almost disturbingly perfect ring of white, string cheese–like substance.
It was just sitting there on top, as if it were a cheesier version of the Berlin Wall, separating the crust from the rest of the pizza in a standoff to last the ages. Where is the love, cheese ring?
Honestly, if you've had a Pizza Hut Pan Pizza—even if it was when you were in 4th grade—you get the gist of this pizza. And let's be frank in regards to the newest addition to the Hut's classic: It's not a stuffed crust.
A ring of cheese acting like a moat defending a pizza castle? Yes. A stuffed crust? No. All previous incarnations of the Stuffed Crust model at Pizza Hut have consisted of the crust hiding the cheese within its walls. In contrast, the SCPP proudly displays the ring of cheese as if to say "Yep. You gotta get through me first before you enjoy this crust."
All that aside, the cheese was hot and gooey and, like most of Pizza Hut's crusts, best enjoyed when dipped into the remaining marinara.
Pizza Hut, what are you doing? Are you just trying to think of the various weird cheese shapes you can throw on top of your classic pies? There's a reason something becomes a classic: It is time-tested, simple, and good just the way it is.
Click me bigger: The requisite upskirt shot (left) and a cross-section to show the hole structure and not-really-stuffed Stuffed Crust (right).
Most of this pizza was just how we remembered it—fluffy, cheesy, and satisfyingly greasy with a bottom just crisp enough to support the mass above it. The ring of cheese, however, will forever be burned into my mind as an intrusion on the 30-year-old favorite.
About the author: Philip Given (aka Prairie on SE/Slice) is a professional photographer who lives in York, Pennsylvania. You can view his portfolio at The Susquehanna Photographic.
I was hoping the cheese would be actually stuffed in the crust, not sitting on top. Still, it's 2 p.m., I haven't eaten yet, and your photos have made this pizza look desirable. Going to lunch in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....
Omg I laughed so loud at the Book-It reference. I was the power reader of the class, but my mom never let me use my coupons. Ever. Delivery was the name of the game in our house, and I'm pretty sure you had to eat-in to use the coupon. Thanks, Mom. You're lucky you got a kid who read ten hours a day for the fun of it.
I think I would eat this like you would eat Ortolan in order to hide my foodie shame...
"while the diner draped his head with a linen napkin to preserve the precious aromas and, some believe, to hide from God..."
"It was just sitting there on top, as if it were a cheesier version of the Berlin Wall, separating the crust from the rest of the pizza in a standoff to last the ages. Where is the love, cheese ring?"
PG, that is classic stuff right there.....I love it!
Your photos, as always, are spot on the mark.
I hope your camera, and your stomach, are ready for the Margherita Wars....Tommy the Tomato sent me a tomato smeared letter saying he was very upset that we hadn't settled the score yet.....late September or October should be go time!
1. When I first saw this, I thought "what is the difference between this and the original stuffed crust?? I was confused.
2. Now I see it's not even an actual stuffed crust. It's just.. more cheese. Isn't that just... extra cheese? Still confused.
3. I totally had the idea for stuffed crust when I was 7. I was so mad at Pizza Hut for beating me to it.
Well, it isn't really just more cheese...it's clearly defined. You could probably break the crust / cheese portion away from the cheese/sauce/dough portion. Kinda weird.
The thing I could never figure out is how Pizza Hut is so good when you eat it in the restaurant, but so oily and disgusting when they bring it to your house. How has their delivery service survived this dichotomy?
I have wonderful Book-It memories. The pins with the hiroglyphic (I was rewarded for the reading, not the spelling!), images, the stickers, and, of course, the personal pizzas. My face beaming, because I actually one something. Now that I think about it, if it wasn't for the Book-It program, I would have never won a damn thing in my life.
But these memories won't inspire me to hit up the combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell (but I might play the video on You Tube).
@BrooklynBaker and @Conky: Here's how it's new ...
First there was Pan Pizza—going back like 30 years.
Then Stuffed Crust was introduced, I don't know, like in the '90s?
The Stuffed Crust pies were based on the "Hand Tossed" crust
Now they've essentially mashed up Pan Pizza and Stuffed Crust, "stuffing"* the crust of a Pan Pizza—this was not an option until very recently
All this confusion seems to indicate that Pizza Hut has not made these differences clear and has a bigger marketing job on its hands than it probably thought.
Why not just wrap some chicken strips from KFC in a gordita from TB in a pan pizza from PH and be done with it? You could even sprinkle some of those fried batter crunchy bits from LJS's on the side for aesthetics.
For the first time in years, I now am craving Pizza Hut. I seem to remember a stuffed crust of yore, but now can't recall if it was just in the regular pizza. All said and done, if I could eat pizza every day, forever, I could certainly die happy.
I am deeply insulted that this "stuffed crust" pizza is nothing of the kind, and I thank Slice heartily for allowing me to avoid making the mistake of purchasing one.
Regular PH stuffed crust is SO good the next day straight out of the fridge. I haven't had it in a couple years, but I still applaud its genius.
@ratbuddy--they use different kinds of sauce for the different pizzas?
It's hilarious how many of us have memories of Pizza Hut from our 'you-th.'
What I remember best is the oil, which of course I loved--actually for something really new, a naked pizza with just crust and oil, no cheese, I bet would actually be quite popular, since the cheese and the sauce are so unremarkable.
This looks about as bad as the original stuffed crust, redeemed in just the slightest way by the fact it's on the pan crust instead of the horrible "hand-tossed". I just wish they'd resurrect the triple decker. That was such gooey fatty awesomeness. What's this under my mushroom pizza? Why it's a cheese pizza!!!
@HoG, I think they still do.. When I worked there about 15 years ago, there was a gross, sweet, thick sauce for the stuffed crust, and a regular sauce for the pan pizza. I used to make myself stuffed crust pizzas with regular sauce.
Sorry, but like ALL Pizza Hut pizzas, it's been reformulated to cook quickly in a fixed time conveyor belt oven. All this happened when Pizza hut emphasized delivery speed, and stopped cooking some pizzas longer. What does this mean? Large pan pizzas are now doughy, almost raw. PERIOD.
You like your pan pizza crisp, fried, and cooked, tough luck. All you get now is weird doughy crust with a fake dark exterior (extra sugar I assume), and barely warm toppings. The small personal pizzas are actually better since they are more cooked through.
You can try asking them to run your pizza through twice, but since the whole thing has been reformulated to set up quickly, the results are pretty bad.
We've had the stuffed crust for such a long time now here in the Philippines. I'm counting years already. In fact, it started with cheesy crust which is just basically cheese sprinkled onto the crust. But all that has transformed into THE cheese stuffed crust (cheese that's really INSIDE the crust) as well as other stuff: sausage stuffed, cheesy volcano, sausage puffs and cheesy puffs.
When I saw ads for this pizza I was wondering how they are justifying the claim that the crust is actually stuffed. Still don't understand it. Certainly, I guess they are giving a possible cheesy burst to assist with eating the crust, but it's really not the same as actually stuffing it in the dough. Has PH decided that ring of cheese regardless of where it goes is equal to stuffed crust since their stuffed crust involves a ring of cheese? Irregardless, the crust of pan pizza is usually pretty great. Doesn't need help getting eaten.
@bkbella: "My face beaming, because I actually one something." I guess Book It didn't help your language skills as much as they hoped it would. :P
wunami, looks like you could use some book-it yourself... " Irregardless, the crust of pan pizza is usually pretty great." IRREGARDLESS?? really? lol that's not even a word ;-p
Based on this review, I went out and got a Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza (with pepperoni, America’s favorite topping).
A few observations:
-Adam: there’s at least Pizza Hut in NYC with a complete menu, on Northern Blvd east of Parsons Blvd in Flushing. (Not in the city, but in NYC, and as close to the city as DiFara and alot closer than Totonno’s. Not saying I would take a subway to a Pizza Hut...)
-I’m not a fan of the chains, but if a local parlor isn’t there I’m glad to order from them. But I’ve always thought Pizza Hut was just acceptable. I now realize I’ve been eating the hand-tossed, not the pan. The pan I got from the above Flushing location was good...
-...until I got to the cheese ring, which made the last few bites not-so-good (if there is a next time, which I doubt, I won't eat the cheese ring). It probably also added a lot of calories.
100% agree with Philip’s review: Pizza Hut Pan Pizza good, cheese ring bad.
I just had one of these with red onions, pepperoni, green peppers. It was tasty, and I would never think of comparing this with something else in another genre, it's good for what it is supposed to be. Did need some complimentary spices and salt. (but I crave salt)
This is new? I remember when I was 7 and would always get pizza on Fridays... I'd always get stuff crust from Pizza Hut - SO GOOD! Too bad I don't eat pizza anyone!
I started eating at Pizza Hut when I was living in Panama. Yep, we had them there...and they were exceptional. I moved back to the States a year ago and found the Pizza Hut pizzas here to be, in my estimation, terrible. Whereas in Panama they were truly excellent. Por que? Plus, the service here stinks.
Any comments on California Kitchen pizzas? I'mnot a fan, but everyone I know raves about them.
Ya nailed it..."The Hut does what it does best in the suburbs." I don't know why, but it's so true. Eat-in Pizza Hut with salad bar is a completely different thing than take out or delivery.
And if the only choices were Papa Johns, Domino's or Pizza Hut, it would be Pizza Hut or...nothing.
Thank the gods above for the genius that invented TIVO because I have not watched one commercial in two years. Needless to say I have not seen the ads for anything new at Pizza Hut. The last time I ate there I was sick for 4 days, so can you blame me for not loving their food. As for big chains in America, they can all keep trying but you just can't bring it home like the small mom and pop, brick oven pie makers. And if the only choices were Papa Johns, Domino's or Pizza Hut I would shot myself!! :)
FYI
While stuffing the pan crust with the cheese does sound delicious, it is logistically impossible.
The traditional stuffed crust pizza requires dough of a different texture, a more classic hand-tossed feel, so it can be stretched out over the pan far enough to tuck the cheese into the dough with enough room to stretch the excess dough on top of the cheese.
This feat is impossible with pan pizza, at least the Pizza Hut brand of pan pizza, because the dough is too fluffy and porous. If one were to stretch the dough, it would sink down and upon baking become a greasy crispy mess.
To perfect the cheese-in-the-crust plan, Pizza Hut would need to do a lot of research and development, and they're not into that.
But there are those breadsticks...
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49 Comments:
I was hoping the cheese would be actually stuffed in the crust, not sitting on top. Still, it's 2 p.m., I haven't eaten yet, and your photos have made this pizza look desirable. Going to lunch in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....
Adam Kuban at 2:03PM on 09/02/09
100,000,000,000,000 points for the Book-it reference.
LaViolett at 2:05PM on 09/02/09
Omg I laughed so loud at the Book-It reference. I was the power reader of the class, but my mom never let me use my coupons. Ever. Delivery was the name of the game in our house, and I'm pretty sure you had to eat-in to use the coupon. Thanks, Mom. You're lucky you got a kid who read ten hours a day for the fun of it.
meleyna at 2:18PM on 09/02/09
Christ on a bike, I could run my car on all that grease...
NotAmerican at 2:24PM on 09/02/09
that's...disappointing. i expected better of Pizza Hut.
and now i crave a personal pan pizza. thanks.
falnfenix at 2:33PM on 09/02/09
I think I would eat this like you would eat Ortolan in order to hide my foodie shame...
"while the diner draped his head with a linen napkin to preserve the precious aromas and, some believe, to hide from God..."
exflexitarian at 2:34PM on 09/02/09
"It was just sitting there on top, as if it were a cheesier version of the Berlin Wall, separating the crust from the rest of the pizza in a standoff to last the ages. Where is the love, cheese ring?"
PG, that is classic stuff right there.....I love it!
Your photos, as always, are spot on the mark.
I hope your camera, and your stomach, are ready for the Margherita Wars....Tommy the Tomato sent me a tomato smeared letter saying he was very upset that we hadn't settled the score yet.....late September or October should be go time!
Pizzablogger at 2:38PM on 09/02/09
1. When I first saw this, I thought "what is the difference between this and the original stuffed crust?? I was confused.
2. Now I see it's not even an actual stuffed crust. It's just.. more cheese. Isn't that just... extra cheese? Still confused.
3. I totally had the idea for stuffed crust when I was 7. I was so mad at Pizza Hut for beating me to it.
LHSK12 at 2:42PM on 09/02/09
Well, it isn't really just more cheese...it's clearly defined. You could probably break the crust / cheese portion away from the cheese/sauce/dough portion. Kinda weird.
Prairie at 2:43PM on 09/02/09
It's a miniature cheese model of the Large Hadron Collider......or at least a really cool cheesy track for the pepperoni to race each other around?
Pizzablogger at 2:47PM on 09/02/09
wait, i don't understand. I thought this happened like 10 years ago...?
BrooklynBaker at 3:01PM on 09/02/09
The thing I could never figure out is how Pizza Hut is so good when you eat it in the restaurant, but so oily and disgusting when they bring it to your house. How has their delivery service survived this dichotomy?
Endymion at 3:07PM on 09/02/09
Grease is good for you, it makes your bones strong.
redfish at 3:08PM on 09/02/09
Uhmmm. I agree with BrooklynBaker. We've had the Pizza Slut stuffed crust option here in Canada since a hundred years ago, back in the 90's....?
conky at 3:28PM on 09/02/09
It's a pan pizza, not a regular stuffed crust pizza.
Cami398 at 3:37PM on 09/02/09
You actually made this look delicious! Props to you for that :)
I used to get Book-It pizzas by having my mom sign the form even though I didn't understand English too well (at the time). Ah, the memories!!!
Ambitous at 3:44PM on 09/02/09
I have wonderful Book-It memories. The pins with the hiroglyphic (I was rewarded for the reading, not the spelling!), images, the stickers, and, of course, the personal pizzas. My face beaming, because I actually one something. Now that I think about it, if it wasn't for the Book-It program, I would have never won a damn thing in my life.
But these memories won't inspire me to hit up the combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell (but I might play the video on You Tube).
bkbella at 3:49PM on 09/02/09
Those are by far the nicest pictures of Pizza Hut pizza (and breadsticks) I've ever seen.
Ciao,
PG
pauliegee at 4:00PM on 09/02/09
So it's not a stuffed crust, it's more like a whitewall pizza?
Osomatic at 4:10PM on 09/02/09
@BrooklynBaker and @Conky: Here's how it's new ...
- First there was Pan Pizza—going back like 30 years.
- Then Stuffed Crust was introduced, I don't know, like in the '90s?
- The Stuffed Crust pies were based on the "Hand Tossed" crust
- Now they've essentially mashed up Pan Pizza and Stuffed Crust, "stuffing"* the crust of a Pan Pizza—this was not an option until very recently
All this confusion seems to indicate that Pizza Hut has not made these differences clear and has a bigger marketing job on its hands than it probably thought.Adam Kuban at 4:22PM on 09/02/09
@Osomatic: Priceless.........exactly correct!
It's old school......like a white walled, spoke rimmed, '98 Olds crusing the block with some Sly and the Family just pumping outta the speaks.
Pizzablogger at 4:24PM on 09/02/09
Hahah. Whitewall pizza. Reminds me of the tires on my family's 1979 Buick Riviera.
Adam Kuban at 4:30PM on 09/02/09
Why not just wrap some chicken strips from KFC in a gordita from TB in a pan pizza from PH and be done with it? You could even sprinkle some of those fried batter crunchy bits from LJS's on the side for aesthetics.
Mad Ernie at 4:35PM on 09/02/09
omg I grew up on Book-it!
joyyy at 4:42PM on 09/02/09
For the first time in years, I now am craving Pizza Hut. I seem to remember a stuffed crust of yore, but now can't recall if it was just in the regular pizza. All said and done, if I could eat pizza every day, forever, I could certainly die happy.
Linnea Covington at 4:44PM on 09/02/09
@Mad Ernie: Taco Town beat you to it.
Adam Kuban at 4:46PM on 09/02/09
Cheese ring. Oh lordy. It's both awesome and wrong, all at the same time. But I'm sure it tastes great with a pitcher of PBR.
wasabiprime at 4:58PM on 09/02/09
the cheese ring may not suffice, but i am dreaming about that crispy pepperoni on top of gooey cheese now...i guess i know what's for dinner.
colordiva02 at 5:07PM on 09/02/09
@Slicemeister: THAT has me laughing, and I needed it. Taco Town rules!
Thank you sir.
Pizzablogger at 5:14PM on 09/02/09
I am deeply insulted that this "stuffed crust" pizza is nothing of the kind, and I thank Slice heartily for allowing me to avoid making the mistake of purchasing one.
Regular PH stuffed crust is SO good the next day straight out of the fridge. I haven't had it in a couple years, but I still applaud its genius.
jm chen at 5:24PM on 09/02/09
It's tough to tell from the pics, do they use the normal pan pizza sauce, or the horrible sweet goo they use for the regular stuffed crust pizza?
ratbuddy at 6:29PM on 09/02/09
@ratbuddy--they use different kinds of sauce for the different pizzas?
It's hilarious how many of us have memories of Pizza Hut from our 'you-th.'
What I remember best is the oil, which of course I loved--actually for something really new, a naked pizza with just crust and oil, no cheese, I bet would actually be quite popular, since the cheese and the sauce are so unremarkable.
HeartofGlass at 7:49PM on 09/02/09
This looks about as bad as the original stuffed crust, redeemed in just the slightest way by the fact it's on the pan crust instead of the horrible "hand-tossed". I just wish they'd resurrect the triple decker. That was such gooey fatty awesomeness. What's this under my mushroom pizza? Why it's a cheese pizza!!!
veggiegirl at 7:59PM on 09/02/09
@HoG, I think they still do.. When I worked there about 15 years ago, there was a gross, sweet, thick sauce for the stuffed crust, and a regular sauce for the pan pizza. I used to make myself stuffed crust pizzas with regular sauce.
ratbuddy at 9:28PM on 09/02/09
Sorry, but like ALL Pizza Hut pizzas, it's been reformulated to cook quickly in a fixed time conveyor belt oven. All this happened when Pizza hut emphasized delivery speed, and stopped cooking some pizzas longer. What does this mean? Large pan pizzas are now doughy, almost raw. PERIOD.
You like your pan pizza crisp, fried, and cooked, tough luck. All you get now is weird doughy crust with a fake dark exterior (extra sugar I assume), and barely warm toppings. The small personal pizzas are actually better since they are more cooked through.
You can try asking them to run your pizza through twice, but since the whole thing has been reformulated to set up quickly, the results are pretty bad.
peekpoke at 9:37PM on 09/02/09
We've had the stuffed crust for such a long time now here in the Philippines. I'm counting years already. In fact, it started with cheesy crust which is just basically cheese sprinkled onto the crust. But all that has transformed into THE cheese stuffed crust (cheese that's really INSIDE the crust) as well as other stuff: sausage stuffed, cheesy volcano, sausage puffs and cheesy puffs.
You could see all the pictures here: http://www.pizzahut.com.ph/2007/menu.php#pizza
Head Geekette at 8:34AM on 09/03/09
Pizza Hut needs to hire Prairie as their official photographer.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
pauliegee at 8:56AM on 09/03/09
@Head Geekette: We don't have the sausage stuffed, or the cheesy volcano, sausage puffs or cheesy puffs, but we do have the cheese stuffed crust.
This post is about the PAN PIZZA with a "stuffed crust" something that is entirely new to Pizza Hut.
Seems as if they need to work on their marketing.
Prairie at 10:47AM on 09/03/09
When I saw ads for this pizza I was wondering how they are justifying the claim that the crust is actually stuffed. Still don't understand it. Certainly, I guess they are giving a possible cheesy burst to assist with eating the crust, but it's really not the same as actually stuffing it in the dough. Has PH decided that ring of cheese regardless of where it goes is equal to stuffed crust since their stuffed crust involves a ring of cheese? Irregardless, the crust of pan pizza is usually pretty great. Doesn't need help getting eaten.
@bkbella: "My face beaming, because I actually one something." I guess Book It didn't help your language skills as much as they hoped it would. :P
wunami at 4:15PM on 09/03/09
wunami, looks like you could use some book-it yourself... " Irregardless, the crust of pan pizza is usually pretty great." IRREGARDLESS?? really? lol that's not even a word ;-p
gypsykid at 9:08PM on 09/03/09
@redfish, don't be ridiculous... everyone knows grease gives you a shiny coat.
@LHSK12 don't be mad at them for beating you to it, be mad at them for inventing a machine that steals dreams from 7 yr. olds!
Pavlov at 7:57AM on 09/04/09
I don't consider myself a pizza snob, but I'm amazed readers of Slice eat Pizza Hut product, short of it being the only pizza available.
schodack at 9:44AM on 09/04/09
Based on this review, I went out and got a Stuffed Crust Pan Pizza (with pepperoni, America’s favorite topping).
A few observations:
-Adam: there’s at least Pizza Hut in NYC with a complete menu, on Northern Blvd east of Parsons Blvd in Flushing. (Not in the city, but in NYC, and as close to the city as DiFara and alot closer than Totonno’s. Not saying I would take a subway to a Pizza Hut...)
-I’m not a fan of the chains, but if a local parlor isn’t there I’m glad to order from them. But I’ve always thought Pizza Hut was just acceptable. I now realize I’ve been eating the hand-tossed, not the pan. The pan I got from the above Flushing location was good...
-...until I got to the cheese ring, which made the last few bites not-so-good (if there is a next time, which I doubt, I won't eat the cheese ring). It probably also added a lot of calories.
100% agree with Philip’s review: Pizza Hut Pan Pizza good, cheese ring bad.
Hojo at 3:27PM on 09/04/09
I just had one of these with red onions, pepperoni, green peppers. It was tasty, and I would never think of comparing this with something else in another genre, it's good for what it is supposed to be. Did need some complimentary spices and salt. (but I crave salt)
chanterelle at 9:54PM on 09/04/09
This is new? I remember when I was 7 and would always get pizza on Fridays... I'd always get stuff crust from Pizza Hut - SO GOOD! Too bad I don't eat pizza anyone!
Giasbash6260 at 11:39PM on 09/07/09
I started eating at Pizza Hut when I was living in Panama. Yep, we had them there...and they were exceptional. I moved back to the States a year ago and found the Pizza Hut pizzas here to be, in my estimation, terrible. Whereas in Panama they were truly excellent. Por que? Plus, the service here stinks.
Any comments on California Kitchen pizzas? I'mnot a fan, but everyone I know raves about them.
sticky wicket at 1:46AM on 09/08/09
Ya nailed it..."The Hut does what it does best in the suburbs." I don't know why, but it's so true. Eat-in Pizza Hut with salad bar is a completely different thing than take out or delivery.
And if the only choices were Papa Johns, Domino's or Pizza Hut, it would be Pizza Hut or...nothing.
Kerosena at 12:55PM on 09/11/09
Thank the gods above for the genius that invented TIVO because I have not watched one commercial in two years. Needless to say I have not seen the ads for anything new at Pizza Hut. The last time I ate there I was sick for 4 days, so can you blame me for not loving their food. As for big chains in America, they can all keep trying but you just can't bring it home like the small mom and pop, brick oven pie makers. And if the only choices were Papa Johns, Domino's or Pizza Hut I would shot myself!! :)
MyLocalPizzaGuy at 11:45PM on 09/11/09
FYI
While stuffing the pan crust with the cheese does sound delicious, it is logistically impossible.
The traditional stuffed crust pizza requires dough of a different texture, a more classic hand-tossed feel, so it can be stretched out over the pan far enough to tuck the cheese into the dough with enough room to stretch the excess dough on top of the cheese.
This feat is impossible with pan pizza, at least the Pizza Hut brand of pan pizza, because the dough is too fluffy and porous. If one were to stretch the dough, it would sink down and upon baking become a greasy crispy mess.
To perfect the cheese-in-the-crust plan, Pizza Hut would need to do a lot of research and development, and they're not into that.
But there are those breadsticks...
heatherg85 at 3:12AM on 09/27/09