Chain Cheese Pizzas Ranked Worst To Best
A simple cheese pizza can be utterly sublime when done right. Marked by gooey cheese, deliciously robust tomato sauce, and an outstanding crust, a great cheese slice can lead to one of the best flavor experiences you'll get from any food out there. But what happens when a cheese pizza is just, well ... bad? With so many national pizza chains to choose from, there's no doubt you'll run across at least several locations that just can't get its stuff together when it comes to dishing up an awesome-tasting cheese pie.
But don't worry — that's what we're here for. In this post, we'll give you the lowdown on all the cheese pizza types we could find, and how they compare to one another from some of the most popular chain pizza spots across the U.S. Also, be sure to stick around until the end, because we're going to unveil our favorite cheese pizza coming from a very popular pizza chain menu. So, without further delay, let's get started on our curated list of chain cheese pizzas ranked worst to best.
14. Little Caesars
First up on our list of worst to best chain cheese pizza is a company you probably would've guessed. Now, don't get us wrong here; the cheese pizza at Little Caesars Pizza isn't bad, especially given its price point. Still, when comparing this cheese pizza to other pizza chains on the list, we have to rank this one quite low. Yes, the taste is decent. Yes, the pizza is affordable. But the pizza is also unimpressive. The cheese is okay; the sauce is decent, but, in our opinion, it's the pepperonis on Little Caesar's pizza that tends to give it a flavor boost. Without that, you're left with a pizza that definitely isn't horrible, but certainly doesn't earn itself a top spot on our list of best cheese pizza chains either.
We recommend you grab a Hot-N-Ready Little Caesars Pizza when you want something quick and cheap to nosh on for lunch or dinner. But if you've got a hot date or are really craving something high-quality, it might be worth it to check out another pizza parlor to satisfy those taste buds.
13. Sbarro NY Cheese Slice
Sbarro is a company well-known for its popularity in mall food courts and even a few standalone locations. This pizza joint isn't known for offering up the highest quality pies, but it does at least offer hot and delicious options for when you're particularly hungry, and aren't feeling too fussy about quality.
With that being said, the plain cheese tastes exactly as we thought it would. In fact, according to one reviewer on YouTube, the cheese pizza at Sbarro is "average at best", and may even be overpriced at that. This pizza chain offers large NY-style sliced pizzas, but for being only one slice, it could get expensive, even upwards of $5 at times. Sure, the slice is large-sized, but the taste is still undistinguishable amongst a lineup of other really good pies. Thus, given the price and overall taste, we've placed this one near the bottom of the barrel. It's decent, but may not be worth the money.
12. Pizza Inn Cheese Pizza
Pizza Inn is a restaurant that has seemingly been around for ages. Many people have old childhood memories attached to this place, and some Redditors are even shocked that the pizza chain still exists. Indeed, Pizza Inn is still kickin', and it does have options for you cheese-loving fans out there. One of the best picks for cheese-only pizza is to sample the chain's Alfredo Pizza, or even to "create your own" pizza by requesting cheese only.
How will it taste? Eh, you'll probably think it's okay. Pizza Inn is a buffet-style pizza joint that features dough made in-house, and allows you to drum up your own pizza creation if you're in the mood for something specific. With that said, reviews on Yelp have ranged from decent to just plain bad, with a few opinions scattered in between. So, should you try Pizza Inn's pizza? Sure, you can. But try not to go into it with super high expectations. Again, the pizza's okay, but it isn't as amazing as some of the other cheesy picks we've come across.
11. Cicis Pizza Cheese Pizza
If you've got a Cicis Pizza nearby, you may wonder exactly how its cheese pizza tastes. Cicis is known for budget-friendly and family-friendly buffet-style pizza, very similar to what you might find at Pizza Inn. Cicis offers a wide variety of pizza options, and some locations even boast arcades to boot!
But is Cicis cheese pizza any better than any other pizza chain? Not really. While Cicis cheese pizza isn't bad per se, according to one YouTuber, the pizza overall just seems to be quite dull. The cheese isn't anything special, the marinara isn't robust, and the crust is rather chewy. We guess that for such a low price, Cicis Pizza is a decent deal, especially if you want to feed your family for cheap. But if you're looking for a truly flavorful option, hang in there. We've got several delicious picks for you coming up that'll blow anything you'd find at Cicis out of the water.
10. Pizza Hut Cheese Pizza
Pizza Hut is one of those quintessential pizza chains that most of us have tried at least a time or two before. It's known for very thick buttery crusts with good toppings and sauce at an affordable price. When it comes to Pizza Hut's cheese pizza, we don't mind the taste. However, we do believe there are better options out there to give you a bit more bang for your buck.
Though cheese pizza is seemingly plain, Pizza Hut dresses it up a bit by adding plenty of thick melty mozzarella cheese with the signature sauce slathered liberally beneath. The only downside? Though we love a nice, thick pizza crust, Pizza Hut can come across as almost a bit too thick, making it taste overwhelmingly doughy at times (according to one YouTuber). Considering this, we can't give Pizza Hut cheese pizza a full-blown recommendation, though what you get for the price you pay isn't too bad.
9. MOD Pizza Maddy
MOD Pizza is known for giving customers amazing topping choices for one single price. While you may not find them on every corner, the chain has restaurants in at least 29 states, making it a fairly well-known pizza chain that seems to be growing in popularity.
So, how does the cheese pizza fare? This one is tricky. Though we love the fact that MOD Pizza allows you to customize your slice, when it comes to the classic bare-naked cheese pie, we have to say we're a bit unimpressed. The pizza is reasonably priced, but its paper-thin crust and a smattering of cheese on the pizza weren't quite what we hoped for, especially when compared to other pizza chain options. The sauce is interesting with a strong hint of tanginess and basil, but overall, the pizza left us feeling fairly neutral.
Like so many other contenders on this list, the flavor on this one wasn't bad, but it isn't necessarily something we'd look forward to sampling over and over again. Give it a try if you happen to be around a MOD restaurant, but don't expect love at first bite.
8. Blaze Pizza Simple Pie
Blaze Pizza is another make-it-your-own-way style pizza spot, and for that, we can't be too mad. The concept is very similar to MOD Pizza, meaning you can customize your own pie for one basic price without having to worry about being charged for each individual topping. Since we're reviewing plain cheese pizzas here, though, you'll be interested to know that the "Simple Pie" on the Blaze menu contains only sauce and cheese, and is the cheapest-priced pizza you'll find there. In fact, our location lists an 11-inch Simple Pie as costing only a couple more bucks than your standard Little Caesars Hot-N-Ready cheese pizza. Pretty sweet.
As far as flavor and texture go, we'd say that the pizza is average. It comes on a very thin crust just like its MOD competitors, and it has the same "meh factor" (according to YouTube) to it, as well. We do love that the pizzas come "fast-fired", but there isn't much else that stands out to us concerning this pizza pie. Again, you can grab it when you're hungry, probably won't walk away grossed out, but will you be dazzled? Very unlikely.
7. Hungry Howie's Cheese Pizza
Hungry Howie's is one of those pizza chains where you know you're probably going to get pretty good value for your money. Indeed, Hungry Howie's pizzas tend to be tasty, especially if you're just looking for something quick to shove in your mouth before climbing into bed for the evening. In terms of ranking Hungry Howie's cheese pizza, we're going to place it right smack in the middle.
It isn't bad at all. In fact, it's borderline darn good (according to a review on YouTube). The sauce is tasty, thick, and robust, the cheese is good, and there are a wide range of sizes to choose from, so you can pick something that best suits your appetite. We also love that Hungry Howie's offers multiple flavored crust options including Cajun, garlic ranch, asiago, sesame seed, and more to make your cheese pizza that much more interesting. Overall, a cheese pizza from Hungry Howie's may not be the best we've tasted, but it certainly remains a solid pick.
6. Marco's Cheese Pizza
As we get a little closer to the top spots on our list, you'll notice things getting a little brighter in the flavor department. Starting with Marco's Pizza, we can at least say that this pizza chain delivers solid eats, no matter what toppings you choose. When it comes specifically to the cheese pizza, Marco's does a decent job at it; at least it didn't leave us feeling like we had somehow wasted our hard-earned bucks.
Marco's provides a "hearty pizza" (via YouTube) with a tasty deeply flavored tomato sauce that nicely underpins its great-tasting cheese. According to the website, the three cheeses are a signature offering that comes standard on many of the featured pizza options. Nevertheless, Marco's seems to remain quiet as to what exactly those cheeses are.
Either way, we found this cheese pizza pick to ultimately be a tastier option compared to some of the rest. We've also noted that Marco's has a "White Cheezy" pizza offered that features garlic sauce, three cheeses, feta, a bit of bacon, onion, and diced tomatoes to make things a bit more interesting. If that sounds good to you, you may wish to give it a go; Marco's pizza isn't too bad!
5. Jet's Cheese Pizza
Jet's Pizza is another great pizza chain for all of you thick-crust lovers out there. The substantial, crunchy, and buttery crust is truly an ode to Detroit-style pizza, and we think it's high time that this pizza chain gets a shoutout. Though this popular pizza joint is known for its delicious toppings layered upon a crispy thick "cornered" pizza, it does offer a plain cheese version for those who just aren't into all the fancy toppings. This pizza, simply referred to on the website as "cheese", comes with Jet's bold tomato pizza sauce, and heaps of stringy gooey mozzarella.
So, is it good? Coming from Jet's, you'd better believe it is. You can even customize the crust to be infused with garlic, butter, Cajun, or other flavors. Despite its delicious taste, this cheese pizza with its mouth-watering mozzarella, unfortunately, fell just shy of securing the coveted top spot on our list of favorites. Other cheese pizza options dazzled us with a tantalizing array of cheese varieties, outshining this one with delightful cheese offerings. It's definitely still worth the purchase, though!
4. California Pizza Kitchen Traditional Cheese
California Pizza Kitchen gained popularity mainly through the introduction of its deliciously savory BBQ Chicken Pizza. These days, however, the California Pizza Kitchen garners split opinions from patrons on Reddit, ranging from terrible to fantastic. On one hand, fans love CPK's interesting topping options along with the fresh-tasting crust. Others seem to have a problem with the franchise on the whole, citing that the company has gone downhill in recent years.
Whatever your opinion, when it comes to California Pizza Kitchen's cheese pizza, the consensus is that it's an A+. For those of you who don't have high hopes for this cheese pie, you might just be surprised! The crust is thin, crispy, and fresh, the cheese is piled on thick, and the sauce packs rich flavor. Overall, we were surprised that this one made it so high on our list, but judging the pizza according to its overall taste and texture, it's definitely well worth a top spot.
3. Donatos Serious Cheese Pizza
If you want a taste of a really good thin-crust pizza, you ought to sample Donatos at some point in your life. Yes, you can only get this yummy pie in certain states, but the cheese pizza here is good enough that we think you should make the extra effort to sample it when and if you can.
Donatos prides itself on packing its pizza from edge-to-edge with toppings, and its cheese pizza is no different. The extra thin crust style of this unique-tasting pizza allows you to sample the various nuances in toppings — especially the cheese. This is important because Donatos Serious Cheese Pizza comes with smoked aged provolone and Romano cheese, with the option of sprinkling your own Parmesan cheese over each slice for added flavor. This cheese pizza boasts a special touch as its cheese is carefully sourced from none other than Wisconsin, the highly-esteemed "cheese state." This prestigious endorsement adds an extra layer of appeal, elevating the pizza's status, and making it all the more coveted among cheese enthusiasts.
Our opinion on Donatos Serious Cheese is that it's a major win in terms of flavor. You can taste the cheese in every bite, and the sauce is tasty and robust enough to add a hint of herbal flavor that makes it nearly irresistible.
2. Dominos Cheese Pizza
Domino's has stepped up its game in recent years, and honestly, it seems like it is garnering more of a following now than it ever has before. People are loving Domino's newly feigned deliciousness, although not many are sure how or why this upgrade has happened. One thing's for certain, and that's that the cheese pizza at Domino's is definitely worth trying out.
Fans of this cheesy pizza pie give it two thumbs up, stating its garlic crust is the perfect accompaniment to the thick and delicious gooey cheese that comes layered on top. In fact, we were hard-pressed to find anyone saying otherwise about Domino's cheese pizza, leading us to believe that this is, undoubtedly, one of the better-done cheese pizzas out there, especially when you consider its price point. Overall, Domino's is a great grab, especially when you're on a tight budget. It's a win!
1. Papa John's Tuscan Six Cheese
Looking for a mouthful of yum? There's a reason Papa John's Tuscan Six-Cheese Pizza made it to our top spot. Hot, bubbly, and oh-so-delicious, this over-the-top spin on a classic cheese pizza is exactly what we've been looking for.
Fans on Reddit are very impressed by the amount of cheese on this thing. The pizza comes stacked not only with traditional mozzarella, but also Romano, provolone, Asiago, Fontina, and Parmesan. Because of the amount of cheese layered, Papa John's Tuscan Six-Cheese renders a taste that is a head above the rest. Just be sure to note that this cheese pizza isn't for the faint of heart. If you like your pizza a little lighter on cheese, this certainly isn't the slice for you. However, if you're a cheese fanatic who just can't get enough, then get excited; we may have just uncovered the next pizza of your dreams.