Discontinued Casey's Pizzas We'll Never Eat Again
A gas station claiming a second role as a pizzeria, Casey's General Store has upped the game for gas station eats as we know it. The Midwestern chain, with a whopping 2,400 outposts across prairie land USA, has been slinging hand-kneaded pies for close to 40 years, and the region's unique take on the takeout staple is quite the feat. That many decades in the business means the variety of topping and flavor combinations has seen some seismic shifts, and whether rising with the roosters for breakfast pizza or bringing home a monthly special, the convenience store bakes up an undeniable spread.
Anyone who's formed a routine around nabbing a delicious slice knows to look out for two dangerous words: "limited" and "time." Truth be told, plenty of once-temporary creations have entered the menu's permanent lineup, but it's still difficult to discover that a previous flavor has been retired from the pack. "Nothing lasts forever" — it's something Echo & The Bunnymen and Guns N' Roses have sung about before. However, even the lower stakes scenario that is fast food items getting the scrap still stings. As we go over the bitterly missed Casey's pizza flavors, allow yourself to grab a box of tissues while you're at it; these are flavors we'll never eat again.
Italian Trio
If Tony Soprano hightailed it to corn country, his pie of choice would probably look a lot like the Italian Trio Pizza. Casey's introduced this flavor in May 2018, piling on three cured meats (hence the name), gooey mozzarella, and banana peppers for tangy garnish. Successfully fusing two Italian specialties (the deli sub and pizza) into one heavenly crust was a good call by the Iowan institution, so we're bummed to reveal this one vanished from the menu with virtually zero warning.
It's safe to say there was no intention for the gas station to add it to the permanent lineup — when it was released, the company playfully touted its limited time availability, meaning customers would have to snatch before the clock ran out. That being said, one-off flavors normally spring back into rotation if there's enough hype to demand it. That just hasn't happened yet. One person who raved over the unique combination pondered over its whereabouts in a comment on Reddit, stating that they "haven't seen it since the original promo," that took place, at the time of this writing, five years ago. At this rate, counting down the days, weeks, or months until Casey's brings it back just isn't going to work.
Buffalo Chicken
Growing too attached to fast food items carries the penalty of eternally comparing every similar offering to the original. Knowing that Casey's Buffalo Chicken Pizza didn't make it to finals, so to speak, cuts deep. Midwestern vibes run amok with spicy, seared chicken and creamy mozzarella, and it's not difficult to predict the pie's tailgate flair would make it a hit during football season and beyond. But, like a star athlete sidelined from playing, the company pitched the winning pizza pie from the lineup, appearing to dash diners' dreams of ever bringing one to their own kitchen table.
Urging corporate to pull it from retirement is a hobby among a handful of Casey's fanatics, so it's common to see comments across the internet begging for a comeback. A fan tagged the chain in a Twitter post, letting their feelings known on the matter: "I'm extremely upset to find out that the Buffalo Chicken Pizza is being discontinued," they wrote in 2020. "It is by far my favorite Casey's pizza." Meanwhile, others were unmoved by the brand's current push for thin crust pizzas and took the opportunity to air their grievances for the discontinued pizza, claiming the superior flavor beat every other offering across the board.
Ultimate Beer Cheese Breakfast
Casey's discontinued pizzas often center around exclusive collaborations. When it's for a special occasion, such as commemorating its signature "bizza," anything the franchise released was bound to be fleeting. That was the deal when it teamed up with Busch Light in 2022 to deliver an anniversary present to the pizza-eating public: the Ultimate Beer Cheese Breakfast Pizza. Essentially elevating the typical morning slice with triple the meat (bacon, sausage, and ham, anyone?) and double the indulgence (a lager-steeped cheese sauce), the gas station went all out for the dish's 21st trip around the sun.
But, just as all birthday bashes eventually end, so too did the extravagant partnership. The promotion didn't extend past marking the milestone due to being a limited-time special, which is why after some time, stores stopped serving it. In our opinion, getting rid of it was a mistake. It would have no trouble fitting in with the gas station's usual repertoire — the party atmosphere just wafts off this pie. Everyone knows how well beer goes with pizza, and fusing the two into a loaded breakfast was almost too good to be true. Let's hope Casey's changes course by putting it back into commission.
Ultimate Breakfast
As we've established, waking up for a Casey's breakfast pizza is how Heartlanders fuel up for the day. Regulars, certainly, are familiar with the standard go-to's such as bacon and sausage, but we doubt anybody was prepared for the tastebud-bursting special that hit stores back in 2021. The Ultimate Breakfast Pizza (not to be confused with the Busch Light version above) tread paths no other pie in the Casey's canon ever dared.
The triple-meat whammy of bacon, sausage, and ham was baked on site at participating locations. With its mysterious withdrawal from the menu, our mouths have yet to stop watering for a slice. "I miss this so much!" an Instagram user commented on a post. It's "absolutely the best ever," another person chimed in, begging the company to "bring it back" on a regular basis.
Once again, this discontinued pizza left quietly, without further notice from the company on its status. Was it ever going to become permanent, or did it lag behind other flavors in the takeout game? It's evident that people liked it, so your guesses are as good as ours. We'll keep wishing for it to grace the warming trays once again.
Ham Breakfast
Fans have been scrambling for more information ever since Casey's scrapped the Ham Breakfast Pizza from their roundup. A Facebook post on the brand's page implies the "bizza," boasting cubed-up ham on a cheese-encrusted foundation, must have hit the warming tray sometime in 2017, with no follow-up on plans to return. As a result, its curtain call has been met with eulogies mourning the loss.
Looking at Casey's specialty pizzas, a common trait they share is an unexpected or trendy flourish that will only be around for as long as the mania takes hold. However, ham and cheese is as trusted a combo as any. How many casseroles or sandwiches have we eaten that blend the salty meat with an indulgently oozing sharp cheddar? It's also appropriate for pizza, particularly the Midwestern style (i.e. breakfast-themed) Casey's brought into vogue so many years ago. Reviving the discontinued pizza is possible — all it takes are a few strategic tweaks on existing offerings. That being said, the swaps for ham will come at an additional cost, an expense that wouldn't be necessary if the original pizza was still sold.
Spinach, Artichoke & Chicken
If any pizza gets "specialty" status at Casey's, sooner or later it'll be ruthlessly tossed out of rotation, sending our stomachs into a desperate lurch to find out the reason for its discontinuation. This was the case for the Spinach, Artichoke & Chicken pie bandied for a brief spell that we're, quite frankly, shocked got the cut. Unless the convenience store fills the void left behind in the warmer, one Twitter user essentially warned that they'll have to satisfy their slice cravings somewhere else: "Casey's is dead to me."
The savory combination, which customers continue to pine over, was confirmed as showing up multiple times both in 2017 and 2019. The latter date is possibly the last time ovens were baking them up for purchase. Poultry-centric choices still make up the current selection (including BBQ Chicken and Chicken, Bacon & Ranch), but we're baffled Casey's threw out such an excellent offering. The ingredients lend a modern feel. The tender chicken breast, the spinach artichoke sauce, and the cheese meld into something extraordinary on a plain pizza crust, never mind the puffed excellence Casey's crust is known for. Should the company be reading this, take note: This flavor is a keeper.
Chicken Enchilada
Diners also haven't forgotten about the elusive Chicken Enchilada Pizza Casey's took out of circulation. You can probably picture the pie easily if the Mexican hot dish is part of your regular cooking routine (if not, here's a recipe). With juicy chicken breast, green bell pepper, onions, and a bold seasoning blend, the flavors channel the bubbly dish to perfection. What a shame, then, that we'll never be able to eat it again.
As far as we can tell, Casey's seems to have left the Chicken Enchilada Pizza to fall out of public memory, ensuring that those who missed out wouldn't know it existed in the first place. But, plenty of people remember. Social media followers occasionally trawl through unrelated posts to see whether anybody at the corporate offices is listening when it comes to reinstating old flavors. "Will you ever bring back the chicken enchilada pizza? We loved that one too!!" a Facebook commenter exclaimed. They don't always get a response, but nobody can deny that it takes chutzpah to call on the big-wigs regardless. Perhaps the brand is banking on people turning toward the Taco Pizza to replace the former's Mexican flair, but we know it's just not the same.
Midwestern
In 2019, loyal customers got the opportunity (plus the promises of free pies) to name a new pizza showcasing the region's culinary contributions. This was how The Midwestern Pizza came to be, and a Reddit commenter described it as "the best pizza to come out of a gas station in maybe ever." It's not difficult to come to that conclusion. The barbecue theme goes above and beyond the average convenience store fare, and the ingredients (pulled pork, bacon, and roasted corn), sourced by area farmers, live up to the title. Tying the whole package together was barbecue sauce courtesy of beloved brand Sweet Baby Ray's.
This sort of pizza defies all weather and all seasons. We can't think of any time when we couldn't crave the smoky, savory sensation on our tongues. Despite Casey's tendency to feature revolving flavors in the display case, customers took notice when, two years after debuting, the pizza hadn't resurfaced. Regrettably, our gut tells us this pizza has been put out to pasture since the chain has confirmed it's no longer available to order.
BBQ Beef
In the lore of canceled fast food favorites, few decisions have inspired the kind of wrath as Casey's pulling BBQ Beef Pizza out from under the rug. Customers have been downright distraught over it, to the point where amplifying their voices has spread beyond the usual social media channels. In July 2020, a petition on Change.org urged action toward bringing the beloved style back. Since going up, almost 2,600 signatures have been collected alongside loads of responses from similarly let-down customers.
Clearly, there's a lot of affection for the meaty, saucy delicacy. What could possibly compel any company to nix such a well-liked item? Blame it on distribution. Casey's, as it turns out, got caught between a rock and a hard place with its ingredient source, leading to the undesirable outcome fans are now left with. Explaining on Twitter how "there was an issue with our previous supplier so we had to discontinue the BBQ Beef Pizza," the chain apologized, writing, "We're sorry for any disappointment, and hope to have a new one to offer in the future." Sorry to the replacement, BBQ Brisket, but our hearts already belong to another smoky pie.
Bacon Cheeseburger
Asking "what's your favorite pizza topping?" got way less interesting after Casey's robbed us of an alternative answer: Bacon Cheeseburger. Suffice it to say, the removal of such a genius-tier merger hasn't gone over well with the internet commentariat. In fact, fans have learned of the beloved pie's demise by way of secondhand messengers doing the lord's work, rather than the gas station making amends publicly. Per a user on the chain's subreddit, "Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the bacon cheeseburger pizza has been discontinued."
To its credit, Casey's does suggest current flavors in order to scratch the itch for the discontinued pizza (including its BBQ Brisket pizza). Given that the flavor is unique, people aren't convinced other styles can stack up to the original. For one, the whole thing resembles a greasy burger: The ketchup and mustard mix (yes, you heard that right) takes the spot of tomato sauce, while the toppings — ground beef and bacon crumbles — offer a tasty twist that meat lovers can appreciate. That such a delightful pairing could be tossed is unbelievable. In the history of discontinued pizzas, it's just another day in business.
Chicken Alfredo
Not a day goes by that Casey's isn't concocting some tempting new pizza, only to swipe it from production once the month — or season — has come to a close. For example, consumers were gifted delicious, pasta-inspired pies to kick off wintertime, with Chicken Alfredo and Mac & Cheese simultaneously arriving on the menu in late 2019. The holidays are a brutal reminder as to just how much temporary pleasures sting, though, because while both are fan favorites, only one of them has ever re-emerged after its December deadline. Need a hint? It wasn't the Chicken Alfredo.
A company ignoring a menu item's disappearance might have the Streisand effect, in terms of creating a bigger fuss than what was intended in the first place. On the other hand, publicizing its removal might upset folks just as much. From what we could determine, nothing concrete was ever confirmed by the chain, so it appears to have chosen the former strategy by letting the pizza simply cease from the picture. "Unfair" can't even begin to describe this move, so we'll sadly have to daydream while seeking out a substitute for our next craving.