Not Pizza Hut Nor Domino's: Here's The Best Pizza Chain Hands Down

When you think of chain pizza, your mind probably jumps to oily slices in a cardboard delivery box with the predictable toppings of cheese and pepperoni. It's not a bad thing — chains like Pizza Hut and Domino's often hit the spot when we have that type of quick pizza craving. However, according to our ranking, Blaze Pizza is the best pizza chain in America.

Since opening its first location in 2012, Blaze Pizza has grown to over 300 locations nationwide, and for good reason. In this fast-casual model, you move down the line and build your pizza pie just how you like it. Everything is personal and customizable — the pizzas come as an 11-inch pie with six slices, which is good for one hungry person or a lighter meal for two. You can choose from over 35 fresh toppings and four crust options, including vegan and gluten-free crusts. Consider going artisanal with toppings like artichoke, spicy chorizo, and roasted garlic. If you feel overwhelmed, choose from Blaze's Fast Fire'D Favorites, like the Spicy Pepperoni or the Herbivore.

It's not just about toppings, though. Blaze is incredibly quick when it comes to cranking out pizza pies. If you're wondering how long Blaze cooks its pizzas, one restaurant can produce around 200 pizzas per hour. Thanks to the inferno-hot, open-flame ovens that hit around 900 degrees Fahrenheit, raw pizza dough gets perfectly crisp in about three minutes.

With its variety of toppings, crust, and perfectly crispy pizza crust in record time, Blaze Pizza is in a different category than other big chains like Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut. However, there's a reason why other chains have a large customer base — factors such as pricing, convenience, flavor preferences, customer loyalty, and even comfort and nostalgia play a role. So how does Blaze compare?

In terms of price, you might expect Blaze to be exorbitantly more expensive, but that's not the case. A large, customizable pizza at Blaze with eight slices is approximately $22.99. The same size of a create-your-own pizza at Pizza Hut is around $19.89, and at Domino's, it's closer to $23.99. Additionally, there's a smaller pie option at Blaze to save money, which goes for $13.99. 

Considering the high level of customization and quality, Blaze feels like a steal. And let's be honest, if you walk into some pizza shops and ask for a gluten-free crust and dairy-free pizza, you might get a weird look — but these options are happily accommodated at Blaze. In fact, Blaze made our list of the best fast food and fast casual restaurants for vegans.

The untold truth about Blaze is that it actually cold ferments its dough for 24 hours and avoids the use of artificial preservatives, colors, and flavorings. There are more premium accouterments here, too — instead of Domino's breadsticks or Pizza Hut's wings, Blaze offers additional menu items such as the Green Goddess Chop Salad or Pesto Garlic Cheesy Bread. If you end dinner with a sweet tooth, Blaze has a S'More Pie and Cinnamon Bread for dessert.

All the services you would expect from a country-wide pizza chain are present at Blaze. It offers online ordering, deals and discounts, delivery, and a loyalty program. The only thing that Blaze doesn't (yet) have over Domino's and Pizza Hut is the sheer volume of locations. Each of these mega chains boasts around 7,000 locations, while Blaze only has a few hundred. But with its ever-growing popularity as one of the best pizza chains in America, more opportunities could be on Blaze's horizon.