The Single Most Overpriced Item On Pizza Hut's Menu
Even though it might seem like the main price pitfall at Pizza Hut would be all the extra toppings, the most overpriced item on Pizza Hut's menu doesn't have any toppings at all. According to Forbes, pizza companies get incredibly good prices on crust ingredients like flour and yeast, with the average flour cost per crust being about 20 cents, and the yeast costing less than 1 cent (while the cheese, for instance, costs 60 cents per pizza, and may only going up according to Dairy Herd).
Breadsticks are just those inexpensive crust ingredients without any added sauce or toppings, and an order of five of them will set you back $5.99 (more than a personal pan cheese pizza, which is $4.79 according to Fast Food Menu Prices). So, the next time you consider ordering the "cheap" breadsticks at your local Pizza Hut, just remember that they're marked up from 21 cents (with seasonings added — another minimal cost), and they might not look like such a good deal anymore.
The second most overpriced item on Pizza Hut's Menu
The second most overpriced menu item at Pizza Hut to be wary of is a tie. Keep an eye on all of those extra toppings. According to Forbes, a meat-loaded pizza costs about $1.90 to make. A large Meat Lovers Pizza sells for $14.99 at Pizza Hut, which is a markup of over 650 percent (definitely more than the 580 percent markup on a plain cheese pie). On average, every topping from pepperoni to bell peppers is marked up around 525 percent, meaning they cost the restaurant about 30 cents, and cost you about $2.00.
So, keep your toppings minimal if you're on a budget or, if you want to hack the game, embrace the Margherita pizza as your order. If you're feeling outraged about the high markup on these cheap foods, remember that these menu prices have to cover labor and equipment in addition to the franchise's rent and fees. It might sting, but even Pizza Hut has to pay the bills.