If you lived in the South as a child, chances are good you went to Cici’s plenty of times – for birthday parties, soccer team award ceremonies, t-ball celebrations, what have you.
(I sure did.)
It was one of the solid and consistent pizza places throughout my childhood.
And of course – the all-you-can-eat buffet was a great deal for a very hungry kid!
But let’s face facts:
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While Cici’s has chugged along, just about everyone else seems to have really upped their pizza game.
And there are now loads of places whose fans would claim their pizza is much better than Cici’s.
Are they right? Well, that’s for you to decide.
Starting with a well-known competitor…
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Where you’ll find them: Pizza Hut has over 8,000 locations total, with stores in every state and plenty of foreign countries too.
All about the pizza: It’s Pizza Hut! The personal pan pizzas are great, the toppings are flavorful, and if you’re looking for a ton of food at a great price point, get the dinner box (medium topping, five breadsticks, 10 cinnamon sticks with icing). Also, their new Pizza Hut melts are excellent – essentially a folded-over pizza slice without too much crust.
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Where you’ll find them: With over 14,000 locations worldwide, Domino’s is in every state and, well, just about everywhere else too.
All about the pizza: Ever since Domino’s fixed up their cheese blend and made their cheesy bread really good, they’ve been on a tear. The pizza is great (my favorite is sausage, green peppers, and onions) at a great price point, and if you’re feeling indulgent get the wings or the loaded tots.
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Where you’ll find them: Papa John’s is in every state and over 40 countries and territories outside of the US.
All about the pizza: You know the pizza – cheesy and delicious, make sure to dip it in the garlic sauce for an extra greasy treat.
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Where you’ll find them: Uno is in 14 states, with most locations in the Northeast and upper Midwest.
All about the pizza: It’s Chicago-style pizza, so it’s deep dish and packed with toppings. (Yes, they have a thin-crust option too, but really – get the thing they’re best at if you’re going to go). I highly recommend the Chicago meat market and the Chicago classic, and I used to wait tables there, so I’d know!
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Where you’ll find them: Mellow Mushroom is in 16 states centered around the South and Midwest.
All about the pizza: There are lots of recipes with mushrooms – I’m sure you’re shocked – but honestly, they do a great job of generally off-the-wall pizza flavors. If you don’t love mushrooms (and I don’t), there are still plenty of options for you – like their Kosmic Karma pie.
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Where you’ll find them: With over 4,000 locations in all 50 states, there’s always a Little Caesars nearby.
All about the pizza: “Pizza, pizza!” The thing I’ve always loved about Little Caesars is how aggressive they are with trying out new stuff. From the bacon-wrapped pizza they popularized, to the “slices-n-stix” pizza that’s part cheesy bread, part pizza – there’s always something exciting happening with fresh flavors and combinations.
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Where you’ll find them: There are about 900 Costcos worldwide, with almost 700 in the USA.
All about the pizza: Costco pizza is the best “storebought” pizza I’ve ever had. It’s big, it’s cheesy, it’s delicious, and it’s dirt cheap. (Pretty much like everything else at Costco – which is why everyone loves it there so much!)
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Where you’ll find them: In most grocery stores, in the frozen aisle.
All about the pizza: Honestly, Tombstone pizza is my favorite frozen pizza. And because you heat it up in your oven, it’ll be hot and ready exactly when you want it to be.
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Where you’ll find them: 45 states plus four Canadian provinces – there are still tons of Chuck E. Cheeses around!
All about the pizza: Everyone remembers Chuck E. Cheese for the games, but honestly the pizza holds up remarkably well. Don’t overthink it – the pepperoni is where it’s at. (The cheesy bread is pretty good too – and the giant warm cookie or the unicorn churros for dessert!)
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Ok, obviously there are lots of pizzas whose fans would claim they’re better than Cici’s. But I also couldn’t leave without giving Cici’s some respect.
Where you’ll find them: Cici’s is in 22 states, mostly in the South.
All about the pizza: Cici’s offers tons of choices – some traditional, and some new and different. You’ll get pepperoni pizza but also mac ‘n cheese pizza. Also, their dessert pizzas are an old favorite – apple pie filling with cinnamon on a pizza? Yes please.
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So there you have it – nine pizzas whose fans would claim they’re certainly better than Cici’s at this point.
Are they right? Well, that’s your call.
So what do you think?
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Are any or all of them better than Cici’s at this point?
Who else should I have added to the list?
Let us know in the comments!
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