When I say “takeout pizza” you immediately think Domino’s.
They’re practically synonymous.
And it’s no wonder – there are over 14,000 Domino’s worldwide!
So if you’re getting takeout, it’s pretty much the most natural place to go, by definition.
However…
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Let’s face facts, the pizza wars are heating up.
Domino’s has responded with loads of improvements – better garlic crust, much better cheesy bread, easy app, great deals…
But nonetheless, even with all the improvements Domino’s has made over the years, competitors are coming after its crown.
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Including these nine, whose fans will swear up and down they’re better than Domino’s.
Are they right?
Well, that’s for you to decide.
But get ready to indulge in some amazing pizza!
Starting with…
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Where you’ll find them: &pizza has more than 50 locations centered in the Mid-Atlantic (think New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, DC, and Virginia).
All about the pizza: &pizza’s pies are fantastic and distinctive, with an oblong shape that’s oddly reminiscent of a Subway sub. If you’ve never been, try The Farmers Daughter or, for something spicy, the Mambo No. Fire.
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Where you’ll find them: Marco’s Pizza is in 34 states, with coverage pretty much everywhere except the upper east coast (think New Jersey and points north) and the Pacific Northwest.
All about the pizza: The pizzas are good – I’ve always been partial to a white pizza, so their white cheezy is a personal favorite (bacon, onions, garlic parmesan sauce, three cheeses + feta). But to me the biggest innovation is their pizza bowls – all the toppings, none of the crust! It’s like all the best parts of a pizza.
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Where you’ll find them: 28 states, with heavy concentrations in the West. Washington State, where MOD Pizza was founded, has the most restaurants, at 70, followed closely by California (41), Arizona, and Oregon (both at 32).
All about the pizza: Made-to-order, and super fast. My vote is the Caspian, which is topped with bbq sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola, chicken, and sliced red onions. It’s basically an elevated bbq pizza. (The Jasper and the Calexico are good too if you’re looking for a different taste.)
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Where you’ll find them: Seven states, all east of the Mississippi, spanning from Alabama and Georgia north to Ohio and Pennsylvania.
All about the pizza: Honestly, their pizza is the best of any large chain I’ve had (and I’ve had a bunch) – their buffalo chicken and Hawaiian pizzas are fantastic, and their Vocelli rolls (get the pepperoni roll) are absolutely amazing.
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Where you’ll find them: Papa Murphy’s is in 35 states.
All about the pizza: I’ve always been a sucker for stuffed crust pizza (yes, I would like cheese with my cheese, please!), and their Papa’s All Meat stuffed crust pizza is divine. But perhaps best of all – because their pizzas are delivered ready to be baked, which you do in your own oven – you can always get them exactly as hot as you want them. It’s a real advantage!
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Where you’ll find them: Papa John’s is in all 50 states and in over 40 countries and territories outside the United States.
All about the pizza: Honestly, Papa John’s cheese mixture is just about my favorite. There’s something special about it – especially on something simple and straightforward like their pepperoni pizza. Also, their garlic sauce is legendary – with good reason!
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Where you’ll find them: Originally based in Atlanta, Mellow Mushroom is now in 16 states, as far west as Texas, Colorado, and Nebraska; south to Florida; and north to Indiana and Ohio.
All about the pizza: Mellow Mushroom’s stone-baked pizza has an excellent crust featuring garlic butter and parmesan cheese. As the name suggests, a lot of their pizzas have strong mushroom flavors (Holy Shiitake for one), but I’d recommend the Kosmic Karma (pesto, feta cheese, Roma tomatoes, spinach, and mozzarella) for a really different flavor if you don’t love mushrooms.
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Where you’ll find them: Pizza Hut is in every state and plenty of other countries too – a good friend of mine loves to tell the story of how she visited a Pizza Hut in the Middle East where the waiters wore tuxedos and bow ties!
All about the pizza: Pizza Hut is, like, the CLASSIC chain pizza, with a good crust and solid toppings. Their thin crust (Chicago Tavern Style) pizza has the best toppings-to-crust ratio.
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Where you’ll find them: Little Caesars is another universal pizza chain – they’re in every state, and just about anywhere you can think of!
All about the pizza: I love how innovative Little Caesars is with their flavors – remember bacon-wrapped pizza? – and their pizza ‘n stix combo is such a great idea – pizza and cheesy breadsticks all in one pie!
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I couldn’t leave without giving Domino’s some love.
Where you’ll find them: Domino’s is basically everywhere. Like I mentioned earlier, it has more than 14,000 locations worldwide!
All about the pizza: Domino’s has really improved their crust, and now it’s garlicky and buttery (just the way I like it). Their pepperoni pizza is an old favorite, and their wings aren’t half bad either.
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So there you have it – nine competitors whose fans will swear up and down they’re better than Domino’s.
As you can see, there are a TON of good options out there these days!
But here’s the big question:
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• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
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Are they right?
Has Domino’s finally been dethroned?
Or are they still #1?
Let us know in the comments!
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