Little Caesar's Pizza

I've been meaning to add this chain to the list of pizza, but haven't been able to. I picked up a pie there not too long ago and ate around half of it.

Store Presentation
Not that customers will care too much, but it was a walk in and pick up a pie kind of counter store. No restaurant or anything. It was clean and well stocked- except for the pizzas everybody in line in front of me just bought (the stocked portion of the quip!).

Wait Time
Caesars promises a no wait time, but realistically I waited 5-7 mins for my pie because they ran out of the ready-to-go ones to the five or so individuals in front of me. I did not mind waiting and fully understand that rushes happen.

Taste and Consistency
The taste has a sort of zest to it- and I can't really nail down the sort of zest it is in comparison to other brands of pizza. It tastes like tomato, has its own hint of some kind of spice, but it isn't overt on the senses and tastes fairly good (hint- I like flavors that are overt, too!). The consistency was perfect for what a New York style pizza should be. Not too much sauce, not too much cheese. Consistency is big with pizza. I'd know- I made them on the job some time ago.

The crust is excellent, and slightly chewy. Solid and edible, but it has a slight give to it, which is what you want. There may have been a hint of spice on the crust- whatever it was it tasted good.

Varieties
Caesars has a good variety of specialty pizzas going on- and I do believe they have Vegetarian options. For veggie eaters only, this is a good move. They have some good varieties, but I wouldn't mind calling ahead and being charged per topping. Just a suggestion. The specialty pizzas sell for a little under $10 before taxes, which is fair for a pizza of that size and quality. For the cheese, sausage and peperoni straight options, it's $5. That is boss, especially if I have stuff at home I can add to the pie.

Price
Drop dead awesome. $5.34 (after taxes) for a standard 14" pie. I can't argue with that. At the rate it's going, it is a serious contender for value pizza of the year award. Value pizzas aren't necessarily mediocre- it just means the taste for the price is excellent. Where the heck was Little Caesars when I was in college? dang. (I haven't seen many of them on the east coast). They are plentiful in the midwest in Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. If I ask for jalapenos next time, which they have, I wonder if they'll throw it on for an extra $1-2? My instincts say yes.

Recommendations to Peers
Would I buy from Little Caesars again? it's imminent. Would I recommend Little Caesars to a friend looking for good budget pizzeria food? yes I would. I would recommend it over Dominos, Papa Johns, and if I was in the mood- even over Pizza Hut. The next closest comparable brand is Tombstone pizzas- which are sold in grocery stores. Little Caesars tastes less fattening and bloated than Tombstone. While I like Pizza Hut, Caesars tastes less fattening than the Hut probably because Caesars uses less LARD. Dominos has gotten too pricey now-a-days because they think their improvements warrant a price increase. It's nice to see Caesars sticking it to the man. Pun intended- the mascot sticks a pie with a spear.

Suggestions for Little Caesars
If there isn't an option for call ahead or requests on ingredients- you should implement that. Put a sign somewhere that lists what ingredients you have on site. My biggest suggestion would be to offer stuffed crust options, even if there is a price increase. You had deep dish pizza- that was a good move and I should try it sometime.

I'd bite again. Definitely

Grade: B+

Plamo's 2012 Pizza Classification Awards

I have been a pizza connesiour (French lesson needed) for 20 years, and I know what makes a good pizza. Every year since last year, I decided to host Plamo's 2012 classification awards. By no means am I an authority on the subject of pizza; I just have lots... of experience with it. There are a couple of factors that go into evaluating a good pizza.
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Ingredient Freshness- a good pizza must use fresh ingredients. You can obviously tell if the bacon is old, not real, or if something is dried out. Jalapeno's that are fresh have an immediate kick to them when eaten. The sauce must taste fresh as well.

Price- the price of the pie must not break the bank or take an arm and a leg either. The price of a decently sized Chicago deep dish should be no more than $25, and a flat crusted pizza should cost no more than $15. A good price is always a bonus.

Crust Texture- this element is fairly important. The crust has to taste good, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Some crust is chewey, others are crunchy, and some may be hard, or some may be delectable. A good crust should not be terribly hard, but "fall at the crumb" good. A very small application of butter or garlic is a bonus (I dislike garlic).

Zest- I want a kick, and I'm not talking about just toppings. The sauce makes the pizza, end of discussion. The sauce must have a zest to it, or at least a unique pull that makes me want to think of "your" pizza when I mull my options over for pickup or delivery. If the sauce is bland, you won't get far.

Consistency- A lack of consistency is one of the biggest reasons pizza can be a turnoff to some people. Too much or too little cheese not only makes the pizza look bad, but there is too much of one thing to eat. A fine balance must be acquired between toppings, crust, sauce and cheese, and it really isn't hard to please me with good consistency- I know it when I taste it.

The classes, or "grades" of pizza are as follows: S, A, B, C, and F. Self explanatory. If the pizza is B or below, it had better be at a good price. Remember, this is my opinion- some people will vehemently disagree with my choices, and that is fine.
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Lou Malnati's
Grade: "S"
Best feature: a tie between freshness, crust texture, and zest.
Worst feature: there's a worst feature?
Brief: a class S pizza that excels in every category, and maintains its S grade from last year. A must try. There deep dish sauce has a mysterious lure... combining secret recipe with fresh ingredients...

Rosati's
Grade: "S"
Best feature: zest and ingredient freshness.
Worst feature: there's a worst feature?
Brief: A class S pizza that excels in every category, and maintains an S grade from last year. A must try. Rosati's also features a signature taste.

Gino's East
Grade: "B"
Best feature: consistency
Worst feature: lack of zest
Brief: An "ok" deep dish that lacks power or zest compared to other Class S and A pizzas.

Pizza Hut
Grade: "B-"
Best feature: Price
Worst feature: lack of zest
Brief: A fairly good pizza at a good price. Not the best compared to other higher ranking pizza's, but not bad, either.







  

Papa Johns
*inquiring*
Brief: a brand I am not fond of, but for the sake of inquiry, will taste test again in the near future.

Domino's
*B-*
Worst feature: telling their customer's "no"
Brief: a company that tells there customer's "no" to customizing artisan pizza's, even when customers say they will pay for the added ingredients. DA decent pizza that has much improved over the years and has a hint of zest, but does not top other pizzas.

Antonio's Italian
Grade: "B"
Best feature: crust
Worst feature: price
Brief: A grade A pizza that is knocked down a notch thanks to a hefty price tag at a four star restaurant.

Giordano's
Grade: "A"
Best feature: crust
Worst feature: price/lack of zest
Brief: A good, excellent deep dish that is a must try if you see a Giordano's. Excellent crust and traditional taste, but it lacks a special kick.

Safeway Brand Pizza
Grade: "F"
Best feature: nothing
Worst feature: everything
Brief: A pizza that fails in consistency, has no zest, the sauce tastes bad, and the pizza isn't worth the cheap price tag. Crust is also horrible.

Red Baron Pizza
Grade: "B"
Best feature: crust and consistency
Worst feature: freshness and price
Brief: Red Baron is a favorite among many people, and it's a pretty good pizza, but there have been some health concerns regarding its fat content and sodium. Not bad, but not the best, either.

Buddyz Pizza and Bar
Grade: "A"
Best feature: A zesty kick in the bawls!
Worst feature: just improve a little of everything
Brief: Buddyz is an excellent pizza that gives you a kick in the mouth. They essentially scored flat through all of the categories, so all they need to do is improve a little of everything, which is difficult to do. If I had to pick one, crust texture. A fine pizza to eat locally within 30mins driving distance.

JJ Twigs Bar and Restaurant
Grade: "A"
Best feature: One of the best tastes for the dollar
Worst feature: crust improvement needed
Brief: An excellent local pizza that had proper consistency, tasty ingredients, and a very cheap eat for three to four people. Their 18-20" pizza wasn't over $25 if I recall. Crust is good, but could use softening. Sauce isn't a kick of zest, but has a unique zesty signature that isn't an overload. Comparable to Buddyz and a restaurant featured last year called "Fiore's".