Several years ago, as I recovered from pneumonia in a hospital room, I saw an advertisement for Little Caesar’s Pretzel Crust pizza. It looked interesting, different, and best of all, it was only $6.00. So I called a family member and had them swing by a Little Caesar’s carryout store and bring one up to the hospital. From the first bite, I knew that this would be my newest favorite pizza offering from any of the big chain pizza restaurants. The big names in chain pizza simply did not have anything like it.
The idea is simple.
The idea is simple. Instead of regular pizza crust, the pie is crafted with pretzel dough and the regular pizza sauce is replaced with a rich and creamy cheddar cheese sauce. Everything else is the same, as far as cheese and toppings are concerned. Reading other online reviews of the pizza, anyone can clearly see that this new offering was a hit. It was super popular, and just about anytime pizza came up in conversation, someone would undoubtedly ask if the rest of us had tried the pizza.
So about 3 months later, when it vanished, it was a mystery to just about everyone. Little Caesar’s stated that it was a limited time offering – a promotional item – and that even though it was likely to come back, they had no idea when.
Hot-N-Ready
So imagine my surprise the other day as I went to Little Caesar’s to pick up a standard $5.00 “Hot-N-Ready” pepperoni pizza and saw an advertisement announcing that the pretzel crust was back. I perked up as I walked inside the store, and as I ordered the standard “Hot-N-Ready” version of the pretzel crust pepperoni pizza, the cashier asked me a simple question that would revolutionize how I thought about the idea of suggestive upselling:
“Would you like the mozzarella-stuffed pretzel crust or the regular? It’s only $2.00 more.” He asked. (Note: I have heard that in some markets, it is actually $3.00, more. I can only base my experience with stores in Northeast Florida).
I replied to his obvious upselling attempt, almost automatically, with “Absolutely.”
Apparently, during the last pretzel crust promotion, a very few select locations across the country got to try the stuffed crust variety. Now, with the 2019 promotion, more of us will be getting to try this genius idea combining stuffed crust with pretzel dough.
Stuffed crust pizza
So, we all know that stuffed crust pizza is nothing new. Since Pizza Hut’s introduction of the original stuffed crust pizza back in the mid-1990s, several chains have attempted to introduce similar styles and you can even buy frozen pizza from DiGiorno with stuffed crust. Plus, Little Caesar’s even has its own promotional stuffed crust version of their traditional pizza. However, as a lifelong foodie and pizza lover, I have never found one that rivaled Pizza Hut in terms of the combination of taste, gooey melted cheese, and chewy, buttery crust. I must say, though, that Little Caeser’s completely passes the mark by introducing the stuffed option in combination with the pretzel pizza. The flavor and texture of the pretzel crust combined with the cheddar sauce, melted mozzarella, and kosher salt on the outside of the crust have earned this pizza the current top spot on my “best chain pizza” list.
Surprisingly, this pizza also stores and keeps well. Although we may not always publicize it, there are lots of us foodies that enjoy the occasional slice of cold pizza the next morning or for a midnight snack. Pizzeria carry-home leftovers are generally the best when it comes to this, but refrigerated pretzel crust serves the purpose surprisingly well.
Pretzel crust pizza
Unfortunately, I fear that Little Caesar’s will continue to offer the pretzel crust pizza, including the stuffed crust variety, as a cyclical promotional item. It’s popularity, like the original, is through the roof, but advertising already suggests that this is a “limited time only” option. This probably means that we will get to experience this item once or twice per year, with the idea being that this off-on cycle will prevent consumer boredom with the product, and thus, keep sales high.
The price for a one-topping Pretzel Crust Pizza is $6.00 for a large – an great deal in itself. If you want to go with the stuffed crust variety, which I thoroughly recommend you try, it’s only $8.00.
Don’t miss out on this limited-time pizza gem. The next time you decide to have pizza night, give this unique, superb, and just plain tasty offering from Little Caesar’s a try.
Source Material
Product Comparison Link: DiGiorno Stuffed Crust. Retrieved from https://www.digiorno.com/products/small-sized-pizzas/cheese-stuffed-crust/three-meat
Little Caesar’s Pretzel Pizza Review. Retrieved from https://www.chewboom.com/2019/01/22/little-caesars-introduces-new-stuffed-pretzel-crust-pizza/
