Who's Your Papa?
Written: Sep 05 '04 (Updated Jun 03 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Love the sauce, crust, and toppings.
Cons: Has declined lately.
The Bottom Line: Pizza pizza.
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| Bruguru's Full Review: Papa John's Pizza |
You know, it's hard to believe it, but at one point I actually gave Papa John's a five-star rating. I can assure you, however, that I awas fully possessed of my faculties when I did so, and that yes indeed, based on what we were getting from Papa John’s at the time, a full five stars was warranted at the time. That’s because, as pizza delivery chains go, I found them far superior to the competition, the only really fair way to judge them.
First off, let me say that I can’t stomach either Domino’s or Pizza Hut, Papa John’s two main competitors. Pizza Hut’s crust is too greasy. Domino’s is far too skimpy on the toppings, and I’m not crazy about their crust either. In my area, both close at 11 or 12 PM, too, even on weekends. Papa John’s takes orders until 1 AM, perfect for satisfying my late night pizza cravings.
I won’t go over their menu in detail, other than to tell you that they offer pies with assorted toppings, chicken strips, and so forth. They do have the occasional specialty pie, like the Spinach Alfredo Chicken Tomato or the Smokehouse Bacon and Ham. There are BBQ Chicken pizzas, and meat lovers, and veggies, and bread sticks, and so on and so forth.
Most of the time, though, we go with The Works. My beloved Barbara just loves all those toppings, and I do too. Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, black olives, green peppers, plenty of cheese, ham, and more. Now you’re talking. But as I said, I’m not here to give you an extensive rundown on the menu. Instead, I’m going to set forth the reasons why I think Papa John’s has declined a bit lately, though they are still a better option in my book than the competition.
The Crust
Let’s start from the bottom and work our way up. The crust on Papa John’s pies is just the way I like it: crisp on the outside, yet still chewy and doughy on the inside. It’s never overcooked, and it’s not greasy (like Pizza Hut’s) or boring (like Domino’s). Fortunately, this is one area that has not changed very much.
Sadly, this doesn't hold true for the thick-crust "Perfect Pan". We've found the crust on this one to be either undercooked or, when correctly done, tasting of supermarket frozen pizza. Even the kids refuse to touch this one.
The Sauce
Ah, the sauce. People accuse me of hitting the sauce all the time, but when it comes to Papa John’s, they’re right. Tangy with tart and juicy fresh tomato flavor, spicy with oregano, and thick and rich with olive oil, this is one wonderful pizza sauce. It really makes the pie, though lately they don't seem to be using as much of it.
The Toppings
Papa John’s uses only fresh ingredients, and it shows. This is not to say the other large chains don’t as well, but the difference I find is the amount they use. When I we order a works pizza there are mounds of peppers, onions, olives, cheese and more piled high. Every bite is full of toppings, wonderful, fresh, delicious toppings. In my experience, you get more toppings on your Papa John’s pie than you do with Domino’s or Pizza Hut. Lately, though, we've been noticing a bit less cheese on our pies than we used to get as well.
Extras
I just love those little pepperoncinis and garlic sauce that come with your pizza. Take a bite of hot pepper, then a bite of your slice. When you get down to the crust, dip it in the garlic sauce. Yum.
Specials
Like most chains, Papa John’s offers specials that provide two pies, a pie and chicken strips, or some other offer at a reduced price. The last time we ordered a large works, we got a free DVD movie with our pie.
Online Ordering
Papa John’s has a convenient web-based ordering system that allows you to choose your pizza online. You can even pre-pay there by credit card if you like. What’s more, the site will list all of the current specials in the form of electronic “coupons”, so you never have to miss out on specials.
Service
Service has always been good, and our pizzas are delivered on time, fresh, and hot.
Overall
Papa John's is still our favorite option for chain pizza delivery. To be sure, I still prefer small independent pizza parlors. But Papa John’s provides a very tasty product at a reasonable price delivered to my door when I have a crowd to feed. I can no longer justify giving them five stars, but I would still choose them over Pizza the Hut or Dominos anytime.
Recommended:
Yes
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