This pseudo-Italian favorite is a huge point of contention among the Chicago deep-dish and New York style crowds. In those cities, everyone knows where the “best” pizza can be found. In North Carolina pizza doesn’t get the same attention. There is no legendary Pizzeria Uno along Hillsborough Street, so Technician decided to make everyone’s dinner decisions a bit easier.
Nine sauce-saavy tasters sacrificed their time and appetites to sample eight pizzas from near-campus places. Among the eight are two nationwide delivery favorites, two chains that cater to college campuses, a couple locally-owned joints and two restaurant alternatives.
The tasters rated each pie — or slice — on quality of cheese, sauce, crust, appearance, smell and overall taste. Those ratings were averaged to calculate the pizza’s overall score, which is based on a scale of 1 to 5.
Papa Johns won the blind taste taste, to the surprise of most of the tasters, but as one taster put it, “blind panels don’t lie.” The three least favorite pizzas — Marco’s, PizzAmerica and DiGiorno — received similar ratings. The rating range from the worst pizza to the best was only 1.22, meaning the best pizza was only about 55 percent better than the worst.
Want to know more? Here’s the breakdown, with everything the tasters had to say too.
1. Papa Johns- Small cheese with original crust
The Hook: Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.
Cost: $12.01 for small
Overall: 3.45/5
Best: Smell, Cheese, Sauce and Overall Taste
What the tasters had to say:
“as perfect as pie can be” “overall a well-balanced pie” “did not taste fresh” “I liked the cheese the best”
Bottom Line: The tasters’ favorite with a fast delivery time, but also the most expensive pie we bought.
2. Gumby’s Pizza & Wings- Small cheese
The Hook: Daily Deals
Cost: $6.47, a Sunday special
Overall: 3.1625
Best: Crust
What the tasters had to say:
“good balance” “not enough sauce” “tasty crust!” “everything is there except the sauce” “cheese overtakes the pizza”
Bottom Line: The cheapest whole pie we ordered. The daily deals make this pizza very affordable, but skip it if you’re a big sauce-person.
3. Domino’s- Small cheese with hand-tossed crust
The Hook: You got 30 minutes
Cost: $10.23 for a small
Overall: 3.1345
Best: Appearance
What the tasters had to say:
“crust was a bit soggy” “overall flavor was decent” “unfortunate aftertaste that reminded me of Chef Boyardee” “would make any Italian proud”
Bottom Line: The 30 minute delivery time was honored, with 10 minutes to spare. A decent pizza, but Papa John’s was just a quick, and better tasting.
4. I Love NY Pizza – Plain cheese
The Hook: Right across from campus
Cost: $4.99 for two slices and a drink
Overall: 2.31
Best: Price for a slice, at less than two bucks
What the tasters had to say:
“it’s huge, which is definitely a good thing” “cheese tastes weird” “I only tasted bread and cheese” “bad pizza” “good for folding in half NY style”
Bottom Line: It’s nearby, quick and cheap, but most tasters were bummed by the lack of sauce. The cheese is the star here.
5. Whole Foods – Cheese pizza with wheat crust
The Hook: Natural and Organic
Cost: $2.58
Overall: 2.29
Worst: Appearance and Smell
What the tasters had to say:
“it looks likes congealed gelatin” “sauce is nonexistent” “smells like wheat bread” “hardly any sauce” “crust was amazing!”
Bottom Line: Most tasters liked the wheat crust, but most also agreed that the cheese took over the pizza. Only worth it to those who refuse to eat processed foods.
6. DiGiorno- For One
The Hook: Fresh baked taste from the microwave
Cost: $4.04
Overall: 2.24
Worst: Crust and Overall Taste
What the tasters had to say:
“too doughy” “salty” “tastes like a box” “tastes microwaved” “sauce seems to be the best part, but can’t carry the pie”
Bottom Line: The only microwavable pizza we tasted and also the least cost efficient. It’ll do when the dining hall seems too far away.
7. Marco’s Pizza- Regular Cheese
The Hook: Ah!thentic Italian Feature
Cost: $10.24 for a small cheese
Overall: 2.23
Best: Had neither the best or worst anything
What the tasters had to say:
“sauce overpowers the rest of the pizza” “looked like a car-wreck” “looks overdone” “cheese is too tough” “crust has nice texture, but bad taste”
Bottom Line: This pizza, the second most expensive whole pie isn’t worth it at all. Gumby’s is a better deal.
8. PizzAmerica- 10-inch Cheese
The Hook: Open really, really late
Cost: $7.27 for a small pie
Overall: 2.22
Worst: Cheese
What the tasters had to say:
“lack of sauce hurts this slice” “the cheese tasted of foam insulation” “generally a poorly made pie” “tastes like cardboard” “this was not a good pizza”
Bottom Line: Don’t bother unless you’re starving at 4:45 in the morning — even Cookout is closed then!
