Pizza!Pizza! is back in Detroit
Monday, November 1, 2010 at 11:41AM | Becks Davis 
In case you haven’t noticed, pizza is my favorite food group. Really, I could eat it every day. So, I was really excited to hear that Pizza!Pizza! is back in Detroit.
Little Caesars has announced that not only is Pizza!Pizza! back but it’s also Hot-N-Ready. Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is a new style pizza from Little Caesars consisting of two rectangular pizzas, one pepperoni and one Ultimate Supreme, for $9.99.
The new promotion is being tested in the metro Detroit market until the end of year. If it is well received, they expect to extend it and roll it out in other markets.
I had the opportunity to try the new creation a few days ago and it’s quite yummy. I have to talk about the crust! It’s thicker than their original round yet thinner than their deep dish. The crust is brushed with olive oil to give it a different flavor profile. It’s light and airy.
Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is geared towards families, with the kids getting the pepperoni and the parents indulging in the Ultimate Supreme.
But you know what? This is going to make dinner in my house much easier too. You see, I always want the pepperoni and the husband wants the Ultimate Supreme so we would have to compromise. Not any more!
Little Caesars and its founder, Mike Ilitch are an institution in Detroit. Ilitch founded Little Caesars in 1959 and now owns the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. Are the Pistons next? No one at the press conference would answer that question.
I have been a fan of both the pizza and the man for years. I have a history with Little Caesars; I worked there in high school. In fact, I didn’t work at just any Little Caesars; I worked at the closest one to where Mike Ilitch lived at the time.
I remember the phones ringing off the hook and people lined up out the door, waiting to pick up their pizza. Hot-N-Ready changed all that. I also remember the Ilitches stopping by to pick up pizza for their family.
So, I’m pretty excited to add this new pizza into our dinner rotation. Do you know what you’re having for dinner? Pizza!Pizza! Pantastic is available as of today.
Reader Comments (6)
But... but... it's Little Caesar's... Their Hot-n-Nasty is NOTORIOUSLY low quality. Has anything changed other than the addition of more toppings and the shape?
This doesn't seem like a re-invention a la Domino's:
"Our crust is like cardboard. Our sauce is garbage. We admit it and we're changing everything."
It was risky, but it worked. Domino's has now become my favorite chain pizza. Little Caesars is what I buy for my kids' birthday parties because it's cheap gruel for the masses.
Brian,
The crust is different and really good. It's also value and convenience. When we're busy and can't decide what to eat it's great to be able to pop right across the street and have dinner in 2 minutes. We don't even have a Domino's that delivers to our house.
Is this a paid advertisement for Little Caesars? It reads like a press release for the company, not like a thoughtful blog post by an independent writer, which I have come to expect from Detroit Moxie. Brian is right - the Hot and Ready is of terrible quality - I'm sure the one you had was just fine, but I'm also sure that once they're making hundreds each day, the quality will fall.
And does Detroit really need another cheap unhealthy dining option? Or should we be encouraging and advertising affordable, healthy, whole foods that aren't processed until there is no remaining nutritional value. Not to mention your choice to promote a corporation owned by a local million(billion?)aire. What about all the independent restaurants and food sellers attempting to make an impact in the city? No press conference, no coverage?
Katherine,
Sorry you feel that way. Yes, I was invited to their press conference but these are my words and thoughts.
I have a personal connection to Little Caesars, as I stated in the post. And me and my family often pick up a Hot-N-Ready because it's affordable and fast.
I'm all for the independents and the little guys and talk about them quite often here but living in a world without chain restaurants isn't ever going to be a reality in my family.
Mike Ilitch may be a millionaire but he's also done great things for Detroit. And, he once owned a small independent shop too.
Even though pizza is considered to be unhealthy, I have to say that is still my favorite kind of food, especially when I don't have time to cook something for myself. My opinion is the pizza from Domino's is far more better then the one at Little Caesars and it's not that expensive either.
I love the Ilitch family, so dedicated to Detroit! I adore the city of Detroit with all of my heart even though I no longer live there it never leaves me and Go Detroit Lions always!!!