Domino’s
14 Austin locations
Various hours
Having turned pizza delivery into a widely emulated science, Domino’s’ challenge in the new millennium is to differentiate itself from its many competitors. To this end, the chain has begun offering “Feast Pizzas,” a number of such specialty pizzas as the Barbeque Feast, topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, green peppers, onions, bacon, and barbecue sauce. Domino’s pizza comes on three kinds of crust: classic hand-tossed, crunchy thin crust, and ultimate deep dish, and can be ordered online from various locations.
Pizza Hut
30 Austin locations, 444-4444 (citywide delivery)
Various hours
No one would ever argue that Pizza Hut’s pizza is all that, yet something about their distinctive, buttery crust sets the Dallas-based chain’s pies apart as objects of singular craving. Their personal pan pizzas are now ubiquitous in our nation’s airports, making a quick, inexpensive meal possible even on a 30-minute layover. Pizza Hut’s latest offering, the stuffed crust pizza, has a ring of cheese baked into the crust. Find coupons on their Web site.
Papa John’s
19 Austin locations
Various hours
Many pizza delivery junkies swear by Papa John’s thick pizza sauce, made with vine-ripened tomatoes and slathered on freshly baked crust. In its 17th year, Papa John’s has proven that better ingredients do make better pizza and, more importantly, a better breakfast. For my money, though, the chain’s most distinguished menu item is their tasty garlic dipping sauce, which comes in little packets with every pizza.
CiCi’s Pizza
Six Austin locations
Buffet: Daily, 11am-9:30pm; takeout hours vary
Epitomizing the old adage that “quantity is a quality,” CiCi’s stuffs you with all of the pizza, pasta, breadsticks, and iceberg lettuce-based salad you can eat for the unbelievably low sum of $3.99. Bring the toddlers, too, because kids 3 and under eat for free. You can definitely find better pizza, but you’ll pay a lot more than $3.99 for it.
Little Caesar’s
Four Austin locations
Various hours
Yes, they still exist, but ever since they began backing away from the novel “Pizza! Pizza!” ad campaign, Michigan-based Little Caesar’s has been suffering from a big identity crisis. Their presence in Austin has dwindled considerably in recent years. Nevertheless, they still champion value by selling in bulk (even by the foot, in some cases) pizza that holds its own against the other big chains.
Mr. Gatti’s
21 Austin locations, 459-2222 (citywide delivery)
Various hours
From one Austin restaurant founded by a retired Air Force officer in 1964, Mr. Gatti’s has grown into a chain of more than 200 locations nationwide. While quality varies greatly from location to location, a good Gatti’s can turn out chewy, cheese-heavy pizzas that are quite delectable by chain standards. All locations open at 11am and begin taking orders at 10:30am — check online for closing times and coupons.
GattiTown
7101 Hwy. 71 W. (at the “Y” in Oak Hill), 301-7777
Sunday-Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm
From the folks who brought you Mr. Gatti’s, GattiTown is a Chuck E. Cheese-style pizza arcade that provides extra-good value by serving all foodstuffs buffet-style for $6. (Those under 14 or over 59 pay less.) The pizza, pasta, and salad bar are all a cut above Mr. Gatti’s’ usual fare, and the menu also includes non-Gatti items like spinach lasagna.
Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza
502 W. Ben White, 441-9681
8038 Burnet Rd., 451-0296
17001 FM 1325, 385-2575
Sunday-Thursday, 10am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-11pm
Not many people realize this, but pizza is not the main attraction at Chuck E. Cheese’s. What they serve is adequate but somewhat overpriced to compensate for all the kid-friendly animatronic fun. If you’re planning a birthday party, be sure to check your mail for coupons offering discounts on party packages that include pizza, soft drinks, and game-room tokens. And if you book your party online, you’ll receive $5 in free tokens.
Peter Piper Pizza
Three Austin locations
Various Hours
Peter Piper Pizza is now Chuck E. Cheese’s main competition for that lucrative family-pizza-and-fun emporium dollar. Though not quite as over the top as Chuck E. Cheese, most kids should find plenty to do in Peter Piper’s spacious gaming arcades, complete with redemption centers. Oh yeah, they also sell pizza, salad, and chicken wings there.
This article appears in August 9 • 2002.