I Tried Pepperoni Pizzas From 6 Popular Chains And Ranked Them Worst To Best

Pizza might sound simple as a concept, but it's a complicated beast in the kitchen and hitting all these notes is surprisingly rare, especially in the chain restaurant world. While pizza quality is inherently subjective, when it comes to pepperoni pies, there are some universal truths we can all agree on. The perfect pepperoni pizza has evenly distributed pepperoni rounds, sliced thin with a slightly crispy edge, the ideal cheese-to-sauce ratio, and a balanced crust that's light but chewy.

That said, I set out to find the best and worst of the pizza chain pepperoni slices. Every chain has its own interpretation of what that ideal pepperoni pizza should look like, and most of us have strong feelings about our favorite pizza chains, especially the ones we grew up with. Luckily, tasting these slices side-by-side offered some clarity. Some pies I remember fondly from my childhood didn't bring the same flavor, while others that had completely lapsed from my mind were a lot better than my tween memory served me. To give each of these pepperoni slices a fair chance, I took a bite of each back-to-back, comparing the dough, crust texture, sauciness, level of melty cheese, seasoning, pepperoni quality, and overall balance.

Papa Johns' tagline might famously promise "better ingredients," but this is the rare moment when more is not better, especially when it comes to cheese. I'm someone who is never put off by extra cheese, which is why I'm shocked that Papa Johns outdoes itself — but not in an indulgent, satisfying kind of way. It tastes closer to a cheesy Mornay-style sauce and resembles a thick, stark-white layer that congeals incredibly fast. Each bite becomes half cheese, half dough, which throws the entire slice off balance. 

The crust itself isn't awful. It's thinner than Domino's (but nowhere near Sbarro or California Pizza Kitchen), and it has a soft chew that would've worked better if the toppings weren't so heavy. It's undeniably greasy and overly chewy, which makes the slice feel dense and doughy. The pepperoni is sliced thin, which is a plus, but it's not enough to save the pie. I remember enjoying Papa Johns as a kid, but tasting it again next to these other pies, I'm not so sure why. This one was the clear worst.

Pizza Hut's pepperoni pizza sits squarely above Papa Johns, but still well below the competition. The chain, founded back in 1958, has the kind of branding and nostalgia that makes it feel eternally '90s, despite being one of the oldest major pizza franchises in the U.S. But nostalgia alone can't make this slice great.

What Pizza Hut does have going for it is its crust. It's ultra buttery, almost like a Greek-style pizza crust, with a good crunch on the exterior that balances its chewiness. The problem is just everything beyond that crust. The slice is extremely thick with a tight, uniform dough and barely any air bubbles. It's the doughiest of the bunch by far, and that density makes the slice feel dry, despite all that grease. The tomato sauce layer is incredibly thin, to the point that it barely registers on the palate. 

The pepperoni looks promising — classic bright red in color, lightly crisped, and wonderfully greasy — but once you account for the whole bite, it's clear the rest of the slice is lagging behind. The personal pan pizza I tried wasn't terrible, but it wasn't memorable, either. Pizza Hut may excel at other menu items, but its classic pepperoni pizza, especially compared side-by-side with stronger chains, just doesn't hold its own.

This is where the ranking started to get tricky. I express no ill will toward Little Caesars, mostly because I just always forget it exists. It definitely has a cult following among kids, slumber party-goers, and anyone who loves a good deal. Once adored for its famous $5 Hot-N-Ready pies, the chain has crept up in price over the years, and the value doesn't hit quite the same.

Visually, Little Caesars is hard to distinguish from Domino's, but the slice itself is much flatter. There's barely any height difference between the crust and the rest of the slice. Still, it's surprisingly well-balanced compared to the bottom two contenders. The crust is thinner, more evenly rolled, and lighter, with a pleasant crunch and a pretty good chew for such a budget-friendly pizza. It's not dry like Pizza Hut (though I still wish there were a bit more sauce), and the cheese-to-sauce ratio is solid.

The pepperoni is classic and grocery-store adjacent, like Hormel, with just enough crisp at the edges to give it character. The chain is always doing fun, inventive things like pretzel crust pizza, but when it comes to the classics, it could do better. Overall, I'm really indifferent when it comes to Little Caesars. It isn't bad, but it isn't that good, either. It's much better than I remember, but is not something I crave.

Sbarro actually began as a Brooklyn salumeria in 1956. Carmela and Gennaro Sbarro started selling slices to local workers, and the pizza was so popular they opened a standalone shop. Today, Sbarro is one of the most popular pizza chains, with locations in 28 countries.

Given how much Sbarro gets laughed off as mall pizza, it's wild how good this slice actually is. Maybe that's why it has such a nostalgic comfort for Millennials and older generations — and why it's hilariously Michael Scott's favorite NYC slice in "The Office." But slow down on the Sbarro hate, because the pepperoni pizza here has real merit.

The slice itself tastes just like the city's classic dollar slice, in a good way. It's the thinnest crust so far, with a light chew and crisp edges. The pepperoni is super thin, peppery, and slightly crispy, the kind that melts away when you bite into it. The sauce has just a touch of sweetness, which balances the cheese nicely. And shockingly, it's not that greasy (unless I just got lucky at my Midtown location). If anything holds this slice back from taking the number two spot, it's the crust, which could use some seasoning. Overall, Sbarro's pepperoni slice is classic late-night fare that's a whole lot better than its reputation.

Domino's is the most consistent overall chain on this list, and one of the most comforting. Founded in 1960, and reinventing itself over the past few years, Domino's has become one of the top-selling pizza chains in the country, pulling in a staggering $9 billion in 2023, and I can see why. One thing that sets Domino's apart is the crust. It's airy but not too doughy, with big, unpredictable air bubbles (my personal favorite) and an Italian-garlic salt seasoning that immediately jumps out. It's chewy, crisp, and genuinely flavorful, which is something most chains seem to struggle with. 

The sauce is another standout. Domino's isn't as shy with the tomato sauce, delivering a slice that doesn't feel dry. The tomato sauce is subtly sweet and warming, and the seasoning is consistent across locations. The pepperoni is crispy and lightly curled, giving that perfect salty little bowl of flavor. With everything combined — the seasoned crust, the airy texture, the sauciness, the curl on the pepperoni — Domino's delivers a balanced, craveable pepperoni pizza that rarely disappoints.

It almost doesn't seem fair to rank California Pizza Kitchen, CPK for short, alongside the other chains because it's simply in another league. The Beverly Hills-born brand, which exploded in the 1980s and built a fandom around its barbecue chicken pizza, produces a pepperoni pie that feels almost artisanal next to its competitors. This was the thinnest crust of the entire tasting, even more so than Sbarro's classic New York-style slice. It's somehow still airy, with gorgeous big air bubbles that give it an incredible contrast of textures. As someone who is never eager to finish off the crust, the fact that I admired this one says a lot. It's light, flaky, and never dry. I do wish CPK took a note from Domino's and added a bit of seasoning to the edges, but that's a small quibble.

The pepperoni is by far the best of the bunch. These slices are huge, ultra thin, and almost soppressata-like, with a tiny, peppery spice. Since pepperoni is the dominant topping here, that quality pulls a lot of weight. The sauce-to-cheese-to-dough ratio is perfect — not too heavy, not too light — and every bite hits the sweet spot. CPK even arrived pre-sprinkled with Italian seasoning, the only chain that did so. Considering its bankruptcy comeback and overall quality, CPK takes the trophy without hesitation.

To rank these pizzas as fairly as possible, I tasted each fresh pepperoni slice side-by-side, jumping from slice to slice quickly so I could compare texture, sauce levels, cheese melt, pepperoni flavor, crust texture and chew, and overall balance without relying on memory. I also factored in consistency, nostalgia, and how well the chain's execution lived up to its reputation.

The best slices of pepperoni pizza were consistent in each bite and were very flavorful and saucy. They were evenly baked with a balanced amount of sauce and cheese. My least favorite slices were somewhat dry, lacking overall flavor or in specific areas, like the sauce, pepperoni, or crust. The lower-ranking slices also had subpar pepperoni compared to the noteworthy slices.