'It's Not Delivery' — How DiGiorno Took On Takeout Pizza With Its Game-Changing Frozen Pie

A handful of major names are synonymous with the frozen pizza game. Mama Celeste and Tombstone are staples, but DiGiorno is best known for its proud claim that it is just as good as delivery. The brand may be only 30 years old, but it's quickly become one of the most-loved frozen pizza options out there.

Kraft first launched DiGiorno in 1995, entering the long-crowded frozen pizza market with one fresh innovation: their pizza sported a crust that rises as it bakes. They also added a variety of dough-protecting enhancements to their formula and packaging, like vacuum-sealing. It only took three years for DiGiorno to become the most-popular frozen pizza brand in America, a position it's held on to for decades.

Part of that success stems from the line's famous slogan: "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorno's." As the years have passed, the catchphrase has come to reflect customers' changing attitudes regarding frozen pizza consumption. Decades ago, the catchphrase indicated that DiGiorno was as good as Domino's or Pizza Hut. Nowadays, it's intended to denote that the pizza is far better than anything you'd get at a delivery chain.

DiGiorno offers 51 different types of pizza across a variety of crust styles. There's the best DiGiorno frozen pizza crust, the traditional self-rising version; croissant-style, in which the crust has the texture and flavor of a breakfast croissant; Detroit style, a version of a deep-dish pizza with sauce ladled on top of the cheese; hand-tossed, which provides a slightly thicker crust; thin crust; stuffed crust which is usually packed with mozzarella cheese; and wood-fired style crust which provides a crispy exterior and a soft interior. 

Most of DiGiorno's crust varieties come with the same four different toppings options: pepperoni, cheese, supreme (pepperoni and sausage with an assortment of vegetables), and three-meat topping, which features beef, pepperoni and sausage. The brand also has a few unique pizzas like a bacon and ranch stuffed-crust pizza and a Hawaiian pizza complete with pineapple with a regular crust.

While DiGiorno is beloved for its crust, the final flavor ultimately comes from the combination of quality toppings with expert-made crust. Fans love the extra-creamy cheese of the stuffed crust pie, but the airy, crispy original crust can't be beaten. The pepperoni and sausage always add an extra, though mild, kick, and the vegetables are always just tender enough. DiGiorno has its own sauce blend, and the sweetly herbaceous flavor of that sauce helps set the brand apart and make it a memorable feast for the ages.