5 Takeout Pizzas You Shouldn't Waste Money On In 2026

Keeping an eye on your wallet as well as your taste buds? Major pizza chains have long vied for customer attention by trying to reinvent their recipes but those measures aren't always successful at drawing folks to their latest wares as some 2026 releases have proven.

While a few of those corporate decisions definitely spawned the best fast food pizzas of 2026, others failed to please discerning palates. No matter how good an idea is, if it tastes bad the firs time you try it you're never going to waste money on it again. 

Whether these pizzas failed to live up to their promises, took a great idea and turned it into a piece of cardboard laden with tomato sauce, or simply struck the wrong cord with noshers all over the globe, they're one terrific way to waste perfectly good cash on a lousy piece of pizza. Here are five slices that caused consumers to turn up their noses and should be avoided at all cost in 2026 — and if they're not currently on the menu, ignored if they end up being revived by their respective chains, if they have anything to say about it. 

Papa John's has often received criticism from pizza fans for being less-than-perfect when it comes to its pies. A Tasting Table critic even ranked its slice the worst pepperoni pizza to come out of a chain restaurant. In early 2026, Papa nodded toward recent nostalgia for pan pizzas by introducing its own take on the concept — but the meal bit the dirt among the chain's consumers, who claimed it was underbakedor too heavily laden with the restaurant's signature garlic sauce. When I tried it, it was overly pungent thanks to an extra layer of their garlic mixture. Now, I adore garlic in everything I eat, so I was taken aback by how bitter it was on my tongue.

Other customers declared that their pies had even bigger problems over on the r/PappaJohns subreddit. "Garbage. The bottom of the crust is this impenetrable, bite-proof layer of something," one customer said. "By far the most disgusting, oily, greasy, pathetic pizza I have ever had... maybe this store made it wrong? It had a foul odor too," another declared. Perhaps next time the chain brings the pie back, it'll be lighter on the grease as well as the garlic.

Pizza Hut has also been leaning on nostalgia to rope consumers back into the fold. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the movie "Space Jam" and coming out just in time for March Madness in 2026, the Space Jam Triple Treat Box box features two medium-sized single-topping pizzas, an order of breadsticks and a dessert. While the theming may have been fun to look at, the box lacked any original or new elements, and it didn't wow consumers in the price department, either — it retailed for $21.99 to $24.99, depending on the location and the items selected. 

Pizza lovers drubbed the deal for its shortcomings on Reddit. "Pizza Hut executives are so creative," one user remarked. "This isn't even a deal lol. They have some of the worst breadsticks and cinnamon sticks ... always dry as a bone," another said. In a year when Pizza Hut wowed consumers with one of the best new pizzas of 2026, the Crispy Parm Pan Pizza, the Space Jam Triple Treat Box definitely seemed to disappoint. 

Little Caesars originally brought back their pretzel crust option for a limited time in 2025, but it's returned to become a regional option in 2026, still popping up in locales where the pretzel crust proved popular. While some customers might like this salty, toothsome option, a number of diners think that it's far too much sodium to bear, especially if all of that crystalized salt strays into the slice itself.

Many customers posting to r/littlecaesars expressed similar sentiments. "I don't like it, and I love pretzels," one customer said. "It was so salty, I had to wipe the salt off it for it to be slightly edible. I'll never buy it again," another customer said. "It felt like I was eating a pound of salt with bread and cheese," agreed another. When I tried the pizza in the summer of 2026, the saline flavor of the crust was definitely a distraction from the cheesy blend and spicy pepperoni causing a disharmonious combination. Though Little Caesars might offer the best value among pizza chains, it's clear that some noshers think a few of those bargains ought to stay in the bin.

In the ultimate marrying of two of 2026's biggest pizza trends, Domino's offered up The Domino, a Detroit-style pizza cradled in a crust of parmesan cheese. It's a personal pan pie that contains only two thick slices and is laden with a maximum of only three toppings. The tiny treat seems perfect for lunches or a snack, but customers congregating on r/dominos — and even some posters who claimed they worked for the chain  — still felt it was too doughy and greasy for them to bear.

"It was terrible," one complained. Another said, "I tried it today and half of it was doughy/uncooked in the middle." That was also a common complaint of food critics who tried the dish. But one Redditor delivered this stinging edict:  "Whoever 'invented' this must not work in a busy store. Totally meh product (think specialty chicken)." 

Marco's Pizza began rapidly expanding across the country in 2026, introducing new customers to its particular brand of pizza. In May 2026, they released a New York-style pizza — a thin-crusted, easily-foldable, wide-sliced pie with crushed tomato sauce and large pepperoni, topped off with parmesan cheese. 

Unfortunately, for some devotees this meal definitely isn't Marco's best and brightest hour. Nik Metcalf Food Reviews declared, "this is a chore to eat," later rating it a 3.0 out of 10. Commenters in the Facebook group Lansing Foodies agree. "I've gotten it twice and both times it was soggy," said one customer. Wet floppiness often popped up as a complaint regarding this pizza — and since New York Style is renowned for its greasiness, perhaps that makes it more authentic. But while it might be accurate to the spirit of the slice, all of those negatives definitely mean this particular pie is worth avoiding.