While those red roofed Pizza Huts may be dwindling in number, the hut, like many other pizza chains, has switched up its dining format to favor convenience, take out, and delivery over dine in format. However, what hasn’t changed in Pizza Hut’s over 60-year history is the fact that each and every location serves up a seriously delicious slice (albeit without the iconic red cups and stained glass lamps). Yes, even now, Pizza Hut offers you a pie made precisely as you like it, be it hand tossed or stuffed crust (which is a delightful consequence of milk overproduction).
The chain’s variety of crust styles is one of its most distinctive features. However, though there are many styles of pizza to try at the chain, they are not all equal in quality and there is one crust style in particular that stands far above the rest. The buttery, chewy, and crispy pan crust is a standout on the Pizza Hut lineup, offering a consistently delicious base for whichever toppings you choose. But what, exactly, makes the pan crust stand out from the rest of the chain’s crust selections? Let’s dig in.
How it compares
You might be surprised to find that the thin crust reigns supreme as the most popular crust style at the chain. For though thin crust obviously has a loyal following among Pizza Hut diners, it falls far short of pan crust in terms of flavor and texture. As Chowhound noted in a recent ranking of Pizza Hut crusts, the Thin N Crispy crust was stiff and flavorless, similar to cardboard in flavor. It also ranked second to last on the list, just above the chain’s gluten free option. And for what it’s worth, it also proved to be a choking hazard thanks to the flaky shards produced from its stiff, unmoving texture (not dissimilar from a roofing shingle).
However, Pizza Hut’s pan pizza beats thin crust in terms of flavor, especially considering it sits well below thin, stuffed, and hand tossed pizza at the chain. But while it isn’t as popular as these crusts, it is certainly tastier. Unlike the other crusts, Pizza Hut’s pan crust is crispy, buttery, and perfectly chewy. It balances well with the sauce and cheese, bringing richness of flavor and a light texture that might just have you addicted, if you give it a shot. And while pan crust isn’t the most widely popular pizza, it certainly has a devoted and loyal following.
How pan crust came to be
Though pan style pizza doesn’t top Pizza Hut’s popularity rankings, it is still a staple on the Pizza Hut menu, and it has been or over 40 years. Its thickness, rich flavor, and presence in the iconic personal pan pizzas that put the chain at the top of the pizza pecking order in the 1980s have made it a signature item on the Pizza Hut menu. The pan style pizza, and especially the personal pan size, also evokes a sense of nostalgia for many fans of the Hut, who participated in the chain’s Book-It program, which offered personal pan pizzas as a reward for young, studious readers.
However, just because it is a staple doesn’t mean that it is immune from change. In fact, Pizza Hut changed the recipe for its pizza in 2019, producing a much more balanced, fluffy pizza base. Not every Pizza Hut customer approved of the change, with some on Reddit noting that the new pan pizzas were less crispy than the original. Despite this, most diners seem to enjoy the new pan crust, especially in comparison to some of the other, less tasty choices (we’re looking at you, thin and crispy crust).
