10 Pizza Chains That Tried Something Wild and Failed
These pizza chains launched wild menu experiments that stirred curiosity but ultimately flopped with customers.
- Alyana Aguja
- 3 min read
Pizza chains are constantly experimenting with bold menu items to capture attention and boost sales, but not every gamble pays off. From Oreo dessert pizzas to bacon-wrapped crusts, these ideas often leaned more on shock value than actual flavor. While they made headlines, most were short-lived reminders that not every food mashup works.
1. Domino’s Oreo Dessert Pizza
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In the early 2000s, Domino’s thought dessert pizza would be the next big thing and launched the Oreo Dessert Pizza. It was essentially a pizza crust covered with Oreo crumbs and vanilla icing, but it never connected with customers. People found it too sweet and awkward compared to traditional desserts, leading to its quiet removal.
2. Pizza Hut’s Cheeseburger Crust Pizza
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Pizza Hut once pushed boundaries by creating a pizza with mini cheeseburgers baked into the crust. Launched in the UK and the Middle East, it was meant to be an indulgent feast but mostly earned ridicule. Customers complained it was greasy, over-the-top, and more gimmick than good food.
3. Little Caesars’ Bacon-Wrapped Crust Pizza
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Little Caesars debuted a pizza wrapped entirely in thick strips of bacon, catching attention nationwide. It was marketed as the ultimate indulgence but drew health concerns and mixed reviews. After the initial buzz, sales quickly dipped, and the item disappeared from menus.
4. Papa John’s Frito Chili Pizza
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Papa John’s attempted to blend Tex-Mex and pizza with its Frito Chili Pizza. The pizza was topped with chili, cheese, and a layer of Fritos corn chips, making it more of a novelty than a meal. Customers felt it was messy, confusing, and far from satisfying.
5. Pizza Hut’s Hot Dog Bites Pizza
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In 2015, Pizza Hut rolled out a pizza with 28 mini pigs in blankets forming the crust. While it generated buzz on social media, the reality was underwhelming, with soggy hot dogs and uneven baking. It lasted only briefly before being retired.
6. Domino’s Bread Bowl Pasta
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Domino’s tried to double down on carbs by serving pasta inside an edible bread bowl. While creative, it was criticized for being too heavy, greasy, and impractical to eat. It never became a staple and is now remembered mostly as a marketing gimmick.
7. Chuck E. Cheese’s Macaroni and Cheese Pizza
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Chuck E. Cheese tested a Macaroni and Cheese Pizza aimed at kids and families. It combined pasta, cheese, and pizza into one dish, but most reviews were negative. Parents found it too messy, and kids preferred the regular pepperoni slice.
8. Pizza Hut’s Flying Fish Roe Crust Pizza
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In Japan, Pizza Hut experimented with a crust stuffed with flying fish roe. The salty, popping flavor was divisive, and many customers found it off-putting. The pizza never gained traction and was soon discontinued.
9. Little Caesars’ Lasagna Pizza
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Little Caesars once experimented with a pizza topped with layers of noodles, ricotta, and tomato sauce to mimic lasagna. While unique, it was too heavy and unappealing for most customers. The idea was short-lived and quickly vanished from menus.
10. Papa John’s Marmite Stuffed Crust Pizza
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In the UK, Papa John’s tried appealing to Marmite lovers by stuffing crusts with the salty yeast spread. While Marmite fans were curious, the flavor overwhelmed the pizza and turned away more customers than it attracted. It ended up being a limited-time flop.