We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (2024)

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (1)

Screamin' Sicilian/Itemmaster

Daisy Nichols|

Pizza in most forms is a delicious convenience food. From dining out at the best pizza places in the country to a humble frozen pie — a perfect backup dinner to have in the freezer just in case — pizza has always got you covered. But when it comes to the pre-made frozen variety, there are so many options to choose from that it's hard to know where to begin. The Daily Meal decided to investigate so you don't have to!

We scoured supermarket freezer shelves and picked out an array of frozen pizzas to sample. Then we schlepped those giant bags filled with rock-solid pies to the Institute of Culinary Education here in New York City — with all that pizza we needed ample oven space, after all — and got cooking!

We cooked all of the pizzas at once, after dividing them into categories based on their cooking times and temperatures, and once they were all bubbling and ready to eat, we dug in and judiciously tasted every single one. Which pizza took the gold? Read on to find out!

Bringing up the rear we have Screamin' Sicilian Bessie's Revenge Cheese Pizza, a slice our tasters panned as "really sweet but not in a good way" as well as "too doughy" and "anemic and flabby." One critical reviewer even demanded capital punishment for this underperforming pie: "Death to this poor excuse for a pizza."

Score: 3.1/10

#14 Against the Grain Gourmet Three Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (2)

Against the Grain/Itemmaster

Another poor performer was this gluten-free variety, which we decided to sample in an effort to be inclusive to those who eschew that gluey, gooey protein. The reviews weren't great. "Obviously a super-cheap pie," read one. "Good stoner pizza," another taster opined, though the "bizarre" crust seemed to leave a lot to be desired. "Is this plastic?" one person asked. Another found it to be "chewy and awful," noting that it "tastes like plastic."

Score: 3.2/10

#13 Wegman’s Thin Crust Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (3)

Wegman's

Wegman's may be one of America's best supermarkets, but that doesn't mean their in-house brand of frozen pizza is going to be taking home any prizes. The overwhelming consensus was that this pizza had a "cardboard crust" and "weird flavor," though one taster did "kind of like the sauce." Most reviewers also felt the crust was far too thin.

Score: 3.7/10

#12 Tony’s Original Crust Cheese Pizza

The overarching opinion of Tony's Original Crust was that it was rather dull — "salty and forgettable," one person thought, while another considered this pie simply "a standard, cheap, frozen pizza." "It's OK," offered another taster. "I could down a whole one after a night of drinking."

Score: 3.8/10

#11 Elio’s Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (5)

Ellio's

Taking the No. 11 slot is Elio's Cheese Pizza, a pizza that, like Tony's, was found to be "a solid frozen pizza" with generic character. "Would eat at 3 a.m. after the bar," one taster admitted. Another felt the pie was "nothing special, but good if you like more sauce than cheese."

Score: 4/10

#10 O That’s Good Classic Crust With a Twist of Cauliflower Five Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (6)

O That's Good!/Itemmaster

Our next pizza on the list was perhaps a rather sneaky addition. We included Oprah's Classic Crust with a Twist of Cauliflower Five Cheese Pizza — a purportedly healthier pizza option, perhaps, but was it any good? "Not terrible," one taster said. "Nice mix of sauce and cheese, but the crust was thick and tasteless." Another found the sauce to be "very sweet — almost too sweet, but I kinda like that" and praised the "nice amount of cheese on top."

Score: 4.2/10

#9 365 Thin Crust Four Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (7)

Amazon

If you shop at Whole Foods, then this might be the pizza for you. "Yummmm!" enthused one taster tersely. "Good herb action in this one," another noted. "Not enough sauce, but could definitely do the trick late at night if you're not kissing anyone after." However, despite these positive reviews, others found the pizza to be "tasteless" and complained that the "crust was stiff and hard to chew."

Score: 4.4/10

#8 Newman’s Own

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (8)

Newman's Own

The Newman's Own pizza was a mixed bag in the eyes of our taste testers. While some were overjoyed — "Yass queen! Perfect amount of sauce and cheese, nice semi-flaky crust, great flavor. Thumbs up, girlfriend" — others were not impressed. "Tasted exactly like I would expect a frozen supermarket pizza to taste," one said. "Nothing special." Some outright hated it, calling it a "waste of cheese" and saying it had "no flavor at all" and tasted "extra salty."

Score: 4.6/10

#7 DiGiorno Original Thin Crust Four Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (9)

DiGiorno/Itemmaster

Next we come to DiGiorno, a pizza that many assumed would claim the No. 1 spot. Perhaps it was the thin crust, but this pizza did not fare as well as many predicted it would. With "barely any sauce" and a "super-generic taste," this pizza reminded one taster of "grade school greasy cafeteria pizza." One tester, though, did put it at the top: "If I were to choose a pizza to eat on this list, it would be this one. Tastes like good old-fashioned tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and thin crust. No complaints."

Score: 4.7/10

#6 Stouffer’s Cheese French Bread Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (10)

Nestle

This one caught a bit of flak for not really being a pizza in the traditional sense. "Well that's not fair," read one cry for justice. "French bread > cardboard always." But when it came to taste and texture it faired pretty well. "Nicely spiced, soft bread with crispy crust," observed one taster, while another found it to be "very garlicky" with a "super-soft crust" that was not overly cheesy. "Doesn't have that frozen pizza taste. A bit more natural."

Score: 4.7/10

#5 Original Tombstone 5 Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (11)

Original Tombstone/Itemmaster

Original Tombstone is another classic in the frozen pizza section of most supermarkets. Like many in the top rankings, this pizza was divisive. Some enjoyed it — "Spices! Multiple cheeses! Yay!" — while others were not impressed. "I'm running out of new ways to say awful," noted one fatigued taster. There was also a familiarity to this pizza, which is not surprising given its popularity in many households. "This one has a very different taste that many may not like because it's not what they're used to," one taster mused. "Very distinctive... I recognize it. Different cheeses and a garlicky taste that's satisfying. Nice and chewy, but not too much."

Score: 5/10

#4 Red Baron Classic Crust Four Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (12)

Red Baron/Itemmaster

In fourth place was another supermarket classic, Red Baron. "A solid contender," one taster said. "No one would mistake it for fresh, but I would eat half if home and hungry." Some found that it did satisfy a lot of the frozen pizza criteria: "Everything tasted the way it's intended to. Good texture, perfect amount of crust. Nothing special, but does the trick." A few others weren't huge fans: "This one tastes like they poured straight white sugar into the sauce and didn't add any salt! Very strange. Flimsy crust... bleh." Yet another found it to be mildly depressing, something you don't often look for in a pizza. "I can see myself eating all of this with some beers, alone, watching 'This Is Us.' V depressing, yet oddly satisfying."

Score: 5.1/10

#3 Trader Giotto’s

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (13)

Melissa D./Yelp

Taking the bronze we have Trader Joe's own in-house brand, a pizza that impressed some tasters more than others. "I actually kind of like this one," wrote one taster in mild surprise. "Finally a crust with a bit of chew," offered another. "Looks more like a normal pizza." One pleased panelist said it "tastes more like a NY slice" and noted that "the sauce has good flavor." However, others were less impressed and found Trader Giotto's pie to be bland and disappointing when it came to the quality of the cheese on top: "I like the crust but not the middle. Needs better cheese."

Score: 5.3/10

#2 Amy’s 3 Cheese Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (14)

Amazon

In second place we have Amy's 3 Cheese Pizza, which featured a corneal crust, pesto and goat cheese. Traditional? Perhaps not, but some tasters seemed to really enjoy it. "Goat cheese reminded me to love cheese again, love their herbs and crispy crust!" gushed one. "The pesto is a delicious addition and the tomato chunks add to the flavor," another enthused. But others weren't as wowed, and some found the crust to be too much: "Crust is crispy, but there's not much flavor to this pie. On second thought, maybe it's too crunchy."

Score: 5.4/10

#1 Signature Select Rising Crust Five Cheese Pizza

We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (15)

The Daily Meal

And in the No. 1 spot, taking gold, we have Safeway's in-house brand, Signature Select Rising Crust Five Cheese Pizza! Tasters praised it as "flavorful," noting that the cheese and sauce were nicely balanced, and one even said it tasted "like Pizza Hut." Some didn't enjoy the thicker crust, calling it "too bready" and "too much" in spite of the "decent crunch." And there you have it: Not all frozen pizzas are created equal. Sure, frozen pizzas are convenient, but if you really want an unparalleled pizza experience, you might want to check out any of the 101 best pizzas in America.

Score: 7.6/10

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We Tried 15 Brands of Frozen Pizza and This Was the Best (2024)

FAQs

What is the #1 selling frozen pizza? ›

DiGiorno is the top-selling frozen pizza brand in the U.S., and the last time CR looked at frozen pizza in a 2017 lab test, our sensory panel found this to be one of the better-tasting products.

What is the oldest frozen pizza brand? ›

No one knows for sure who came up with the first frozen pizza. In the 1950s, Celentano Brothers became the first brand of frozen pizza to be sold nationally. Many claim that the first big name in the business, though, was Totino. In 1951, Rose and Jim Totino opened one of the first pizzerias in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Is frozen pizza healthier than normal pizza? ›

Fresh pizza not only tastes better but is also healthier than frozen pizza. The ingredients used in freshly made pizza are of higher quality and fresher than those used in pre-made frozen pizzas, making it the clear choice for anyone looking to indulge in a tasty treat without sacrificing their health.

Does Tombstone still make pizza? ›

- Tombstone has over 12 different frozen pizza flavor varieties to choose from. See all of our products including Original, Most Wanted, Thin Crust & more.

What is the top selling pizza in the United States? ›

With sales worth approximately 8.57 billion U.S. dollars, Domino's Pizza was the leading quick service pizza chain in the United States in 2022. Pizza Hut and Little Caesars ranked second and third, respectively.

What is the most eaten pizza brand in the world? ›

Domino's Pizza, the world's largest pizza maker by sales and stores, delivers one in every three pizzas in the U.S. But it wants more.

Is 2 year old frozen pizza still good? ›

Frozen pizza is a popular convenience food, but it can be risky to eat past its expiration date. As the crust becomes dry and brittle, it can break down and cause food poisoning.

What happened to DiGiorno pizza? ›

In 2010, Kraft sold the DiGiorno and Delissio brands, along with the rest of its frozen pizza business, to Swiss-based food manufacturer Nestlé.

What happened to Totinos pizza? ›

It was expanded it to a full-service restaurant, which closed in 2011. Totinos founded a frozen-pizza manufacturing company. The Totinos sold their frozen pizza business to the Pillsbury Company, where Rose Totino was named as vice-president. Totino's brand was acquired by General Mills with its purchase of Pillsbury.

Is it OK to eat frozen pizza everyday? ›

While it's okay to eat a piece of frozen, fast-food or pizzeria-style pizza occasionally, it's best to limit consumption to no more than a few times per month.

What is the healthiest pizza you can eat? ›

Opt for a thin-crust pizza instead of a deep-dish. Skip the stuffed pizza crusts and dipping sauces. Enjoy your slice of pizza with a side salad or cooked vegetables. Top your pizza with lean protein, like chicken strips, instead of processed meat, like pepperoni.

How unhealthy is digiorno pizza? ›

This product contains a high percentage of the Institute of Medicine's recommended adequate intake for sodium of 1500 mg a day (IOM 2005). This value is much lower than what the FDA requires be listed on food labels -- 2400 mg. Americans average 3,400 mg of sodium a day.

Who makes freschetta pizza? ›

In 1996, Schwan's introduced the Freschetta pizza line and acquired La Roue du Pays d'Auge, a frozen foods producer in France. In 1998, Schwan's opened a pizza plant in Osterweddingen, Germany.

Who makes digiorno pizza? ›

DiGiorno frozen pizza brand| Nestlé Global.

Does Tombstone pizza use real cheese? ›

Description. Tombstone Five Cheese Frozen Pizza delivers full on flavor held up by a buttery and crispy crust. This Tombstone pizza comes topped with bold and zesty tomato pizza sauce and real cheese, including cheddar, parmesan, asiago, romano, and mozzarella cheese.

What is the number 1 pizza topping in the world? ›

1. Pepperoni: An American Classic. Pepperoni reigns supreme as the most popular pizza topping in the Canada. Its bold, spicy flavor pairs perfectly with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, creating a satisfying and savory experience.

What is the largest frozen pizza company? ›

The leader in frozen pizza, the Nestlé Pizza Division is the maker of America's most popular pizza brands, including DIGIORNO® (the #1 frozen pizza brand), CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN®, TOMBSTONE® and JACK'S®.

What is the biggest selling pizza day? ›

A real thing.) the top 5 busiest pizza days are (in order) Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and then Super Bowl Sunday. Yeah, I didn't KNOW this until AFTER I ordered pizza on THE busiest pizza day of the year. I go about my business and place my order via the Domino's app...

Who is the largest pizza seller? ›

The 10 largest pizza chains in the U.S.
  1. Domino's. 2023 U.S. system sales: $9 billion.
  2. Pizza Hut. 2023 U.S. system sales: $5.6 billion. ...
  3. Little Caesars. 2023 U.S. system sales: $4.5 billion. ...
  4. Papa Johns. 2023 U.S. system sales: $3.8 billion. ...
  5. Marco's Pizza. 2023 U.S. system sales: $1.04 billion. ...
  6. Papa Murphy's. ...
  7. MOD Pizza. ...
  8. Hungry Howie's. ...
Jun 13, 2024

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