Professional chefs spend their days making food from scratch, so you might expect them to turn their noses up at chain pizza. It turns out they don’t.

Like everyone else, chefs have busy nights, hungry families and moments when only a delivery pie will do. When Allrecipes asked six of them to name their favorite national pizza chain, the results were surprisingly close. Two big names split the top spot, and one of the best-known pizza brands in America didn’t get a single vote.

Here’s who won, why the chefs keep ordering from them and what to get on your next pizza night.

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Meet the Chef Panel

The six chefs bring a mix of restaurant, pizza and cooking-school experience:

• Nicole Bean, owner of Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana in Houston, Texas
• Kimberly Dunn, chef-owner of Domestic Bones hand pies in Des Moines, Iowa
• Alex Green, executive chef at Mileta in Lexington, Kentucky
• Dominic Iannarelli, chef-owner of Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, Iowa
• Mary Payne Moran, chef-owner of The Silver Lake Kitchen cooking school in Los Angeles
• Jeanette Donnarumma, chef and recipe developer

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What Chefs Look for in Chain Pizza

Before picking favorites, the chefs explained what separates a good chain pizza from a forgettable one. Their checklist is useful for anyone ordering in.

Good ingredients in the right balance. Iannarelli looks for freshly made dough, cheese that melts well, a sauce that isn’t overly sweet and a crust that isn’t too doughy. Dunn’s family loves vegetable toppings, so freshness matters most to her.

Consistency. Donnarumma lives somewhere great pizza is easy to find, and she can make classic Neapolitan, Detroit and New York styles herself. For her, a chain’s appeal is knowing exactly what you’ll get every time, plus the chance to try fun novelty items you won’t find at a local pizzeria.

Easy ordering. Both Donnarumma and Iannarelli say technology makes a real difference. The best chains have simple apps with coupons and one-tap reordering of past favorites.

Something new to try. Bean admits that a buzzy collaboration or limited-time item will sometimes tempt her to order.

The Winners: Domino’s and Papa Johns

Each chef picked one favorite, and the vote ended in a tie, with two votes each for Domino’s and Papa Johns. Pizza Hut was shut out entirely.

Papa Johns: Best Value and Easy Customization

Dunn and Moran both voted for Papa Johns.

Dunn’s main reason is value. She thinks Papa Johns offers the best quality for the price of any chain. She also likes how much control the app gives you: you can choose the crust (original, thin, cheese-stuffed, garlic cheese-stuffed or gluten-free), adjust how much sauce and cheese goes on, and even make requests about how the pizza is sliced. She also points to the brand’s rewards program, which pays off even if you don’t order often.

Moran’s reasons are about the ingredients. She likes that each part of the pizza is made from a short ingredient list with few additives, and that the sauce is smooth and not overly sweet. There’s a bit of nostalgia too: Papa Johns was a fixture at her school events and parties when she was growing up.

What to order: Both chefs recommend the Garden Fresh Pizza and the Fiery Buffalo Chicken Pizza. And don’t skip the classic move of dipping your crust in Papa Johns’ signature garlic sauce.

Domino’s: Innovation and Reliability

Bean and Donnarumma gave their votes to Domino’s.

Bean, who runs her own pizzeria, admires how Domino’s has set itself apart in a crowded industry. She notes that it overtook Pizza Hut as the top chain by revenue, and credits its willingness to experiment with ideas like autonomous and robotic delivery, delivery guarantees and bundle deals.

Donnarumma values practicality. She finds the Domino’s app easy to use, with coupons already loaded and quick reordering. She also likes that the menu is large and customizable, which helps when you’re feeding a group with different tastes.

Domino’s has also performed well beyond this chef poll. In Allrecipes’ own earlier taste test of national chains, Domino’s came out on top over Pizza Hut, praised for its savoury sauce, garlicky crust and well-balanced ratio of crust, sauce and cheese.

Honorable Mentions: Casey’s and Marco’s

Two more chains each earned a single chef’s vote.

Casey’s

Iannarelli picked Casey’s, the convenience store chain that has become a serious pizza player. With roughly 2,900 locations, it ranks as the sixth-largest pizza chain in the U.S. by number of stores. Iannarelli praises its balance of toppings, cheese and crust.

What to order: The Taco Pizza. His tip is to ask for the lettuce on the side and add it right before eating so it stays crisp. His other pick is the sausage pizza with onions.

Marco’s

Green chose Marco’s.

What to order: The Pepperoni Magnifico with double Old World Pepperoni. For an extra kick, Green suggests finishing it at home with a drizzle of honey and a few dashes of extra-hot Valentina hot sauce once you open the box.

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The Takeaway

Chefs are just like the rest of us: they want pizza that’s tasty, reliable and easy to order. Papa Johns wins on value and customization, while Domino’s earns points for innovation and convenience. If you want something a little different, Casey’s and Marco’s are worth a try.

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