INCREDIBLE

OFFER!

$200 Bonus + Up to 5% Cash Back

Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Plus, enjoy 0% intro APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers (then 18.24% - 27.74% Variable APR).

APPLY NOW

Member FDIC

7 Pizza Chains That Are No Longer Worth the Wait or the Money

A good pizza at a reasonable price is getting harder to find.

By Amanda Machado , Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated July 28, 2026

Add Us On Google

One clear sign of economic failure is that a pizza delivery order now comes with six-week financing options. A layer of dough covered in tomato sauce and melted cheese has always been a staple for those nights when families don't want to cook, or friends want to gather for games and movies while sharing sustenance.

However, nowadays the cost has gotten out of hand for many pizza chains. A simple order of a pie shouldn't require tips and tricks to stretch your fast food budget.

These chains are the worst offenders, and customers are ditching them because they aren't worth the price anymore.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Earn $200 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card (Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

Cardholders can also earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply now.

Round Table Pizza

Large pepperoni pizza: $28.99

Round Table Pizza was named as receiving the most complaints about price in 2026. ACE.com analyzed approximately 250,000 Google Reviews for pizza chains, and Round Table Pizza took the trophy with 71 reviews per 1,000 calling it too expensive.

Make Money: 8 dumb ways to make money (almost anyone can do this)

Pizza Hut

Large pepperoni pizza: $20.59

Nothing hit harder than getting a free Pizza Hut pizza for reading Goosebumps and Baby-Sitters Club books, and the "Book It!" program is still successfully motivating children to read more. However, adults are finding it harder to justify the price of actually buying a pizza from the nostalgic chain these days.

Coupons and deals could help mitigate the price, but customers don't like ordering pizza to be a complicated multi-step puzzle. Modifications and extra toppings dramatically raise the price, and delivery charges could add nearly 50% to the total.

Papa Murphy's

Large pepperoni pizza: $13.75

The price seems reasonable on first glance at Papa Murphy's menu, but customers aren't getting a ready-to-eat pizza. They're getting a take-and-bake pizza they still have to cook in their own oven.

It's not that the pizza is particularly bad; it's just not better than a frozen pizza that costs less and doesn't depend on delivery and then an even longer wait time while it bakes. The consumer disapproval is impacting their bottom line, as Papa Murphy's announced they plan to close approximately 50 locations this year.

Earn as much as $1K doing simple online tasks

A company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from about a dozen advertisers and market research companies thirsty for more data. Freecash has paid out over $13 million to users since 2019, and has over 50,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.

MOD Pizza

Large pepperoni pizza: $15.44

One price, unlimited toppings, that is MOD Pizza's claim to fame, but customer complaints focus around that "one price" going up five times in just four years. The most recent price hike is as much as $4, which is a noticeable increase for the same pizza that was just last year only about $10 per pie.

This could still be a good deal for folks who like to pile on toppings, but for those who enjoy a more traditional pizza, it may no longer make sense financially. The "large" is also smaller than many competitors, measuring in at only $11.

Sbarro

Large pepperoni pizza: $21.39

Commonly known as the "mall pizza", Sbarro is ranked as the worst pizza chain by Tasting Table. Ordering a whole pie gets customers a larger-than-average size of 17," but they specialize in serving by the slice in locations where people need to grab food on the go, such as malls and airports.

A single slice of pepperoni pizza costs a whopping $6. That's a startling price for folks who remember when a slice to go cost about $1 from most pizzerias.

Papa John's

Large pepperoni pizza: $16.49

It's not just customers leaning away from Papa John's for pizza night. Wall Street sentiments are also waning on the delivery chain, and BofA Securities recently downgraded the stock to "Underperform" from its previous rating. Former CEO Rob Lynch acknowledged the consumer pricing problem back in 2023, but the company never really course-corrected.

Customers feel like the quality has gone down, and that the end result just isn't better than cheaper alternatives, including frozen pizzas. Tasting Table rated it the worst pepperoni pizza out of six popular chains.

Don't miss: 8 clever ways to save money so you can still afford to eat out

Pizza Ranch

Large pepperoni pizza: $14.99

Pizza Ranch made a name for itself by offering a buffet-style option at a low price, but customers say the food falls short of expectations. All you can eat doesn't mean much when you don't want to eat the food, and the quality has serious complaints.

Pizzas aren't restocked promptly, ice cream machines are constantly broken, and those seeking gluten-free options pay considerably more. The chain may also be seeing financial trouble, as there is at least one lawsuit against unpaid rent for the pizza chain.

Bottom line

As prices rise for necessities in all consumer markets, customers are forced to become more discriminating in terms of value offered from restaurants. Needing to tackle high grocery costs leaves a smaller budget for the little niceties in life, such as pizza night or an evening dining out at a restaurant.

For those seeking a budget-friendly pizza, it might be time to return to a classic brand that ruled the 90s: Little Caesars. That Crazy Bread is still a favorite, and a large classic pepperoni is only $7.79.

More from FinanceBuzz: