Domino’s New $4 Cheap Pizzas
Does a pizza priced cheap as dirt — taste like dirt? Today I discovered the answer.
I’m talking about Domino’s highly publicized 444 promotion. That’s 3 pizzas for $4 each, a total of $12. The pizzas are 10-inch one-topping pies. I ordered a variety, one with Pepperoni, one with Grilled Chicken and one Beef. Nothing else added, no extras. Just the basic advertised deal of $12. I used Domino’s website and ordered online.
My order arrived at my doorstep 24 minutes after being placed at their website. That’s impressive for my part of town. The entire online component of their service is solid and well developed. The pizzas arrived hot, fresh, and on-time. I invited a friend over to eat dinner, and share in the bounty of cheap food that Domino’s had prepared.
Opening the boxes, I was greeted by three small but attractive pizzas. I expected stripped-down naked looking pies, but they had some decent sized meat toppings. They looked to have a fair amount of cheese, but there was more crust than anything.
First I tried a slice of the Pepperoni. It seemed to have the most toppings of all. Whether that’s by design, or just the luck of the draw today, I don’t know. The meat was flavorful with a fair amount of pepperoni punch, and some were cooked so the edges were slightly crisp. The cheese was OK, but it didn’t have much flavor. I also realized there was less than I first thought. It was thicker towards the center of the pie, but much thinner towards the outer portions. The same can be said for the sauce, which is reduced dramatically as you move out from the middle. And since these are small pies, you get small slices — 2 or 3 good bites, and you’re left with the outer crust.
I can see where a few corners have been cut to make this deal so affordable, but it hasn’t diminished my overall satisfaction with the frugal purchase. The sacrifices are only with the size of the pie itself, and amount of toppings, not the quality.
The Beef and Chicken pies were pretty good, but had less flavor. That’s probably because the pepperoni has more flavor to begin with, and also out-numbered the other two toppings. There were some nice little chunks of the grilled chicken, and I was pleased to find they had the taste and texture of real diced meat from solid pieces, instead of mashed up parts. The quality of the toppings appears to be the same as their regular pizzas — you just get less of them. That makes sense.
The crust was tasty and remained chewy and soft, even on the very edges where it got slightly burnt. It was a solid foundation, especially considering the price. The tomato sauce was the weakest part of the experience for me. It was thin and it didn’t have much kick or flavor. It wasn’t bad sauce, it was just bland.
The $4 Pizza and Domino’s 444 Deal is a good overall value. The pies are small, and the toppings are light, but there’s still plenty of pizza eating enjoyment to be found. Instead of trying to compare these to a more expensive full-size pie, just think of them as large fancy bread-sticks with pizza toppings. It’s a lot of food, and not a lot of money. Hot, freshly baked, decent tasting little pizzas delivered to your front door for $4 each. Looking at the grand scheme of things, that’s got to be considered a winner.
Price: $12 for 3 Pizzas ($4 each) / Website: Dominos.com
Fast Food Critic Score: B
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This product is new, Domino’s has not published nutrition information yet, but I contacted them and got facts for the 10-inch $4 Pepperoni. Thanks Stacey!
Nutrition Facts - Domino’s 10″ Pepperoni, Per-Serving (Slice)
Calories - 210
Calories from Fat - 80
Total Fat - 8 grams
Carbs - 25 grams
Saturated Fat - 3.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 15 milligrams
Sodium - 480 milligrams
Yep, a pretty good deal, particularly for families with varying tastes in toppings. My favorite thing about Dominos is the online ordering and their deserts (Cinna Sticks, yum!).
As far as the pizza, the crust usually overpowers the toppings to make for a very average taste experience. I actually prefer Little Caesar’s $5 Hot n’ Ready pie for its better flavor and texture.
Tried this deal a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised. They were small, but tasted great!
Yeah, well I know you have a healthy appetite, so I’m forced to ask — Did you share with the family, or did you eat all 3 of those little pies by yourself? LOL
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