ADVERTISEMENT

We taste-tested pizzas and wings from every major chain — here's who to order from on game day

Which chains serve up the best pizza and wings for Super Bowl 2018, the biggest day in sports? We found out.

  • The
  • It's also a huge day for fast-food delivery, namely pizza and wings.
  • We compared the major fast-food pizza and wing chains to find out who makes the best.
ADVERTISEMENT

Hear ye, hear ye; the Super Bowl has arrived.

Time to pop some fresh batteries into the remote, kick back, and enjoy the game — and the halftime snacks.

According to Forbes, nearly 12.5 million pizzas were predicted to be delivered for last year's game – that's 100 million slices! Even Chipotle, the beleaguered Tex-Mex chain, is desperately trying to get in on the action this year by offering free delivery on Postmates during Super Bowl weekend.

ADVERTISEMENT

But where to get these game day essentials?

We decided to put the major chains to the test: Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut for pizza and breadsticks, and Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop for chicken wings.

First up, the pizza face-off, pitting the big three pizza chains — Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut — against each other. Our test has three essential game-day categories: the classic cheese pizza, the supreme pizza, and breadsticks.

Who delivers the best slice of cheese pizza?

Cheese:

ADVERTISEMENT

Papa John's tastes delicious, and I believe the claim of 100% mozzarella. The crust underneath is sturdy but thin, allowing the cheese and sauce to come through. Also, it's surprisingly not that salty.

Pizza Hut's impressive crust overwhelms at first, but it quickly gives way as the vibrant crushed-tomato marinara sauce comes through the salty cheese.

Domino's crust is doughy and thick, and a little too spongy for my taste — and the cheese is rather bland.

And which chain serves up a superb supreme pizza, bar none?

Supreme:

ADVERTISEMENT

Pizza Hut's supreme is a let-down after its delicious cheese pizza: It's weak on flavor and dry.

Papa John's makes a decent supreme, but there's too much rich, dense cheese, leaving the toppings lost.

Domino's "ExtravaganZZA Feast" has the most toppings: black olives, green peppers, Italian sausage, beef, pepperoni, mushrooms, and onions. It certainly surpasses the others in terms of quality and amount of toppings, as well as having a sturdy and satisfying crust.

Now the breadstick brawl. They're the ultimate in dipping snacks, and each chain has its own distinct twist on the humble breadstick. Who takes the champion breadstick belt?

Breadsticks:

ADVERTISEMENT

Domino's and Pizza Hut offer breadsticks that are greasy and suspiciously formed.

And while they have no fancy-flavor injection or herbal dusting, Papa John's simple, crispy yet doughy sticks of bread are perfect. They're bread, plain and simple. And combined with Papa John's arsenal of dipping sauces — pizza marinara, garlic, and cheese — the choice is up to you. By far the best.

Verdict:

Of the three, Pizza Hut makes the best cheese pizza. The cheese is strong and melty, and the tomato sauce is surprisingly flavorful and vibrant. And the crust is by far the best: salty, crispy, and crunchy on the outside, but soft on the inside.

And Domino's supreme pizza is outstanding, bar none.

ADVERTISEMENT

And with Papa John's taking the breadstick crown, it would seem each chain has its strength.

Now we tackle the chicken wings.

It's quite an undertaking. Approximately 100 wings in five flavors — a fair mixture of boneless and traditional wings in each flavor — meet on the field.

The flavors are: Classic Mild, Garlic Parmesan, Asian (Buffalo Wild Wings' Asian Zing, and Wingstop's Spicy Korean Q), Classic Hot, and Mango Habanero.

Classic Mild:

ADVERTISEMENT

Wingstop's Mild flavor has a comforting balance of flavor, and our tasters relished in the saucy, chicken-y goodness both on and off the bone.

BWW's were dry and relied too heavily on sauce.

Garlic Parmesan:

To me, BWW's Garlic Parmesan wings have just the right amount of creamy sauce and garlic flavor, although one taster wholeheartedly disagreed with a succinct, "gross."

But Wingstop's were very salty and rather bland, despite being dusted with real Parmesan.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Asian" flavors:

BWW's "Asian Zing" flavor is subdued and almost too sweet. The soy-sauce flavor is much too strong, adding an unpleasant saltiness.

Wingstop's Spicy Korean Q wings, however, execute the perfect play: The sauce is strong, hot, and sweet all at once with fantastic balance. These were overwhelmingly preferred in our taste test, and they ran out first.

Classic Hot:

The Hot wings from BWW definitely pack a lot of heat, there is no question — but the validity of the heat is a concern. The extreme heat comes at the cost of a satisfying flavor.

ADVERTISEMENT

The real game-day heat comes from Wingstop's Hot variety, which our tasters overwhelmingly preferred. They're incredibly spicy, but don't disappoint in terms of true wing flavors — the heat is paired with an actual taste without burning your mouth for the sake of burning.

Mango Habanero:

First off, Buffalo Wild Wings' wings are confusing. The first 10 seconds of eating comes with an incredibly mild, fruity taste, lulling one's taste buds into a false sense of security before a slow-building heat erupts into an all-out inferno in your mouth. It's a sneaky, scorching fireball that only manages to beat a slow retreat following a generous glass of milk. These are a pyromaniac's chicken wings.

In Wingstop's wings, the heat is present, but it's a more complex heat intertwined with a delicate yet tangy mango flavor. It isn't as ferociously spicy as BWW's, but for those who eat wings for the full experience rather than a five-alarm blaze, these are your wings.

Verdict:

ADVERTISEMENT

Overall, Wingstop seems to offer better quality flavors, as well as wings that don't rely too much on sauces.

Buffalo Wild Wings has its moments – well, one, with the Garlic Parmesan – but Wingstop trumps BWW again and again.

So on game day, choose wisely — the snacks could make or break the game.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended articles

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

Navigating the future: How AI transforms selling on Amazon

Navigating the future: How AI transforms selling on Amazon

Wall decor tips: Transforming your space with style and creativity

Wall decor tips: Transforming your space with style and creativity

Putin's African diplomacy: Security talks with West, Central Africa take centre stage

Putin's African diplomacy: Security talks with West, Central Africa take centre stage

Infinix users get over 35% exclusive discount on Showmax premier league & general entertainment subscription

Infinix users get over 35% exclusive discount on Showmax premier league & general entertainment subscription

10 longest bridges in Africa

10 longest bridges in Africa

India issues free heart surgeries to 150 Ugandan children

India issues free heart surgeries to 150 Ugandan children

ADVERTISEMENT