7 Pizza Chains That Use Fresh, Never-Frozen Dough
Let’s get one thing straight: when you’re craving a slice of pizza only your favorite slice will do. Whether you like plain or pepperoni, popular pizza chains like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa Johns’s won’t miss the mark. But some go the extra mile to make their pizza from fresh, never-frozen dough.
While frozen pre-formed dough can create a consistency that becomes a chain’s signature, some do actually shape and stretch fresh dough in-house. A handful of pizza chains across the country, both regional and national, use fresh, never-frozen dough—and even some places you wouldn’t expect.
Keep on reading to find out the seven pizza chains that make this simple yet effective meal a showstopper for kids and adults alike. And next time it’s pizza night at your household, be sure to visit or order from one of these chains for some handmade pizza that will leave your taste buds delighted.
This fast-casual pizza chain utilizes an assembly line to get customers from one end to the other as they create their own personalized pizza. Blaze Pizza prides itself on using fresh dough that’s made daily in-house from unbleached flour, filtered water, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and a touch of sugar. Plus, the ingredients used are sourced from animals that are raised humanely so you can feel good about what you’re eating. From dough to toppings, you’ll have a delicious pizza in your hands in less than three minutes after it hits the blazing-hot oven.
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Grimaldi’s opened its first location in New York right under the Brooklyn Bridge. From that time period, the chain has expanded across the country in over 11 states including Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. The key to the chain’s success has been its fresh dough that’s made in-house daily with its ‘secret recipe’ that uses water that mimics New York water to create its signature thick crust anywhere you visit.
With its first location in Palo Alto, California, this pizza chain has expanded to have more than 250 locations across California, Utah, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and Arizona. Mountain Mike’s Pizza uses fresh dough that’s made daily in-store to create some of their signature pies including The Everest, Pikes Peak, Robbers Roost, and Garlic Tuscan in addition to its classic cheese and pepperoni.
It’s not often that you come across a pizza chain with deep-dish pizza, but Jet’s Pizza is one of the exceptions. The dough is made in-house daily and the chain utilizes two different types of dough that are made from a proprietary blend of flour milled specifically for them. Aside from the dough, the pizza is loaded with toppings and finished with a gooey caramelized cheese that’s baked to a golden crisp.
As of early 2023, there are over 6,692 Domino’s locations in the United States. Aside from having five types of crusts to choose from, Domino’s uses fresh, never-frozen dough that’s hand-pressed into a pizza pan for a thick crust. After a slice of pizza (or two), finish off your meal with its popular cinnamon bread twists or marbled brownie cookie.
With over 530 stores across 21 states, Hungry Howie’s has garnered a dedicated following for its invention of flavored crusts that customers know and love. Its pizza dough is made fresh daily in each of its locations and customers have the opportunity to pick from one of eight crust flavors: butter, Asiago cheese, cajun, butter cheese, sesame, garlic herb, ranch, onion, and the featured crust flavor.
Looking for more deep-dish pizza? Uno’s Pizzeria & Grill is known for its deep-dish pies made with fresh dough. Customers can choose from individual, regular, or large pies of the chain’s popular pizzas including Chicago Classic, Chicago Meat Market, Numero Uno, and more. And if you don’t live near a location, you can even have its signature pizza shipped directly to your home.
Casey Clark
Casey Clark is a current journalism student at Hofstra University with a passion for food, beauty, and entertainment. Read more about Casey
