Pizza is one of the few foods in the world that almost everyone has a strong opinion on. I learned this when I ranked Ontario pizza chains.
Ask five people where to order from, and you'll probably get five different answers, complete with passionate arguments about crust thickness, dipping sauces, and stuffed crusts.
So I decided to settle the debate myself.
I ordered from three popular Ontario chains — Little Caesars, Domino's, and Pizza Nova—and invited over six friends to put these spots to the test. Here's how they stacked up:
#3. Little Caesars
Little Caesars
Lauren DiBenedetto | Narcity
Little Caesars is one that I haven't actually tried before, but it's one I really wanted to like.
It's almost impossible to ignore the value. Coming in at $10.18 before tax for a 12-inch pepperoni pizza, it's the cheapest out of the three choices. If you're feeding a family or ordering for a group, the price is incredibly appealing.
The menu is also packed with fun options. Stuffed crust. Detroit-style deep dish. Crazy puffs. Crazy bread. Stuffed crazy bread. Cinnamon pull-apart bread.
If we're judging purely based on options and prices, Little Caesars would win: there are pros and cons to every spot.
However, that's the end of the pros. The dough was thick, chewy, and much heavier than I prefer. The sauce leaned noticeably sweeter, and as an Italian, that Americanized version of pizza sauce is where I draw the line. It wasn't bad, but it felt like every flavour was turned up to the max.
It's a pizza you'd have at 3 a.m. after a night out, or at a birthday party, but not one that I'd reach for again.
Price: $10.18 Medium pepperoni pizza
Score: 3/5
Rank: #3
#2. Domino's
Domino's pizza
Lauren DiBenedetto | Narcity
Domino's falls in the middle of the road on all fronts: middle-tier on price, options, and flavours.
However, Domino's ends up with second place here solely because I may have ordered wrong. I ordered a handmade pan Brooklyn pepperoni pizza. The handmade pan crust added this buttery taste that was definitely winning me over, despite the dough being very thick and chewy for my personal preference. However, they do have a crunchy thin crust option instead, meaning there is a chance to redeem it for me.
The Brooklyn pepperoni isn't a winner for me either; it's more like salami than pepperoni. I was expecting those little pepperoni cups that you find on a New York slice. But ultimately, that comes down to my ordering choices once again.
While their garlic sauce may be sweet, they also have a chocolate lava cake on the menu, which really evens it out. If you're ordering for a movie night with friends, Domino's feels like the chain that lets everyone customize their pizzas how they like.
Price: $12.99 Medium pepperoni pizza
Score: 3.5/5
Rank: #2
#1. Pizza Nova
Pizza Nova
Lauren DiBenedetto | Narcity
I feel like people don't talk enough about Pizza Nova. I don't know if it's because it's an Ontario thing, so it's not well known. But it's by far the best pizza chain. It's always all "Pizza Pizza" and "Pizzaville," sometimes even a "Papa John's," but never Pizza Nova. Justice for Pizza Nova.
Sometimes the simplest pizza really is the best pizza. Pizza Nova doesn't have nearly as many flashy menu items as the other chains on this list. It's a little bit pricier than the other options on this list, landing at $15.19 before tax for a medium pepperoni pizza, but when you take a bite, you understand where the money's going.
The sauce isn't sweet. Instead, it feels authentic. The cheese melts into a single cohesive layer rather than remaining in its visible strands. It's not overloaded with salt. The sauce has no sign of sugar. It's high quality and well-balanced.
And what they lack in flashy upgrades, they make up for in dupping sauce. The creamy garlic dipping sauce deserves its own story. This one tastes almost like a Caesar dressing. Savoury, tart, and packed with garlic (just how I like it).
Price: $15.19 Medium pepperoni pizza
Score: 4.5/5
Rank: #1
After this self-imposed experiment, I realized that while both Domino's and Little Caesars offer far more variety in their customization options, sometimes that's not necessary.
On paper, they feel like the better value. But after tasting all three back-to-back, I kept reaching for the simplest slice. Pizza Nova reminded me that more options don't automatically make something better. In a world plagued by decision fatigue and the paradox of choice, sometimes we need to revert to simpler times. A time of fewer gimmicks and fewer menu hacks to focus on getting the fundamentals right.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.