Review: Donatos Pizza – Founder's Favorite/Pepperoni
Author: WIBIA | Filed under: Food Reviews, Recommended: Chain Restaurant
I enjoy pizza so much that I should stop reviewing it. Even when pizza is bad, I usually like it just because… it is pizza! Don’t get me wrong, I know the difference between good and bad, but even bad pizza is usually edible.
Donato’s is always a few bucks more than every other pizza place and it kills me. Large Pepperoni is $12.99 and Large Founder’s Favorite is $16.39. I can’t say their ingredients are far superior than their competition, but I do enjoy the edge to edge toppings.
The Founder’s Favorite is on the right and pepperoni on the left. As you can see, the toppings are piled on with a heavy hand. Founders Favorite has sausage, ham, pepperoni and banana peppers. They cut the pizza in little squares which I like because it is more difficult to track and I usually end up eating part of my wife’s side without her knowing!
I really enjoyed the combination of the Founders Favorite. The salty pepperoni matched with the vinegar undertone of the banana peppers was a nice touch. Ham was really a non factor, I really didn’t taste it that much. It felt like a quality pizza, though I could’ve used a little sauce, but I say that a lot when eating pizza. The thin crust stood back in the mix letting the ingredients take center stage.
The large pepperoni pizza has more than 100 slice of pepperoni on it. As you can see, there is no shortage here. They put some italian seasoning on top and this is one of the better chain pepperoni pizzas that you can buy.
Would I Buy It Again? Yes. Donato’s is one of the better pizza chains out there. It’s consistently good. However, I wish they would bring back the Firehouse BBQ Pizza, it was topped with Onion Rings on it!
-WIBIA
Tags: Donato's, Food, founder's favorite, pepperoni, Pizza
Dude! I gotta make a Firehouse BBQ! That’s sounds great….who can deny onion rings on a pizza!
You like the toppings to the edge? I’m a crust guy….I love dipping it in marinara or Rance (I know I could be shot for that). Are you not a crust fan?
I can’t remember what else was on it, but basically take your current BBQ and toss on onion rings. There was a version that had chicken and one that had sausage.
I like edge to edge when it is thin crust. If it is hand tossed or pan, I like a good crust. Crust to topping is a pretty important ratio, I have a review coming up that botched it (too much crust). Cornmeal dusted would have to be my fave.
Holy Crap! The Firehouse BBQ sounds like something I’d serve at my wedding. I passed by a ton of Donato’s when I was in Columbus a couple weeks ago…there was a drive-thru at one…how many are like that? Drive-thru pick up orders…pretty smart.
Pizza is the perfect food so Bear’s in the right business! You are right WIBIA, even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good.
Their pizzas look so good, wish there was a Donato’s around here.
I think the ones that are in standalone buildings definitely have drive thrus (at least the ones close to me do). Not sure about the ones that are part of strip shopping centers.
Agreed – nearly all pizza is edible!
Donato’s is at the top of my list, although I rarely buy it. I wait for vendors to bring it in at work a few times a year. It’s a sure way to get me to listen to a sales pitch! Nom.
I agree that Donato’s is one of the better national chains. I wish they had one close to us.
Rangeline and Carmel drive is the one I go to. It is in a strip, so I think that some people miss it.
I like that strategy.
oooh that sounds good…might have to try some Donato’s again!
There was a bbq chicken which had bbq sauce, provolone, chicken, cheddar, and onion “tanglers” which were the thinner onion rings, and there was the bbq smokehouse which was beef and bacon in place of the chicken. The bbq chicken is still on the menu, but the onion tanglers have been replaced with yellow onions.
As for the drive thru windows. Some do and some do not. I’m not sure on the ratio, but in my area 3 out of 5 have the drive thru.