TikTok Is Calling 7-Eleven $5 Pizza The New Little Caesars

From the days you had to pick up a landline and use a rotary dial to make the call, ordering pizza for delivery has become an enduring feature of American life. Stunning as it may be, ordering pizza is a multibillion-dollar feature of the American economy, with consumers spending nearly $20 billion a year on the service. And now that getting a pizza is as easy as pulling out your cellphone, everybody wants a slice of the pie: Not only are locally owned and operated pizzerias and franchised chains competing for your business, but convenience stores are too.

"Did anybody know that 7-Eleven delivers their friggin' pizza?" Evelyn Brown asked on TikTok. She certainly didn't, but 7-Eleven has actually had delivery since 2018 through its 7NOW app, and DoorDash also has been offering delivery from the convenience store since 2020. Frozen pizza is a logical delivery option for the chain, as it's quick (and cheap) for employees to reheat. But is it worth ordering from 7-Eleven?

While it may not be the first place you'd think to order a pizza, 7-Eleven is worth a look, according to Brown's recent TikTok. She recently had one of the convenience store chain's $5 pizzas delivered by DoorDash, and a $3 tip meant she paid just $8 for her meal. "Amazing!" Brown said enthusiastically as she opened the box. "And it's 5 bucks! Come on!" 

Her post got a mixed reaction. Some people claimed that 7-Eleven serves just "ok" pizza and isn't worth getting for delivery since it's frozen and reheated by the store. Still, others said it's the "best frozen pizza ever," and another agreed with Brown, "You ain't lying delish." So satisfied with her pizza (and the price point), Brown even deemed 7-Eleven "the new Little Caesars," saying it beat out the budget chain's famous $5 pizza for its "super delicious" flavor and "little pepperonis." 

Brown's revelation is yet another indicator that, in many ways, convenience stores are becoming quick-service restaurants, a trend that has been developing for a while. Plus, an article by Food Safety Magazine confirms Brown's suspicion that something about convenience stores' convection ovens makes frozen pizza taste better than you can make it at home. Apparently, the efficient heating results in better "organoleptic characteristics, like a nice crispy crust or non-oily cheese." If more people see Brown's way, Little Caesars just might notice some people grabbing their $5 pizza fix (plus delivery) elsewhere.