The Reason People Are Upset With Pizza Hut's Detroit-Style Pizza

If you're a pizza lover, chances are you've delved into all corners of the pizza world at one point or another. Whether you've tried Hawaiian pizza and swore off pineapple as a topping for life, or you eat exclusively plain cheese on a coal-fired, thin crust, everyone has their own piece of the pie when it comes to how they take their pizza.

And while many people boast about the incredible, doughy texture of a Chicago deep-dish, or the giant, greasy slice of pepperoni you might grab from a New York hole-in-the-wall, there's one genre of pizza that's often swept under the rug: Detroit style.

In January 2021, Pizza Hut announced that it was bringing the caramelized goodness that is Detroit-style pizza to locations nationwide in four different varieties. According to The Detroit News, the pie style dates back 75 years and is defined by its long, rectangular shape, thick and airy crust, and cheese all the way to the golden brown edges.

Pizza Hut had some pretty big shoes to fill from the start, but pizza fans were excited upon hearing the news. One even tweeted, "Move over New York and Chicago, Detroit Pizza is having its moment in the spotlight," but unfortunately, that pride was short-lived.

Social media may be filled with lies and ingenuities these days, but there's one harsh truth cropping up on Twitter right now: Pizza Hut just can't do Detroit-style pizza justice.

Some customers have angrily tweeted photos of their sloppily-assembled Detroit-style pies to the chain, complaining that the crust is undercooked, the cheese doesn't extend fully to the corners, or that the pizza just, well, isn't good.

One user posted an (admittedly sad) image of their pie, warning others that the new special "is nowhere near being Detroit-style or even a passable pizza." Even the Detroit Free Press got in on the commentary, replying, "That's not what Detroit pizza looks like, we promise."

A reporter for The Washington Post, accompanied by restaurant-owner and Detroit-pizza professional Chris Powers, also agreed. They wrote, "Perhaps this is a pie to be enjoyed by people who don't know better yet."

And apparently, Pizza Hut has managed to find those exact people, according to The Takeout, orders for the Detroit-style pies have been non-stop. The chain even reported that it had to stop advertising the special early or some stores would sell out. Nevertheless, here's to hoping Detroit-style pizza makes a (better) name for itself sooner rather than later.