5 Best Chains For Pan Pizza In 2026

Pizza is one of the most tried-and-true dishes in the world and it's eaten and beloved by many, so you'll be hard-pressed to find somebody without an opinion on which restaurant provides the best pizza to its customers. However, while we all have our picks for the ideal pizza spot (mine is Nonna's GoodLife in Chicago's south suburbs), the debate gets more heated when you get specific, such as when looking at which restaurant makes the best pan pizza.

Pan pizzas are made in an oiled pan rather than on a pizza stone, baking steel, or directly on the inside surface of a pizza oven. Making the pizza in a pan produces a thicker pizza with a nice, crispy crust that absolutely bursts in flavor in a way that most traditional pizzas simply can't compare to. For that reason, we're going to look at chains that excel at pan pizzas. Keep in mind that despite pan pizzas seeming like one singular style of the beloved pie, there are actually several different kinds within the genre. Since different pizzerias excel at different types of pan pizza, we'll be focusing on these five restaurant chains which each serve one of three pan pizza styles to get a good picture of the crispy and delicious genre of pizza in 2026.

To start things off, let's look at the circular pan pizzas which fans of fast food pizza shops surely know and love. Pizza Hut might've been the first of the fast food pizza chains to popularize this version of pan pizza to customers nationwide, but it's Papa John's that currently has the best take on it across the board. The 42-year-old company has been through plenty of highs and lows in recent years, but it's hard to argue that Papa John's newest pan pizza isn't a massive upgrade for the chain. After a hiatus from 2019-2025, the new and improved Papa John's pan pizza came along and absolutely wowed the fanbase, with some even calling it the best item on the chain's menu bar none.

The pan pizza at Papa John's has an immaculately crispy crust that stands out due to its use of garlic parmesan to amp up the flavor. While your enjoyment of the pan pizza will vary depending on how much you like Papa John's cheese and pizza sauce (the latter of which continues to be quite polarizing due to its noticeable sweetness), those who even mildly enjoy the chain's core components are sure to love this specialty pizza's thick crust and buttery finish.

While some may argue this is another instance of a pizza chain having a pan pizza you'll only really enjoy if you already enjoy the taste of its standard pies, Domino's does a great job of making its pan pizza a true standout on its menu. In fact, Domino's likely does the best job out of any pizzeria chain at specifically this, with some people online claiming the Domino's pan pizza turned them from an active Domino's hater into a lover of the chain in just one pie.

As far as what these differences are, some note that the pan pizza is more satiating than other Domino's options — most likely due to the thicker, heavier crust that comes with it. As for me, I find the slightly more well-done crust and the charred cheese make a huge difference as it gives the pie a more nuanced and impactful flavor. Nevertheless, as is often the case with Domino's, how the chain's pan pizza compares to Pizza Hut's version also plays a role in making Domino's look great. In terms of the sauce's flavor, the crust's texture, and the way in which the chain's toppings complement the pizza's profile, many would argue that Domino's reigns supreme in just about every category. In other words, Domino's wins this battle in the ongoing brand war between it and "The Hut" in 2026.

Moving on to a different variation of the pan pizza, Emmy Squared Pizza is a smaller American chain on the East Coast that makes a crispy, rectangular Detroit-style pizza (not to be confused with Sicilian-style) which many consumers are impressed by. The chain was founded in Brooklyn in 2016 and is known for providing both a standard Detroit-style pizza and a thinner variation of the pie known as the Skinny Sixer. In the opinion of many Detroit-style pizza fans, both these pizza options are exceptionally tasty and benefit greatly from having crunchy edges that contrast beautifully with the fluffy interior. There are also a number of unique toppings which the restaurant chain lets you choose from. Whether you want a pie with caramelized onions, sausage, and smoked gouda (a combo which the chain calls the Good Paulie) or you're in the mood for pizza with vodka sauce, red sauce, and garlic parsley pesto (aka The MVP), Emmy Squared has you covered on all fronts.

No matter how incredible the pizza at Emmy Squared is, the issue of availability is still a noteworthy one. The chain currently has roughly 30 locations across the Eastern United States as well as two in California, and while there are plans to open new locations in the future it's hard to tell when other markets will get the chance to enjoy the chain's take on the Detroit style.

Emmy Squared certainly has a unique take on Detroit-style pizza, but Jet's Pizza arguably has the definitive version of the regional variant. With a presence all over the country but focused in the Midwest, Jet's Pizza has gotten a lot of attention in recent years from people looking for alternatives to more standard pizza options. By focusing on Detroit-style pan pizza, Jet's Pizza has become a dark horse favorite among fast food pizza fans.

As for the bite itself, the Michigan-founded pizzeria uses an in-house blend of flours and a large steel pan to create a remarkable, one-of-a-kind crust on its Detroit-style pies which house a thick, airy dough in the center; all of which is topped by caramelized cheese alongside a bevy of ingredient options. All in all, Jet's Pizza does a pretty remarkable job of checking all the boxes of what makes for a great pan pizza and thus is one place you can't afford to miss out on as it continues to grow nationwide in 2026 and beyond.

As a proud Chicagoan, I couldn't possibly make a list about pan pizzas without including the deep dish pizzas made at Lou Malnati's. While deep dish doesn't quite fit into the rubric that many associate with a classic pan pizza (a crisp caramelized crust, thick and airy dough, and mildly charred cheese on top), it is made in a pan and it is in fact a pizza (no matter what deep dish haters might say). For this reason, Lou Malnati's is an easy recommendation for one of the best pan pizzas in the country. If you live near one, the chain of pizza shops provides some of the most consistent and delicious deep dish pies around.

Rather than making the crust crispy and caramelized, Lou Malnati's deep dish pies have a flaky, buttery crust that's thin yet sturdy. That sturdiness is necessary to house the impressive amount of sauce, cheese, and toppings which the chain adds on. Even with the amount of filling that's in a deep dish pizza, Lou Malnati's version of this classic Chicago food has a balanced ratio of ingredients, producing a pie that is near-perfect in terms of overall taste. If you're worried you won't be able to get your hands on Lou Malnati's deep dish pizzas due to your location (it has restaurants in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Arizona), you'll be pleased to know the chain delivers its pies all across the country to consumers wanting to enjoy them.