FAST FOOD NEWS: Papa Johns Cheesy Calzone Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza

Papa Johns ends 2023 with the rollout of its new Cheesy Calzone Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza.

The latest in the Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza line features Papa Johns’ fresh, never frozen, original dough hand-stuffed with a blend of mozzarella and garlic-herb ricotta to create a flavor that tastes like a calzone. It’s served with extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping. The menu item is available nationwide on Tuesday, December 26, starting at just $14.99 for a one-topping pizza.

A slice has 350 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 910 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

But if you prefer smaller portions of cheesy calzone-ness, Papa Johns will launch Cheesy Calzone Papa Bites in January with Papa Rewards members getting access to it on January 22 and everyone else being able to purchase it starting on January 29.

(Image via Papa Johns.)

REVIEW: Little Caesars Stuffed Crazy Crust Pizza

Remember when Little Caesars pizza was available in Kmart stores? You could celebrate a Kmart Red Light Special with a hot and ready pizza for five bucks. Then Kmart went bankrupt and was purchased by Sears, which also went bankrupt. But those events weren’t enough to kill Little Caesars, which still stands tall. Pizza! Pizza! Its latest product is the Stuffed Crazy Crust Pizza.

The round offering features a stuffed crust brushed with the chain’s signature Crazy Crust, a buttery-flavored garlic spread sprinkled with Parmesan. Pepperoni and cheese versions are being advertised, but if you create your own pizza, it’s available as a crust option. I decided to go with the pepperoni. Also, this review will focus only on the Stuffed Crazy Crust since there’s nothing new about the pepperoni and cheese.

Before trying this, the only question I had was, “If an end crust hater stole this pizza from me, ate only the inner parts of the pizza while I chased him around in an abandoned Kmart with Yakety Sax playing on the PA system, and then gave back the box with only the stuffed crust, is what’s left tasty enough that I would eat it instead of discarding it, feeding it to birds, or pressing charges against the end crust hater?”

Well, if that wacky hypothetical series of events ever happened, I’d be perfectly fine with eating just the Stuffed Crazy Crust because I was pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

For this review, I purposely chopped the end crust off two slices and ate them. While I wish the garlic spread was strong enough to make me self-conscious during a conversation, it’s relatively noticeable. Also, the garlic does enhance the rest of the pizza if you take a bite of the crust and follow it up with a bite from the other end. But the Parmesan is quite mild. Although, as you can see in the photos throughout this review, it wasn’t sprinkled liberally on my order. The mozzarella inside provides some salty, cheesy goodness, but its flavor is milder than the Parmesan. As for its texture, there’s a slight crispiness in some areas, but for the most part, it’s similar to regular stuffed crust.

Overall, end crust haters are gonna end crust hate, but I think what Little Caesars’ Stuffed Crazy Crust Pizza offers might be flavorful enough to make some end crust haters think twice before tossing it back into the box.

Purchased Price: $11.99*
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/8 pizza) 393 calories, 21 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 49 milligrams of cholesterol, 990 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

SPOTTED: 12/22/2023

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Tajin Twist Seasoning

(Spotted by Rene B at Walmart.)

Suntree Snack Fruit Olive and Herb Trail Mix

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Member’s Mark Bang Bang Boneless Chicken Bites

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Cheerios Dad Makes My Heart Happy Design

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Signature Reserve Wood Fired Mushroom and Truffle Neapolitan Style Pizza
Signature Reserve Wood Fired Sopressata Neapolitan Style Pizza
Signature Reserve Wood Fired Gorgonzola and Bacon With Pear Chutney Neapolitan Style Pizza
Signature Reserve Wood Fired Caprese Neapolitan Style Pizza

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Tom Thumb.)

H-E-B Sushiya Candy Cane Roll
H-E-B Sushiya Christmas Tree Maki

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Hostess Limited Edition 3 Foot Long Holiday Gift Box

I imagine you’ll be able to purchase this at a significant discount on December 26. Gotta make room for the Valentines and Easter stuff. (Spotted by Rene B at Walmart.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

FAST FOOD NEWS: Taco Bell Double Berry Freeze

Sure, it’s getting cold, but that won’t stop Taco Bell from introducing a new Freeze flavor — Double Berry. It combines the chain’s Blue Raspberry Freeze with its Wild Strawberry Freeze. It’s available now for a limited time.

A 16-ounce order (regular) has 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 36 grams of sugar (including 36 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Taco Bell.)