Is the new Domino's deal worth it?

Okay, okay: In an ideal world, we'd eat only at home. In this world, we'd all enjoy cooking and do lots of fabulous dishes that dazzled our taste buds.


But this is the real world. I was run down; Tim was in pain. And we were both starving. So I succumbed to those stupid ads from Domino's that have been playing recently. Personally, I just don't think it's ever a good idea to admit that people said your sauce tastes like ketchup.


Still, you have to admit that the deal was good: Two medium, two-topping pizzas for $5.99 each. If you don't like it, you get your money back. And, I'll admit it, the claims of new recipes had me curious.


So I ordered mine with chicken and roasted red peppers. Tim got Italian sausage and roasted red peppers. The total, after tax, tip and delivery charge ($1.75 on orders under $24) was about $16.


The results (drumroll, please) were... OK with strong gusts to pretty good.


The crust is still too flat for my tastes -- though Tim prefers it thinner. I definitely like the garlic they've brushed on the crust, though I'm sure it adds more calories than I want to consider. Despite the commercials' raves about the cheese, I personally didn't taste much difference between it and a frozen pizza.


But I will give credit for the toppings. The chicken came in good-sized chunks and didn't thave that slightly-off taste that frozen ingredients sometimes get. The roasted red peppers didn't add as much tang as I was hoping for, but they were tasty. (Tim thought they added plenty of tang, in case anyone cares for a second opinion.)


So, the verdict? It was good enough that I didn't ask for my money back. And I'll certainly eat the leftovers. But it still tastes like cheap delivery pizza -- just cheap delivery pizza a notch or two up from what it used to be. (I couldn't really taste the sauce, so I can't say whether the ketchup comment is still applicable.)


Much as I hate the cost of places like Papa John's, their stuff is higher quality than Pizza Hut or Domino's. The difference in cost comes from getting something that is actually tasty, rather than "not bad." It's the difference between choosing a sit-down burger joint over a McDonald's.


It's a personal choice, and both options have their pros and cons. You just have to decide whether you want to spend a little or a lot, because either way you're going to get your money's worth.


I think the main issue here is that most delivery food promotions are deceptively priced. They don't take into account the other fees, such as tax, delivery charge and tip. It's not that the company is being deceptive, so much as our brains' tendency to cling on to low numbers -- even in the face of very different realities.


Either way, Tim and I ordered a deal that promised pizzas for $5.99; we paid $8. Doesn't sound like quite as good a deal, does it?


So that's my two cents about Domino's deal. Hopefully, I save at least a couple people the trouble of trying it out for themselves. Or maybe now more of you are curious. In which case, Domino's totally owes me.


For what it's worth, though, I suggest just stocking up on frozen pizzas (or Boboli shells) next time they're on sale. It's significantly cheaper -- and there's no delivery charge.