Why Is Little Caesars So Cheap? How It Keeps Prices Low

Little Caesars is cheap because it was built to sell a lot of pizza quickly, mostly for pickup. It keeps the menu small, makes pizzas ahead of time, does not run its own delivery drivers and uses simple ingredients. A large Classic pepperoni pizza costs about $6.99 at most stores.

That is less than half of what many large pizzas cost at other big chains. Here is how it works.

What does Little Caesars cost?

1. Pizzas are ready when you walk in

Little Caesars started its Hot-N-Ready idea in 1997. Stores bake popular pizzas ahead of time so you can grab one and go. Making lots of the same pizza at once is faster and cheaper than making each one to order.

2. It is built for pickup, not delivery

Most Little Caesars stores are small, with few or no tables. The chain does not hire its own delivery drivers, and offers delivery through apps like DoorDash instead. No dining room and no driver fleet means lower costs.

3. A small, simple menu

Little Caesars uses one sauce, one cheese blend and a short list of toppings. Buying fewer ingredients in huge amounts gets better prices and wastes less food.

4. Dough made in the store

Workers make fresh dough every day from basic ingredients like flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar and oil. Making dough in the store costs less than buying it ready-made. The sauce also comes as a concentrate that staff mix with water.

5. Very high sales volume

Little Caesars sells a huge number of pizzas each day. The profit on each pizza is small, but it adds up across thousands of stores. In 2023, the chain had about $4.43 billion in sales from more than 4,200 locations.

6. Family owned with one simple goal

Mike and Marian Ilitch opened the first Little Caesars in Garden City, Michigan, on May 8, 1959. The company is still owned by the Ilitch family and is based in Detroit. Low prices have been its main selling point for decades, and it has been named a top value chain in national surveys many times.

Is Little Caesars still $5?

No. The famous $5 Hot-N-Ready went up to $5.55 in 2022, its first national price increase in about 25 years. Today the Classic is about $6.99 in most places. Read the full story in is Little Caesars still $5.

How can you save even more?

• Get the Lunch Combo. Four Deep Dish slices and a drink are about $5.99 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Stick with Classic pizzas. Specialty and stuffed crust pizzas cost much more.
• Pick it up yourself. Delivery apps add fees and tips.
• Use the app and Pizza Portal. Order ahead, then grab your pizza from a heated locker without waiting in line.

See all prices on our Little Caesars menu with prices, or compare in pizza deals compared. You can also check the Domino’s menu and the Pizza Hut menu.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Little Caesars so cheap?

Little Caesars keeps prices low by baking pizzas ahead of time, focusing on pickup instead of delivery, using a small menu with simple ingredients and selling a very large number of pizzas.

How much is a Little Caesars pizza now?

A large Classic Pepperoni costs about $6.99 at most stores. A Classic Cheese is about $6.49 to $6.99.

Is Little Caesars still $5?

No. The Hot-N-Ready went to $5.55 in 2022 and is now about $6.99 in most places.

Does Little Caesars make its own dough?

Yes. Stores make fresh dough every day from flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar and oil.

Who owns Little Caesars?

Little Caesars is owned by the Ilitch family, who founded it in 1959. The company is based in Detroit, Michigan.

Does Little Caesars deliver?

Little Caesars offers delivery through third-party apps like DoorDash rather than its own drivers.

Prices are typical U.S. prices before tax and can vary by location. Menus Info is not affiliated with any restaurant mentioned. See how we check prices.