The Detroit-Style Frozen Pizza Costco Customers Can't Get Enough Of
Along with all of the grocery deals and the wide selection of bulk products, Costco is well-known for its pizza. When most people think of Costco pizza, though, their mind goes straight to the $1.99 slices from the food court. The sauce is spread with a machine and the dough is sourced from a Brooklyn distributor, and many customers consider the pizza one of their favorite parts about shopping at Costco.
Until 2020, Costco also sold a frozen version of its famous food court pizza. And while some customers were disappointed in its discontinuation, most of them, at least on Reddit, seemed indifferent, considering the quality was supposedly worse than that of the pizza from the food court. Luckily, there's an even better-quality frozen pizza that's sold at Costco now. The "authentic Detroit-style pizza" is made by Motor City Pizza Co., and it's become a fan-favorite item among Costco shoppers.
What is Detroit-style pizza?
You've probably heard of New York style pizza and Chicago-style pizza. But Detroit-style pizza, while not quite as well-known, is arguably just as delicious. With its thick crust, Detroit-style pizza often gets compared to Chicago deep dish, but there are distinct differences between the two. The most obvious is that Chicago-style pizza is often eaten with a fork. But what some may not realize is that the sauce is layered on top of the cheese, instead of the other way around.
The crust is also different. While the crust of Chicago-style pizza is similar to what most people associate with New York style or "traditional" pizza crust, Detroit-style pizza crust is thicker yet spongier, made similarly to a focaccia.
The best place to get Detroit-style pizza, unsurprisingly, is in Detroit. But if you can't manage a visit to Buddy's Rendezvous or Cloverleaf Pizza, the two restaurants that claim to have invented the regional specialty, your local Costco is a solid option, too.
How does Costco's Detroit-style pizza compare to authentic Detroit-style pizza?
Frozen pizza of any variety will always be subpar to freshly made pizza from a pizzeria. But if you're craving a taste of Detroit-style pizza, Costco members say Motor City Pizza Co.'s doesn't disappoint.
Though customers in the Costco subreddit have mentioned that the crust is slightly greasier and not as crispy as the real deal, all seem to agree that it isn't just a square-shaped pizza falsely labeled as Detroit-style. And among fans, it still beats any other frozen pizza.
Costco is home to plenty of bargains on food, and the Motor City Co. Detroit-style pizza is no exception. Pizza enthusiasts on the same Reddit thread report that the specialty can cost as much as $50 per pie outside of Michigan. But Costco's version is as low as $5.50 per box, depending on location. Other customers bought theirs for $12.99 or $11.49 for a 2-pack; on the Costco website, it's listed at $14.99. Either way, it seems to be a fair deal for frozen Detroit-style pizza.