Chain follows Pizza Hut's lead by offering pasta dishes for delivery
by Sara Bonisteel / Photo by Domino's
The new penne pasta dishes -- served in bread bowls -- are available in six flavors: chicken carbonara, Italian sausage marinara, chicken alfredo, pasta primavera, three cheese mac-n-cheese and a "build your own" pasta. The build-your-own option lets diners choose up to three ingredients from Domino's pizza toppings.
The new product comes after two Domino's employees were arrested last week following a YouTube video that allegedly showed them doing unsavory things to food. One employee is seen sticking what appears to be a piece of cheese up his nose and then placing it on a sandwich order.
Both employees have been fired and face felony charges, though they maintain they never delivered the food shown in the video.
Prices for the Bread Bowl Pastas range from $5.99 to $7.99 and are available without the bread bowl for a dollar less for customers concerned about carbs. For a limited time, those who buy the pasta online can get $1 off their order.
Domino's would not discuss the new product Tuesday, but AOL Food has learned it hit stores this week for a soft launch before a nationwide advertising campaign.
Nation's Restaurant News reported that the chain introduced the new item on Monday via Twitter, a social-networking messaging site.
Frozen Pizza Taste Test
Cheese Pizzas - Worst to Best
Ellio's
Our Verdict: Worst Cheese Pizza
Style: Cheese Pizza 16 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 320 / 7 / 3
Crust (1-5): 1
Cheese (1-5): 1
Sauce (1-5): 1
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 1
Overall appeal (1-5): 1
Comments: "How is this considered food?" "Not even in the middle of the night." "Looks like brain." "Tastes like dough. Tasteless dough."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Betzio's
Style: Cheese Pan Pizza 24 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 175 / 5 / 1
Crust (1-5): 1.25
Cheese (1-5): 1.25
Sauce (1-5): 1
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 1.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 1.5
Comments: Our five-year-old friend Izzy thinks this slice is "Yummy!"; adults were less enthusiastic, calling it "Prison food." Final verdict: "Unbearable."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Lean Cuisine
Style: Deep Dish Margherita 6 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 320 / 9 / 4 Microwave Only
Crust (1-5): 1
Cheese (1-5): 1
Sauce (1-5): 2
Toppings (1-5): 2
Flavor (1-5): 1.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 2
Comments: A microwave mess: "Just awful." "This should not be mass-produced."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Jenos Crisp & Tasty
Our Verdict: Highest Calorie Cheese Pizza
Style: Cheese 6.9 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 440 / 20 / 1
Crust (1-5): 2
Cheese (1-5): 2
Sauce (1-5): 2
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 2
Overall appeal (1-5): 2
Comments: "Not awful tasting, just has zero taste."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Tony's
Style: Original Crust Cheese Pizza 15.10 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 360 / 15 / 2
Crust (1-5): 2
Cheese (1-5): 1.5
Sauce (1-5): 2.5
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 1.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 2
Comments: "Sauce is not bad," was the highest praise we could muster. Otherwise, tasters "did not like the cheese at all." Also, "crust tastes too doughy."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
DiGiorno
Our Verdict: Biggest Letdown
Style: Rising Crust 4 Cheese 28.2 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 320 / 11 / 2
Crust (1-5): 3.5
Cheese (1-5): 1
Sauce (1-5): 1
Toppings (1-5): 1
Flavor (1-5): 1.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 2
Comments: "Looks amazing, but tastes like plastic." "Tastes weirdly artificial."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Stouffer's French Bread Cheese
Style: 10 3/8 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 360 /15 / 4
Crust (1-5): 3
Cheese (1-5): 2.5
Sauce (1-5): 3
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 2.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 3
Comments: "Not good. Not bad. Just frozen."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Tombstone
Our Verdict: Middle of the Road (Which Is Just Fine With Us)
Style: Original Extra Cheese 20.5 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 350 / 15 / 4
Crust (1-5): 2.5
Cheese (1-5): 3
Sauce (1-5): 3
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 3
Overall appeal (1-5): 2.5
Comments: "Tastes exactly how you'd think frozen pizza should taste." "Most average pizza ever, which is not really a bad thing." "Cheese is its strong point."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Red Baron
Style: Singles French Bread 5 Cheese & Garlic 8.8 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 410 / 22 / 2
Crust (1-5): 4.5
Cheese (1-5): 4
Sauce (1-5): n/a
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 3.75
Overall appeal (1-5): 4
Comments: "Love the garlic, but it's a little too salty." "Too salty." "Tastes artificial and cheap. Made me feel dirty inside."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Red Baron
Our Verdict: Great for Late Night Munching
Style: Singles Thin & Crispy 4 Cheese 7.2 oz
Cal./Fat g/Fiber g: 300 / 14 / 1
Crust (1-5): 2
Cheese (1-5): 3
Sauce (1-5): 3
Toppings (1-5): n/a
Flavor (1-5): 3.5
Overall appeal (1-5): 3.5
Comments: "Do you think I could grab that whole thing before anyone else gets to it?" "That's just how I remember it tasting, and that's a good thing."
Rachel Been, AOL. Shot on location at The Lofts at 45 White Street
Domino's isn't the first pizza chain to go into the pasta market. Last year, Pizza Hut began selling its own pastas. The chain now sells chicken alfredo and marinara as well as bacon mac and cheese and lasagna, Nation's Restaurant News reported.
04-21-2009