Which pizza chain is known for its 'Pan Pizza'?

The pizza chain known for its “Pan Pizza” is Pizza Hut. Its Original Pan Pizza became one of the company’s defining menu products and helped establish the chain’s reputation for a thick, airy crust.

Pizza Hut introduced its Pan Pizza across its network in 1980. Unlike a thin, crisp pizza, pan pizza is baked in an oiled pan, giving the dough a deeper profile and a browned, often crisp underside. The method also creates a softer, breadier interior and a distinctive edge where cheese and toppings meet the crust.

The product became closely associated with Pizza Hut even though pan pizza is not exclusive to that chain. Other companies later sold similar styles: Domino’s introduced a deep-dish or pan pizza in 1989, and regional pizzerias have long offered their own pan-baked versions. That is why “known for” is more accurate than “invented.”

Pizza Hut opened in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958, founded by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. Its red-roof restaurants and later products such as Personal Pan Pizza reinforced the brand’s identity, but the Pan Pizza remains its signature crust style.