Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 17

Little Caesars Undercuts Rivals With $10.27 Pizza, 46% Below Domino's and Pizza Hut

Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 17

Little Caesars Undercuts Rivals With $10.27 Pizza, 46% Below Domino's and Pizza Hut

Q: A high-interest lender is teaching you to save on pizza. What is the real motive behind NetCredit's consumer-friendly cost study?

NetCredit’s likely motive is marketing and reputation management, not pizza advocacy. The pizza study fits a common content-marketing strategy: publish a quirky, data-driven report that news outlets will pick up, attach the company’s name to something useful and shareable, and build brand familiarity at low cost. For a lender whose products can carry very high APRs — reported in the 34.99% to 99.99% range for lines of credit and roughly 99% to 195% for some installment loans — that kind of friendly consumer content can soften its image and make the brand seem helpful rather than expensive. The target audience also matters. NetCredit serves many non-prime borrowers, people more likely to be price-sensitive in everyday spending. A study about the cheapest pizza in America speaks directly to that audience’s concerns about stretching dollars, while subtly reinforcing NetCredit’s broader message that it understands cash-strapped consumers. There is no direct evidence in the study itself that it was designed to push a specific loan product. But the business logic is straightforward: earned media, search traffic, backlinks, and trust-building. These “lifestyle” reports often function as public relations tools dressed as consumer research. So the real value to NetCredit is not helping people save a few dollars on dinner. It is gaining attention, improving brand perception, and keeping its name in front of potential borrowers in a more positive context than high-cost lending.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 17

NetCredit ranked Little Caesars the cheapest major U.S. pizza chain, putting its average medium cheese pizza at $10.27 across 180 cities.
The study compared GrubHub and DoorDash prices for 10 popular chains and found Papa Murphy's at $12.38 and Mod Pizza at $12.45 behind Little Caesars, while Domino's averaged $19.33 and Pizza Hut $19.
Indiana posted the cheapest state average at $13.95, ahead of Alabama at $14.04 and Michigan at $14.32; Houston was the cheapest city at $14.42.
Hawaii was the priciest state at $19.70, followed by California at $18.85 and Alaska at $18.60, while San Diego topped cities at $20.76.
NetCredit said consumers can cut costs by ordering one larger pizza, checking chain websites for coupons and buying drinks or sides separately.