Casey’s All-New Pan Pizza Brings Exciting Flavor Closer to Millions Across Casey’s Country

Casey’s All-New Pan Pizza Brings Exciting Flavor Closer to Millions Across Casey’s Country

Casey’s (Nasdaq: CASY), the nation’s third-largest convenience retailer and fifth-largest pizza chain, is expanding its pizza offerings with the launch of its first-ever pan pizza. Beginning Wednesday, October 28, the new menu addition will introduce customers to a thick, fluffy, golden-brown square crust topped generously with ingredients from edge to edge. The new pan pizza will become a permanent part of Casey’s menu, giving customers another option when choosing a pizza for a meal, gathering or special occasion.

The launch addresses a gap in local pizza availability, particularly in the smaller communities served by Casey’s. According to a survey commissioned by the company, one in four U.S. respondents said they must travel out of their way to find pan pizza or cannot find it nearby. The challenge is especially noticeable across Casey’s operating markets, where nearly 80% of the small towns it serves lack a nearby national pan pizza offering.

By introducing pan pizza across its extensive store network, Casey’s aims to make the popular crust style more accessible while reinforcing its position as a convenient destination for freshly prepared pizza in communities throughout the Midwest and other regions where it operates.

“Casey’s has become a destination for pizza in the communities we serve, and our all-new pan pizza gives our guests another reason to choose us,” said Tom Brennan, chief merchandising officer at Casey’s. “We spent nearly two years developing a pan pizza with an amazingly thick, fluffy crust and crispy edges, and it absolutely delivers what guests love about Casey’s – craveable abundance at a great value. We cannot wait to share our new pan pizza with our guests as we are confident they will love it.”

A New Pan Crust Built Around Quality and Texture

At the center of Casey’s new offering is a specially developed dough designed to deliver the texture and flavor customers expect from a traditional pan pizza. The crust is thick, hearty and fluffy, with a golden-brown exterior and a soft interior. Its recipe incorporates olive oil, honey, sea salt and finely milled double-zero flour.

The combination of ingredients and the specially formulated dough is intended to create a crust that can support Casey’s generous toppings without losing its characteristic softness. The base provides structure while maintaining an airy center, while the bottom develops a crisp finish during baking.

Cheese is another important element of the new pizza. Casey’s pan pizza features real mozzarella spread across the crust from edge to edge. As the pizza bakes, the cheese caramelizes around the perimeter, producing a crispy cheese crown that adds another layer of texture and flavor.

The company has designed the pan crust to work with a broad range of its existing pizza combinations. Customers will be able to order their preferred Casey’s pizza builds on the new crust, including breakfast pizzas, single-topping selections and specialty varieties.

Popular options available with the pan crust include the Ultimate Meat pizza and the Sweet Heat Sausage & Pepperoni pizza. This flexibility allows customers to pair the new crust with familiar flavors while exploring a different texture and overall pizza experience.

The result is intended to deliver a satisfying combination of a soft, fluffy center, a crisp bottom, generous toppings and caramelized cheese along the edges.

Expanding Casey’s Existing Pizza Selection

Casey’s introduction of pan pizza builds on its existing lineup of original and thin crust options. The addition gives customers another choice based on their preferences, making the menu more versatile for different occasions and appetites.

Andrew Kintigh, executive chef and culinary director at Casey’s, said the company focused on creating a crust that balances softness with the strength needed to hold its toppings.

“Pan pizza rounds out a strong lineup of crusts, in addition to original and thin, that gives our guests something for every pizza occasion,” Kintigh said. “We crafted a crust with the ideal balance of structure and softness, built to hold Casey’s generous toppings while preserving the signature airy center of pan pizza.”

The development process took nearly two years, reflecting the company’s focus on delivering a product that fits its established pizza identity. Rather than offering a crust that simply differs in thickness, Casey’s has emphasized the combination of a fluffy interior, crisp bottom and cheese-covered edges.

The new option also gives customers the opportunity to customize familiar menu favorites around a different crust style. Whether they prefer a breakfast pizza, a straightforward single-topping pie or a more substantial specialty combination, customers can choose pan crust without giving up the toppings they already enjoy.

Casey’s plans to make the new pizza available throughout its nearly 3,000 stores across 19 states, extending the offering to a broad network of local communities.

Pan Pizza Combines Nostalgia With a New Generation of Customers

Consumer research cited by Casey’s suggests that pan pizza has a strong emotional connection for many Americans. Nearly half of surveyed pan pizza eaters identified the style as their favorite, while more than 70% said it reminds them of positive childhood memories.

These findings point to the enduring appeal of pan pizza, which many consumers associate with family meals, shared celebrations and familiar flavors. Its thick crust and generous toppings distinguish it from other pizza styles and contribute to its reputation as a satisfying comfort food.

However, the survey also suggests that pan pizza remains unfamiliar to some younger consumers. Approximately one in seven Gen Z respondents said they did not know what pan pizza was or were unsure about the style.

By adding the product to its permanent menu, Casey’s hopes to serve established pan pizza fans while introducing the format to customers who may have had limited opportunities to try it.

The company’s broad store presence could be particularly important in smaller towns where national pan pizza options are less accessible. Instead of traveling farther to find the style, customers in Casey’s communities will have another local option.

The launch therefore combines product development with an effort to address a perceived gap in convenience and availability. It also creates an opportunity for Casey’s to strengthen its relationship with customers who already associate the retailer with pizza.

Tackling America’s Debate Over Pizza Crust

Pizza crust remains a divisive subject among consumers. Casey’s research found that more than half of surveyed Americans consider crust their favorite part of pizza. Some respondents even said they eat both their own crust and the crust left behind by others.

At the same time, approximately one in four respondents said they eat crust more out of obligation than enjoyment.

Casey’s new pan pizza is designed to appeal to both groups by making the crust a central feature of the experience. Its thick, fluffy interior, crisp base and caramelized cheese crown provide a combination of textures intended to make the outer edges as appealing as the middle slices.

The emphasis on crust reflects a broader product strategy in which the base is not simply a vehicle for toppings but an important part of the finished pizza. By combining a substantial dough structure with cheese and toppings that extend across the surface, Casey’s aims to deliver flavor and texture throughout the entire pie.

For customers who already enjoy pan pizza, the new offering provides another way to order the style locally. For those who usually leave their crust behind, the company is positioning the product as a reason to reconsider that habit.

Casey’s Rewards Members Receive a Free Pizza Through Crust Credit

To mark the launch, Casey’s is introducing a promotional offer called “Crust Credit,” giving Rewards members an incentive to try the new pan pizza.

On Wednesday, October 28, Casey’s Rewards members who purchase the new pan pizza will receive a free large, single-topping pizza credited to their Rewards accounts. The offer is designed to encourage customers to experience the new crust and return for another pizza.

The promotional reward can be redeemed from Thursday, October 29, through Wednesday, November 18, giving eligible customers a 21-day redemption window following the launch-day purchase.

The offer provides an opportunity to try the new pan pizza and enjoy another Casey’s pizza on a subsequent visit. Customers should review the applicable Rewards terms for details about eligibility and redemption.

Beyond the launch promotion, Casey’s Rewards program provides additional benefits for customers who regularly purchase pizza. Members earn double points on all whole-pie pizza purchases, allowing them to accumulate rewards more quickly.

Those points can be redeemed for Casey’s Cash, fuel savings at participating pumps or donations supporting the company’s Cash for Classrooms grant program. The program connects everyday purchases with savings and community support, offering members multiple ways to use the points they earn.

Bringing a New Pizza Experience Closer to Home

Casey’s first-ever pan pizza represents an expansion of its established pizza menu and an effort to make a popular crust style more accessible across its operating markets. The new offering combines a thick, golden-brown crust, a soft and airy center, a crisp bottom, real mozzarella and generous toppings in a format designed for customers seeking a substantial pizza experience.

With the product becoming a permanent menu addition across nearly 3,000 stores in 19 states, Casey’s is positioning pan pizza as a lasting part of its foodservice offering rather than a limited-time release.

The company is also using the launch to engage customers through its Rewards program, with the Crust Credit promotion encouraging eligible members to purchase the new pizza and return for another pie.

As Casey’s continues to develop its food offerings, the pan pizza launch reinforces its focus on convenience, value and familiar menu favorites while introducing a new crust option for longtime customers and first-time pan pizza eaters alike.

Beginning October 28, customers can explore the new pan crust with their preferred Casey’s pizza combinations, bringing a thicker, fluffier and crisp-edged pizza experience closer to home.

Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/