I ordered a large Supreme Pan Pizza. It was not a bad-looking pizza, and it was generously adorned with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. However, the toppings weren't important — I was there to test the chain's claims about the new sauce, cheese, and crust.
The flavors did complement each other. The tomato sauce was tart and sweet, while the cheese was mild and served as a soft, stretchy bed for the toppings.
The outer crust was definitely crispier, but it was also so buttery it made me wonder if it was worth clogging my arteries. Plus, once I got through the initial joy of the bite, the sauce, cheese, and toppings quickly capitulated to the dominant flavor and texture: undercooked dough.
It made me wonder whether Pizza Hut couldn't have achieved a crispier crust and better texture simply by baking a slightly thinner crust for slightly longer.
Overall, Pizza Hut's new recipe is a solid, inoffensive slice, and it's definitely a filling one. There's plenty of cheese and sauce — maybe a little too much. But it's all overshadowed by the thick, doughy crust. The result is a pizza that's halfway between a thin crust and a deep-dish.
From memory, the new pan pizza is definitely an improvement upon the old recipe, but not a significant one. And it may not be a big enough move for Pizza Hut to stay afloat in the fast-moving world of chain pizza.