Mr. Goodcents recently launched a new product line of flatbread pizzas and, in an effort to determine whether that was a good idea, I brought home a white cardboard box filled with a foil-wrapped pizza.
"You're going to like it," the cashier told me and I wanted to believe him.
The options are straightforward. A cheese flatbread pizza is $3.49, while a pepperoni or chicken alfredo pizza will set you back $3.99. You can add any of the standard dress items (lettuce, banana peppers, pickles, tomatoes) for an additional 50 cents.
I opted for the pepperoni with no additional toppings. If you add a regular drink, the total is $5.48 with tax.
My first impression was promising. The rectangular, thin crust looked like the promo picture and was still hot after its quick trip through the rotating griller.
The first bite didn't quite live up to my expectations, however. That's because I was considering the dish as more pizza than flatbread. In this case, it would be better to think of this in the same category as a pizza bagel. It would be more accurate to call it an open flatbread mock pizza, although I recognize this is less appealing on a menu.
The flavors were fine -- basic pepperoni with a bit of pepper, slightly sweet sauce and chewy flatbread that called to mind Ellio's pizza. It was also slightly addictive. I ate half before I thought about what I was eating. But when I was finished, it made me realize that what I really wanted was a Goodcents sandwich.
Ultimately, the pizzas feel like the result of someone walking into a Taco Bell and deciding that new menu items can be fashioned from ingredients used in the existing menu and store facilities that are already in place. Mr. Goodcents serves chicken alfredo pasta? Why not a chicken alfredo pizza, then.
It's not a bad brand extension, it's just the kind that makes you realize the original product is a better buy. All that said, this would be the perfect choice -- just like Ellio's -- after a night of beers.
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