Little Caesars’ iconic Hot-N-Ready pizza now costs more — but there is some good news

Little Caesars has increased the price for its Hot-N-Ready pepperoni pizza in a major shift for the restaurant known for its $5 pies.

The pepperoni pizza will now cost $5.55, an increase of 11%, Little Caesars announced Monday, Jan. 3. It’s the first price increase at Little Caesars in nearly 25 years, according to CNN Business.

However, Little Caesars is boasting its new Hot-N-Ready pizza will be “new and improved.”

“Change is good when it comes to giving our customers more of what they love,” Jeff Klein, chief marketing officer at Little Caesars, said in a statement. “And we’re changing our iconic HOT-N-READY Classic, adding 33% more savory, meaty pepperoni still at the country’s most affordable price.”

The pizza restaurant chain introduced the Hot-N-Ready pizza in 2001, coining the term by offering the pizza on-demand for customers without a pre-order needed.

But the cost increase is upsetting some who came to love the inexpensive price of the pizza.

“I hate 2022 already,” one Twitter user said.

“That $5 Little Caesars pizza raised so many of us,” author Shea Serrano said.

This story was originally published January 3, 2022 at 12:02 PM.