Little Caesars created Slices-N-Stix for anyone unable to choose between pizza and cheesy breadsticks, and now they’ve brought out a new variant for anyone who thought, “Okay, I love the concept, but could you make it a little more rectangular?” That’s right: Slices-N-Stix have officially gone Detroit-Style.

That means one big, chewy rectangular “pie,” except half is prepared as pizza slices and the other half is prepared as breadsticks, creating a pleasingly quirky visual. The breadstick side is cut into four thin, cheese-topped pieces, while the pizza side is cut into two wider slices. The meal is also served with a side of Crazy Sauce—a seasoned marinara—presumably for dipping the otherwise sauceless breadsticks.

When I explained to my husband what I had ordered for our dinner, he was slightly underwhelmed. “So it’s just… normal Detroit-style pizza and normal breadsticks, except you get less of each?” And sure, that’s not inaccurate, but I thought this offering exceeded the sum of its parts. Plus, even for a chain known for its affordability, the price is a steal! Just know that that low cost means a more diminutive size—Little Caesars’ regular Detroit-Style pizza consists of eight slices, but the Slices-N-Stix is only the equivalent of four. I wouldn’t have minded doubling the portion (though I guess that’s my mistake for not ordering two).

I arbitrarily decided to start by sampling a breadstick, and the note that I made about my first impression: “Very salty, like so salty.” It wasn’t just a sodium bomb, though—there was a wonderful garlickiness, the crust was rich and buttery, and the cheese tied everything together well. Plus, the Crazy Sauce added a nice zing to keep things from being too plain. While I enjoyed it all, after a few bites I found myself eying the slices covetously.

Upon switching over to a slice, I was indeed satisfied; mine was extra zesty because of the pepperoni I opted for, though you can also order the Detroit-Style Slices-N-Stix meatless. The edges were crispy with burnt cheese that gave a nice crunch and savory flavor, and I appreciated that the sauce was present without me needing to dip. But then something funny happened—as I enjoyed my pizza, I began to miss the simplicity (and dippability) of the breadsticks, and couldn’t wait to jump back…

I greatly appreciated the texture of both the pizza and the breadsticks, which I would describe as “compact.” In both, the dense, bready crust gave way seamlessly to the thick, solid layer of cheese; part of this may have just been that my pizza cooled down slightly and thus congealed on its way from the store to my home, but regardless, I appreciated the cohesiveness. (Runny cheese is my pizza pet peeve!)

Little Caesars’ Detroit-Style Slices-N-Stix were a fun little magic trick, making me appreciate each of the unique halves more through their contrast with each other. They offer familiar food in a novel (and cheap) format, and if that’s enough for you, I suggest picking this limited-time offering up before it’s gone.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 2 slices of pizza and 4 breadsticks
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Pizza breadsticks) 1410 calories, other nutritional information unavailable.

I promise, Big Vegetable or Big Farma, is not making me or paying me to type the following: I wish Little Caesars’ Cheesesteak Crazy Puffs had green bell peppers in them.

Not having them with the seasoned steak, onions, and cheeses is surprising, especially since Little Caesars is also offering an Ultimate Cheesesteak Pizza for a limited time (and online only), which comes with a pick of pretty pint-sized peppers. Adding them might’ve given them a flavor that really hits home that the iconic sandwich inspired these Crazy Puffs.

If you’re not familiar with Little Caesars’ Crazy Puffs, think of them as being on the other side of the size spectrum from a cheesesteak in a long roll. They’re like mini pizzas, and there are four of them per order, which I find to be filling enough for lunch or dinner. I enjoyed the pepperoni and cheese versions that debuted last year.

These Cheesesteak ones are a bit meh. Also, the first one I bit into squirted at me, like it was an octopus shooting black ink at me, the predator, who wants to eat it. I was taken aback by the liquid and cheese that shot out from it, and then I instantly bit into the other three to see if any of them would do the same. Fortunately, for my dwindling napkin supply, which is 100 percent obtained from fast food visits, they did not.

For the most part, the steak was tender, but there were a couple of sinewy pieces. There seemed to be a decent amount of meat, but I didn’t find it to be very meaty tasting. I also didn’t really get too many onion pieces. But whatever there was, also didn’t have much taste. There was a sprinkle of parmesan on the crispy edges, which I thought added a cheesy sharpness. However, the other cheeses were flat tasting. Without any strong flavors from the main ingredients, these Crazy Puffs taste unexciting, and I don’t think they’re worth another go around, unless, perhaps, the powers that be decide to add green peppers to them.

Little Caesars Cheesesteak Crazy Puffs are not, as anthropomorphic Pop-Tarts like to say, crazy good. I believe they are a serviceable option for those wanting something different from the usual Crazy Puffs varieties. I also believe that raw celery sticks are as satisfying as a bag of potato chips.

Now that’s a line I’d gladly add to any review for the right price. Did you read that, Big Farma?

Purchased Price: $4.99*
Size: 4 pieces
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 690 calories. No other nutritional numbers are available on Little Caesars’ website.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did. The advertised price is $3.99.

I was slightly confused when I heard all the hubbub about Little Caesars introducing a new limited edition Stuffed Pretzel Crust. “I could have sworn I’ve had that before…” I thought, but it turns out I remembered merely customizing a pretzel crust pizza to add stuffed crust to it. This is the first time that “Stuffed Pretzel Crust” itself has officially appeared on the menu, and as a marketing aficionado, I’m happy to accept that as a unique new product worthy of its own celebration.

In the promotional images, the pretzel crust is a rich brown, solid, and stout, shimmering with butter and salt, reminiscent of the iconic Bavarian pretzel. What was inside my pizza box looked so different that I was initially afraid I’d gotten the wrong order. My crust seemed perhaps a tad darker than usual, but it didn’t have the deep shade or sheen I expected.

When I bit in, though, I realized it was perfectly pretzel-y; it was just more like a different type of pretzel: Auntie Anne’s. While it didn’t have a Bavarian pretzel’s telltale hue, firm snap leading to a chewy bite, or malty taste, it did boast a buttery, subtle sweetness, so perfectly complemented by its tender, fluffy texture that it practically melted in my mouth. Though it wasn’t what I expected, it paired with the stuffed crust beautifully. While the doughy pretzel crust didn’t have an overwhelming flavor, it had a noticeable aftertaste. That was well-balanced by the simple, mild cheese inside, which was soft enough that it paired perfectly with the pillowy crust yet never became gooey.

There are a few options on the website for how to order your Pretzel Stuffed Crust; taking the first option as a subtle endorsement, I went with Cheese Sauce & Pepperoni. I must confess I imagined the cheese sauce would be a small cup for dipping the crust into, like how many restaurants offer soft pretzel sticks with cheese dip as an appetizer. It wasn’t until I was partway through a surprisingly mild-tasting slice that it hit me: the cheese sauce wasn’t on the side, it was replacing the tomato sauce on the pizza!

This may sound counterintuitive, but I think the fact that it took me so long to realize this shows how well it worked. The cheese sauce blended perfectly with the cheese topping, bringing a unique creaminess. While tomato sauce usually adds some savory depth, the pretzel crust means that this pizza is covered in a generous, tongue-tingling smattering of salt that already provides plenty of complex flavor, so I appreciated that the sauce was more mellow in comparison. Its color reminded me of Velveeta cheese, but the taste wasn’t so tangy, more like a bland nacho cheese. This plainness also allowed the pepperoni to particularly pop.

First, I was surprised by how my Stuffed Pretzel Crust looked, but by the end of my meal, I was only surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It would be nice if the promotional images were a bit more accurate, but the decadent feeling of combining stuffed crust pizza with my favorite airport treat was way worth the slightly mismatched expectations.

Purchased Price: $9.99
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Whole pizza) 2660 calories. No other nutritional information is available on the Little Caesars website.