6 Classic Pizza Hacks

1. Half-Topping Split

Use a Deep Dish or Thin Crust pizza and put a topping on only one half when the selected restaurant supports half portions. This is useful when two people agree on the crust and base pizza but not on every topping. Lou Malnati’s menu materials note that a full topping price can still be charged for a half portion, so the split is mainly about preference rather than saving money.

A simple version is half sausage and half pepperoni, or one half vegetables and the other half plain cheese. Keep the split limited to a few ingredients so the kitchen ticket stays easy to read.

2. Add Buttercrust

Buttercrust is an official modifier on many Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish orders. If the crust is your favorite part of the pizza, adding Buttercrust changes the base before you spend money on extra toppings. It is especially useful on a simpler cheese, sausage, or pepperoni build where the crust flavor stays noticeable.

Buttercrust can carry an added charge, and it matters for dietary restrictions because Lou Malnati’s allergen guidance treats it differently from the standard deep-dish dough. If you are ordering for a dairy-free or vegan need, do not add it.

3. Order It Well Done

Lou Malnati’s online ordering system lists Well Done as a crust crispness option on many Deep Dish and Thin Crust pizzas. Choose it when you prefer a firmer, more browned finish. This is a clean modification because it changes the bake preference without changing the toppings or cheese.

Well Done can be especially useful on pizzas with wetter toppings or extra tomato sauce, where a firmer crust may better match your texture preference. Availability can differ by item, so use the option only when it appears in the order flow.

4. Order It Gooey

Gooey is another official crust preference shown on many standard pizzas. It is the opposite direction from Well Done and is intended for people who prefer a softer, less crisp finish. Because the ingredient list stays the same, this is one of the easiest ways to change the eating texture without adding cost-heavy toppings.

Not every specialty crust exposes the Gooey option. Gluten-free pizzas, for example, can show a more limited crispness list. Follow the controls attached to the exact pizza you select.

5. Go Heavy on Tomato

Extra tomato sauce is listed as a regular pizza topping, and Lou Malnati’s menu materials also reference heavy tomato as a possible preference. This works well for people who want more of the vine-ripened tomato character without adding another meat or cheese topping.

Extra sauce can make the pizza wetter, so pairing it with a Well Done bake is one practical way to balance sauce quantity and crust texture. The added sauce can carry the same topping charge as other ingredients.

6. Add Hot Giardiniera + Mike’s Hot Honey

Hot giardiniera and Mike’s Hot Honey are both listed as pizza additions. Adding them together creates a sweet-spicy direction without relying on an unofficial named pizza. Start with cheese, sausage, pepperoni, or another simple base so the two additions remain easy to taste.

If you want less heat, use only the hot honey. If you want a more savory Chicago-style bite, use giardiniera without the honey. For another pizza chain with strong customization controls, compare the Little Caesars secret menu.

How to Order Lou Malnati’s Secret-Menu Hacks

Lou Malnati’s custom orders are easiest when you build from the pizza format outward. Choose Deep Dish, Thin Crust, gluten-free, or crustless first, then the size, toppings, cheese modification, and bake preference. This keeps the request close to the restaurant’s actual ordering system.

1. Choose the restaurant first because pizza sizes, modifiers, and specialty crusts can vary.
2. Pick Deep Dish, Thin Crust, gluten-free, or crustless before choosing toppings.
3. Select the size, then add only the toppings and bake preference you actually want.
4. For half-topping orders, confirm that the restaurant’s ordering controls support a half portion.
5. For vegan or gluten-sensitive orders, use the exact cheese, Buttercrust, romano, and crust choices shown by Lou Malnati’s.
6. Review the finished cart because Buttercrust, premium proteins, extra toppings, and specialty crusts can change the total.

For complicated dietary orders, avoid shorthand names and state the exact modification. For ordinary custom pizza, the Pizza Hut secret menu and Papa John’s secret menu show how other chains structure crust and topping changes.

Nutrition and Allergen Notes

Crust type, Buttercrust, cheese, sausage, Italian beef, extra toppings, and tomato sauce all change the nutrition profile. Lou Malnati’s nutrition page notes that values change when toppings or other ingredients are added or removed, so the finished pizza matters more than the base recipe alone.

Lou Malnati’s official allergen information explains that gluten-free Deep Dish and Thin Crust pizzas are processed in a facility that uses wheat and finished in kitchens where wheat products are present. The gluten-free dough also contains egg and may contain almond and coconut.

The allergen page also explains the dairy-free details behind a vegan-style Deep Dish. Guests with serious allergies or strict dietary requirements should confirm the exact build with restaurant staff instead of relying only on an ingredient removal.