Pizza Hut is one of the largest pizza chains in the world, with over 18,000 restaurants in 100 countries. They offer a variety of pizza options, including build-your-own pizzas where you can customize the toppings. With the rise in food allergies and dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance, many customers wonder if Pizza Hut also provides non-dairy cheese options.
Quick Answer
Yes, Pizza Hut does offer non-dairy cheese alternatives at select locations. They have vegan cheese and lactose-free cheese available upon request. You’ll want to contact your local Pizza Hut to see if they have non-dairy options before ordering. The availability may depend on the franchise location.
Does every Pizza Hut have non-dairy cheese?
No, not every Pizza Hut location has non-dairy cheese options. The availability depends on the specific franchise. Some locations do not have alternative cheese choices.
Whether a Pizza Hut offers non-dairy cheese comes down to the policies and menu options of the individual franchise owner. There is no nationwide requirement for all stores to provide vegan or dairy-free cheese.
What non-dairy cheese does Pizza Hut offer?
Pizza Hut locations that carry non-dairy cheese typically offer one of the following:
- Daiya vegan cheese – This popular brand makes vegan cheese from plant-based ingredients like potato and tapioca. It has no casein or lactose.
- Lactose-free cheese – These real cheese products have the lactose removed. They contain casein but may be tolerated by some with dairy issues.
- Soy cheese – Cheese alternatives made from soy proteins and oils. Completely vegan.
The specific brands and types of non-dairy cheese may vary between franchises. But Daiya and soy cheese tend to be the most common options. Lactose-free real cheese is also found at some locations.
What if my local Pizza Hut doesn’t offer non-dairy cheese?
If your local Pizza Hut does not already offer non-dairy cheese alternatives, you have a few options:
- Request it – Speak to the manager and request they start offering vegan cheese or lactose-free options. Customer interest will show there is demand.
- Choose veggie toppings – Load up your pizza with veggie toppings instead of cheese. This allows you to avoid the dairy while still enjoying Pizza Hut pizza.
- Order the crust – You can order just the pizza crust with sauce and no cheese. The crust by itself is dairy-free.
- Make your pizza elsewhere – Consider making your own veggie or vegan pizza at home so you control the ingredients.
Being flexible and open to alternative menu options can help you find something you can eat. And politely asking for vegan cheese may encourage stores to start offering it.
What Pizza Hut menu items are dairy-free?
While the main pizza options contain cheese, there are some menu items at Pizza Hut you can enjoy dairy-free:
- Salads – Garden salads with dressing on the side. Avoid cheese or creamy dressings.
- Breadsticks – Get the marinara sauce for dipping instead of cheesy options.
- Wings – Bone-in or boneless wings tossed in sauces.
- Desserts – Cinna sticks and Hershey’s chocolate chip cookie.
You have to carefully review ingredients and avoid cheese-topped items. But some meat, veggie, and sauce options can be made dairy-free.
Tips for ordering dairy-free at Pizza Hut
Follow these tips when ordering dairy-free food at Pizza Hut:
- Ask if they have non-dairy cheese – Call ahead or ask in person if they offer alternative cheese.
- Specify “no cheese” – Make it very clear you want no regular or non-dairy cheese.
- Choose veggie toppings – Load up pizzas with veggie toppings instead of cheese.
- Avoid creamy sauces – Opt for tomato sauce rather than white sauce or creamy dressing.
- Check dessert ingredients – Many desserts have hidden milk or cheese ingredients.
- Ask about prep – Inquire if they change gloves or prep surfaces when preparing dairy-free items.
Being very specific with your order and asking questions can help ensure your items are safely dairy-free. You may need to go when it’s less busy as well, so staff has time to accommodate special requests.
Pizza Hut dairy-free pizza recipes
If your Pizza Hut doesn’t offer non-dairy cheese, you can recreate their tasty pizza at home. Here are some dairy-free Pizza Hut copycat recipes:
Supreme Vegan Pizza
- 1 Pizza Hut thin n crispy frozen pizza crust
- 1/2 cup Pizza Hut traditional pizza sauce
- 1 cup Daiya cheddar shreds
- Sliced mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and black olives
Add sauce and veggie toppings to crust. Top with Daiya shreds. Bake 10-12 minutes until crust is crispy and cheese melted.
Hawaiian Vegan Pizza
- 1 Pizza Hut Hand Tossed pizza crust
- 1/2 cup Pizza Hut traditional pizza sauce
- 3/4 cup Follow Your Heart mozzarella
- 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
- 2 TBS vegan bacon bits
Prepare crust with sauce, cheese, pineapple, and bacon. Bake 12-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Cheeseless Veggie Lover’s Pizza
- 1 Pizza Hut pan pizza crust
- 1/2 cup Pizza Hut traditional pizza sauce
- Mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, spinach
- Drizzle olive oil
- Italian seasoning
Load up crust with sauce and all your favorite veggies. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings. Bake 10-12 minutes until crust is done.
Pizza Hut cheese allergy policies
Pizza Hut aims to accommodate guests with food allergies, including dairy and cheese allergies. However, policies vary by franchise location.
Here are some common allergy practices at Pizza Hut:
- Allergy information – Ingredients and allergen information for menu items are available upon request.
- Allergen-aware preparation – Staff will change gloves, wash hands, and prep surfaces to avoid cross-contact.
- Allergen-free zones – Some locations have designated allergen-free zones and ovens.
- Disclaimer about risk – They inform customers that allergen cross-contact is always possible.
Contact your local restaurant to learn their specific precautions for cheese and dairy allergies. Take necessary precautions any time you eat out with allergies.
Pizza Hut non-dairy cheese controversies
Pizza Hut has faced some controversies regarding their vegan cheese options, including:
- Upcharges – Some locations charge $2-$3 extra for vegan cheese, leading to customer complaints.
- Inconsistent availability – Non-dairy cheese availability varies wildly between franchises leading to confusion.
- “Dairy” terminology – They refer to non-dairy options as “cheese” which misleads lactose intolerant customers.
- Lack of training – Staff seem inadequately trained on prep protocols for allergen-free pizzas.
While Pizza Hut takes steps to provide non-dairy options, execution varies. Customers report frustrations around upcharges, terminology, availability, and how allergy-friendly the restaurant truly is. More franchisee training could help improve experiences.
Pizza Hut non-dairy cheese reviews
Here’s what customers have to say about Pizza Hut’s non-dairy cheese options:
Positive
- “The Daiya cheese tastes just like regular cheese! I didn’t feel like I was missing out.”
- “I was so happy they had dairy-free cheese so I could still enjoy their pizza.”
- “The vegan cheese has the same melt and stretch. I’ll totally order it again.”
Negative
- “The dairy-free cheese turned hard and plasticky when baked. Not good.”
- “They charged me $3 extra for vegan cheese. I won’t come back here again.”
- “The staff had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for non-dairy cheese.”
When executed properly, Pizza Hut’s dairy-free options satisfy many customers. But the bumpy rollout leads to poor experiences at some locations. Execution varies widely depending on staff training and franchisee policies.
Should you order non-dairy cheese from Pizza Hut?
Ordering non-dairy cheese from Pizza Hut comes down to your personal needs and preferences:
Reasons to order:
- Enjoy the taste – Their vegan cheeses specifically mimic dairy cheese.
- No sacrifice – Get Pizza Hut pizza without sacrificing cheese.
- Kid-friendly – Kids may not realize it’s non-dairy.
- Convenience – Easy solution for pizza nights.
Reasons to avoid:
- Allergy risks – Cross-contact possible.
- Upcharges – Some locations charge extra.
- Inconsistency – Availability and policies vary.
- Health – Pizza isn’t the healthiest, whether dairy or non-dairy cheese.
For an occasional cheat meal, the convenience may be worth it. But for those with serious allergies, it may be safer to make your own vegan pizza at home.
The future of dairy-free cheese at Pizza Hut
Demand for non-dairy cheese will likely continue growing. Here’s what the future may hold for Pizza Hut’s dairy-free offerings:
- Expanded options – More vegan cheese brands, lactose-free real cheese, nut-based cheeses.
- New menu items – Dairy-free desserts, pasta dishes, salads featuring non-dairy cheese.
- Consistent availability – Non-dairy cheese available at all locations.
- Improved training – Better protocols and training for allergy-friendly prep and service.
- Affordable pricing – Ideally costs that are in line with regular cheese.
To keep up with trends and customer demand, look for Pizza Hut to expand their non-dairy selections. But change takes time, so availability will continue improving gradually. Contact your local spots to learn about their dairy-free offerings.
Conclusion
Pizza Hut is making progress on offering non-dairy cheese for vegan and lactose intolerant customers. However, availability remains limited and inconsistent between franchise locations. Calling ahead is required to confirm if your nearest Pizza Hut has dairy-free options. For those with serious dairy issues, preparation protocols may also be a concern. But for an occasional pizza night, their Daiya and other vegan cheese brands satisfy many. Keep requesting more non-dairy choices to encourage Pizza Hut’s dairy-free offerings nationwide.
