Image credits go to the official websites of Domino’s and Pizza Hut
Pizza – this classic food item that we all know and love goes all the way back to 18th century Naples, Italy. Having travelled far from home, the recipe reached the United States through Italian immigrants who celebrated their culture and traditions in both little and big ways. Today, pizza is enjoyed by people from all around the world and has become a staple for parties and social gatherings.
What also makes it a favourite among communities is its simple recipe and the ability to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters with its various options for toppings. While the ultimate debate on what should and should not make its way on to a pizza is a never-ending quarrel, the existing recipes have not failed in pleasing a wide range of individual taste. Big names such as Domino’s Pizza and Pizza Hut capitalized on the popularity of pizza and turned themselves into multi-billion-dollar franchises, with both chains now having thousands of locations globally.
These two chains are quite possibly the first ones we look for when we think of ordering pizza, so in this month’s article, Domino’s and Pizza Hut go head-to-head in a comparison review of a selection of shared pizza flavours (some similar, some identical).
Note: All pizzas compared here are of regular size and the crusts were also regular. Pictures may vary slightly from the actual pizzas.
Pictured above is Pizza Hut’s version of Aloha Chicken, containing chicken rolls, chicken salami, pineapple slices, and mozzarella cheese.
Verdict: This pick costs a dine-in price of RM 32.30, which is reasonable enough for a pizza of this size. The combination of chicken rolls and salami works really well with the pineapple slices and tangy mozzarella cheese. The texture of the crust was simply on-point and the flavours came together in a delicious blend.
Price: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Overall: 8/10
Next is Domino’s interpretation, with pineapple slices, chicken shreds, and mozzarella cheese.
Verdict: Dominos’ Aloha Chicken Pizza was RM 25.90 (dine-in), giving it an edge over its competitor in terms of price. However, due to it containing only roasted chicken, it doesn’t have the flavour packed punch that the Pizza Hut counterpart does. Still, everything else about it is simply yum!
Price: 4.2/5
Taste: 3.8/5
Overall: 8/10
Both pizzas were equally matched at the end, but I would declare Pizza Hut as the winner of this round as their version, despite its higher price, offered more satisfaction in terms of taste.
Pictured above from the dine-in menu is the Pizza Hut version. Hailing from the aptly-named Supreme Series, it contains beef pepperoni, ground beef, chicken rolls and shredded chicken on tomato pizza sauce in addition to mozzarella cheese.
Verdict: This one comes with a dine-in price of RM 34.90. The tasty combination of chicken and beef mixes well with the sauce and becomes a juicy and flavourful bite.
Price: 3.8/5
Taste: 4.4/5
Overall: 8.2/10
Next is Domino’s version of the same name, containing beef pepperoni and sausages, ground beef, chicken potpourri sausages, and ripe olives. It was under the Classics series.
Verdict: It comes with a price of RM 29.90 (from the official website) and unlike its Pizza Hut counterpart, contained olives for that smooth boost of antioxidants – served as a splendid addition to the meat bits.
Price: 4/5
Taste: 4.5/5
Overall: 8.5/10
So the Domino’s version takes this round, with the edge over its competitor in both price, taste and even health benefits.
Round 2 results: Pizza Hut 1, Domino’s 1
Round 3: Super Supreme (Pizza Hut) vs Extravaganza (Domino’s Pizza)
Pictured above is the Super Supreme, also from Pizza Hut’s Supreme Series.
Verdict: Unlike other Supreme Series pizzas, this comes in a slightly cheaper price, at RM 34.20. It contains ground beef, beef pepperoni, beef cabanossi, chicken roll strips, capsicum, onions, mushrooms, pineapples, olives, mozzarella cheese and tomato pizza sauce. With all that goodness thrown in, it really did live up to its name. The explosion of flavours is a real kick for the taste buds!
Price: 3.8/5
Taste: 4.5/5
Overall: 8.3/10
Next is the Extravaganza, also boasting a large collection of flavours.
Verdict: On the official website, this can be purchased for RM 29.90 and it contains beef pepperoni and sausages, ground beef, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and olives. The result was another delightful sensation, to the pallets this time mainly from the beef bits as it was rich and juicy.
Price: 4/5
Taste: 4.2/5
Overall: 8.2/10
Pizza Hut’s Super Supreme takes it for the third and final round.
Round 3 results: Pizza Hut 2, Domino’s 1
Overall Verdict:
If you’re looking for the better taste and don’t mind the higher prices, then Pizza Hut would be the place to go to. On the other hand, if prices are of your concern then it would be Domino’s. Despite the former winning this comparison test, I’d recommend trying out both outlets as that would be a reason for you to try out each of their pizzas, which all stand out in their own right and light.
Do you remember the last time you felt rejected because someone thought you were ‘different’? Did you speak up about it? Or is your story among the many stories that have been swept under the rug?
I’m a 90’s kid who grew up reading Famous Five and watching Clifford the Big Red Dog. It’s hardly a surprise when I tell you that I’ve always wanted a pet dog. The idea of having a furry friend who loves you unconditionally, who will guard you from danger and run around with you ⎼ matching that explosive energy of youth ⎼ all seemed like a pretty good package to a younger me. Yet, my parents could not be convinced to add a member to our family of five. We’ve had a pet dog on two different occasions and both are no longer with us – one got kidnapped while the other was sent away after getting too temperamental to handle in a house full of children. Almost a decade has passed since but the yearning and desire to be a dog owner has hardly died off. If anything, it has only gotten deeper as life passed by, showing me that everything is so fleetingly temporary and that having a pet would be a nice constant. So, I got a German Shepard Pup.
Having a pet is no easy task. In fact, until exactly a month ago, my idea of owning a pet was based on novel stories and perfectly trained pets we see on screen. It was neither realistic nor in depth and all. The unexpected truths of having an animal companion hit me hard this past few weeks, and I feel obligated to relay all these new information to as many pet pursuers as possible. Pet owners have to accept change like the very air they breathe and take all necessary measures to be thoroughly prepared for the biggest responsibility in life – a kid who will never grow up! The following applies for all kinds of pets as these are general factors that one must consider before ‘D-Day’.
Getting a pet is equivalent to having a child – your whole life changes, most importantly, the way you spend your time, your routine, schedules and priorities. You have to incorporate your pet’s routine into your own daily commitments; tasks like feeding your pet, giving them physical exercise, love and attention all become factors to consider on a daily basis. This new change of looking after your pet, especially having to keep a close eye on them during their younger years can get really exhausting ⎼ keep in mind that for your pet you are their whole world, unlike your own life which is a mesh of other elements. You are committing to bringing up another soul, it’s only right to consider carefully and adjust accordingly.
2. Space
We do not realise how accustomed we are to having things run our way at home until a stranger walks in and changes things up. For a person who could not handle having guests over for too long without getting frustrated. Think about having all things not being in place or how rooms are no longer as clean as they used to be, having a pet is like having someone claim your space as their own, and you have to deal with it. Your pet’s living space, boundaries and the cage should all be pre-decided before the little one moves in. Whether you’re going to keep it inside the house or outside, its limits for exploration and how you’re going to handle the sticky floors and thin blankets of fur are all decisions you should have a clear idea about.
As hard as it is to accept, some people have allergies that can flare up dramatically within the vicinity of a furry friend. Allergies to fur are quite common among people. Hence, it is responsible to get the necessary tests done for all family members before committing to a pet. Some may just sneeze occasionally and have itchy eyes while others can suffer more seriously. Better to be safe than sorry.
4. Freedom
The first few months of having a pet and even up to a year is similar to a confinement period where you have to be home for as long as possible in a day to look after your pet until a more stable and less dependent routine is established. The simple luxuries of life like catching up with a friend over coffee for long hours or a spontaneous outing has to be strategized to fit the new addition in the family. You could also be required to put a pin on bigger plans like travelling for a few months, depending on the pet you get and their needs. This change in lifestyle may bring you down emotionally and we encourage you to prepare for it by thoroughly researching the specialised lifestyle changes that take place when you get the pet of your choice. Note that grown pets are different from babies who need you more.
5. Training
Essential, essential, essential! Some pets need to be trained and housebroken in the first few months of ownership and this requires both significant time and money so brace yourself! Professional training, lots of reading up and addressing every little issue with your pet requires a lot of effort, observance, patience and perseverance from your side.
Thoroughly research, read up and ask experienced pet owners and vets on the diet you should put your pet on as this crucial part of owning a pet can either make or break its life. Some pets tend to have sensitive digestive systems or hereditary diseases which can be prevented by meticulously monitoring their consumption and altering it to fit your pet’s requirements and nature. A lot of freehand advice will be offered but always clear it with professionals or in some scenarios, follow your instincts.
7. Vet
This is a no-brainer when getting a pet, so make sure that you have a few vets who are close to home who can take home calls and are experienced and certified. Be ready to spend and listen to professional advice while balancing it with the vibes and unspoken information your pets give you. Know that your pet is mortal and can fall sick. You have to be emotionally ready for such situations and must be able to deal with it with a clear head.
While there are lots of factors that need to be carefully considered before this big decision is made, don’t let all the technicalities intimidate you. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. Things won’t be easy or even the same but when your furry friend loves you unconditionally, protects you and feels safe with you in return and gets excited merely at the sight of you… it’ll all be worth it.
Financial success has “come with an unthinkable price tag” for the planet and for humanity. Mother nature is sick as a result of human negligence and impulsive misjudgement, and it’s time for us to take care of her NOW before the problem exacerbates.
On live TV, movie legend Francis Ford Coppola disclosed that a deep yearning to tell a story exactly as imagined ⎼ to have the same vision outputted as seen going in ⎼ is key to keeping the integrity of a film and the respect and admiration of the movie critics who ultimately drop the gavel on whether a film is good or not. It’s a proper sentiment about the core of a quality movie, but the mastermind behind as large a success as The Godfather must have some unique modus operandi to have kicked all those successful pictures into gear.
Sure, he’s accident-prone, and just a tad bit mischievous, and maybe sometimes he gets muddy footprints on the carpet, but he’s not a bad kid. At least, that’s what he tells himself, knowing that the high-pitch smoke detector alarm will have his mom flying down the stairs in a flurry of ire soon enough.
My father cuts fruits for us every day, without fail. At 9pm we munch on slices of pear and watch Japanese news because it’s the only channel worth watching anymore. The cat ignores me yet again to lie down in front of the TV. Sometimes my mother makes a disparaging comment about Japanese fashion being weird, but that’s fine. It’s still fun to watch.
This is what family is to me, I guess. An uncomfortably hot evening spent in silence again and again. No grand gestures, just plain old routine. That’s what families are built on, anyway. A routine that repeats and repeats and before you know it, a quiet love is forged.
A family is made of ink. Ink that is unwilling to smudge even when fingers brush over them tirelessly. Ink that first settles itself into the pages of picture books, in the form of cats and dogs. As you grow older, the cartoon animals morph into flowers, and into stars and planets, and into Chinese characters, eager to teach. Occasionally, the pages would be empty, and remain empty for days, except for a single wine stain at the corner of a page. Occasionally, the words are angry scrawls, taking up half a page and goes on and on until your vision blurs. Occasionally, there will be childish hand-drawn castles and queens on the pages, because somehow big sister is capable of changing the world.
The ink slowly makes its way onto your body. It hurts when it does, all those tiny metal needles, but you really want that big, pretty castle and its queen on your skin, because you are capable of changing the world. You really want those flowers you received once upon a time, because you also learnt about the Victorian Flower Language, and how those yellow cinquefoils mean ‘beloved daughter’ and you wish to immortalise that. You really want those stars to fill out the blankness of your skin, so you could be a sky where an Aries and a Sagittarius could exist together at once, because your brothers couldn’t be pried apart even with a crowbar. And all those pages that still write themselves, understood. A family is made of ink.
Family is a sense of belonging and trust when you surround yourself with the right people. To quote the ever so cheesy line from Lilo and Stitch, ‘Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.’ As cliche as it might sound, I think that this line describes family fairly accurately.
To many, family is a genetically similar bunch you’re related to, who share the same blood and so on. However, I define family as people you grow with, who you confide in when you feel emotionally down, and most importantly, the ones who are there for you not just at your peaks, but during your lows as well. To me, when I’m around people whom I call family, every ounce of happiness and comfort becomes amplified in the best way. They make me feel like the downs in life are temporary and make the highs last so much longer. Family gives meaning to my existence and nurtures me to become a better listener and caregiver not just to others, but to myself too.
The warm voices that greet me the moment the front door unlocks.
Those looked-forward-to fancy birthday dinners and celebratory splurges,
Shopping trips and homemade Sunday-morning breakfasts.
Family is shouting matches and cold wars,
Those days of which I absolutely abhor.
Arguing about who gets to ride shotgun,
And sulking after someone else won.
Family is made of arms that hold you together when you feel like shattering,
Those who see you at your most unflattering.
Gentle hands that brush away your tears.
Hands that clutch yours, through all the fears.
A ‘ping’ from an incoming text that helps you get through the day.
With family, I can find my way.
– Anonymous
They say blood runs thicker than water, but I believe that a family doesn’t really have to consist of blood. Sometimes, your own family is a mere social construct of what people think and associate families with. Sometimes, your “real” family makes you feel insignificant, like you don’t belong or you feel left out. We don’t have to be literally related to be considered family. For me, family is a group of people you truly belong with. People who are willing to set differences aside and let you thrive among common interests. It’s a union of sorts. People can find a family anywhere – among friends, strangers who could be your new friends, maybe their own relatives, their pets, their lover, their colleagues etc. As long as that group of people makes you feel like you’re meant to be there, with them, then they’re family. A true one, actually.
The selfless desideratum to watch another succeed,
It’s unconditional,
The laziest of all bonds,
But also, the strongest.
– Nimue
At a very young age, i had realised that family isn’t only a bond forged by blood. Family isn’t just your parents and your siblings. Family branches out further than that. Family is anyone who stays by your side. To me, family is anyone who’s there when your world comes crashing down. Family is anyone who understands your pain when no one else seems to notice a thing. I recently came across a quote, “ A stranger is family who you haven’t met yet.” That quote resonated with me. That quote made me realise that actions truly speak louder than words and anyone who is willing to make an effort to be there for you when you need it the most, is family.
Families come in all shapes and sizes – that’s the beauty of it. You’ll know that you’ve found your family when they love you for who you are, regardless of your faults and shortcomings. A dear friend, a beloved pet, your neighbour even – anyone who gives you a sense of belonging and peace, is family.
A family to me is a group of people who are always there for each other and willing to support or lend a helping hand even in the toughest of times. It doesn’t necessarily have to be people you’re related to, there just has be that love and inseparability within the group, and the sense of togetherness that unites everyone in it.
– Alex
Family doesn’t always have to be from the same line of blood as you are. Family is people who you share a sense of belonging with, whom you are comfortable with. Family are the people who tell you you’re wrong when you’ve done a mistake but also tell you that it’s okay to make those mistakes. They remind you of who you truly are. It’s important to have family not just at home but among your friends and others around you. It reminds you that you are needed and you have a place in this world when you feel like you don’t.
I would argue that just as it is within human nature to nurture, build and love, it is also within our nature to destroy and hurt. As imperfect beings, we cannot escape from the human condition which is to be loved and to express it; to feel pain and to inflict it.
There’s something to be said for prerequisites of a healthy good to bad ratio. (I wouldn’t use the term “no matter what” because abuse and manipulation exist.) It’s just a matter of balances and compromises. But at the end of the day, family are those who you can be the most human around.
The actual definition of family is often the people who are related to you by blood – parents, siblings, anyone born bearing the family name. It can even be your aunts and uncles or cousins. Family is often the group of people we originate from. Or well that’s the case for those who have immediate family. What about orphans? Those who often do not know who their parents are? For them, family would be their caretaker in the orphanage or other orphans they treat like siblings or friends. Family for us sometimes can also be our best friend and our best friend’s family. So what exactly is the definition of family if its categories widen with every new prospect? In my own words, family is where a person feels like they’re home. A group of people who make you feel comfortable and safe, who would go to any extent to save you from a crisis and worry the most about you… they are family. Care and love come naturally from the people who treat you like family. It can be your mother, sibling or friend. Family does not narrow down to just blood-related members, at least according to me. It is anybody who would treat us like their own and who are there when we need them. Family is a foundation for someone to grow from. A foundation if shaken, impacts the whole life of a person.
A family is a nest. A nest where we humans are born, a nest where we are reared, a nest of vulnerability. Fully seen and fully known by all who share the same nest. There is nothing to hide. A place where we can be our truest selves with no fear and no shame.
A family is also a training ground where our potential is incubated and given the room to explode. A ground where we can trust their applause because we have heard their true criticism. A place where we can grow to be the best versions of ourselves.
Family love knows no bounds, it transcends the metaphysical beliefs of the universe, and acts as a binding force that leverages the whole of humanity. Just like how a tree is rooted down to the ground, you are rooted to your origins – your family; even if you lose your way, you’ll find your way back home, to where one is protected, nourished, loved. When you have family, you have everything.
While there are lots of factors that need to be carefully considered before this big decision is made, don’t let all the technicalities intimidate you. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. Things won’t be easy or even the same but when your furry friend loves you unconditionally, protects you and feels safe with you in return and gets excited merely at the sight of you… it’ll all be worth it.
