🍕🔥🏠 Papa Murphy's Pizza: Take 'N' Bake, No Ovens, No Mercy 🏠🔥🍕

This week, comedian Peter Murphy (@peter_murphy) joins me to break down the strange, fascinating history of Papa Murphy's, the pizza chain that refuses to cook your food for you. We dig into how take 'n' bake became the brand's entire identity, why you literally cannot buy a hot pizza there, and how that decision shaped everything from employee working conditions to who can even buy the product. We also check in with the internet, because of course someone on Yelp is furious about flip-flops.

🍕 The Origins of Take 'N' Bake and the Merger That Created Papa Murphy's
🔥 Inventing a Dough That Works in a 425-Degree Home Oven
📈 Explosive Growth Into One of America's Biggest Pizza Chains
🧊 No Ovens, No Cooking Licenses, and a Safer, Cooler Workplace
🧾 Why Papa Murphy's Pizzas Count as Groceries (and What That Means)
🍕 Stuffed Pizzas, "Larger Than Large" Pies, and Other Menu Swings
🎃 Heart-Shaped and Jack-O'-Lantern Pizzas as Annual Traditions
📉 The Mid-2010s Slump and the Challenge of Staying Relevant
📱 Apps, Online Ordering, and the Modern Take 'N' Bake Pivot
🧇 The "Hub of Hacks" Includes Waffle Irons, Football Pepperonis, and Dough Experiments
⭐ Yelp From Strangers Includes a Reviewer Outraged by an Employee Wearing Flip-Flops

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Does take 'n' bake pizza feel convenient or like homework?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: Peter Murphy | IG: @peter_murphy

WATCH PETER'S SPECIAL "OUT OF NOWHERE" HERE

Patreon Producers:
Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers:
David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers:
Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, Jewell Hermann, Renae Michael

👉 NEXT WEEK: We actually review Papa Murphy's and put take 'n' bake pizza through the Chili's Test to see how it stacks up against the ultimate casual-dining benchmark.

🍕🍪 BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Review: Extreme Pizza, Elite Wings, and Too Much Chocolate 🍪🍕

We're back with Part 2 of BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, and this time PJ McCormick (@peejmccormick) and I actually sit down to eat. The service feels a little detached, the vibes are exactly what you'd expect from a brewery, and PJ remains baffled that this place ever started as a pizza joint.

🍕 Pepperoni Extreme Pizza Surprisingly Lives Up to the "Extreme" (What is this, 2002??)
🍪 A Trio of Pizookies: Salted Caramel, Strawberry Shortcake, and WAY Too Much Chocolate
🍤 New Orleans Jambalaya Didn't Matter At ALL
🥨 Big Twist Pretzel Hanged for Pickpocketing
🍗 BJ's Original Wings Steal the Whole Meal
🎙️ PJ Shares His Best and Worst Restaurant Experiences
🚫 Domino's Earns PJ's 0 out of 10 (and I Protest)
🏆 A 10.00 Goes to Vegan Italian Pasta

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is BJ's as good as we scored it?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: PJ McCormick | IG: @peejmccormick

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, & Jewell Hermann

👉 NEXT WEEK: I head to Papa Murphy's Take 'n Bake Pizza with stand-up comedian Peter Murphy. Yes, we drove 4 hours just to pick up a pizza that we had to cook at home...

🍕🍺📚 BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse: Finding the Gimmick (It Was Beer) 📚🍺🍕

This week kicks off Part 1 of our BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse coverage with a full Eat Deets history episode, joined by PJ McCormick (@peejmccormick). We trace BJ's unlikely evolution from a Chicago-style pizza experiment to a beer-forward empire, debate whether pizza was ever really their best foot forward, and draw a completely reasonable comparison between BJ's brand identity journey and Stone Cold Steve Austin ditching the Ringmaster gimmick. Also yes: blowjob jokes.

🍕 "BJ Grunt's" Got a Cease-and-Desist
🍺 Explaining the Real Gimmick via Stone Cold Steve Austin
📈 From Pizza Joint to National Restaurant & Brewhouse Chain
🍪 The Birth of the Pizookie and How It Stole the Whole Show
🎤 PJ Pitches His Dream Restaurant: A Pho Spot Where You're Immortalized for Not Coughing
⭐ Yelp From Strangers Includes a "Fat and Ugly" Man Mad His Hot Waiter Wouldn't Hustle for the Tip

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Is BJ's a pizza place, a brewery, or just a Pizookie delivery system?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/channel/UCLbraNhL6KhDPkdSWt2yiuw
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: PJ McCormick | IG: @peejmccormick

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, & Jewell Hermann

👉 NEXT WEEK: Part 2 as we actually eat BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and find out if the pizza, the wings, or the Pizookie can beat Chili's.

🍕📊🍴 Domino's Pizza Review: Three Pizzas, Vibes, & Getting Deputized 🍴📊🍕

Season 4 continues as James Werner (@jamesyjoehenry) returns for Part 2 of our Domino's Pizza episode, this time putting the pizza where the mouth is. We actually ate inside a Domino's, sat at a real table, and watched the pies come together from what can only be described as the Young Pizza Inspector overlook. With all-star service, we break Domino's down category by category to see if it can clear the Chili's bar.

🍕 Reviewing the Full Spread (and Absolutely No Salad)
🔥 BBQ Chicken Pizza, Ultimate Pepperoni, and Pan Pizza with Pepperoni, Bacon, & Garlic
🍝 Penne Pasta, Garlic Bread Bites, Cinnamon Bread Bites, and Chocolate Lava Cake
🏆 James Is the Champion of Shouting People Out
🎨 Decor That Made Us Wish We Could Vandalize the Walls
👀 Deputized to Inspect Pizzas
🍕 Yes, I Do Crave Pizza Despite Not Liking Cheese
✈️ James' Worst Restaurant Experience Ever Involved an Airport Sandwich
🍌 His Best Experience Was Weighted by Flashiness of Bananas Foster
📊 The Final Score: Is Domino's Better or Worse Than Chili's?

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's your go-to Domino's order?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/@thefinediningpodcast
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: James Werner | IG: @jamesyjoehenry

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, & Jewell Hermann

👉 NEXT WEEK: I head to BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse with comedian PJ McCormick and dive into their history (including pretty dumb etymology).

🍕📦🚗 Domino's Pizza: Hostages, Food Tampering, and Turning It All Around 🚗📦🍕

Season 4 (omg, what??) kicks off with a deep dive into the wild, complicated, and occasionally Noidy history of Domino's Pizza. Joined by improviser and musician James Werner (@jamesyjoehenry), I trace how a tiny Michigan pizzeria turned into the world's largest pizza chain by making bold promises, bad mistakes, smarter apologies, and some genuinely fascinating tech gambles. This is a story about shame, sincerity, and why sometimes admitting "our pizza sucks" is the smartest move a company can make.

🍕 Two Brothers, $500, and a Volkswagen Beetle That Changed Pizza History
⏱️ The 30-Minute Delivery Promise That Built the Brand (and Nearly Broke It)
😈 The Noid, a Nintendo Game, and One of the Strangest Ad Campaign Aftermaths Ever
📉 "Our Pizza Sucks": The 2010 Recipe Overhaul That Saved Domino's
📱 Domino's Becomes an E-Commerce Company That Happens to Sell Pizza
🕳️ Paving Over Potholes Because "Bad Roads Shouldn't Happen to Good Pizza"
🧠 The Pizza Tracker Is Mostly Fake and That's Kind of the Point
🎅 James Pitches His Dream Restaurant: Santa's Kitchen, Serving What Santa Eats
⭐ Yelp From Strangers Includes a Reviewer Furious About a Tip Request on Mother's Day

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Did the Domino's recipe change actually win you back?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/@thefinediningpodcast
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: James Werner | IG: @jamesyjoehenry

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, Robert McLaughlin, & Jewell Hermann

👉 NEXT WEEK: We put Domino's to the Chili's Test with a full review (and we actually found a Domino's that had tables for dine-in)!!

🗣️⭐🍽️ Yelp From Strangers: Rainforest Cafe, Bob's Big Boy, Waffle House, Pappadeaux & Chuy's 🍽️⭐🗣️

VyVy Nguyen (@cest_la_vyvy) is back as we wrap up our two-part Yelp From Strangers special during the final stretch of Bridge Season. This week's batch is truly unhinged. Once again, the food is secondary and the feelings are loud. Also, wtf does "we are bar people" even mean??

🥩 A Rainforest Cafe Review That Treats the Jungle Steak Like Fine Art
🧠 My Personal Connection to David Lynch Lore at Bob's Big Boy
🪑 A Waffle House Review That References the Flying Chair Incident!
📱 A Chuy's Text Message That Woke a Man from His "Sleep Cycle"
👨‍👩‍👧 A Reviewer Who Seems Actively Mad That Her Own Children Exist
🍤 Pappadeaux Through the Eyes of Someone with Very Specific Expectations
🔥 Turtle from Entourage Writes a Review (from a Terrarium??)

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Which chain do you think has the most chaotic Yelp reviews of all time?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp chaos & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/@finediningpodcast
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: VyVy Nguyen | IG: @cest_la_vyvy

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, & Robert McLaughlin

👉 NEXT WEEK: Enjoy your holidays! The Bridge Season is officially over, but Season 4 will hit your table January 7th with an episode detailing the history of Dominos Pizza!

🗣️⭐🍽️ Yelp From Strangers: Denny's, Pizza Hut, Olive Garden, Gyu-Kaku & Bubba Gump 🍽️⭐🗣️

This week, VyVy Nguyen (@cest_la_vyvy) joins me for a pure Yelp chaos episode as the Bridge Season barrels toward its finale. No history, no food review, just unfiltered opinions from the internet's most confident critics. From late-night diners to shrimp shrines, this first of a two-part Yelp special proves once again that the most unhinged storytelling lives in the review section.

🥞 A Denny's Customer Furious About Being Mistaken for Homeless Flaunts His iPhone
🍕 Pizza Hut Favoritism Allegations That Will Not Be Forgotten
🍝 Olive Garden and the Unavoidable Consequences to One's Digestive Tract
🔥 A Deeply Uncomfortable and Kind-of Racist Gyu-Kaku Review
🦐 Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Through the Eyes of a True Shrimp Evangelist
😡 Entitlement, Pettiness, and Selective Outrage Across Multiple Chains
📉 The Internet Continues to Be the Worst (and Best) Place on Earth

💬 COMMENT BELOW: Which chain has the wildest Yelp reviews in your experience?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, extended Yelp chaos & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/@finediningpodcast
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: VyVy Nguyen | IG: @cest_la_vyvy

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, Steff, & Robert McLaughlin

👉 NEXT WEEK: Yelp From Strangers Part 2 as the Bridge Season comes to a close with even more reviews, more grievances, and absolutely no self-awareness as VyVy Nguyen is back to chat about Rainforest Cafe, Bob's Big Boy, Waffle House, Pappadeaux, & Chuy's.

🍔🏄‍♂️🍟 Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks: The Best Casual Burger Chain? 🍟🏄‍♂️🍔

This week, VyVy Nguyen (@cest_la_vyvy) returns for another round of Eat Deets as we surf the waves of flavor offered by Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks. From their golden fries and proprietary fry salt to surf videos looping endlessly on the walls, Islands is a California chain that perfectly captures chill beach energy. We explore its expansion beyond the West Coast, the founder's wild journey from selling to buying the company back, and why seasoning > sauce every single time.

🍔 Burgers So Good
🧅 Island Reds (Crispy Onion Strings) Make Burger So Better
🍟 The Legendary Fry Salt That Outshines Any Sauce
🌊 Surf Videos and Tropical Vibes at Every Location
🗺️ From California to Hawaii and Back Again
⚓ The Founder Sold, Bought It Back, and Righted the Ship (Literally, He's a Navy Vet)
🪨 Yelp Reviewer Claims She Found Rocks in Her Food

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's the best beachside burger you've ever had?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: youtube.com/@finediningpodcast
🔗 All links: linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Guest: VyVy Nguyen | IG: @cest_la_vyvy

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

Patreon Subscribers: David Ornelas, Kellie Baldwin, Jeremy Horwitz, Herbert Amaya, Simone Davalos, Scott Bennett, Amy Reinhart, Josef Castaneda-Liles, & Travis Langley

Free Patreon Followers: Joe Warszalek, Lauren Cummings, Grace Krainak, Keri Estes, Robert Duran, Patrick Elliott, Michelle Elmer, Dave Plummer, Nicholas Volney, Michael Gerard, Tracy Molino, Phuong Duong, Tyler Robinson, Brandon Gully, Mason Cruz, Michael Milito, Mez, Aaron Hubbard, & Steff

👉 NEXT WEEK: VyVy returns for a Yelp from Strangers special covering some hilarious Yelp reviews I discovered when looking at the restaurants I reviewed during season 1!