All You Need to Know About Michigan’s Jet’s Pizza

Jet’s Pizza has been a household favorite for its iconic, crispy-edged Detroit-style deep-dish square pizzas since 1978. What started as a single family-owned shop in Sterling Heights, Michigan, quickly became a massive Midwestern sensation. Today, Jet’s Pizza has expanded to over 450 locations across 22 states, balancing time-tested traditions with modern menu innovations to win over pizza lovers nationwide.

In this blog, we’ll explore Jet’s Pizza’s journey from a small family venture to a thriving franchise. You’ll learn about their signature dishes, gluten-free choices, convenient online ordering, and how they give back to their community. Get ready to dive into the story of one of America’s most beloved pizza chains.

A Little Backstory of Jet’s Pizza

In 1978, Eugene Jetts was on his way to buy a new house when his passion for pizza changed everything. Instead, he leased a space in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and opened Jetts Party Shoppe and Pizzeria, now known as Jet’s Pizza.

Image Source: Jet’s Pizza

Eugene and his brother John opened a second location in 1986, introducing conveyor oven technology to improve efficiency. The business rebranded as Jet’s Pizza in 1985, and their cousins Jim and Jeff Galloway joined in 1987 to help grow the brand. Since its start, Jet’s has stayed committed to quality, using premium mozzarella from Grande Cheese and Mama Jetts’ secret sauce recipe.

In 1998, Jet’s launched its first franchised store. Today, it operates over 400 locations across 22 states, offering not just Detroit-style deep dishes but also hand-tossed round, thin-crust, and NY-style pizzas, along with fresh salads, bread, and desserts. After Eugene’s passing in 2014, John, Jim, and Jeff continue to honor his legacy, which all began with a bold decision nearly 45 years ago.

Jet’s Signature Deep-Dish Style

While global chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut focus heavily on traditional hand-tossed or thin-crust varieties, Jet’s carved out its dominant market share with authentic Detroit-style deep dish.

• The Crust: Baked in heavy, square steel pans that mimic industrial automotive parts bins, the dough rises to yield a thick, pillowy center paired with a crunchy bottom layer.
• The “Flavorized Crust” Innovation: Jet’s allows customers to flavorize the edges of their pizza crust for free. Options include Butter, Cajun, Garlic, Sesame Seed, Romano Cheese, or the fully-loaded Jet’s Turbo Crust (a signature blend of garlic, butter, and Romano).
• The Cheese & Saucings: A generous layer of high-fat premium mozzarella extends completely to the edges of the square pan. As it bakes, the cheese caramelizes against the hot steel, creating a deeply savory, dark, crispy border.

Jet’s Pizza Menu Highlights & Custom Options

Beyond standard supreme builds, Jet’s features a specialized rotation of specialty pies alongside distinct sidekicks:

• Specialty Legends: The 8 Corner Pizza® ensures that every single slice on an 8-piece deep dish is a coveted corner piece. Popular recipe profiles include the BBQ Chicken (featuring grilled chicken, bacon, and red onions), the BLT (loaded with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo), and the Ultimate Pepperoni.
• Dipper Sauces & Dressings: Jet’s is culturally famous for its house-made Jet’s Ranch, which is mixed fresh daily in stores and is so popular it is sold in full 12-ounce squeeze bottles. They also feature Mike’s Hot Honey dipping cups, Sweet Teriyaki, and Garlic Parmesan flavors.
• Sidekicks & Desserts: Popular additions include Jet’s Bread® (freshly baked dough topped with premium mozzarella, butter, garlic, and Romano cheese) and their deep-dish style Cinnamon Stix drizzled with vanilla icing.

Gluten-Free Options

For those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, Jet’s Pizza offers a wide range of gluten-free options without sacrificing taste or quality. They take great care to avoid cross-contamination by using separate utensils and cooking gluten-free pizzas on designated trays. They also ensure full ingredient transparency so customers know exactly what goes into their meals.

Jet’s offers four gluten-free crust options:

• Traditional Gluten-Free Crust: Made from rice flour and perfectly seasoned.
• Cauliflower Crust: A flavorful, low-carb alternative.
• Veggie Crust: Packed with spinach, broccoli, and zucchini for added nutrition.
• Thin-Crust: For those who prefer a lighter slice.

With such a variety of options, Jet’s proves that gluten-free doesn’t mean flavorless.

Vegan and Vegetarian Choices
Jet’s Pizza caters to vegan and vegetarian customers with plant-based cheese alternatives and fresh, flavorful toppings. The vegan cheese they use melts beautifully and tastes almost indistinguishable from traditional cheese.

In addition to vegan cheese, Jet’s offers a variety of plant-based toppings like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and fresh herbs such as basil and oregano, all sourced responsibly to ensure top quality.

Jet’s also provides sauce options like vine-ripened tomato sauce, slow-cooked for maximum flavor, and garlic-infused olive oil for those who prefer a lighter, aromatic option.

Jet’s Rewards: How to Get Free Pizza

The Jet’s Rewards program is a direct loyalty system optimized specifically for digital and online orders.

• Sign-up Bonus: New members immediately receive 10 complimentary points when they create a loyalty account.
• Earning Structure: Any online order of $10 or more earns a flat rate of 10 points. Note that taxes, tips, alcohol, and delivery fees are excluded from this threshold, and earnings are capped at one 10-point credit per day.
• Expiration: Points remain valid as long as there is account activity; they expire after 6 months and 1 day of continuous inactivity.

Points can be tracked via your online account dashboard and redeemed inside the Jet’s Marketplace according to the following baseline structures:

Frequently Asked Questions About Jet’s Pizza

What makes Jet’s Pizza sauce different from other chains?

Jet’s Pizza uses “Mama Jetts'” original family recipe, prioritizing fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes sourced directly from California. The tomatoes are blended with a proprietary mix of oregano, garlic, salt, and black pepper, prepared completely fresh without heavy artificial preservatives.

Does Jet’s Pizza offer text-to-order options?

Yes. Jet’s Pizza features an automated Text-to-Order system across a majority of its U.S. stores. Customers can text their exact order to their local store’s phone number. Orders placed through text automatically link to your phone number’s Jet’s Rewards loyalty profile to ensure points are tracked securely.

What are the new dipping sauce options at Jet’s?

Jet’s expanded its dipping lineup by introducing official Mike’s Hot Honey Dipping Cups, allowing customers to add a sweet and spicy kick to their caramelized corner crusts. They have also integrated Sweet Teriyaki and Garlic Parmesan into their wing and sidekick dipping selections.

Are Jet’s wings breaded or bone-in?

Jet’s offers both traditional bone-in Jet’s Wings and Boneless Chicken options. They are baked crispy in their turbo conveyor ovens rather than deep-fried, and can be ordered plain or tossed in signature sauces like BBQ, Honey BBQ, Sweet Red Chili, Mild Buffalo, or Hot Buffalo. If you are comparing wing flavor options with dedicated wing stops like Buffalo Wild Wings, Jet’s focuses heavily on a classic, oven-baked profile to pair directly with their pizza orders.

Can I buy a full bottle of Jet’s Ranch dressing?

Yes. Due to immense consumer popularity, Jet’s sells its signature, house-made Ranch Dressing in full 12-ounce squeeze bottles directly through its online ordering app and physical storefronts. It can also be redeemed for 40 points within the Jet’s Rewards marketplace program.