While most other restaurants seem to be getting more expensive by the minute, Little Caesars has stayed fairly cheap.
If you’re craving pizza, you know that you can always get a Hot-N-Ready cheese pizza for around $6—a bargain compared to many other pizza chains.
How does Little Caesars keep their pizza so cheap? Some say it’s due to their preparation process and choice of ingredients. However, a recent viral TikTok video shows that some locations of the chain may be cutting corners in other ways—and viewers are disgusted.
Is This Really How Little Caesars Makes Its Sauce?
In a video with over 3.9 million views, TikTok user @michiganmdn shows himself standing over a bucket in a commercial kitchen.
“This is how we make the sauce that y’all love by The bathroom,” he writes in the video’s caption.
The video shows himself pouring what appears to be seasoning into a bucket, then stirring it with a large metal whisk.
“Don’t ever eat Little Caesars pizza again,” the caption continues.
In a comment, the TikToker said, “This was my first day I was just following instructions.”
This isn’t the first time that Little Caesars has gone viral for its sauce preparation. Back in 2021, a user on TikTok posted a video showing how he alleged the sauce was made. The worker was subsequently fired.
Is This Real?
Little Caesars has never officially confirmed the exact process through which it prepares its sauces. The only available information about the sauce, apart from its ingredient list, states that it’s “made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes.”
Unfortunately, several other videos show @michiganmdn’s sauce preparation method—i.e., putting the bucket on the floor—is employed by at least a few other Little Caesars workers.
For example, one TikTok video from 2020 shows the sauce being prepared in buckets on the floor. The aforementioned video from 2021 also appeared to have the sauce being prepared in containers placed on the floor. Additional videos document a similar process.
That said, this method seems to be an outlier. Another TikTok user posted their own video detailing the sauce-making process. This video shows them pouring tomato concentrate, spices, and water into a bucket and stirring with a whisk.
Further videos from Little Caesars employees show that the sauce is typically prepared in both the sink and on the counter—not on the floor.
Is Preparing Sauce On The Floor Really That Bad?
In the state of Georgia, where the TikToker claims to reside, it is forbidden to prepare food on the ground.
Georgia’s Food Service Rules and Regulations say that materials used in food preparation, and the food itself, must be kept in a clean, dry location. It must also be put in an area that is “not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination.” Finally, it must be at least 6 inches above the floor.
As should be plainly obvious, preparing food on the floor, even if it’s in a bucket, breaks all of these three rules.
If a worker was caught doing this during a health inspection, the location could be subject to fines, closure, and mandatory food safety courses.
@michiganmdn This is how we make the sauce that y’all love by The bathroom 😂😂😂 don’t ever eat Little Caesars pizza again 🤦🏾♂️‼️🙅🏽♂️ #fyp #lilcaesars #fastfoodlife
Commenters Are Divided
In the comments section, many users affirmed that what was shown in the video was not Little Caesars’ standard operating procedure.
“Nah that’s just at your place,” wrote a user.
“Yall make yall sauce on the floor? When I worked fa lil ceasars we made it on a table,” added another.
That said, others claimed they had seen similar actions at other Little Caesars locations.
“The one I worked at was completely disgusting,” said a commenter. “They had mold in the walk in fridge by all of the food. They also made sauce like that.. on the floor.”
More still said that, if the pizza stayed cheap, they were willing to look the other way.
“Just have the pizzas ready to go bro,” reads one highly favorited comment.
BroBible reached out to Little Caesars and @michiganmdn via email.