4 Ways to Score a Cheaper Pizza This Summer

School's out. Families get hungry. It's hard to beat a nice hot pizza to simplify meals. There's no shortage of places to get a pie these days, but that also means that the major chains are getting more competitive to land your order this summer.

Let's go over a few ways to grab a pizza for less this season.

1. Follow Twitter Feeds of the Pizzerias You Like

You may follow your friends and favorite celebrities on Twitter (TWTR), but there's no shame in also keeping tabs on what your area pizza chains are doing. Just as you would follow your favorite food truck to see where it's parking, checking out the Twitter feeds of area restaurants can open the door to potential deals.

After all, pizzerias will often broadcast their latest promotions on Twitter. It's too late now, but did you know that Papa John's (PZZA) was offering half-priced pizzas the day after the U.S. Women's National Team scored two points in a World Cup game? That sort of deal happens often.

2. Consider Takeout Over Delivery

%VIRTUAL-WSSCourseInline-884%The convenience of delivery is obvious, but you can save some money by picking up your own order. You save twice that way, avoiding the likely delivery fee as well as the customary tip for your driver since delivery fees rarely go to the driver.

Some pizzerias also offer discounts for takeout orders. Domino's Pizza (DPZ) is running a weekday deal from Monday through Thursday where large three-topping pizzas can be had for just $7.99 as long as customers pick them up.

3. Window-Shopping Is Easy in Cyberspace

A neat thing about the Internet is that going comparison-shopping is just a click away. If you have a craving for a particular pizza brand, it may be hard to justify exploring your options, but hitting up the home page of area pizzerias might reveal compelling promotions that could sway you.

It's also a good idea to check coupon aggregator websites. Sites including RetailMeNot and Coupons.com list the latest deals for pizzerias that offer discount codes, including regional offers and deals that may not be publicized on Twitter feeds and pizza sites.

4. Consider Loyalty Rewards Clubs

Frequent diners may want to consider joining restaurant-specific loyalty clubs. California Pizza Kitchen has CPK Rewards. Papa John's offers Papa Rewards. Orders come with points that can build up over time and be used for discounts. Membership is free, so there's little to lose.

Another club tip is that ShopRunner -- the Amazon Prime-like service that offers two-day shipping at no additional cost -- also includes free delivery from Domino's. ShopRunner does cost $79 a year, so it's certainly not a worthwhile investment just for a year of free pizza delivery. However, ShopRunner does offer free trial subscriptions as well as complimentary memberships to eligible American Express credit card holders.

So, yes, there are some big pizza deals to be had out there. Go out and find them, and then enjoy your marked-down pie.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Twitter. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. Check out The Motley Fool's one great stock to buy for 2015 and beyond.