Kids might think they know a lot. They may rattle off their favorite toppings or preferred restaurant that serves up the best pies. Little ones might have an opinion about whether they like thick or thin crusts, and how many nights a week they would like to eat a delicious slice for dinner. Next time you are talking to little foodies about their favorite Italian specialty, share some of these fascinating pizza facts to spice up the conversation.
Fun Trivia for Pizza Lovers
It's hard to argue that pizza is one of the most universally loved foods by kids and adults alike. Friday nights are the most popular night for ordering up a pizza pie. After a long and tiring week of work, sports practices, school, music lessons, and other activities, families often bypass a trip to the grocery store and dial up delivery.š¤šš¤šš¤š Be sure to share some of the coolest facts about the origins of pizza, some nutty trivia about the biggest and most expensive pies, background about the very first pizzeria, and more information about this popular food.
(1) The Birthplace of Pizza: Naples, Italy
Back in the 1500s, pizza was the ultimate budget-friendly meal. While wealthy folks turned their noses up at tomatoes (many believed they were poisonous and too ālow-classā to eat), everyday families saw their potential. They topped simple dough with tomatoes and cheese, creating a delicious meal that could feed a whole family without spending much money. Little did they know, they were creating the foundation for one of the worldās favorite foods!
(2) Lombardiās Pizzeria: The Origin of American Pizza
The grocery store started selling pizza on the side in 1905. It was considered a foreign food, but within a short while parlors started popping up all over the city. Next time you visit New York City, head over to Little Italy where your family dine in the very first Lombardi's pizzeria.
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(3) This Pizza Comes With a $12,000 Price Tag
Made by a master chef in Italy, this pizza takes luxury to a whole new level. Itās loaded with some seriously fancy toppings, including three rare varieties of caviar, premium lobster, handpicked squilla mantis, and even Australian pink sea salt. This isnāt your everyday sliceāitās a gourmet masterpiece where every bite comes with a taste of the high life!
(4) The Worldās Largest Pizza Was a 14,000-Square-Foot Mega Pie
In 2017, pizza history was made when Pizza Hut teamed up with YouTube star Eric Decker to create a Guinness World Recordābreaking masterpiece. The giant pizza project took over the Los Angeles Convention Center and required some seriously massive ingredients: 13,653 pounds of dough, 4,948 pounds of sauce, and nearly 9,000 pounds of cheese. Once this colossal pie was complete, it was sliced into smaller portions, cooked, and shared with local food banksāproving that a record-breaking pizza can also deliver a whole lot of good!
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(5) 300 slices are consumed every second in the US.
This translates into about 20,000 slices each minute. Taking this calculation one step further, this equals approximately 100 acres of pizza daily. And here's another mind-boggling statistic- a whopping 3 billion pies are sold annually by restaurants and delivery services, equating to over $38 billion dollars.
(6) The average person eats about 46 delicious slices annually.
Pizza fans donāt just enjoy a slice here and thereātheyāre serious about their pie! According to survey data, about 35% of regular pizza eaters polish off three slices in one sitting. Looking at the bigger picture, the average person consumes around 23 pounds of pizza each year, which adds up to nearly 40 whole pies (depending on the size of the pizza). Keep that love for pizza going over a lifetime, and one person could end up devouring close to 6,000 slicesānow thatās a lifetime of cheesy memories!
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(7) Pepperoni is the most popular topping.
Surveys have revealed that more than 35% of pizzas ordered from take-out restaurants include pepperoni. In fact, 250 million pounds of pepperoni are consumed annually as a topping. Comprehensive surveys completed across US consumers reveal that 24% prefer pepperoni over other toppings.
(8) Chicagoās Pizza MVP: Sausage Takes the Crown!
When it comes to pizza toppings, Chicago has a clear favoriteāand itās sausage all the way! This city doesnāt play around when it comes to flavor. The classic choice is a hearty helping of ground sausage seasoned with Italian herbs and spices, bringing a savory, mouthwatering bite to every slice.šš Behind the scenes, Chicago pizzerias are stocking up on millions of pounds of sausage, whether theyāre crafting their own signature blends from scratch or working with specialty butchers who perfect the seasoning. Across the country, about 13% of pizza lovers join the sausage squad and order this flavorful favorite.
(9) Extra cheese, please.
Letās settle a spicy debate: is extra cheese really a topping if itās already the star of the show? Purists might argue no, but pizzerias across the nation respectfully disagreeāand your favorite local slice shop is laughing all the way to the bank! šš„š§š šæš„šš«š¶ļøššš Because melted mozzarella is already a staple in the kitchen, offering "extra cheese" is pure profit magic for pizzerias. And pizza fans are more than happy to pay up. In fact, a dedicated 11% of pizza lovers refuse to settle for the standard layer and demand a glorious overload of extra gooey goodness every single time they order. Hey, when it comes to cheese, can you ever really have too much?
(10) October is National Pizza Month.
Pizza is such a popular food that an entire month has been devoted to celebrating all of its deliciousness. It all began when Gerry Durnell, the publisher of Pizza Today magazine, declared that pizza is too good to only have one day of observance on the calendar. What began as a novel idea in 1984 to promote pizza around the country officially became a holiday, passed by Congress three years later. Lots of pizzerias run promotions encouraging people to increase their consumption during a month when pizza orders are already are at record highs.
(11) Most popular day for delivery is Halloween.
There are contradicting statistics circulating about whether pizza delivery is highest on Halloween or Superbowl Sunday. Either way, pizza shops all over the country are raking in big bucks on these two days when orders come in faster than they can be filled. Three other days are also busier than the rest of the year for pizza delivery people- the day before Thanksgiving, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. As far as typical non-holiday weeks go, Friday nights are by fart the most popular for pizza, with Saturday as second.
(12) Meet the Cornicione: The Crustās Official Italian Name!
For many kids, the best part of pizza is the cheesy center loaded with sauce and toppingsābut the crust often gets left behind like the forgotten slice at the party. Some people even toss it away without realizing theyāre skipping one of the tastiest parts of the pie! A perfectly made crust can be crispy on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside, and absolutely delicious from the first bite to the last. šš§š šæš„šš§š šæš„š Now you can impress your friends with a fancy pizza word: cornicione (pronounced kor-nee-CHO-nay). This Italian term refers to the outer ring of crust and comes from the architectural word cornice, which describes decorative trim around buildings. So next time you enjoy that golden pizza edge, youāll know it has a nameāand it deserves some love!
(13) Margherita Pizza: A Slice of History Fit for a Queen
The Margherita pizza isnāt just a tasty classicāit comes with a slice of Italian history! This beloved Neapolitan pie is famous for its simple but delicious trio of fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. Back in the late 1800s, flatbread was a popular, affordable meal enjoyed by Italian peasants. Legend has it that the pizza was later dressed up in the colors of Italyās flagāred tomatoes, white mozzarella, and green basilāin honor of Queen Margherita. Talk about a pizza with royal roots!
(14) Sicilian Means One Thing: A Thick, Delicious Crust
For those who believe the crust is the best part of the pizza, Sicilian-style pizza is a dream come true! This thick, square-shaped pie traces its roots back to Sicily, where early versions were made with hearty bread topped with flavorful oils and herbs. Today, when you order one at a restaurant, itās transformed into a delicious tower of toppings piled high with rich sauce, gooey cheese, savory meats, and fresh vegetables. Itās basically a pizza loverās version of a bread-loverās paradise!
