What’s America’s favourite meal? If you’re like most people, pizza was probably the first thing that came to mind. Pizza is one of the few meals that almost everyone loves. It’s a versatile food. It can be adapted to suit different tastes and preferences. You can make it healthy by loading up on the veggies or you can make it a treat with loads of cheese. However, you like to have your pizza, it is certainly one of those comfort foods that everyone loves. But how much do you really know about pizza? We’ve put together some pizza history facts in honour of the world’s favourite comfort food.
1. About 350 slices of pizza are consumed every second in the US
You can’t have a list of interesting facts about pizza without mentioning just how much Americans love pizza. Americans consume an average of 350 slices of pizza every second. That is equivalent to about 100 acres of pizza a day and 21,000 slices a minute. That’s a lot of pizza.
2. 93% of Americans order a pizza at least once a month
Pizza is much more than America’s favourite comfort food. It has become a staple in their diet. More than 93% of Americans order a pizza at least once a month. This means that it is a major part of the American diet. And probably the most delicious part of their diet too.
3. Pepperoni is America’s favourite pizza topping
Here are some fun facts about pepperoni pizza. Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping choice. About 251.7 million pounds of this flavorful meaty topping is consumed annually in the US on pizza. More than 36 per cent of the pizzas ordered in pizzerias around the US feature pepperoni as a topping. With its delicious slightly smoky and spicy flavour, it’s easy to see why so many people love it.
4. Pizza consumption is highest during Big Game Days
Whether it’s the Super Bowl or the NBA Finals, the meal of choice for many game lovers will most likely be pizza. Pizza Hut often records selling over 2 million pizzas during the Super Bowl every year. It’s not only delicious but also easy to share with friends and family as you enjoy the game together. You can easily grab a slice and wash it down with a cold beer or other drink of your choice. Life couldn’t get any better.
5. Pizza was first developed as an easy and affordable meal for low-income families
Pizza may be an international favourite today but it has its origins as a last resort meal for low-income families in Naples. While pizza today is enjoyed by people across different classes of society, it was a meal reserved for low-income people who were trying to cut back on costs. It was an easy and cheap meal. Families would prepare the dough and top it off with cheese and tomatoes. According to researchers, people thought that tomatoes were poisonous during this period. This was why pizza was reserved for low-income families.
6. New York City was home to the first pizzeria in the US
New York City is famous for pizza. So- much so, that it has a style of pizza named after it. In fact, the founder of Big Mario’s Pizza, Mario, learned his trade in the pizzerias of New York City. It isn’t surprising that New York’s pizzas are famous. It was the home of the first-ever pizzeria in the US, Lombardi’s. This pizzeria was originally a grocery store before it began selling pizzas in the early 1900s. This set of an explosion of pizza shops in the city.
7. Pizza become popular in the US after World War II
Although pizza was widely sold in the US from the early 1900s, it only became popular after World War II. This was likely because of the large number of US soldiers stationed in Italy. These soldiers grew to like pizza and helped to make the dish more popular as they influenced people on their return.
8. The most expensive pizza in the world costs about $12,000
The most expensive pizza in the world is the creation of Master Chef Renato Viola of Italy. The Louis XIII costs about $12,000 and is topped with lobster, three types of caviar, buffalo mozzarella, pink Australian salt and squilla mantis.
9. The largest pizza is 122’ 8” inches in diameter
Ottavia is the largest pizza in the world. It was made in Rome, Italy and was known to be 100 per cent gluten-free too. The pizza was made to help spread awareness about making better and healthy food choices.
10. The average cost of a slice of pizza in New York City is equivalent to the price of a subway ticket
The cost of pizza has been rising in New York City and its rate is parallel to the cost of a subway ride in New York City. Hence the term ‘the pizza principle.’
The cost of pizza has been rising in New York City and its rate is parallel to the cost of a subway ride in New York City. Hence the term ‘the pizza principle.
These are just a few fun facts about pizza that we thought you should know. If you craving a pizza after reading this, call and order ‘The Dude’ pizza at Big Mario’s Pizza.