Facts You Didn’t Know About Pizza
We all love pizza, but how much do we actually know about it? How long has pizza been around? How much pizza is eaten per second? Its huge questions like that are always at the front of our minds as we bite into pizza. Well, today we are answering them all!
1. First Pizzaria Recorded
When did this pizza trend begin anyway? People often call pizza a beautiful thing, so is it any surprise that the first pizzeria was located in a beautiful setting?
The first pizzeria was opened in 1738 and named Antica Pizzeria. It was located in Naples, Italy, a location most people will only ever dream of visiting.
2. Pizza Consumed Per Year
“Let’s just grab a pizza” has become not only an extremely lucrative phrase for many companies but also the means to which we eat more pizza than we realize.
In the United States, the average person consumes approximately 23 pounds of pizza per year! Those “quick” suppers add up really fast, don’t they?
3. The word “Pizza”
We may have a hint as to when the first pizzeria opened, but how about when the first slice was ever consumed, or even made?
Thankfully, we have many scientists and historians that are just as crazy about pizza as they are about their field of study to dig up a fascinating fact. The first time the word “pizza” was ever written was in 997 BCE in the Latin language. WHOA.
4. Popularity
Although pizza has been around for centuries, North Americans didn’t get the whole picture of pizzerias until after soldiers returned from World War Two.
The reason for this was that they craved the pizza they had experienced overseas in Italy and wanted to recreate it at home. They didn’t realize they were building the beginnings of a food empire at this point.
5. Lucrative Industry
Pizza is not only an amazing food, but it’s also a fantastic business for millions of people around the world. Think about all those pizzerias in your town. You always have so many options!
Pizza is actually a $30 BILLION dollar industry that is not only surviving the ups and downs of the economy but thriving. Because at the end of a bad day, a good slice of pizza makes it all better.
6. Hawaiian Pizza
There’s an ongoing argument about whether pineapple belongs on pizza. All arguments aside, we can agree that it is a popular pizza flavor that just isn’t going anywhere.
A Greek-Canadian man named Sam Panopoulos actually invited the pizza in Canada in 1962. He clearly did an excellent job marketing this new flavor because you can get Hawaiian pizza just about anywhere now!
7. Scottish Pizza
The Scottish have gotten creative with pizza in the past to make their own mouthwatering flavor of the savory pie that will bring travelers and locals together.
Instead of just cooking the pizza in an oven, the Scottish have started deep frying it! Just when you thought pizza couldn’t get better – it suddenly did.
8. Most Expensive Pizza
The most expensive pizza ever created was made by Domenico Crolla and dubbed “Pizza Royale 007”. Let’s just say this pizza is not for the average consumer.
After being auctioned off for charity, the pizza’s final price was $4,200. It was stacked with edible gold, sun-blushed tomato sauce, smoked salmon, caviar marinated in champagne, lobster marinated in cognac and venison medallions.
9. Biggest Pizza
When you are a huge fan of pizza, sometimes you even dream about pizza. Biting into that perfect slice of cheesy perfection.
Well, what if we told you that a massive pizza is a reality and that it has been successfully done? In 2012, the biggest pizza ever created came in at 131 feet in its circumference and weighed about 51,257 pounds.
10. Pizzerias In New York State
New York state is known for its delicious slices of pizza that you can get on just about any street corner, even in the smallest towns.
How many pizzerias are there actually in the state? The answer is 9000! There is definitely no shortage of options in this part of the USA!
11. Deep Dish Pizza
When you travel to Chicago, you absolutely have to try out their deep dish pizza. While you may wonder what the big deal is, it’s important that you just dive in and try it out.
Chicago is where the first deep dish pizza originated. Created by Pizzeria Uno, the deep dish pizza came to life in 1943.
12. Pizza Eaten Per Second
When you’re daydreaming, you’re probably wondering how much pizza is eaten per second in the United States, right?
Well, we are going to put your daydreams to rest with the facts. Did you know that 350 slices of pizza are eaten per second?! That’s just craziness!
13. Biggest Day For Pizza Sales
While pizza sales are massive at every second of the day, there’s one special day where pizza sales skyrocket. And no, it’s not National Pizza Day.
The Super Bowl isn’t just lucrative for advertisers and chicken wing companies, it’s also the highest earning day for pizza companies and pizzerias!
14. Thin Crust vs. Thick Crust
When you watch a pizza advertisement on television, you always see that puffy, rising crust close-up shot that is supposed to make your mouth water.
In reality, most American prefer thin crust pizza! So maybe those advertisers need to re-evaluate their advertising methods…
15. Health Benefits
One of the main ingredients in pizza is tomatoes as we all know. Everyone says pizza is unhealthy, but it’s really up to you with how healthy you want to make it.
Tomatoes are packed with antioxidants, while many of the plant-based ingredients offer Vitamin A, B, and C! If you have the option, always choose the whole wheat crust for extra fiber.
