Pizza: Its Origin and Other Fun Facts

People who eat pizza might not be aware of its origin, but the pie has an interesting history. One interesting fact is that many centuries ago in Italy, pizza was considered a peasant's meal.

Back in the mid-1800s, pizzas were not like they are today. They were flatbreads with cheese and herbs on top. They were sold on the street in Naples, Italy, and soon became local treats.

In modern times, pizza is more than just flatbread covered with cheese. It is one of the most popular fast foods in the world, loved by kids and adults. It still is flat and baked in an oven, but there are many variations. That means a large family does not have to choose just one type. In fact, a pizza could be one kind on one side and another kind on the other half.

Crust

The crust is the bottom part of the meal. It could be thin or thick, as well as the choice of having it filled with cheese.

Cheese

Mozzarella is the most popular cheese used on pizzas, but provolone, pecorino Romano, ricotta, and Scamorza can also be used.

Toppings

Pepperoni is the number one favorite topping in the United States. Pepperoni pizza is about 36 percent of all the pizzas sold. More toppings include meats such as ground beef, chicken, bacon, ham, and sausage. Vegetables include mushrooms, onions, green peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and spinach. Other things include anchovies, garlic, and olives. A favorite fruit on pizza is pineapple.

Toppings in other countries are added depending on the region, as well as personal preference.

• Brazil: green peas
• India: pickled ginger, minced mutton, and paneer cheese
• Japan: mayonnaise, potato, bacon, eel, and squid
• Russia: red herring

• Usually, pizza is cut into slices and eaten while being held in the hand.

Popular U.S. Pizza Chains

The first pizzeria in North America was opened in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi in New York City's Little Italy. Since then, pizzerias have spread all over the world.

Pizza Hut has 16,796 restaurants worldwide, making it the world's largest pizza chain in terms of locations. It was founded on June 15, 1958, in Wichita, Kansas.

A fan of Pizza Hut's pizza said:

"Supreme Pizza is one of Pizza Hut's most popular pies. It's topped with a heaping amount of veggies like green peppers and onions, but also has seasoned pork and pepperoni for a well-balanced bite."

Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza seller, with an annual revenue of more than $6 billion. The chain was founded on December 9, 1960, and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has 13,811 locations. That's fewer locations than Pizza Hut, but the annual revenue is higher.

Little Caesars is the third-largest pizza chain in the United States with 5,463 locations. It was founded on May 8, 1959, in Garden City, Michigan.

Papa John's is the fourth-largest pizza chain with 5,199 locations. It was founded on October 2, 1984, and is based in Jeffersontown, Kentucky.

Cicis is not the fifth-largest, but it is included to show how different it is from the four pizza chains listed above. It was founded in 1985 and specializes in various types of pizzas, including macaroni and cheese. Cicis is the youngest in the group and has the smallest number of locations, with only 442.

Pizza Trivia

There is some interesting trivia that makes for good conversations while people sit around and eat slices of pizza.

Pizza is one food that is eaten all over the world. In fact, more than 5 billion of them are sold in every part of the world each year. So, don't think pizza is limited to your country, state, or locality.

It has been estimated that at least 100 acres of it are eaten every day in the U.S. That translates to about 3 billion pizzas, 46 slices, or 23 pounds for every person in the country.

An experienced pizza maker can make 14 pizzas in 2 minutes and 35 seconds.

The world's largest pizza was prepared in Rome in December 2012 and measured 13,570 square feet. It was named "Ottavia" to honor the first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus. The world's longest pizza was made in Fontana, California, in 2017 and measured 6,333.3 feet.

In 2025, the most expensive pizza in the world was created by renowned chef Renato Viola. This culinary masterpiece earned its place in the Guinness World Records with a jaw-dropping price tag of $12,000.

Worldwide, pizza is more than a $160 billion business. We must agree that each one of us helps make it so.

There is a Pizza Hut about 5 minutes from where I live in Richmond, VA. I place my order online, and my pizza is ready by the time I arrive to pick it up.

I eat some slices for dinner and some leftover slices the next morning for breakfast.