Pizza Statistics: 23 Mouthwatering Fun Facts
Just how much pizza do Americans eat? Here are 23 tasty pizza statistics and fun facts that prove just how much we love this cheesy pie.
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No matter how you slice it, pizza is hands-down one of the most popular foods in America. While versions of this tempting treat can be traced back to ancient Greece, it's the Italians who are credited with its perfection. Although you may get some arguments over whether Chicago deep dish is better than New York style thin-crust, pizza continues to be a perennial favorite among people of all ages.
Whether you prefer plain cheese or you like to mix things up with vegetables, meats or toppings that are a little more exotic, there's no right or wrong way to eat pizza. To give you an idea of how other people like to enjoy theirs, CreditDonkey has come up with 23 tasty statistics and fun facts on the pizza-munching habits of Americans.
PIZZA CONSUMPTION IN THE U.S.
To start, we decided to get the lowdown on just how much pizza Americans are eating. Below, we've highlighted what we think are the most significant numbers that demonstrate the full extent of pizza's popularity.
1. How many pizzas are consumed annually?
On average, Americans down about 3 billion pizzas each and every year. Overall, the U.S. accounts for about one-third of global pizza consumption.
2. What's the average number of slices we eat annually?
While some folks eat more and some eat less, the typical person takes in 46 slices of pizza per year. That adds up to about 23 pounds of pizza eaten annually.
3. How many slices do Americans eat per second?
Estimates put the number of pizza slices sold each second at 350, which comes out to about 21,000 per minute. That's about 1.26 million per hour and 30 million each day.
4. Who eats the most pizza?
Men are more likely to eat pizza, accounting for 15% of total consumption, versus 11% for women. Kids between the ages of 2 and 19 prove to be the biggest pizza eaters, with 20% grabbing a slice compared to 11% of adults.
5. How much pizza is consumed at home?
While there are thousands of pizza restaurants to choose from in the U.S., 59% of Americans opt to have theirs at home instead.
6. How does income affect pizza consumption?
Households with an income between $75,000 and $99,000 tend to spend the most on pizza annually.
PIZZA INDUSTRY BY THE NUMBERS
Pizza is a huge moneymaker; we were surprised at just how much revenue pizzeria owners, retail chains and grocery stores rake in each year. We looked at the industry in general to get a feel for which brands come out on top and how much variety consumers really have.
7. How much revenue does the pizza industry generate?
As of 2013, the pizza industry reported sales of nearly $38 billion in the U.S., which represents a 1.2% increase over 2012 figures. Worldwide pizza revenue topped $130 billion over the same period.
8. What's the most popular pizza chain?
When it comes to the big brand pizza joints, Pizza Hut reigns supreme with close to 15,000 stores and nearly $13 billion in annual sales. Domino's, Papa Johns, Little Caesars and Papa Murphy's round out the top 5.
9. How much frozen pizza is sold each year?
While there's nothing like going out for a slice or getting delivery, Americans love pulling a hot pizza fresh from their own oven too. Consumers in the U.S. spend roughly $4.4 billion on frozen pizza each year, with DiGiorno generating close to $1.2 billion alone. Approximately 2 out of every 3 households consume frozen pizza regularly.
10. What's the average pizza cost?
Frozen pizzas sell for an average of $6.37, which is less expensive than what you'd pay at a restaurant. Nationwide, the average price per pie ranges from $8.90 in Kentucky to $16 in the Big Apple.
11. How many pizzerias are there in the U.S.?
Altogether, there were just over 71,000 pizzerias operating nationwide in 2013. Independent eateries represent more than 53% of the market, while major brands like Pizza Hut and Domino's account for a quarter of all sales.
12. Which states have the most and least pizzerias?
While New York gives the Golden State a run for its money, California has the highest number of pizzerias, totaling more than 6,600 as of 2013. On the other hand, Arkansas residents don't seem to love pizza as much as the rest of America, with only 139 pizzerias in all. Wyoming isn't too far behind with just 141.
13. What is the highest grossing independent pizzeria?
Believe it or not, the highest grossing single unit independent pizzeria in the nation is Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria located in Anchorage, Alaska. It generates an annual revenue of about $6 million - very impressive for a standalone eatery.
PIZZA EATING TRENDS
Three billion pizzas is a staggering amount of food, and we were curious about who's eating it all. We used some of the data we collected to come up with a profile of the typical pizza aficionado, including what kind of pizza they enjoy most and when they like to eat it.
14. How many people eat pizza every day?
Around 1 in 8 Americans are eating pizza on any given day. Guys between the age of 6 and 19 are twice as likely to chow down on pizza daily compared to other consumers.
15. What's the most popular time of day to eat pizza?
Around 59% of adults prefer to have pizza for dinner, while 44% of kids choose it as a lunch option. Eleven percent of adults like to snack on pizza while 2% sometimes have it for breakfast.
16. What's the number one pizza topping?
Pepperoni is overwhelmingly the most popular choice among 36% of Americans, followed by sausage at 14%. Only 8% prefer their pizza with just cheese only.
17. What is the biggest day for pizza sales?
Super Bowl Sunday is the most popular day to eat pizza, with pizzerias seeing an average increase of 35% in sales. New Year's Eve, Halloween, Thanksgiving's Eve, and New Year's Day round out the top 5 pizza sales days of the year.
PIZZA ODDS AND ENDS
We decided to finish our study by including a rundown of some of the more offbeat pizza statistics out there. If you've ever wondered how far pizza makers are willing to go to deliver the goods or which pizza outweighs all others, take a look at what we found.
18. What's the most expensive pizza delivery on record?
In 2001, Pizza Hut made history when it paid the Russian government $1 million to deliver space-consumable pizza to the cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station.
19. What's the longest pizza delivery?
In 2001, Butler's Pizza in Cape Town, South Africa broke a record when they personally delivered a pizza all the way to Sydney, Australia 6861 miles away. We wonder if the pizza was still hot when it got there!
20. How big was the largest pizza ever made?
In 2012, a group of Italian pizza makers concocted the largest pie on record, weighing in at more than 51,000 pounds and measuring 131 feet across. It took more than two days to bake the dough, which required nearly 10 tons of flour to make.
21. What's the largest commercially available pizza?
If you've got to feed a big group, Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria in Los Angeles has just what you're looking for. For around $200, you can get a 54-inch by 54-inch custom-made pie, but you'll need to call 24 hours in advance to order.
22. How much does the world's most expensive pizza cost?
While you can typically satisfy your pizza craving for just a few bucks, diners at Nino's Bellissima Pizza in Manhattan spend just a little more. A luxury pizza featuring two different types of caviar and thinly shaved lobster comes with a $1,000 price tag.
23. What are the most popular pizza toppings in other countries?
While Americans prefer the classic pepperoni, the rest of the world has very different ideas of what makes the perfect pizza topping. The French likes theirs with a fried egg, while the Russians like theirs with sardines, tuna, herring, and mackerel (can you say fish overload?!). In Japan, the mayo jaga (mayo, corn, bacon, potatoes, and onion) is so popular that you can find it in Dominos, while coconut is the favored topping of choice in Costa Rica.
FINAL WORD
If reading these statistics got your stomach growling, a slice of pizza may be just the thing to hit the spot. Just make sure you take a walk around the block afterwards to work off all that ooey gooey deliciousness.
Sources and References:
Rebecca Lake is a journalist at CreditDonkey, a credit card comparison and reviews website. Write to Rebecca Lake at rebecca@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
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