How Pizza Stands the Test of Time
How Pizza Stands the Test of Time
It’s Friday night. The week was long, the kids are hungry, and you don’t feel like cooking. Where do you turn? Pizza, of course! Research reveals the staggering statistic that 3 billion pizzas are sold annually in the United States, and that we are each slated to devour 23 pounds of the pie each year. On any given day, roughly 13% of folks aged two and over will eat pizza. Here, we’ll talk through some of the most interesting facts about America’s favorite pie.
The History of Pizza
Pizza, as you may have assumed, hails from Italy. Naples, specifically. Italian immigrants first brought it to the United States toward the tail end of the nineteenth century. Lombardi’s, located in Manhattan, was America’s first pizzeria and opened its doors in 1905.
The New York Times first brought “pizza” to its readers in 1944, noting three years later in 1947 that “The pizza could be as popular a snack as the hamburger if Americans only knew more about it.” Pepperoni didn’t become a mainstay as a topping until 1950.
The Topic of Toppings
Everyone’s got their favorite pizza toppings, and sometimes we just can’t come to an agreement when it’s time to order. Some folks are very passionate about their best-loved adornments: Pineapple seems to be quite polarizing, while people tend to have a love-hate relationship with anchovies. But you can probably guess the most popular topper in the United States is pepperoni, which adorns over one-third of the pies we consume in the States.
Popular toppings of course vary state-by-state, but what about internationally? Our friends across the globe swoon over such edible accessories as pickled ginger, tofu, squid, shrimp, and eel. Costa Ricans love coconut, Brazilian’s love green peas, and the French love a combo of bacon, onion, and cream. Sort of makes our tastes seem a little… safe, doesn’t it?
Trending Trends
Forget the traditional sauce-cheese-pepperoni option. Pizza these days is thinking outside the… pizza box? Folks are diving more than ever into such trendy options as gluten-free and cauliflower crusts, alfredo sauces rather than traditional tomato, and tortellini toppings. There’s also breakfast pizza, quesadilla pizza, and the rectangular Detroit-style pizza. Ever tried a sunny-side-up egg on your pie? You don’t know what you’re missing!
Funding a Franchise
The 3rd most popular franchise in the United States is Pizza Hut, falling just behind McDonald’s and Burger King. And while the franchise fee may be steep at $25,000, if you’ve really set your sights on being the owner of a pizza chain, there are other options out there that might be more in your wheelhouse. Check out this list of the 25 Best Pizza Franchises of 2019 to see if there’s one out there that fits your bill. When you’re ready to make the move, head over to ARF Financial to learn how a line of credit can help your business reach the pinnacle of success—and then some. Isn’t it about time you got your share of the pie?