By the Numbers: All About Pizza

September 1, 2021

by Hailee Romain

Thin-crust, deep-dish, pepperoni, or pineapple—no matter how you slice it, pizza is one of America’s most iconic foods. But it wasn’t always an American staple. The modern pizza originated in Italy in the 1700s. It wasn’t until 1905 that the first pizzeria in the U.S. opened in New York City. Today, Americans eat more pizza than any other country. Cities like New York, Detroit, and Chicago serve it with their own twist. Do you love pizza too? You can celebrate on National Cheese Pizza Day on September 5!

Read on to learn more about pizza. Then plug in the numbers to solve the equation below and reveal a final fact.

1,578

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Diameter, in inches, of the world’s largest pizza, made in Rome, Italy, in 2012. It was also gluten-free!

15

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Cost, in cents, for a slice of pizza at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City

1889

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Year—according to legend—that the margherita pizza was named after Italy’s Queen Margherita, who loved the combination of mozzarella, tomato, and basil