The Most Expensive Pizzas In The US Are Made In An Unexpected State
In his classic hit, "That's Amore," Dean Martin croons "when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie"; upon hearing this, you might envision walking along cobblestone streets in Italy under the moonlight. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen sing about it in their 1995 film, "You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's Sleepover Party." The Olsen twins singing "I want pizza. P-I-Z-Z-A" in the now viral "Gimme Pizza" song may take you back to Friday night slumber parties when your family ordered pizza for you and your friends.
Regardless of the setting, you'll likely agree that although pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, most Americans love pizza. Whether it be a classic cheese pie, Margherita, buffalo chicken, or Hawaiian style, there's a flavor for everyone. And you probably enjoy fairly priced pizza even more. But it turns out that the state you live in may impact how accessible a reasonably priced pizza pie is.
Slice, an app that allows customers to order pizza from their phone or computer, has released its yearly Slice of the Union Report. The report analyzed 19,000 pizza parlors that the app partners with. The report found that in the U.S., the average cost of a pizza pie is $17.81. Keeping this in mind, it's understandable to want to know which state appears to have gotten the short end of the mozzarella stick when it comes to having access to inexpensive pizza.
You'll find the most expensive pizza in the Northwest
If you're looking for inexpensive pizza, you may want to steer clear of certain states. According to the report, the most expensive pizza comes from Oregon at an average cost of $26.94 a pie. Other states with pricier pizza include Washington, where a pie will cost about $23.34, and in Alaska and Colorado, a little more than $21.
Pizza lovers may want to consider relocating to the five states with the cheapest pizza pies. Oklahoma takes the win with an average pizza costing $12.70. In Minnesota, you can order a pizza for a little less than $14; in Alabama and Kansas, pies will cost you slightly less than $15; and in North Dakota, you can get a pizza for $15.35.
Other findings illustrated that the people of Alaska like to splurge on their pizza orders. The report showed that Alaska wins the superlative for "Biggest Appetites" and has the "most expensive orders." Between its inexpensive pizza and cost-conscious customers, you may want to plan your next date in Alabama which takes the award for "Cheapest Dates" by having the "least expensive orders."
Other pizza-themed awards
What other fun accolades were doled out by the Slice report? New York wins the "Late Night Paradise" award for having the "most shops open after 9 pm." Pennsylvania scored the "Best Dressed" prize for having the "most requests for Ranch dressing." California was awarded the "Fruit Fiends" title for being the "most likely to put pineapple on their pizza." The "Patron of the Plants" title went to Massachusetts for their salad orders. Florida residents had slightly more hearty orders, scoring the "Chicken Connoisseurs" award for the state that ordered the most chicken wings.
When it comes to trends, the Slice report suggests Roman-style pizza, which has a thinner crust and tomato sauce, and pickle pizza, a pie that contains garlic sauce, mozzarella, and a side of ranch, will become crowd-pleasers this year. In a live survey included in the report, 79% of participants said they believe Roman-style pizza will be the 2023 favorite order.
The report also analyzed the most popular pizzeria names. Joe's Pizzas and Sal's Pizzas tied for first place with 206 pizzerias each. There are a little over 100 Tony's Pizzas mentioned in the survey and there is one pizza shop called "Hold My Knots."
While Oklahoma appears to be your best bet for getting a cheap pie, Slice's creator Ilir Sela explains why pizza from Oregon is likely so pricey. Sela said Portland sells a lot of "artisanal pizza," which is generally meant to have distinct and higher-quality ingredients.