FOOD NEWS
The Brilliant Reason Chicago Thin Crust Pizza Is Cut In Squares
By Angel Albring
Chicago-style pizza is often depicted as deep-dish topped with lots of cheese and sauce, but Chicago thin-crust pizza is just as famous. This type of pizza has a thin, cracker-like crust often cut into squares, also known as a “party cut” or “tavern cut,” and the reason behind this cut is actually pretty brilliant.
American chef and food writer Kenji Lopez-Alt discovered that during the ‘40s and ‘50s, workers from the stockyards in Chicago would stop by taverns for lunch or on their way home. These taverns would give away free pizza to entice workers to stop in for a drink and cut the pizza slices into a square shape that could fit on a to-go napkin rather than a triangle that flops at the end.
However, thin-crust Chicago-style pizza isn’t the only style of pizza that is cut into squares, well-known pizzas like Sicilian, Detroit-style, grandma, Midwest-style, and party pizza are also served in squares. Ultimately, the shape of the pizza slice does not affect the taste or quality, so the choice between a square or triangle cut comes down to personal preference and convenience.