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Grab a Slice and Celebrate America’s Favorite Food
Pizza is the perfect food. You can load it up with toppings, eat it plain, change the sauce — the possibilities for what you can do with a pie are nearly endless. Plus, it’s the best meal for gatherings of any kind. “Let’s order a pizza!” is probably one of the most common refrains across the country around dinnertime. But did you know there’s an actual holiday dedicated to pizza? Here’s what you need to know about National Pizza Day.
When is National Pizza Day?
National Pizza Day is celebrated on February 9 every year. Keep in mind that this annual day is different from another great pizza holiday: National Pizza Month, which is all of October. Fans of specific types of pizzas have special days, too: National Deep Dish Pizza Day is April 5; National Cheese Pizza Day is September 5; National Sausage Pizza Day is October 11; and National Pizza with the Works Day is November 12.
National Pizza Day History
We may be able to track the history of pizza itself — for the most part, at least. (Here’s looking at you, Chicago, and your ongoing battle about who invented deep dish.) But unfortunately, there’s no actual recorded history for the birth of National Pizza Day. The National Day Archives says the first celebration was held around the year 200, but no one knows who started it exactly. The reason why, though, seems obvious. It’s pizza! Every day is a great day to celebrate that deliciousness.
How to Observe National Pizza Day
Anyone can observe National Pizza Day, even if you don’t eat pizza. Just take a moment to thank the universe for bringing us a food so many people love. If you do enjoy a slice, eat one! Go to your favorite pizza place and order your favorite pie. Some restaurants may even do National Pizza Day promotions, though those are more common during National Pizza Month. Ultimately, just have pizza in some form for the day. (As an added bonus, National Pizza Day in 2025 is the same day as the Super Bowl! Order early, though; it’s one of the top pizza delivery days.
Is There a World Pizza Day?
Here’s where things get a little bit complicated. Depending on who you ask, National Pizza Day is actually World Pizza Day. Some, though, say World Pizza Day is January 17. Europe dates versus United States dates don’t make a difference either — both places routinely claim both days as World Pizza Day. Here’s what we recommend doing about the confusion: Eat another slice of pizza. One day to praise it is great, but two is even better.
What City Has the Best Pizza?
We know it’s a cop-out, but there’s no possible way to choose which city has the best pizza. Official rankings vary, with the pizza attributed to such places as New York City, Seattle, and Denver. So, just go with the pizza you like the most — whether that’s a foldable New York slice, a Detroit rectangle pan pizza, a Chicago deep dish, or whatever regional pizza style you crave.
Fun Facts About Pizza
Think you know all there is to know about pizza? Think again. Here are some fun facts to wow your friends with at the next trivia sesh.
- Pepperoni pizza is the most popular, accounting for about 36% of overall orders.
- Pizza as we know it today was invented in Naples, Italy, in the 1700s. But the very first pizza in history was actually a flatbread with toppings, consumed in Ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece.
- The world’s largest pizza was made in Rome, and was more than 13,000 square feet.
- The United States’ first pizzeria, Gennaro Lombardi, opened in New York City in 1895.
- The original Pizza Hut was in Wichita, Kansas, and you can go visit the building today. There’s a museum about Pizza Hut inside!
- There’s a technical name for the crust of a pizza: cornicione.
- The Hawaiian pizza was actually invented… in Canada.
- If we break it down, American citizens eat on average 350 slices of pizza per second.
We believe every day is a great day for pizza. So whether you’re planning to celebrate National Pizza Day or not, don’t worry — Goldbelly has hundreds of pizzas you can order from all your favorite spots.
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