News

Zagat releases first-ever pizza survey results

June 27, 2012

Zagat has long observed consumers' burger, ice cream and coffee preferences. This week, the restaurant guide also has taken a look at pizza-eating habits for the first time.

Zagat's James Mulcahy wrote a blog overview of the inaugural survey results, and concluded that a vast majority of Americans love pizza – 83 percent of survey respondents said it's among their favorite foods.

Other report highlights include:

• Respondents consume a pizza or slice an average of 4.3 times each month.
• Thirty-eight percent say pepperoni is their favorite topping.
• Thirty-four percent said anchovies is their least favorite topping.
• New York-style thin crust is the overall favorite, with 38 percent of the vote, followed by brick oven (23 percent), Neopolitan (13 percent; and Chicago-style deep dish (8 percent).
• A slight majority – 51 percent – add pepper flakes to heat up their pie.
• Thirty percent admitted to blotting off excess oil before consumption.
• The average slice in the U.S. is $2.99 (or $3.24 on the West Coast).
• The average pizza costs $15.84.

While the average frequency for pizza consumption is 4.3 times a month, there is a stark difference between males (4.8 times) and females (3.8 times).

Northeasterners chow down a pie most frequently – 4.9 times a month – while those in the West have the least frequent use – 3.6 times a month.

Pizza is most popular for dinner (88 percent); followed by lunch (37 percent); late night snack (18 percent); and breakfast (7 percent).

Although Chicagoans may be surprised their pizza garnered just 8 percent of the overall vote, the style was still fourth overall in popularity. It was followed by Sicilian, white pizza, grilled pizza, sheet pan and stuffed.

According to Zagat, while pepperoni was ranked as the No. 1 topping both overall and among men, women prefer mushrooms as their favorite. Pepperoni also was not as popular in the Midwest and the West, where diners preferred sausage and mushrooms, respectively. The top 10 toppings in order include:

1. Pepperoni
2. Mushrooms
3. Sausage
4. Onions
5. Ham / Prosciutto
6. Olives
7. Pepper
8. Extra Cheese
9. Spinach
10. Anchovies

The top five least favorites, in order, are anchovies, pineapple, broccoli, olives and chicken.

Read more about trends and statistics.