No delicacy combines the supple tomato, creamy cheese, and tasty bread more splendidly than the pizza. As simple and unhealthy as pizza seems it is one of the favorite foods for Americans. Lifting that warm slice up to your mouth, while your fingers gently stride over that grainy plump crust, and the cheese drips slightly over the edges may be one of the best eating experiences there is. No matter how good a steak or chicken may be, they do not offer a touch and sight experience quite like a slice of pizza pie. But what is it about pizza that is so attractive? Depending on the pizza it may be some elements that stand out from others. One pizza might have the perfect crust, while another might have the best tasting sauce or cheese. Pizzas offer one of the greatest varieties of texture and flavor of any food that exists. But there are also the incredible variety of toppings that can be added, with mixtures and solo toppings that delight the senses.

According to The Harris Poll Americans favorite toppings are according to rank:

10. Peppers =8. Pineapple =8. Ham/Canadian Bacon 7. Bacon 6. Olives 5. Onions 4. Plain Cheese 3. Mushroom 2. Sausage 1. Pepperoni

My Favorite- must be dual either Pepperoni and Bacon or Sausage and Onions

And the least favorite toppings are:

10. Cheese 9. Meat (in General- most likely from vegetarians) 8. Sausage 7. Peppers 6. Pepperoni 5. Olives 4. Onions 3. Pineapple 2. Mushrooms 1.  Anchovies

My least favorite would be anchovies although that is a given for most people, while olives would be my next least favorite.

The favorite type of crust according to age rank:

Millennials (18-35)- Stuffed Crust Gen Xers (36-50)- Thin Crust Baby Boomers (51-69)- Thin Crust Matures (70+)- Thin Crust My favorite is Thick Crust, although I am fond of the recently developed Pretzel Crust as well.

The Top 5 States for Pizza-

4. Texas and Pensylvania tie for Fourth Place 3. California 2. Illinois 1. New York

Top National Chain Brands according to Me:

  • Uno’s has the best Crust
  • Papa Johns has the best Oven Reheated (I actually don’t even like to eat it when first delivered. I let it sit and get cold and then reheat it- plus they have the garlic dip for the crust)
  • Pizza Hut has the best Overall Consistency (everything is consistently good and they now have the pretzel crust option)
  • Donato’s has the best Pepperoni
  • Hungry Howies gets an Honorable Mention for Crust
  • GodFather’s gets an Honorable Mention for Overall Consistency
  • Little Caesars has the best price for a quality deep dish pizza
  • Pieology for gluten free pizza (West Coast)
  • Chucky Cheese has the best pizza for spending time with kids
  • My overall favorite (Midwest) is Monical’s Pizza - Pan Crust.