This State Orders the Most Pizza — and It's Not New York

Table of Contents

Plus, the most popular pizza styles in every state.

It appears that just about everyone has a fondness for pizza.

According to a Harris Poll of 2,000 people, a staggering 21% of Americans chose pizza as their favorite food. Interestingly, research now shows that once Americans discover their preferred type of pizza, they tend to stick with it.

A survey of 5,000 people across the US found that one in seven Americans has been ordering the same pizza the exact same way for over five years. But the survey also discovered that 57% of respondents are open to trying new pizza combinations, they just need some inspiration to get started. Additionally, the analysis revealed some interesting pizza trends specific to each state that might influence your next order.

27 Delicious Pizza Recipes to Master

According to the results, almost half (49%) of those surveyed think that adding spice makes pizza taste better. If you're looking for a spicy kick, you might want to try ordering a pizza in New Mexico, Hawaii, California, or Texas, as people in these states are more likely to add a lot of spice to their pizza.

On the opposite end of the heat spectrum, the findings show that Michigan and South Carolina are both the least likely states to add some heat to their pizza, with just 31% of people from either state saying they put a little hot sauce on top of a slice.

Not only are Michiganders the least likely to add extra heat to their pizzas, but they're also the most hesitant to try a new pizza at all, with 11% saying they've never given it a shot. Similarly, residents of Indiana and Vermont tend to stick to their favorite pizza toppings and may be resistant to trying new ones, like anchovies on top of a pie.

When it comes to eating pizza, the study discovered that 40% of people in Georgia start by eating the crust, whereas more than half (53%) of those in Illinois choose to use a fork and knife to eat their pizza rather than picking up a slice with their hands. A significant 66% of Minnesotans claimed they never fold their pizza slices, which might raise some eyebrows among a lot of New Yorkers.

Find Out Which Hot Sauce Reigns Supreme in Your Home State

The survey also looked into how often people enjoy a slice and found that the results varied significantly from state to state. The data showed that Iowans eat pizza the most frequently, with an average of five times a month, followed by North Dakotans (4.9 times) and Alaskans (4.7 times). Although Louisianans don't eat pizza as often, when they do, they typically do it with family and friends. Louisianans host the most "pizza nights," with an average of 3.5 times per month, followed by residents of Connecticut (3.4 times) and Iowans (3.3 times). It's worth noting that New Yorkers only reported having an average of 2.8 pizza nights in a month.

When were all these pizzas bought? It's natural to assume that Friday night was the most popular day of the week to order pizza every state agreed upon.

It's no surprise that Americans enjoy eating pizza frequently," said Kate Neuhaus, director of global marketing communications at McIlhenny Company. "Whether you prefer Hawaiian-style, meat-lover's, New York-style, or Chicago deep-dish pizza, adding a dash of hot sauce can give it an exciting twist.

Want more state-by-state data? Keep scrolling to find out the most popular pizza type in every state.

The most popular type of pizza in each state

• Alabama - Supreme
• Alaska - Pepperoni
• Arizona - Meat lover's
• Arkansas - Supreme
• California - Pepperoni
• Colorado - Pepperoni
• Connecticut - Pepperoni
• Delaware - Pepperoni
• Florida - Pepperoni
• Georgia - Supreme
• Hawaii - Supreme
• Idaho - Meat lover’s
• Illinois - Meat lover’s
• Indiana - Supreme
• Iowa - Supreme and Meat Lover's
• Kansas - Supreme
• Kentucky - Meat lover’s
• Louisiana - Meat lover’s
• Maine - Meat lover’s
• Maryland - Pepperoni
• Massachusetts - Veggie
• Michigan - Meat lover’s
• Minnesota - Pepperoni
• Mississippi - Meat lover’s
• Missouri - Meat lover’s
• Montana - Supreme
• Nebraska - Meat lover’s
• Nevada - Meat lover’s
• New Hampshire - Pepperoni
• New Jersey - Pepperoni
• New Mexico - Pepperoni
• New York - Pepperoni
• North Carolina - A Meat Lover's Paradise
• North Dakota - Supreme and Pepperoni
• Ohio - Pepperoni
• Oklahoma - Supreme
• Oregon - Meat lover’s
• Pennsylvania - Pepperoni
• Rhode Island - Pepperoni
• South Carolina - Pepperoni
• I'm happy to help. However, I don't see any text to paraphrase. It appears to be a mention of two items, "South Dakota" and "Supreme and Pepperoni", without any context or preceding text. Could you please provide the full text you'd like me to paraphrase?
• Tennessee - Pepperoni
• Texas - Pepperoni
• Utah - Meat lover’s
• Vermont - Pepperoni
• Virginia - Pepperoni
• Washington - Meat lover’s
• West Virginia - A Meat Lover's Paradise
• Wisconsin - Meat lover’s
• Wyoming - Meat lover’s

Food & Wine