National Pizza Week is a week-long celebration that begins on the second Sunday in January every year. Normally, we wouldn’t take up valuable time with the nitty-gritty of an event. But even we understand that this week is too important, and every second should be spent thinking about or eating pizza. Or reading up on different recipes to make a pizza, or deciding what toppings should be added. So, go out and celebrate this great week in style as we unfold more greatness of this pizza week.
History of National Pizza Week
Let it be known that Americans love Pizza. No matter what time of the day or night it is, if you need a pizza, you will get a pizza. This is how much Americans are crazy about pizza. So let’s delve into the history of early Egyptians and the Greeks, who perhaps made the first pizza. For them, pizza used to be a flatbread topped with olive oil and some herbs and spices. It was not until the formation of the Roman Empire when Roman armies entered Greece and Egypt and adopted some of their cuisines and made them their own. In the very heart of the Roman Empire, in Rome, early Romans made their own pizza, which was a modification of the original pizza recipe. The consumption of pizza continued with little to no change in its recipe for years, up until we entered modern times when the world was bleeding from the second world war.
During the occupation of Italy by the Allied Forces, American soldiers stationed in Italy ate lots of Italian food, but the one they really loved was their pizza. When the war ended they brought the recipe with them and so the American pizza was created. Before this, only the Italian immigrants in the U.S. used to eat pizza, along with a few others who worked with the Italians.
The 1950s saw a boom in pizza consumption as the newly brought pizza recipe spread to the masses, so much so that every street in the country had a pizza stall. From there onwards to today, there are reports which say that 350 slices of pizza are eaten every second. This means 40 pizzas are consumed every second. Going into a full-day analysis would simply be mind-boggling, but yes, it is true that pizza is heavily consumed in the U.S.
With such love and passion, it is hard to not have a dedicated calendar event for this marvelous thing, and so we have an entire week to celebrate it. National Pizza Week is celebrated every year in January, and it has been here and will stay here for as long as there are pizza lovers in this country. We salute the unknown originator of this awesome week.
National Pizza Week timeline
The first pizza is basically a flatbread topped with olive oil, herbs, and spices.
The first restaurant to serve pizza opens in Naples — Antica Pizzeria near Port Alba of Italy.
The first pizza parlor in the U.S. is Lombardi’s pizza and opens in Spring Street, New York.
The most famous pizza chain opens for business and grows into a massive chain of restaurants all over the world
National Pizza Week FAQs
What is National Pizza week, and how do you celebrate It?
The delicious holiday week takes place from the second Sunday in January and features deals from popular pizzerias across the country. You can eat free slices, snap up special menu deals, etc. Most restaurants offer safe takeout and delivery options.
What is the origin of Pizza Day?
This began in October 1984. It was created by Gerry Durnell, who was the publisher of Pizza Today magazine.
When is National Pizza Party Day?
It is celebrated on the third Friday of May.
How to Celebrate National Pizza Week?
Make your own pizza
Grab all the ingredients you need from a nearby store and bake your own pizza. This way, you will be able to test your own pizza-making skills. If you fail to make a decent pizza, you can always order one from somewhere.
Host a pizza party
You and your friends can host a pizza party and hang out. Order a variety of pizzas and get high on them. Devour them!
Share the goodness with the homeless
It’s National Pizza Week for all. Remember to share a slice of a pizza with any homeless person out there on the streets. It would make his day.
5 Facts About Pizza Everyone Should Know
350 slices every second
Every second, 350 pizza slices are consumed in America.
Most expensive pizza
The most expensive pizza in the world costs around $12,000.
WWII helped bring pizza to the masses
Before the war, only the Italians ate pizza in the U.S.
37-Billion Dollar Industry
Pizza is a 37-billion dollar industry, with hundreds of thousands of people employed by pizza parlors all over the U.S.
Anchovies are the least liked toppings
There is an entire day on which it is forbidden to eat a pizza that has anchovies on it as toppings, such is the hatred for it.
Why We Love National Pizza Week
It's that time of the year
Americans do not need a reason to eat pizza, they eat it all the time. But this specific week is that time of the year when they would love to experiment with all the kinds and varieties of pizza.
It honors a favorite food
It is not just pizza week, it is ‘The National Pizza Week’ Be careful when you speak of this week. The celebrations for this week must last an entire week, a week entirely dedicated to trying all sorts of pizza and sharing the goodness with friends and family.
A week to socialize
We socialize every day with friends, colleagues, and strangers. This week gives us an excuse to hang out with our friends exclusively to have pizza. Or you could go home to your family and have a quality family with your wife and kids while enjoying the goodness of a pizza.
National Pizza Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | January 9 | Sunday |
| 2023 | January 8 | Sunday |
| 2024 | January 14 | Sunday |
| 2025 | January 12 | Sunday |
| 2026 | January 11 | Sunday |
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