Facts on Pizza

The origin of the word "pizza" is unclear, but by 997 it had appeared in Medieval Latin, and in 16th century Naples a galette flatbread was referred to as a pizza. The pizza was a baker's tool: a dough used to verify the temperature of the oven. A dish of the poor people, it was sold in the street and was not considered a kitchen recipe for a long time. Before the 17th century, the pizza was covered with white sauce.
1. Since 1987, October has been officially designated National Pizza Month in the United States.

2. Approximately three billion pizzas are sold in the United States every year, plus an additional one billion frozen pizzas.

3. Pizza is a $30 billion industry in the United States.

4. Pizzerias represent 17 percent of all U.S. restaurants.

5. Ninety-three percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month.

6. Women are twice as likely as men to order vegetarian toppings on their pizza.

7. About 36 percent of all pizzas contain pepperoni, making it the most popular topping in the United States.

8. The first known pizzeria, Antica Pizzeria, opened in Naples, Italy, in 1738.

9. More pizza is consumed during the week of the Super Bowl than any other time of the year.

10. On average, each person in the United States eats around 23 pounds of pizza every year.

11. The first pizzeria in the United States was opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1895 in New York City.